Ven Diagram

The US didn’t become wealthy because of its good institutions, but it also did not become unwealthy because of its institutions. Which is how many states do it, such as Venezuela and much of the rest of Latin America. That’s also important and it is equally childish to believe otherwise.

AIrhead

Eric Schmidt Says Google Is Falling Behind on AIโ€”And Remote Work Is Why.

LOL, remote work doesn’t have jack shit to do with why Google is behind in AI. Most remote staff work longer hours and are more available than prior to that inflection point. I know I certainly do and am. And have observed this with my own staff. Also the fact that I am and they are more productive. This is especially true if you don’t define “productive” as many managers do — i.e., “I can ask an inane question I’ve already asked 500 times for the 501st time and get an answer right away.”

That sort of nonsense makes inferior managers feel productive but is not achieving anything other than wasting time and destroying actual productivity.

Gamer Grate

Gamergateโ€™s Aggrieved Men Still Haunt the Internet.

This article doesn’t understand, for the most part, what the Gamergate goofuses were upset about.

As with incels, I didn’t approve of their methods but most of the GG grievances weren’t actually incorrect or misguided. It’s just that hating and harming women wasn’t and isn’t the answer and won’t help.

What the GG crew was agitated about is that to them it felt like their last refuge was being invaded by people who had already rejected them and exiled them from mainstream society. To the Gamergaters, therefore, it seemed (in many ways, accurately) that the women who’d already told them how terrible and contemptible they were would soon evict them once again to some other, even worse fringe of civilization.

Their reaction wasn’t helpful but their assessment of what was occurring wasn’t totally wrong.

Combat Losses

I believe these numbers are real as the Ukrainian loss assessments match independent ones consistently. And that’s insane for a single day (Or it might be five days? Context was not clear.) of fighting. The Russians are throwing away just vast amounts of everything, every day. Five days or one day — still just staggering losses for modern warfare.

Cinematic Omens

The First Omen was not that good. Kind of meandering and predictable. However, the cinematography was nice.

(That’s a shot of Margaret and her roommate getting ready to hit the town. Our girl Maggie1 is trepidatious about going out in a dress she feels is too revealing, while her roommate applies some peer pressure for her to woman up.)

In addition to just having a great name, Nell Tiger Free is very good in the film, as are Bill Nighy and Ralph Ineson. But you spend most of your time with Nell so she is the reason to watch if you like good acting. Otherwise, skip.

  1. No one actually calls her this in the film.

Khan Mars

Mars, maker of M&Mโ€™s and Snickers, to buy Cheez-It owner Kellanova for nearly $30 billion.

I hope Lina Khan smacks this so hard these companies all end up on Mars. The last thing we need is more consolidation in our food system. And check this corporate gibberish.

โ€œThe Kellanova brands significantly expand our snacking platform, allowing us to even more effectively meet consumer needs and drive profitable business growth,โ€ Andrew Clarke, global president of Mars Snacking, said in a statement.

“Snacking platform.” Ok, buddy. Anyone who says crap like that is no longer actually human. They have been replaced by marketroids. If those types didn’t control so much and wield so much power, this sort of thing would be funnier that it in fact is.

Algorithmic price-fixing appears to be spreading to more and more industries. And existing laws may not be equipped to stop it.

Power-hungry AI data centers are raising electric bills and blackout risk. Absurd that we allow this.

Solar Photovoltaics with Battery Storage Cheaper than Conventional Power Plants. I remember when this was “impossible.”

UN Delegates Cheer As They Vote To Approve Increased Surveillance Via Russia-Backed Cybercrime Treaty.

Scientists find oceans of water on Mars. Itโ€™s just too deep to tap.

The many, many signs that Kamala Harrisโ€™ rally crowds arenโ€™t AI creations. But Trump’s false accusation highlights problems with media trust in the AI age.

NIH study to pinpoint long Covid diagnosis comes up short. Researchers pored over lab results from more than 10,000 patients from across the U.S. but couldn’t find differences between patients with and without long Covid.

Childhood vaccinations will have prevented more than 500 million illnesses and 1 million deaths in US since 1994, CDC report says.

I Reviewed Restaurants for 12 Years. Theyโ€™ve Changed, and Not for the Better.

Get Ready Now: Republicans Will Refuse to Certify a Harris Win.

Spirit Aero CEO Shanahan to get $28.5 million โ€˜golden parachute.โ€™

Hackers may have leaked the Social Security Numbers of every American.

A $150,000 House in 1988 Now Costs $707,500 Thank You Fed.

Record-setting heat waves are baking the Arctic region.