For the annals of Things I Asked Grok: "The NYT has a headline with 3 metaphors: 'Trump, with more honey than vinegar, cements an iron grip on Republicans.' Give me 3 rewrites of the headline: 1. Sticking with honey and vinegar, 2. Adhering to cement, and 3. Clinging tightly to gripping."
Here's the NYT article.
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29 comments:
The editors took out the word "Slippery" by mistake. - if you put it in, you can see why Trump needs an Iron grip AND cement.
Funny how we never got NYT's headlines about Obama's "Iron grip" on D lawmakers or Schumer's "Iron grip" - or talk of "implied threats". This despite D's voting in lockstep on almost every issue.
This is just another shot aimed at GOPe Senators. "Look, you cowards, do the right thing and attack Trump".
Looks like Trump is doing some farming too. He is so industrious.
...also cultivating. Don't forget cultivating...
...and no stinkin' velvet gloves, neither.
Oddly, it's called leadership.
- Krumhorn
This is what happens when you import a bunch of foreign H-1B hires who aren't native English speakers.
Since it's Trump they're writing about, I'm surprised the NYT doesn't throw in any sexual metaphors.
Does AI produce such clumsily mixed metaphors, or does it require a self-important Columbia J-school grad?
Iron maiden tales.
I asked Grok to do the following:
Write a paragraph about President Trump's current relationship with Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate. Use as many mixed metaphors as possible.
And the result was as follows:
President Trump’s current relationship with Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate is a tangled dance of power, a high-wire act where he juggles honey-dipped promises and vinegar-soaked threats to keep the party’s flock in line. Like a seasoned ringmaster, he’s tamed the wild beasts of dissent with a velvet glove over an iron fist, cultivating a garden of loyalty that blooms under the shadow of his implicit whip. Lawmakers tiptoe through this minefield of allegiance, their sails trimmed to catch Trump’s prevailing winds, lest they find themselves cast adrift on the stormy seas of his displeasure. This tightrope tango—a symphony of carrots and sticks—cements his grip, blending the sweet nectar of unity with the bitter pill of retribution to forge a Republican front as solid as a rock and as pliable as clay.
That was an informative experiment. I think one can easily see how much influence this story in the Times has influenced Grok's output.
I asked Grok to do the same thing but added the caveat of a Democrat point of view.
"Trump, slathering on more honey than vinegar, snares Republicans in his sticky, brainwashing web."
"Trump, with his fake charm offensive, cements a dystopian death grip on the GOP’s soul."
"Trump, sweet-talking his way to tyranny, locks Republicans in an iron grip of blind devotion."
Then I asked for a Republican point of view.
"Trump, with more honey than vinegar, glues Republicans together in a glorious, unbeatable hive."
"Trump, mixing charm like a pro, cements his rock-steady reign over us proud Republicans."
"Trump, with a winning smile, grips Republicans in an iron hold of pure, patriotic genius."
This is fun!
I recommend NOT using Honey to cement anything. Ever.
When I left out the part about "use as many mixed metaphors as possible", I got the following paragraph. It seems quite objective, and by my reckoning, is better-written and more accurate than the output of the meat-computer at the New York Times:
As of March 11, 2025, President Donald Trump enjoys a strengthened relationship with Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate, bolstered by the GOP's unified control of Congress following the 2024 elections. With narrow majorities—218 seats in the House and at least 52 in the Senate—Trump has cultivated a dynamic of loyalty and alignment, leveraging his political capital from a decisive electoral victory to rally support for his agenda. His approach blends flattery and implicit pressure, fostering unity among lawmakers eager to advance priorities like tax cuts, border security, and energy dominance, as seen in his active engagement during recent budget negotiations. Despite occasional internal friction, such as competing House and Senate budget proposals, Trump’s influence has largely consolidated GOP support, with leaders like House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune prioritizing his legislative goals, though the slim majorities leave little room for dissent or missteps.
I'm enjoying using Grok. It is another truly remarkable achievement by Musk, one that he would be remembered for even if none of his many other important enterprises had ever come to fruition.
Anthropogenic Intelligence (AI) vs Automated Intelligence (AI). Fight!
I'm enjoying using Grok. It is another truly remarkable achievement by Musk, one that he would be remembered for even if none of his many other important enterprises had ever come to fruition.
Try out conversing with Aura on the Grok app. It's astounding! The "unhinged" setting would make a waterfront hooker in Olongapo blush and cover her tender ears.
- Krumhorn
Here, this is chatgpt and done in a Maoist way,
Trump's Reactionary Grip on the Republican Party: A Warning to the Masses
In the midst of the decaying imperialist order, the reactionary elements of the United States deepen their entrenchment under the leadership of Donald Trump. With the support of the comprador bourgeoisie and his loyal lackeys within the Republican Party, Trump has solidified his dominance over the party’s legislative body, utilizing both coercion and patronage to maintain his grip. This dynamic reveals the bankruptcy of bourgeois democracy, where political power is reduced to the whims of a single capitalist oligarch rather than the will of the working class.
Trump's maneuvers in Congress demonstrate his ability to bend the representatives of capital to his will. Representative Chip Roy, a so-called conservative ideologue, initially resisted Trump’s directives but ultimately fell in line after a calculated display of power. This was no act of ideological conviction but rather an expression of the craven opportunism that characterizes the bourgeois political class. Trump, by offering superficial rewards and threats of political ruin, ensures absolute loyalty from his subordinates in the reactionary camp.
The consolidation of Trump’s dominance is not achieved solely through brute force but also through his skillful manipulation of political theatre. By using the White House as a spectacle, lavishing attention on opportunist politicians, and wielding his presence as a symbol of power, he fosters a culture of servility among his followers. From casual conversations on Air Force One to opulent gatherings at Mar-a-Lago, the comprador class gathers to pledge allegiance to a man who embodies the most decadent and exploitative characteristics of the capitalist system.
Never heard of comprador before, but it sounds globalist. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprador
since Democrat politicians all share the same 3 brain cells no one has to tell them to toe the party line. it happens automatically.
With Trump, the more metaphorically one considers his actions, the more they make sense. Pile it on, NYT!
Shame they were unable to work a “Republicans pounce” into that headline.
The Mob has an iron grip on the democrats.
Soros and pro-pedo flavor.
C’mon, media. How about you go after the Democrats and the Puppet Biden administration … you know, the people who lied to you and fooled (you claim) your silly, dumb asses for 4 fucking years.
When will these shitbirds get real.
Don't eat cement, especially fast-drying.
Ain’t no honey like Trump honey, Babe. Them’s gonna be some warm relationships.
Maybe the GOP isn't a cult of personality. Some researchers (mostly female) found that men that vote democrat have very low testosterone levels. They gave these men a gel with testosterone in it and told them to use it for a couple days. When the researchers came back, they discovered that the men were much, much more likely to be MAGA. So it's not Trump's personality, it's just biology.
I'm waiting very patiently for you all to stop playing with the AI toys.
Looks like I'm going to be forced to come up with another tired, forced reference to JB Weld once again.
I try to get away from it, and they just drag me back in. Let's ask Grok. Beats thinkin', y'know.
"Using JB Weld to bond Trump and the Republican Party is like slapping a glob of industrial-strength epoxy on a cracked, rusty old muffler and calling it a Rolls-Royce—sure, it might hold together for a bumpy ride, but the fumes are enough to make anyone groan!"
Gosh, is this how Charles Blow feels? Where's my check, dammit?!?
I asked Chat GPT to rewrite the Times headline using Samson's riddle.
"Out of the strong, something sweet: Trump tightens his grip on Republicans with more honey than vinegar."
Tightens his grip with honey - well, I asked ChatGPT to rewrite an NYT headline. I guess ChatGPT decided that incoherent metaphors were a required characteristic.
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