By Haddon Libby
This week’s article will take you longer to read than it took me to write.
My efficiency trick was to ask Microsoft Bing chat to write a 500-word essay on some of the more salacious things from the Coachella Valley’s past.
With the emergence of generative AI (g.AI), we can do things like this that was not possible even one year ago.
Below is what the non-binary offspring of Microsoft and Open AI wrote:
“The Coachella Valley is known for its sunny weather, scenic landscapes, and glamorous events. But behind the scenes, this desert paradise has also witnessed some scandalous and controversial episodes in its history. Here are some of the more salacious parts of the Coachella Valley’s past that you may not know about.
– The Coachella Valley was once a haven for Hollywood stars and celebrities who wanted to escape the prying eyes of the media and the public. However, not all of their escapades were innocent or discreet. Some of the most notorious affairs and romances that took place in the valley include: Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy, who allegedly met at the Bing Crosby Estate in Rancho Mirage; Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who had a tumultuous relationship that involved multiple marriages and divorces, and who stayed at the Casa Kimberly Hotel in Palm Springs; and Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, who had a passionate but volatile marriage that ended in divorce, and who lived in the Twin Palms Estate in Palm Springs.
– The Coachella Valley was also the scene of some violent and tragic events that shocked the nation and the world. One of the most infamous incidents was the assassination attempt on President Gerald Ford in 1975, when a woman named Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a follower of cult leader Charles Manson, tried to shoot him outside the Palm Springs City Hall. Another gruesome event was the murder of Bob Crane, the star of the TV show Hogan’s Heroes, who was found bludgeoned to death in his apartment in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1978. Crane had a secret life of sex addiction and videotaping his encounters with various women, some of whom he met in the Coachella Valley.
– The Coachella Valley has also been a hotspot for drug trafficking and smuggling, due to its proximity to the Mexican border and its vast and remote areas. One of the most notorious drug lords who operated in the valley was Rafael Caro Quintero, who was the leader of the Guadalajara Cartel and who was responsible for the kidnapping and murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in 1985. Caro Quintero owned several properties in the valley, including a ranch in Thermal, where he grew marijuana and hid his money and weapons. Another infamous drug smuggler was Barry Seal, who was a pilot for the CIA and the Medellin Cartel, and who flew cocaine and cash between Colombia and the U.S. Seal used the Bermuda Dunes Airport as one of his landing sites, and he was assassinated by Colombian hitmen in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1986.
These are just some of the more salacious parts of the Coachella Valley’s past that reveal a darker and more complex side of this desert oasis. The valley has been a witness to history, but also a participant in it, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.”
Bing also created this week’s image.
Bing’s essay could use an edit but not bad for a first draft. I asked Bing to fact-check itself and it could not find a reference to Barry Seal using the Bermuda Dunes Airport.
Neither could I.
There are rumors of JFK and Monroe together, but nothing has been proven. Squeaky Fromme did try and kill President Ford but that happened in Sacramento. As to Bob Crane, why mention something that happened in another state?
When using g.AI, be sure to verify everything as the chat engine has a relationship with the truth that rivals Presidents Trump and Biden.
Haddon Libby is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Winslow Drake Investment Management. For more information on our services, please visit www.WinslowDrake.com.
