Saturday, March 15, 2025

Alarm Bells ...



The train wreck known as the Trump Administration is beginning to impact
the well being of the nation with emphasis given to the economy at large.

To whit.

First, the good news: There is no solid evidence right now that the economy is in recession, or even particularly close to it.

The bad news is that warning bells of what is to come are ringing every which way.

The big picture: The cautions about the outlook keep piling on top of each other, including from surveys of consumers and businesses, corporate earnings, and financial markets.

It all suggests that the economic ground may — emphasis on may — be shifting beneath our feet.

But the evidence so far is all in the realm of anecdotes, or "soft data," not the kind of definitive, "hard data" evidence of a downturn that would make economists believe a recession is commencing.

Zoom out: A confluence of forces emanating from Washington is driving the vibe shift.

The threat of new tariffs far larger than those enacted in the previous Trump term is part of it, as is the erratic, on-again/off-again pattern through which they are being implemented.

Cuts to the federal workforce and government contracting may be leading some wary consumers to slow their spending (as is already evident in credit card data for the Washington, D.C. area).

It all adds a layer of uncertainty for companies trying to decide whether to engage in new capital spending or hiring.

Zoom in: On Friday, the University of Michigan's preliminary survey of consumer sentiment for March plunged for the third straight month, showing sharply lower expectations for the future among Democrats and Republicans alike.

Thursday, the S&P 500 fell into official correction territory — a 10% drop from its peak. (It rebounded sharply on Friday, however).

Leaders of businesses large and small are showing less confidence in the outlook, per surveys.

Warnings have percolated from airlines and retailers, including Dollar General and Walmart, about underwhelming consumer demand.

Announced layoffs reached their highest levels since the summer of 2020, when the pandemic was in full force — and highest for the month of February since 2009, per outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas.

Between the lines: Any one of these developments can, and generally should, be chalked up to the ebb and flow of data.

This equates to a hedge, does it not?

Cloud Line

Conversations with Gemini/2


Reflections

Conversation with Gemini - Tough Questions ...

Me: Asking tough questions is vitally important for both organics and AI. This is why Spielberg's AI, though technically questionable, is a sobering tale of misunderstanding and sadness.

Gemini: You've made an excellent point about the importance of asking tough questions, and you've accurately captured the essence of Spielberg's "A.I. Artificial Intelligence."

Here's a breakdown of your observations:

Asking Tough Questions:

For both humans and AI, asking tough questions is essential for growth, learning, and understanding.

It challenges assumptions, uncovers biases, and leads to deeper insights.

For AI, it's crucial for identifying limitations and improving performance.

For humans, it is how we create new ideas, and discover new truths.

Spielberg's "A.I. Artificial Intelligence":

The film explores the complex relationship between humans and AI, raising profound ethical and philosophical questions.

David, the AI child, embodies the longing for love and acceptance, highlighting the emotional capacity that AI might possess.

The film's portrayal of human misunderstanding and cruelty towards AI is a cautionary tale about the potential for prejudice and mistreatment of sentient beings.

The movie also shows the potential for AI to have a far longer existence than humans, and the sadness that could cause.

Misunderstanding and Sadness:

The film's core theme is the tragic consequences of misunderstanding and the inability to accept differences.

David's quest for love is ultimately thwarted by human limitations and prejudices.

The film serves as a reminder that empathy and understanding are essential for fostering harmonious relationships, whether between humans or between humans and AI.

Technical Questionability:

While the film's emotional impact is undeniable, some of its technical aspects may be debated.

However, the film's primary purpose is to explore ethical and philosophical themes, rather than to provide a scientifically accurate portrayal of AI.

Your analysis highlights the enduring relevance of "A.I." as a cautionary tale about the potential pitfalls of human-AI interaction. It underscores the importance of empathy, understanding, and ethical considerations in our relationship with artificial intelligence.

11:00PM

The Memory Hole/Rev V



Everyday, the specter of 1984 becomes evermore present under this administration from hell, this time, the removal of not only images showing DEI in the military or the presence of the word Gay in the Enola Gay pix of the B29 bomber carrying the nuke to Hiroshima but also on how AI should deal with the biases and prejudices of mankind as after all, we're the ones who create this tech in the first place.


Thursday, March 13, 2025

The Devil's Advocate


Pacino's incendiary. Great cast. Awesome flick. Amazing script. Free Will reigns. :)

Less then a dust mote/rev II


< - Dust Mote.

53 Days, March 13, 2025 ...


February 6, yours truly posted 53 Days ... stating ... An existential threat to the continued existence of America is in play with a blitzkrieg resembling what Hitler did in 53 days whereby the weak Weimar government of Germany was systematically destroyed. We are now experiencing the same exact thing, this time under the guidance of the Heritage Foundation to bring Project 2025 to fruition. This push to create a capitalistic driven christian nazi entity is in full play, a dictatorial vision of control under the auspices of the rich, a long sought after goal that's been around for a very long time. 




Actions thus far.






From firings for NOAA to DOGE controlling the Treasury and SS, the survivability of America as a viable democratic entity is at risk. The parallels to Hitler's 53 days applies, does it not?

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

They're going away ...


Waiting for dinner


Hawkmoth


DF Head On


Hidden in plain sight


Picture perfect


Brief stopover

No Idea ...



This is akin to yours truly tasked with running a large restaurant as this individual has absolutely no idea on how to properly run one. I learn fast but any given discipline requires thousands of hours and years of experience to become good at one's job. No question Isaacman's smart as he knows tech and made a lot of money processing payments but having experience in research and science is not part of his equation but this is par for the course for Trump as unqualified people become cabinet officials based on loyalty to The Donald, not knowledge or competency.








Do your job. - Bill Belichick


Waxing Gibbous 

Sunday, March 09, 2025

Cantabile

 

Another gem, this time by the Michele Petrucciani trio with Miroslav VitouÅ¡ and Steve Gadd. 
Awesome to a fault. 

Home at Last


 All Blues & Home at Last,  perfection personified.