CNN’s Michael Smerconish asked Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) if his support for Israel is a “hill” he’s willing to politically “die on” as he’s found a lack of support from fellow Democrats for his reelection.

Fetterman joined Smerconish on Saturday where he was as vocal as ever in his support for Israel and the war with Iran. Punchbowl News’ Max Cohen reported this week that zero Democrats from Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation would offer support for Fetterman’s reelection when asked.

The state GOP party chair previously told local media that the party was keeping an eye out for Fetterman to ditch Democrats, though the senator has said he has no plans to do that.

Fetterman acknowledged that his support of Israel is not something that polls well, but he’s only going to lean in more, regardless of his standing in his own party. He called himself the “only Democrat to stand with Israel.”

“Is this a hill, politically speaking… that you’re willing to die on? I made reference to the House members from Pennsylvania, the Democrats, and what they say or won’t say about John Fetterman,” Smerconish said.

Fetterman explained:

Oh, yeah. I mean, you know, the only Democrat to stand with Israel. Yeah, it’s a it’s a die [situation], you know, like, I could never be just sitting quiet or saying things that I don’t happen to believe. I know what polls say, consistently as long as this goes on, Israel becomes more and more toxic, but I’m always going to lean in more. And so yes, thank you for asking. Yes, it is… because a lot more things are more important than my standing in the Democratic Party. This is such a profound, profound situation. I if we walk away from this, ust because [President Donald] Trump might be perceived as losing it, America would definitely would lose, and Israel especially, and the region as well too.

Watch above via CNN.

The post Smerconish Asks Fetterman If Israel Support Is ‘Hill’ He’s ‘Willing to Die On’ as Democrats Flee Supporting His Reelection first appeared on Mediaite.

Comedian and pundit Bill Maher told his guests he once headlined a White House Correspondents’ Dinner, but it was actually a different — although similar — press dinner.

President Donald Trump will attend his first WHCD in office on Saturday night, which prompted Maher to discuss the dinner on Friday night’s edition of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, during which he told his panel how the dinner has changed:

BILL MAHER: Well, I don’t know, he’s apparently going to the, Trump is the correspondent’s dinner this year. I would, I’m very interested to see what this is going to look like, because you know, the correspondents dinner, I think I did it one year. They used to have comedians.

By the way, I said that– because I got sh*t about it, everybody, every comedian gets sh*t about, it’s the worst gig in the world, because half the people in the audience are Republican, half the Democrats, you’re going to insult anybody no matter what they say, so they always, I say, just get a magician. Just get somebody who doesn’t do political.

They’re always trying to get the political, and it’s like the worst thing.

But it was actually the Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association Dinner that Maher headlined in 1995 — which led to some jokes that seem completely alien and others that sound kind of familiar:

• Well, it’s a tremendous thrill and honor to be here in the same room with probably the most-watched man in the world. Kato Kaelin is here, ladies and gentlemen!
• I noticed listening to conversations it’s very much like show business in fact i heard two senators talking before and one was saying to the other. “You’re lying to me!” The other one said “Okay but hear me out.”
• No, it’s amazing what goes on. I mean, a plane landed on the White House lawn. I didn’t even know U.S. Air flew to Washington. And the weird part is the luggage went to the Lincoln Memorial.
• I think that, like in 10 years, the word liberal is gonna be synonymous with the word gay. People will go, you know, I’m a liberal. Oh, really? Maybe you should meet my friend Bob. He’s a liberal.
• I don’t know, I just think if your name is Dick Army, maybe making a f*g joke is a little redundant, you know what I’m saying?

Watch above via RTCA.

The post Bill Maher Falsely Claims He Did WHCD — It Was This OTHER Correspondents Dinner first appeared on Mediaite.

The View’s Ana Navarro argued President Donald Trump should be forced to sit through the entirety of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner so he can see top journalists like CNN’s Kaitlan Collins receive their accolades.

Alyssa Farah Griffin said on Friday’s show, “My colleague and Ana’s colleague Kaitlan Collins is receiving an award for her coverage of the White House. Somebody who, we all have seen President Trump insult her, criticize her, and she stands there stoically and keeps asking questions that we all want the answers to.”

Griffin said she hoped journalists won’t boycott the event because, “the night should be and is about the journalists, regardless of who headlines it, regardless of the speech from the president.”

She added, “It’s reported the president is going to go, give his remarks, and then leave, so they can all celebrate once he leaves if they want to.”

“The White House Correspondents’ Association should not accept that,” Navarro said. “If he is going to show up, he should sit there while Kaitlan Collins gets her award. I think it’s disrespectful to come in, confront the press, say his remarks, and then leave…If he’s going to attend, the White House Correspondents’ Dinner should demand he sit through the entire event.”

Navarro continued, “For me, there is no way in hell I would normalize Donald Trump’s presence by showing up. For me as a Latina immigrant, I mean, no community has been as maligned, humiliated, prosecuted, and tortured as much as the immigrant community and the Latino community. And there’s just no way I’m gonna put on Spanx and high heels, drink cheap wine, eat a bad chicken dinner, and smile at the stupid things I know he’s going to say.”

More than 250 journalists signed an open letter urging the press to “forcefully demonstrate opposition” to Trump during the WHCD.

The letter read, in part, “…we believe the White House Correspondents Association should take stronger action by issuing – from the podium – a forceful defense of freedom of the press and condemnation of those who threaten that freedom, followed by a standing toast to the First Amendment and a pledge to continue upholding such a critical cornerstone of our democracy. Speak forcefully, in front of the man who seeks to undermine our country’s long tradition of an independent, strong, and free press.”

Watch the clip above via The View on ABC.

The post ‘Sit There!’ The View’s Ana Navarro Demands Trump Be Forced to Sit Through Entire White House Correspondents’ Dinner first appeared on Mediaite.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

My question about virtual reality has always been, "But what is it for?" I finally have an answer: Guassian Splatting. We've always tried to capture our past, whether it's through physical photographs, VHS tapes, or every picture you have stored in the cloud, but we've been limited to viewing our personal histories in flat media, usually from a behind a screen, and always from a single angle. But Gaussian Splatting changes that. This technology allows you to create volumetric 3D models of objects, people, or spaces, so instead of a picture of your child's favorite toy, you can have a realistic scan of it that you can examine from every angle; instead of a snapshot of Thanksgiving dinner, you can have a photorealistic diorama of the dining room that you can walk around.

What is Gaussian Splatting?

Gaussian Splatting is a technological newborn. It was first theoretically introduced in a 2023 research paper by Bernhard Kerbl, Georgios Kopanas, Thomas Leimkühler, and George Drettakis. The paper details a new rendering technique that builds 3D models out of millions of semi-transparent blobs called "Gaussians" instead of the solid triangles used in traditional computer graphics. Once calculated, the Gaussians are "Splatted" onto a 2D plane by your computer, and that is arranged and layered based on how they should look from any viewpoint within the Splat. Because the blobs are semi-transparent, they don't block each other. They blend together like brushstrokes in a painting.

Another bonus: Splatting provides a much higher level of detail for its file size compared to traditional methods of scanning. Older scans work on a the geometric principle of stretching a virtual skin made of triangles over an object. For a detailed scan, that could be billions of triangles, resulting in PC-choking file sizes. Splatting is based on mathematical probability rather than rigid geometry. Instead of a solid edge, each "blob" is a tiny cloud that tells the computer how likely a color is to exist in that spot. It only stores the position, color, and transparency of millions of relevant areas in space, as well as how they should reflect light from different angles. The result is files that are big compared to Word documents, but not so huge that you can't work with them on a phone.

Gaussian Splatting quickly went from theory to practice, and now Splats can be created and rendered with only a decent smartphone, making it more accessible than older methods that sometimes required laser scanners or specialized equipment.

Why you should start Splatting

3D scanning is already in use professionally in things like mapping real estate for virtual tours and creating photorealistic assets for video games, but Gaussian Splatting is accessible enough that anyone can future-proof their nostalgia.

Splatting gives your future self (or your kids) the ability to "visit" your current life with a level of realism that's breathtaking. It lets you digitally "bottle" the exact layout and volume of a moment in time and preserve it. If your parents had this, you'd be able to walk around your childhood bedroom, or check out every angle and detail of the first car you ever bought.

"Digital preservation" and "3D modeling" sound clinical, but the results of Gaussian Splats are anything but sterile. While photography captures a single angle of light in a room, Gaussian Splats capture the behavior of light from all angles, so the result isn't what the past looks like, but what the past feels like. It's hard to describe, but capturing the quality of light on an object or location puts you in touch with it in a way you didn't think possible. That combined with the haziness of Spats and your own memories adds up to a ethereal, dreamlike experience that isn't like anything else. (I like Splats a lot.)

How to get started Splatting

The barrier to entry for Splatting is just a little time to figure out how it works. You don't need a specialized LiDAR scanner or an overpowered PC, just a relatively recent smartphone. Here's how to get started:

Pick an app: Though the technology is new, a few apps are making it very user-friendly. Here are the two I've tried:

• Scaniverse: Excellent for iPhone users, Scaniverse is free, and it processes Splats entirely on your device in only a minute or two.

• Luma 3D Capture: Available on both Android and iPhone, Luma is great for beginners, with a scanning process that walks you through creating your first Splat.

Make a capture: Here are some things to think about when making your capture.

• Before you start scanning locations or bigger objects, pick something small and simple so you get the concepts down. But not pets: Your subject has to remain perfectly still through the process. (Make an exception for your child. They won't hold still enough, but having even a blurry model of your kid is vital for future you.)

• Place your subject in an evenly lit room with enough space to walk all the way around it.

• Hit record and walk in a slow, steady circle around your object, keeping your camera pointed at its center.

• Do two passes, one from a high angle looking down, another from a low angle, looking up.

• Gaussian Splats hate uniformity. They struggle with plain white walls, so think in terms of textures. Also, avoid clear glass and mirrors that confuse the depth calculations.

Have a banana: Now that you've captured your Splat, take a break so the computer can do its thing. How long it will take depends on the app you're using, your phone, and how detailed your scan is. Scaniverse processes Splats right on your phone. For something simple like the guitar below, it took about two minutes of rendering on an iPhone 17 Pro. Luma 3D Capture processes files in the cloud, so how long it takes depends on how many people are in front of you in the queue. It might be a couple minutes. It might be a couple hours—the app sends an alert when your image is finished cooking. The video below took several hours.

Enjoy your creation: Once the math is finished mathing, you can view your creation right on your smartphone screen or computer. Pinch to zoom, drag to rotate, and marvel at how perfectly the scan captured the vibe of the object or space.

Share your creation: These apps give you a couple of easy ways to share your volumetric memory:

• Video: You can plot a camera path through your Splat to export a smooth, 2D "fly-through" video. Below is my first scan on YouTube using Scaniverse (it's sloppy; I was new), and my second try with Luma.

• Web Link: You can generate a simple web link and text it to your friends or family through both apps. When they tap it, it opens an interactive 3D viewer in their browser—no special apps, accounts, or heavy downloads required.

How to step inside your Splats

Viewing a 3D scan on your phone or PC is kind of cool, but you can't really understand how mind-blowing these things are until you check them out in a virtual reality device, where you can physically walk around that Thanksgiving table or lean in to inspect the texture on the couch. Here is how you can do it on the two biggest headsets right now.

Apple Vision Pro

The powerful Apple Vision Pro was built to do this. Apple included "Spatial Scenes" right in the OS. It gives a slight 3D pop to 2D photos, but you can take that a little further with apps like Splat Studio that will generate a deeper 3D scene from 2D photos and let you change settings to improve it. But you can get deeper with Spatial Media Toolkit. It lets you make 2D videos into stereoscopic 3D videos. But the final boss is viewing full Splats you made yourself with apps like Luma 3D Capture or Polycam.

If you follow the steps above, you should be able to export the Splat file you created (.ply or .spz) right from your phone to your Vision Pro and step inside the Splat or walk around the object you scanned. You can also check out Splats other users have uploaded.

Apple Vision Pro

at Apple

Get Deal

Get Deal

at Apple

Meta Quest 3 and 3S

Meta has embraced the Gaussian Splat revolution. Apps like AirVis (also on the Vision Pro) let you check out Splats you made on your phone, and there are even 4D Splats available on the Quest (more on that below). Meta is also taking the first steps toward cutting out the middleman of your phone altogether. Hyperscape Capture is a still-in-beta app that uses the Quest's existing cameras to scan your room, then save a 3D version of your space. Meta promises that soon you'll be able to send a link to a friend with a headset so they can "come visit."

Meta Quest 3 512GB — The Most Powerful Quest — Ultimate Mixed Reality Experiences — Get Batman: Arkham Shadow - White

$499.99 at Amazon

$598.00 Save $98.01

Get Deal

Get Deal

$499.99 at Amazon

$598.00 Save $98.01

The future of 4D Splatting

As hyped as I am for Gaussian Splatting, the technology is in its "version 1.0 era." Capturing a decent Splat takes time and patience and requires the subject to stay absolutely still, and the result isn't always perfect, but the technology is evolving fast enough that the next thing is emerging already. The cutting-Gaussian-edge is 4D Splatting—the fourth dimension is time. 4D Splats are 3D volumetric videos, moving scenes you can view from any point inside or outside the scene. Unlike stereoscopic 3D movies that let you watch from a single point, these are true holographs. At least they are inside a VR rig.

The technology is already in use commercially, most notably in A$AP Rocky's music video "Helicopter," in which performers were captured by 56 cameras and the footage converted to 4D Splats, allowing any angle or impossible camera movement to be used. Check it out:

And there are some 4D Splats you can check out in your headset too. Quest 3 app Gracia has a few volumetric videos that are very impressive. Gracia lets you stream or download 4D Splats of people, and place them anywhere you like in augmented reality. Then you can hit "play" and look at them from any angle, or even move all the way around them. To see what I mean, check out this video I made showing my view from within a Quest 3 headset, of singer Amy May performing a song on my front lawn (with a cameo from my no-doubt confused neighbor).

You probably don't have an array of 20 or so GoPros to create content like Gracia's, but there are some experimental tools out there for consumers to create 4D Splats. KIRI Engine uses Apple's open-source ML-Sharp tool to turn a standard single-lens video into a 4D splat. It doesn't create an AI-aided approximation of stereoscopic 3D like Splat Studio, but converts each individual frame into a separate Splat. It's too technical for me to really mess with and the 3D is guesswork not actual 3D, but I would be surprised if a way of taking volumetric video with only a few smart phone angles wasn't in the works somewhere.

Gaussian Splats are as much of a revelation as I imagine instantly developing snapshots were in the 1960s. Like early Polaroids, it's a bit of a pain, and the results are sometimes grainy, "dreamy" and reminiscent of pointillism, but the emotional impact of a new way of seeing the past is so strong. So get started Splatting now; your future self will thank you.

Candidate and commentator Steve Hilton defended President Donald Trump at a debate and said that he and Trump would work together to “lower gas prices” should voters elect him governor of California.

Six candidates faced off Wednesday night in the first California gubernatorial debate since Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) exited the race under a cloud of sexual misconduct allegations, including claims of sexual assault.

Two GOP candidates — Ex-Fox Newser Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco — took the stage with four Democrats: Porter, billionaire Tom Steyer, former Biden HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.

The Nexstar debate was moderated by anchors Nikki Laurenzo of FOX40 and Frank Buckley of KTLA 5.

In one exchange, Buckley confronted Hilton over Trump’s low approval among Californians and asked “Are those Californians wrong?”

Hilton stuck by Trump and cited gas prices among the areas his relationship with Trump could be a benefit:

FRANK BUCKLEY: You said you were deeply honored to recently receive President Trump’s endorsement. That’s despite the fact that 62% of Californians disapprove of the job he is doing.

Are those Californians wrong? You have 60 seconds.

STEVE HILTON: One of the proudest days of my life was the day I became an American citizen. It happened in a ceremony right here in San Francisco. So it is a deep honor for me to be endorsed by the President of the United States.

And here’s the thing that’s gonna help every Californian when I’m governor, is that we will have a constructive relationship and partnership with the federal government, which would be the case, I would hope, for any party in that situation.

So that we can make things better in California, work with the president and his administration to manage our forests better, to harvest the timber so we can build the single-family homes we need for our young families.

To work to increase California energy production as he wants to do so we can lower gas prices.

To fight the fraud in our government so we can cut spending and cut taxes.

To work to enforce our immigration laws in all these areas and more.

It will benefit every Californian to have a Governor who is a partner on these issues with the President and his team.

Watch above via KTLA.

The post Trump Ally At Debate Says He and Trump Will ‘Lower Gas Prices’ If He Wins CA Governor’s Race first appeared on Mediaite.

Google Meet's "Take Notes for me" feature is one particularly useful implementation of AI. When you're on a video call, Gemini can dictate what's being said, offering summaries and highlights of the conversation. That way, your attention doesn't need to be split between the conversation at hand and writing down notes to remember key points later: You can just check the notes that are automatically generated as a Google Doc once the meeting is over. It's the kind of feature that sells me more on the whole "AI assistant" thing, rather than something trying to order me a coffee.

Of course, video conferencing isn't the only time dictation can be useful. An in-person meeting can benefit from the same perks as a virtual one: Why bother with scribbling down notes on paper or typing away on a laptop when your phone can transcribe the chat on your behalf? I've started using the Voice Memos app on my iPhone for the task, for example, since it's easy to record both audio and an automatic transcription of the conversation. If you're a regular Google Meet user, however, you now have a similar option in your app of choice: Meet's Take Notes for me feature now supports live, in-person meetings as well.

How "Take Notes for me" works in person

As noted by 9to5Google, here's how it works: You open the Google Meet site or app on your device, but rather than start a call, you can use the new "Take Notes for me" option to task Gemini with transcribing and summarizing your discussion. You can hit "Pause" at any time to pause dictation, and "Stop" followed by "Stop taking notes" to end it altogether. You can also transition to a video call if you want to conference in someone who isn't in the same room as you. And, just as with a Google Meet call, Take Notes for me will automatically save the meeting notes in a Google Doc.

This feature started as an Alpha-only option but is now rolling out to more Workspace plans. Your admin may need to activate it on their end, but following that, you should be able to start recording your own conversations.

Try an alternative to Google Meet's in-person dictation

This feature won't appear for any Google account not tied to a Workspace plan. Of course, there are plenty of alternatives out there if you don't have "Take Notes for me" available to you in Google Meet. It won't be a perfect match, since Google Meet integrates with your Google account and does more than just transcribe the call, but there are other options worth considering.

As I mentioned, I really like using Apple's built-in tools: Voice Memos can generate automatic transcriptions, which you can save to Apple Notes. But if you don't have an Apple device or you prefer another option, PCMag has a series of recommendations, including Otter.ai, GoTranscript, and Rev.

(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) was defiant this week as reporters pressed him on the various accusations he’s facing and why he hasn’t resigned from Congress when several others have done so under similar clouds of controversy.

While speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, Mills was flat-out asked, “Why haven’t you resigned?” in response to others giving up their positions in Congress. The video was captured and shared by MeidasTouch.

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from Congress this week after she was found guilty of 25 out of 27 ethics violations for embezzling millions of dollars. The Department of Justice in November also charged Cherfilus-McCormick, her brother, and others with stealing COVID relief funds and campaign violations. She’s denied all wrongdoing.

Eric Swalwell, another Democrat, also resigned and dropped his California gubernatorial campaign amid accusations of sexual misconduct, including rape and drugging. He’s also denied those allegations.

Finally, Texas Republican Tony Gonzales also announced he was leaving Congress as he was facing an expulsion vote over an affair with a staffer, who later committed suicide.

Asked why he hasn’t resigned in “response” to this wave of resignations, Mills made it clear he believes his situation is completely different.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) introduced a resolution this week seeking to expel Mills. The congressman is facing numerous allegations. The House Ethics Committee is investigating him for violating campaign finance laws, sexual misconduct, and more.

According to a report from the Washington Post, police wanted to arrest Mills last year over the alleged assault of a woman. Body camera footage and documents revealed that a lieutenant ordered officers not to arrest Mills after his accuser changed her story after speaking to Mills.

The congressman has denied all wrongdoing.

“Can you tell me what criminal or civil charges I have been charged with?” Mills asked this week.

Mills acknowledged he’s “under investigation,” but said he’s not facing the same sort of accusations.

“But they were under investigation for what? Sexual misconduct with a staffer or Hill staff,” Mills said, then correcting that he wasn’t facing a “restraining order” related to his case, but a “social media injunction.

“So is everyone on the floor who has a restraining order, even temporary where you don’t get to actually repel against it, should they all leave?” Mills asked.

He continued, “If you look at the history, in 250 years, so six people, three of which were civil war crimes, two of which were convicted felons under a federal indictment, and [George] Santos. So what is the actual precedent? If you’re going to actually ask the question, you should know the answer.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) stood by Mills this week, saying the congressman has denied all accusations of wrongdoing and he’s entitled to his due process.

“He has said that all of these allegations are untrue,” he said. “He is working through that. There is a due process that he is allowed and they’re going through that process as have all the other members.”

The post Cory Mills Defiant as Reporters Grill Him on Accusations and Refusal to Leave Congress: ‘Why Haven’t You Resigned?’ first appeared on Mediaite.