This NPR podcast episode is worth listening to even if just for the "macroeconomics sea shanty"
How inflation expectations affect the economy
Consumers' and businesses' inflation expectations usually stay safely anchored at the Fed's two percent target. But recently, that anchor has been slipping. It's one of the reasons inflation has risen.NPR
Wow! If Elon Musk is to be believed, you can save so much money just by not paying your bills! Why didn't I think of that? Clearly, he's a true business genius. Or not.
A novice might think he'll get the pants sued off him. But not to worry. He has the best legal counsel available - oh, wait, he fired a lot of Twitter lawyers and is now borrowing them from his other companies.
Yeah, good luck with that.
A novice might think he'll get the pants sued off him. But not to worry. He has the best legal counsel available - oh, wait, he fired a lot of Twitter lawyers and is now borrowing them from his other companies.
Yeah, good luck with that.
Musk Shakes Up Twitter’s Legal Team as He Looks to Cut More Costs
Twitter has stopped paying rent on offices and is considering not paying severance packages to former employees, among other measures.www.nytimes.com
NPR's science podcast, Short Wave had an interesting episode today.
Only a tiny percentage of plastic ever gets recycled, and even then, only once. Fossil fuel companies have a vested interest in making people believe they are more recycleable than they actually are.
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/08/1141601301/the-myth-of-plastic-recycling
My takeaway: voting and calling legislators is more valuable than recycling plastic bottles.
Only a tiny percentage of plastic ever gets recycled, and even then, only once. Fossil fuel companies have a vested interest in making people believe they are more recycleable than they actually are.
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/08/1141601301/the-myth-of-plastic-recycling
My takeaway: voting and calling legislators is more valuable than recycling plastic bottles.
The Myth of Plastic Recycling
For many, recycling feels like a tangible way to personally combat climate change and to positively affect the environment.NPR
Let's see if this goes any better then the last time Musk tried it and had to almost immediately stop. He never seems to think through his plans.
""With a reduced workforce, it remains to be seen if it will be possible to prevent fraud, impersonation and scams with their new identity verification methodology," Rachel Tobac, the CEO of the cybersecurity firm SocialProof Security, previously told NPR. "Scammers will quickly determine how they can overwhelm or manipulate the identity verification system to get 'authenticated' as an entity that they are not.""
""With a reduced workforce, it remains to be seen if it will be possible to prevent fraud, impersonation and scams with their new identity verification methodology," Rachel Tobac, the CEO of the cybersecurity firm SocialProof Security, previously told NPR. "Scammers will quickly determine how they can overwhelm or manipulate the identity verification system to get 'authenticated' as an entity that they are not.""
Elon Musk relaunches Twitter Blue with higher price for iPhone users
Twitter's checkmark re-do follows the company pausing its first attempt after just two days, in the wake of a flood of accounts impersonating companies, politicians and celebrities.NPR
Real classy move, Musk.
"While Musk's tweet acquired roughly half a million likes in its first few hours online, health experts like Peter Hotez, a vaccine scientist and virology professor, defended Fauci's work at the forefront of U.S. pandemic mitigation efforts and urged Musk to remove the post."
"While Musk's tweet acquired roughly half a million likes in its first few hours online, health experts like Peter Hotez, a vaccine scientist and virology professor, defended Fauci's work at the forefront of U.S. pandemic mitigation efforts and urged Musk to remove the post."
Elon Musk targets Dr. Anthony Fauci in viral tweet, drawing backlash
"My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci," the Twitter CEO wrote on Sunday.Emily Mae Czachor (CBS News)
Alphabet-owned DeepMind can now solve some coding problems as well as humans. That's amazing and a little disturbing. As a software engineer, I'm not concerned about losing my job just yet - a software engineer's work involves much work than occasional simple, tightly defined coding puzzles. But still, what a time to be alive.
https://gizmodo.com/deepmind-ai-google-alphacode-coding-1849869346
(I learned about this on The Naked Scientists podcast https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/naked-scientists-podcast/ai-passes-turing-test-and-new-drug-covid)
https://gizmodo.com/deepmind-ai-google-alphacode-coding-1849869346
(I learned about this on The Naked Scientists podcast https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/naked-scientists-podcast/ai-passes-turing-test-and-new-drug-covid)
DeepMind’s AlphaCode Can Outcompete Human Coders
AlphaCode received an average ranking in the top 54.3% in simulated evaluations and achieved, "approximately human-level performance.”Mack DeGeurin (Gizmodo)
An interesting idea.
Now, if only Amazon treated their workers better year round. I canceled my Amazon Prime subscription early in the pandemic due to how they treated their workers, particularly warehouse workers.
Now, if only Amazon treated their workers better year round. I canceled my Amazon Prime subscription early in the pandemic due to how they treated their workers, particularly warehouse workers.
TechCrunch is part of the Yahoo family of brands
Last year, an Amazon delivery driver said that the high volume of orders during holiday season "makes life hell."techcrunch.com
Elon Musk made big promises about alleviating city traffic with tunnels. In reality, The Boring Company didn't follow through on their proposals, apparently because filling out paperwork and doing environmental studies is hard.
It gets more and more difficult for Elon Musk's fans to claim that he is a business genius.
It gets more and more difficult for Elon Musk's fans to claim that he is a business genius.
Elon Musk's Boring Company Is Ghosting Cities - The Journal. - WSJ Podcasts
Elon Musk’s Boring Company hasn’t done much to alleviate “soul-destroying traffic” despite its initial promises to several cities.The Wall Street Journal (Wall Street Journal)
Freakonomics and Best New Ideas in Money both released podcast episodes today on Adam Smith, father of economics. Often "The Wealth of Nations" is used to justify laissez-faire capitalism. He was more complex and wanted the government to help the poor. His work is often quoted out of context and his other book, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" doesn't get as much attention. His views were complex and nuanced.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/525-in-search-of-the-real-adam-smith/id354668519?i=1000589333538
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-adam-smith-became-an-icon-of-capitalism/id1587222768?i=1000589364950
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/525-in-search-of-the-real-adam-smith/id354668519?i=1000589333538
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-adam-smith-became-an-icon-of-capitalism/id1587222768?i=1000589364950
The Planet Money podcast replayed a 2014 episode today about how women were commonly computer engineers until 1984. Things changed due to how home computers were marketed. I think it's important for women to be made aware of IT careers as possibilities. Another problem is how many young people don't have computers, only phones - they should still have the chance to see if coding is right for them.
When women stopped coding (Classic)
A lot of computing pioneers were women. For decades, the number of women in computer science was growing. But in 1984, something changed.Subscribe to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.NPR
So the US isn't the only country that has to worry about violent, right-wing conspiracy theorists attempting to destroy democracy.
That doesn't really make me feel better.
We need real solutions to tackle right-wing extremism. I wish I knew what they were. My best guess so far is to find effective ways to teach critical thinking in school, but maybe there's a case for legislating social media companies.
That doesn't really make me feel better.
We need real solutions to tackle right-wing extremism. I wish I knew what they were. My best guess so far is to find effective ways to teach critical thinking in school, but maybe there's a case for legislating social media companies.
Germany Arrests 25 Suspected of Planning to Overthrow Government
Among those detained were a German prince, a former far-right member of Parliament, an active soldier and former members of the police and elite special forces.www.nytimes.com
51 Democratic senators!
It's still mindboggling that anyone could vote for Hershel Walker. But then, Trump happened, so I guess anything can happen.
It's still mindboggling that anyone could vote for Hershel Walker. But then, Trump happened, so I guess anything can happen.
Warnock wins Georgia Senate runoff, expanding Democratic majority
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D) was projected to win Georgia’s Senate runoff on Tuesday, sending him to the upper chamber for a full term and handing his party a crucial extra seat in the majority. The Associated Press called the race at 10:26 p.m. ET.Julia Manchester (The Hill)
Today's TED Health podcast episode featured a TED talk suggesting the two biggest killers, cancer and heart disease, are more correlated than we might have thought.
Is there a link between cancer and heart disease? | Nicholas Leeper - TED Health | iHeart
www.iheart.comDoes the key to stopping cancer lie in the heart? Cardiologist Nicholas Leeper digs into emerging scientific research on the link between the world's two leading causes of death, heart disease and cancer, sharing how their biological origins may be connected -- and treatable with the same the...
Workers need balance, not bedrooms.
"“It’s not a good look,” they said. “It’s yet another unspoken sign of disrespect. There is no discussion. Just like, beds showed up.”"
Encourage employees to separate work and personal lives, to disconnect and recharge.
I see this "hardcore" approach of Elon Musks's as another sign of the End Times of Twitter.
"“It’s not a good look,” they said. “It’s yet another unspoken sign of disrespect. There is no discussion. Just like, beds showed up.”"
Encourage employees to separate work and personal lives, to disconnect and recharge.
I see this "hardcore" approach of Elon Musks's as another sign of the End Times of Twitter.
Elon Musk Has Outfitted Twitter’s Headquarters With Bedrooms For Employees
“It’s not a good look,” one source said. “It’s yet another unspoken sign of disrespect."Cyrus Farivar (Forbes)
I feel that the government forcing the railroads to accept a deal just before Christmas was necessary, but unfortunate.
Railroad workers absolutely deserve sick time and other benefits. So do workers in other industries.
I'd like to see federal legislation guaranteeing basic rights for workers.
I'd also like to see systems that make it quick and easy for workers to change both employers and entire career paths, while also providing transparency on how employers treat workers. That would apply pressure for companies to compete in how well they treat workers.
Railroad workers absolutely deserve sick time and other benefits. So do workers in other industries.
I'd like to see federal legislation guaranteeing basic rights for workers.
I'd also like to see systems that make it quick and easy for workers to change both employers and entire career paths, while also providing transparency on how employers treat workers. That would apply pressure for companies to compete in how well they treat workers.
Investors press railroads to add sick time for workers
Railroads face pressure from investors to add sick days after Congress declined to require them as part of the contracts imposed to avert a nationwide rail strike.JOSH FUNK (Los Angeles Times)
Republicans underperformed in the mid-term elections, partially due (if I understand it correctly) to Americans voting against election deniers.
Has the belief in election denial decreased since 2020? I wonder if it has, and if Trump being removed from Twitter has played a significant part in that. That action meant fewer people were exposed to a steady stream of his vitriol.
Content moderation matters. It will be interesting to see what happens to Twitter now that it's turning into a "free-for-all hellscape."
Has the belief in election denial decreased since 2020? I wonder if it has, and if Trump being removed from Twitter has played a significant part in that. That action meant fewer people were exposed to a steady stream of his vitriol.
Content moderation matters. It will be interesting to see what happens to Twitter now that it's turning into a "free-for-all hellscape."
Conservatives: the Constitution is a holy, inviolate document that governs all we do. It MUST NOT be altered in any way, for its every word is sancrosanct.
Also conservatives: the Constitution is inconveniencing me, let's throw it out.
""A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,"" - Trump
Also conservatives: the Constitution is inconveniencing me, let's throw it out.
""A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution,"" - Trump
Trump: Constitution should be terminated due to "massive" election fraud
"Our great 'Founder' did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!" Trump wrote.Sareen Habeshian (Axios)