The Early Word: Musk’s AI chatbot disputes his claims; where to buy candy
Pour that cup of coffee, Memphis, because it’s Monday again. Today is Oct. 28, and the Shelby County Commission will return to a pair of resolutions that may increase the Circuit Court Clerk’s budget.
And the Germantown Board of Mayor and Aldermen could take the first step toward making Germantown mayor a full-time job. In Collierville, the BMA will discuss a renovation for the town’s police back-up dispatch center.
The Memphis Grizzlies play their second home game of the new season tonight, against the Chicago Bulls. And the Memphis Tigers play the Rocket City Classic against Alabama, their last exhibition game before the real season starts.
It’s no secret that xAI founder Elon Musk is throwing his support to former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. He’s also made a number of wild claims about the election, including an allegation that Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris is a puppet of an unnamed conspiracy. So, what does Grok, Musk’s xAI-trained chatbot have to say about all of this? The Daily Memphian’s Samuel Hardiman had a little chat with the chatbot, and it said Harris “is not ‘controlled’ by any individual or entity in a manner that implies puppet-like influence over her decisions.” Grok also had a lot to say about Musk’s other claims.
It’s a good time to be a candy man (or woman). As Halloween quickly approaches, two Memphis candy shops are making bank right now: Wayne’s Candy Co. Downtown and Macklin Candy Co. in Whitehaven. Wayne’s saw record-breaking sales last year, and this one seems to be booming, too, as employees come in early and stay late to meet customer demand. Macklin struggled a bit during the pandemic, but things seem to be picking up, as does demand for Long Boys and Chic-O Sticks. “We ain’t worried about anything. Business is still pretty good,” said co-owner Sam Macklin Jr.
Plus, the Shelby County Sheriff’s office and the juvenile court can’t agree, the Memphis Animal Services director was fired from a previous job for lying and the Grizzlies set the clock back 295 days.
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Bianca Phillips
Bianca Phillips is a Northeast Arkansas native and longtime Memphian who’s worked in local journalism and PR for more than 20 years. In her days as a reporter, she covered everything from local government and crime to LGBTQ issues and the arts. She’s the author of “Cookin Crunk: Eatin’ Vegan in the Dirty South,” a cookbook of vegan Southern recipes.
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