There are a LOT of meme videos stemming from the now infamous televised meeting of presidents Trump and Zelensky (/Zelenskyy) in the White House on 28th February 2025.
If you’re wondering what difference toggling the two icon buttons in the Grok 3 beta search box makes, it’s actually explained at the top of the Grok interface when creating a new conversation however it’s not obvious and their meaning is not shown thereafter.
Grok deep search and think
Touching the light bulb means Grok uses and shows a train of thought as it processes the text you enter in the input box which mode of operation lends itself to questions and problems whose resolution require a sequence of reasoning steps like mathematical solutions.
Touching the magnifying glass means Grok performs deeper ‘agentic’ (think ‘agency’ i.e. having the power to takeaction) real-time web search and step-by-step research as part of processing your input to deliver more up-to-date nuanced answers.
It looks like you can toggle either one or the other or neither – in which case it still seems to search current web sources as well as those it’s been trained on.
Grok toggle icons
Hope this helps – check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more tech and wellbeing content.
Several comedy writers “tag” their rejected submissions to BBC topical news comedy shows in social media posts using a hashtag like #BTNRejects, #BTNNB, #BreakingTheNews, #NoisingUp, etc. so other writers can see and provide feedback on or like their ideas.
Here’s a thread of some of my news gag failures on X.
I’ve gathered together here well over 100 rejects so we can see what didn’t make the grade and maybe learn something about what doesn’t work in the process – comments welcomed!
You are free to use any of these in your online content with a credit linking to https://x.com/GIChowDotcom (lmk and I will share your content on my socials!)
And for what it’s worth here’s a completely AI generated video on how to write topical gags!
Write topical jokes for Twitter & TV
A McDonald’s restaurant in Glasgow has become the first in the UK to broadcast a live FIFA World Cup match. In recognition of Scotland’s place in the tournament, the Darnley branch is serving a Tartan Army themed happy meal. Though for other emotions, there’s always the pub next door.
A couple who were caught trying to join the mile high club before their flight even took off have claimed they were praying. A steward on the Jet2 flight said there was initially some confusion about what they were doing since one of the couple was on their knees, while the other was shouting “Oh God!”
A man has appeared in court after the largest haul of counterfeit goods ever recorded in Scotland was seized across Glasgow and Lanarkshire. He made no comment after the hearing but was seen sporting Nike trainers, a Barbour jacket, and with a Louis Vuitton bag over his head.
A church in Cambridge is holding a Doctor Who-themed Sunday Service, and officially unveiling a Tardis it acquired, that had been sitting for years in a farmer’s field. The Reverend told us the home of the fictional time lord will go down a treat with parishioners – and the Tardis is pretty epic too.
Fire services had to attend a school in West Dunbartonshire this week after a pupil set a laptop alight, following a TikTok trend for short-circuiting the devices. Luckily, no pupils were harmed in the fire, but one firefighter did injure his back, after joining in with the dance routine.
Detectives are searching for a white van after thieves stole containers of cooking oil and made off in the van during an early-morning raid in Moray. Police say they have several leads to follow already – just as soon as they finish their lunch at the recently-appeared white van chip shop.
Mr Trump has faced criticism for a now deleted social media post that depicted him as a Jesus-like figure. To be fair to the forty seventh President of the United States however, every time we hear from him nowadays, I think to myself “Jesus H. Christ!”.
Caribbean Airlines confirmed a passenger on a flight from Jamaica to New York gave birth just as the flight was landing at John F. Kennedy Airport. The proud mum said the delivery was beautiful and surprisingly painless, though she did wince at the extra carry on luggage charge.
A Tesco store in Kirkwall has been giving away bananas after accidentally ordering around 38,000 of them, almost twice Orkney’s population. It’s not yet clear how the mistake happened, as one resident said “it’s bananas”.
Swiss food giant Nestle says about 12 tons, or 413,793 bars, of its KitKat chocolate brand were stolen after leaving its production site in Italy earlier this week for Poland. Police have arrested a suspect and believe it’s just a matter of time before he snaps under questioning.
A Michelin star chef has unveiled a ten point pledge to tackle sexism in restaurants. He said there are actually twenty six points but was keeping it to a number the wee lassies can understand.
Former Google executive Matt Brittin has been confirmed as the BBC’s new director general. The hunt for a new DG threw up several highly experienced candidates but insiders say Brittin came top on the first page of search results.
Students at a Scottish university have been asked to design a tartan to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence. The current front-runner eschews the traditional colour palette in favour of a contemporary tan orange with hints of bin fire.
A message in a bottle dropped from a boat off Canada has been found washed up in the north-east of Scotland. While the full contents of the message have yet to be disclosed, the finders could reveal it starts “Dear Donald” and ends with “off”.
A ‘self-cleaning fabric’ could cut laundry time by 80%, say scientists in China, who have created a special coating for clothing that enables them to be cleaned using a simple rinse cycle with no detergent. The news came as no surprise to canny Glaswegians however, who said they’ve been doing laundry that way for years.
Graves more than 100 years old could be reused across England and Wales under Law Commission proposals that also include the reopening of some burial grounds closed under Victorian-era legislation. Marketing of the graves is already underway with a BOGOF deal – bury one, grave one free.
A Chinese shipyard has been named as the preferred bidder to build two new “freight flex” vessels serving Orkney and Shetland. In what’s thought to be a world first, drop shipping will be used to deliver shipping.
Scottish supercomputer ARCHER2 is value for money, according to a report just published. It concludes that the breakthroughs delivered justify spending public money on the next generation of supercomputers – though careful readers did spot a footnote saying “written by ARCHER2”.
One hundred lucky fans have bagged tickets to Harry Style’s one-off concert in Manchester, thanks to a gift from the star to his old school. Headteacher Nigel Bielby said the lucky ticket winners were randomly selected from applicants at the school, while the unlucky ones got two tickets.
The Italian baseball team has attracted attention online when it was discovered that the team kept an espresso machine in its dugout. Other teams didn’t mind the caffeine hit giving them an unfair advantage, but drew the line when their batting lineup started with George Clooney.
Australian designer Katie Perry has won her High Court appeal against pop megastar Katy Perry in a years-long trademark case. Both sides presented lengthy technical arguments for their case, though Katy Perry, the pop singer’s counsel did end with fireworks.
A “tea planter” jailed for buying tea from around the world and passing it off as grown in Scotland made over a million pounds from his criminal conduct, a court has heard. Suspicions were aroused when someone pointed out Scotland’s got nae blooming sunshine.
MARTIANS could be humans’ ancestors, scientists have said, after finding that alien microbes could travel on asteroids from other planets. Critics pooh-poohed the idea however, one saying “the simplest life forms could never have come from microbes – you’ve only to look at the American administration”.
MSP’s have heard a troubled Scottish ferry needs new propellers as part of multi-million pound repairs after just over a year in service. One passenger said the repairs couldn’t come soon enough, as the daily row was starting to take its toll.
United Airlines recently announced that anyone playing phone audio without wearing headphones can be denied transport and, in extreme cases, permanently banned. The new rule has already caused problems, however, when on the landing approach, a call came in for the pilot.
Ryanair has been voted the worst short-haul operator in the UK as passengers criticised its poor customer service, difficult booking process and uncomfortable seats. A Ryanair spokesperson said “We can’t believe it! It’s the first time we’ve won anything!”
The Scottish justice system has been told it’s time to enter the twenty-first century after a review found that courts are still using second class post to summon witnesses. A spokesperson said it would be their number one priority, just as soon as they work out what to do with the ducking stools.
After her spouse David Taylor was arrested on suspicion of spying for China, Scottish Labour MP Joani Reid said she’s never seen anything to make her suspect her husband had broken any law. Though did wonder why they’d been getting so many phone calls asking for the Chinese takeaway.
Three-time world snooker champion Mark Williams has revealed he has a ‘serious phobia’ of tea bags. One theory is that the fear stems from the eponymous witch in the 80’s Children’s show “T-Bag” – which could also explain his other fears of rhubarb and custard.
A study has revealed that three quarters of young daters prioritise environmental values as much as physical compatibility. For Gen Zs, it seems, green views are as important as good looks, which is great news for ugly guys with lots of wind.
Hannah Spencer is a plumber, a qualified plasterer, and the woman who has just become parliament’s newest MP in a historic series of firsts. She said she’ll never forget where she came from and can’t wait to start holding surgeries. Though won’t be available for at least three weeks, and there’s an £80 callout charge.
Chocolate bars are being locked in plastic boxes in some UK shops as police forces warn thieves are stealing them to order. The boxes make them hard to conceal, which is good news for retailers, but bad news for the man from Milk Tray.
More than 15-hundred pieces of film and television memorabilia are to be sold at auction next month. The lots include the harpoon gun from Jaws and a helmet worn by Russell Crowe in Gladiator, which have already raised interest from UK border control.
GP practices in England are to be paid £3,000 a year bonuses to prescribe weight loss drugs. Patients are advised the cash-for-prescriptions drugs won’t work for some groups, however, including big pharma fat cats.
Former US President Barack Obama has clarified that the chances Earth has been visited by aliens is “low” after comments he made about extra-terrestrial species caught attention online. The confusion arose when he mentioned the film Predator, but it turned out he meant Jeffrey Epstein.
Liz Truss has met with Donald Trump at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, sharing a photo of the moment on social media. She captioned the image “right about everything”, to which the internet quickly added “just be Cos”.
A 70-year-old former trading standards officer is to compete in the world axe and knife-throwing championships after teaching himself the sport in his own garden. His neighbours are said to be thrilled, as one asked “does this mean we can let the cats out now?”
If you’ve been eagerly anticipating the third movie in Danny Boyle’s “28” zombie horror series, you may have scoured several sources for clues and snippets.
If you look, it’s surprising how much information there is out there, from interviews with actors and snatched photos of them on set to official press releases, trailers and articles in online publications.
To help satisfy my curiosity, I fed some of these sources into AIs like Google NotebookLM and ChatGPT custom video creators to produce both a 20 minute pure audio podcast and 4 minute video podcast with relatable visuals. You can check out the video above with the longer 20 minute audio podcast available as a .wav audio file here:
There are several topical, political and satirical comedy TV and Radio programmes that need a constant supply of topical jokes like “Have I Got News For You”, BBC Scotland’s “Breaking the News” and “Noising Up” but have you ever thought about writing for them?
I’ve submitted well over a hundred topical gags which you can check out in another post
but check out this short video describing a system for writing jokes.
How to write topical jokes
In a nutshell, the video proposes a 4-step process: Choose fresh news, find the funny, keep it punchy, publish to social media and engage with the responses.
I found the process of making the video as interesting as the content of the video itself and did this using what is termed a ‘custom’ ChatGPT that, with a simple prompt, creates an entire video on any topic of your choice – in minutes!
To create your own videos, log in to ChatGPT with your browser, click “Explore GPTs” near the top left hand side and search for ‘video’.
This will return several AI video makers such as Video GPT, Video Maker and Video Maker GPT. Use one of these and enter a prompt describing the tone, length, audience and subject of the video like:
“Create a fun 1 minute educational tutorial video for comedy writers on Twitter describing how to create topical news jokes”
This prompt, with Video Maker GPT, creates a pretty useable video with script, narration, background music, subtitles and stock video in under a minute. Incredible huh?!
Follow me @gichowdotcom on Twitter/X and search my posts for the hashtags #BTNrejects and #NoisingUp for more topical comedy!
I didn’t think it was possible to use the Shazam app on my phone to Shazam music that was playing on the same phone however it turns out you can do this, for example to Shazam music playing in an app or post on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, etc.
To do this, you need to change the Shazam app’s settings as shown in the steps and screenshots below:
Open Shazam and swipe right (drag your finger left to right) so you see the cog symbol top left
Click the cog, scroll down to “Pop-up Shazam” and slide the toggle right to turn it on
Change your phone’s Shazam app permissions to allow the permissions Shazam needs: “Notifications” and “Appear on top”.
Shazam settings changes to Shazam music playing on your phonePhone permissions changes to Shazam music playing on your phone
That’s it, you’re done!
To shazam something playing on your phone:
Open Shazam as normal
Press the button to Shazam (if you’ve previously changed your Shazam settings to “Shazam on app start” no need to do this step)
Switch to the app (Twitter (X), Instagram, TikTok, etc.) where the music was and play it.
A blue Shazam button will appear ‘listening’ (pulsing) and eventually show the track – you may need to start Shazam again, go back to your app where the music is playing, and then press the overlaid Shazam button again if it doesn’t work the first time.
Shazam music from a Twitter post
Hope this helps – and if you got value please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel 🙏
Can you not mirror your Samsung phone’s screen to your Sony Bravia TV because it doesn’t appear on the list of devices – even if it used to?
Sony Bravia TV not in Samsung Smart View list
You’ve clicked “Can’t find the device you’re looking for?” and followed the instructions but your Sony Bravia TV doesn’t appear in the list of devices even after restarting both your TV and phone and ensuring both devices are on the same WiFi network.
Well, here’s a quick fix that worked for me! Just click the 3 dots top right:
Three dots
And then Settings > Labs > Chromecast support:
Turn Chromecast support on (slide the button right) and voila! Go back and your Sony Bravia TV will appear in the list for streaming your screen, photos and videos too.
Printing multiple copies of multiple page documents double-sided on a printer that can only print on one side of paper at a time requires printing the same sheet of paper twice.
So how does one do it as simply as possible? Without having to manually reorder printed pages or press print multiple times or accidentally miss pages or collate pages in your copies in the wrong order!
Let’s start with the simpler case of a document with an even number of pages, for example, a six-page document that is desired to be printed double-sided on three sheets of paper.
(1) In the print dialogue, tick odd pages only. In the Adobe Acrobat print dialogue there is an option to print just the odd (or just the even) pages but if you are missing this option you can manually enter the pages to print as 1, 3, 5, etc. Enter the number of copies of the document you want e.g. 3. Typically, the collate option will be automatically checked – this is what you want and just means that the pages will be printed as normal in order, rather than 3 copies of page 1 followed by 3 copies of page 2, etc. Ensure that the ‘Reverse order’ checkbox is not ticked; sometimes it is ticked by default in which case untick it.
(2) Print your document with these options and you will get e.g. 3 copies of your document but with just the odd pages printed. So, for our six-page document example, we will have 9 sheets of paper printed on one side with pages 1,3,5,1,3,5,1,3,5 in that order in the output tray.
(3) Put the pages you just printed from the output tray back into the paper source tray with the blank side facing up* and the top of the page innermost (so the last page of the document is the first page fed).
(4) In the print dialogue, select both the even pages checkbox and the ‘Reverse order‘ checkbox. Again, Adobe Acrobat has option checkboxes to achieve this but if you are missing these options you can manually enter the pages to print as e.g. 6, 4, 2. Enter the number of copies of the document you want as before e.g. 3. Again, typically, the collate option will be automatically checked which is what you want.
(5) Print your document with these options and that’s it! You will get, say, 3 copies of your document printed double-sided with each copy’s pages in the correct order in your output tray.
If you have an odd number of pages in your document then:
1) before step (3) above, remove the very last sheet of paper from each of the copies in your stack of copies. So, for example, if you are making 3 copies of a 5-page document, you will have 9 sheets after step (2) with page numbers: 1,3,5,1,3,5,1,3,5. In this case, remove all the last sheets of paper from each copy so you have just page numbers: 1,3,1,3,1,3.
2) after step (5) above, add back in the sheet you took away to each copy, so in the previous example you will have 9 sheets of paper: pages 1/2 on the first sheet, pages 3/4 on the second sheet, page 5 on the third sheet, page 1/2 on the fourth sheet and so on up to page 5 on the ninth sheet.
*It is worth performing a test of the whole process with just a single copy of your document to make sure you know how to feed the sheets of paper into your printer in the correct orientation, so that you don’t print on the same side of paper twice. If your printer behaves differently to mine (Samsung ML-1665), where the top side of the topmost sheet in the bottom paper feed tray is printed on and this ends up face down in the top output tray (so the last page printed is topmost in the output tray), you may have to revise the process slightly but the basic principle should still apply.
If you’re curious about how fast the fastest Dobble players play or who the fastest Dobble player is take a look at these!
Playing Dobble
I’m consistently slower at recognising the matching symbol than the winner in this game.
Sometimes, I’m very close and see a match just fractionally before an opponent but a miss is as good as a mile!
I wonder what makes some people faster than others? Is there a strategy they are using – like finding matching colours? Do you know a faster player? Is there a Dobble record holder? Some play their hand with cards that are already face up – is that the ‘legal’ method?
If you know the answer to any of these questions or have other questions about this simple but fun game leave a comment against the video above – perhaps someone will have an answer!
This article is now available as a short 50 second video so you can simply start there and watch the steps more clearly instead of reading this!
If you’re seeing the email notification icon constantly at the top of your phone, it can be quite distracting since it seems like one has emails even when one doesn’t.
Samsung Email notification icon
I got this notification on my Samsung S21FE phone this morning, 5th May 2024, and swiping down one can see that the reason for it is “syncing emails” rather than a new email having arrived but how does one fix this? Googling, there is a Samsung Community forum thread with some feedback on the issue however you need to be signed in with a Samsung account to reply.
One of the posts says reinstalling fixes the issue but going through the hassle of reinstalling the “Samsung Email” app (white envelope on red background) and adding in all one’s email accounts and sync schedules made no difference whatsoever.
Samsung Email app
I now have the latest version installed (6.1.91.13 from 25th April 2024) but the problem remains.
Samsung Email version shown in Play Store
So… Samsung please look at this. Or if you have a fix please leave a comment below – which doesn’t require any sign in.
Update 5/5/2024: I swiped right on the “Syncing emails…” notification and it has disappeared – let’s hope for good! 🤞
Whether one had to first manually uninstall and reinstall the app for that swipe notification removal to work I don’t know so give it a go to begin with – and leave a comment here or against the YouTube video (which has several already) if you have the answer.
Update 8/5/2024: It looks like mail is syncing OK based on the last synced dates shown:
Last synced
(To get to this go into Samsung Email, click the waffle top left > cog top right)
While I can see new emails when opening the Samsung Email App, (a) I don’t always see an envelope notification when new emails arrive and (b) the “Syncing emails…” notification still appears and remains (until swiping) after restarting my phone so it looks like there is still a Samsung issue that needs fixing.
GI Chow 