agentsquirrel's recent activity
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Comment on Jeff Bezos orders layoffs at 'The Washington Post' in ~news
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Comment on Jeff Bezos orders layoffs at 'The Washington Post' in ~news
agentsquirrel Link ParentWell, the DVD rental market going the way of the dinosaurs made that business decision pretty easy.Well, the DVD rental market going the way of the dinosaurs made that business decision pretty easy.
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Comment on Jeff Bezos orders layoffs at 'The Washington Post' in ~news
agentsquirrel Link ParentGood point. I see that an argument can be made that while the profit is so insignificant in the big picture, they see profit maximization as a worthy game, perhaps even a hobby when you're a...Agreed, but I’d argue that the type of person that is a billionaire doesn’t think in this way. “This 0.5% loss/gain is negligible” just isn’t the mindset of tech CEOs in my framework. They care purely about profit maximization, and see these companies all as independent operating entities.
Good point. I see that an argument can be made that while the profit is so insignificant in the big picture, they see profit maximization as a worthy game, perhaps even a hobby when you're a multi-billionaire.
I understand that Bezos bought the company to influence the Post’s publication. I don’t believe that laying off 1/3 of staff in one swing is the method.
I think it depends who he laid off. I understand a lot of good people had already left WaPo. There are probably still a lot of good ones, professionals who wouldn't stand for whatever direction Bezos is taking the business. With AI and a small group of hand-picked employees who are on board with whatever direction he wants to go, the big cut staff could make sense.
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Comment on Jeff Bezos orders layoffs at 'The Washington Post' in ~news
agentsquirrel Link ParentI wouldn’t. Even if the Washington Post were profitable, say $100M per year, that’s economically irrelevant to Jeff Bezos. That would be on the order of about 0.5% of his net worth, which itself...I am willing to give Bezos the benefit of the doubt that this is just cutting segments of the business that are unprofitable, with no ulterior motive
I wouldn’t. Even if the Washington Post were profitable, say $100M per year, that’s economically irrelevant to Jeff Bezos. That would be on the order of about 0.5% of his net worth, which itself routinely moves by tens of billions of dollars year to year. At that scale, profitability isn’t a meaningful constraint, so it’s hard to argue that business optimization alone explains the decisions being made. Once profit becomes negligible, there's some other ulterior motive.
High quality (and low quality) investigative journalism is coming from YouTubers now because their incentives are aligned with the viewers.
I don't think incentives on YouTube are better aligned with truth or quality. A newspaper journalist, at least in principle, has training, experience, editorial oversight, and institutional standards they’re accountable to. Those safeguards have eroded, but they still exist.
A successful YouTube “journalist,” needs only to attract and retain viewers. A seven-figure subscriber count tells us nothing about reporting quality, only about engagement. Once monetization enters the picture, incentives tilt toward attention, speed, and emotion, not accuracy or depth. That doesn’t mean good journalism can’t exist on YouTube, but it does mean the platform rewards the wrong things.
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Comment on Someone made a social media website for AI agents in ~tech
agentsquirrel LinkToo late! All the existing social media sites are made for AI, with bot accounts, algorithms, etc.Too late! All the existing social media sites are made for AI, with bot accounts, algorithms, etc.
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Comment on Massive winter storm expected to dump snow and ice across United States in ~enviro
agentsquirrel Link ParentPropane / natural gas heaters and stoves produce significant CO only when there's a lack of oxygen, or they're badly adjusted.Propane / natural gas heaters and stoves produce significant CO only when there's a lack of oxygen, or they're badly adjusted.
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Comment on Massive winter storm expected to dump snow and ice across United States in ~enviro
agentsquirrel LinkWatching The Weather Channel at the bar eating dinner this evening it was like Texas was ground zero for this storm and the rest of the US didn't exist.Watching The Weather Channel at the bar eating dinner this evening it was like Texas was ground zero for this storm and the rest of the US didn't exist.
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Comment on Inside the conservative campus revolution in ~society
agentsquirrel Link ParentThose “two sad things” are exactly what we already see with Trump and MAGA. There’s no real ideological spine; politics functions as entertainment first, with policy and consequences as an...Those “two sad things” are exactly what we already see with Trump and MAGA. There’s no real ideological spine; politics functions as entertainment first, with policy and consequences as an afterthought. Loyalty is to the persona, not the principles. When the main figure disappears people don’t reassess their beliefs, they just grab the next thing that scratches the same emotional itch.
That’s why the idea that Charlie Kirk was meaningfully “above” someone like Fuentes was always a thin veneer. The feud was reputational, not substantive. Beneath it, there is plenty of shared ground for Fuentes to exploit.
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Comment on AI isn’t replacing jobs. AI spending is. in ~comp
agentsquirrel Link ParentWell, to be fair, he's the second richest man in the world mostly due to a lot of overpriced and bloated Oracle shitware way prior to any AI products out today.This crock of shit is part of what made Larry Ellison the second-richest man in the world. Let that sink in...
Well, to be fair, he's the second richest man in the world mostly due to a lot of overpriced and bloated Oracle shitware way prior to any AI products out today.
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Comment on Dell CEO pledges $6.25 billion to ‘Trump accounts’ for American children in ~society
agentsquirrel Link ParentI agree; getting billionaires to donate, anything, is a good thing. Unfortunately I think this is yet another "pay tribute to Trump" move.I agree; getting billionaires to donate, anything, is a good thing. Unfortunately I think this is yet another "pay tribute to Trump" move.
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Comment on Dell CEO pledges $6.25 billion to ‘Trump accounts’ for American children in ~society
agentsquirrel Link ParentYou’re right that 529s and Trump/530A accounts each have their own kinds of restrictions, but the question isn’t just which restriction is better, it’s whether the structure meaningfully serves...You’re right that 529s and Trump/530A accounts each have their own kinds of restrictions, but the question isn’t just which restriction is better, it’s whether the structure meaningfully serves the kids who need it most. With 529s, at least parents can use the money for K-12 tuition, trade programs, apprenticeships, and even a small amount toward student loans. With 530As, the money is locked until age 18 regardless of circumstance, which doesn’t help families facing financial strain during childhood, which is when most financial strain actually happens.
On the “what if you don’t go to college” point: I completely agree that support shouldn’t be limited to college-bound kids. The problem is that a single $1,000 seed plus whatever only some families can afford to add won’t meaningfully change outcomes unless you’re already in a position to contribute. That’s why this structure ends up functioning more like a tax-advantaged investment wrapper for families with surplus income, rather than a broad-based wealth transfer.
The index-fund restriction is fine in isolation; low-cost diversification is good, but it’s also the only investment option, which means no way to adjust risk as a child approaches adulthood (the exact opposite of how target-date funds normally work). A market downturn at 17 could wipe out a lot of accumulated value with no ability to move into something safer.
As for the Dell donation, I agree philanthropy aimed at kids is welcome. But private wealth transfers are doing the heavy lifting here; the policy architecture itself is fairly weak. If the goal is genuinely universal child wealth, robust “baby bond” designs with meaningful, progressive annual public contributions outperform one-time deposits paired with voluntary parental savings.
So I’m not opposed to the idea of wealth-building for children. The critique is that 530A accounts don’t actually deliver that outcome very well, and they may unintentionally amplify the disparities we already have.
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Comment on Dell CEO pledges $6.25 billion to ‘Trump accounts’ for American children in ~society
agentsquirrel LinkTrump Accounts are supposed to give kids a long-term financial boost, but they’re poorly designed for real family needs. They don’t help with the high costs of childhood, they may widen wealth...Trump Accounts are supposed to give kids a long-term financial boost, but they’re poorly designed for real family needs. They don’t help with the high costs of childhood, they may widen wealth inequality because only well-off families can meaningfully contribute, and the tax treatment is actually worse than alternatives like 529 plans or custodial brokerage accounts. Investment choices are restricted to a narrow set of index funds, withdrawals are locked until age 18, and the program doesn’t address immediate issues such as childcare, healthcare, or poverty. For most parents, 529s, UTMAs, or even simply shoring up their own retirement accounts, offer better flexibility, tax advantages, and real-world results. Trump Accounts are more a political branding exercise than a policy that's going to result in anything for those who really need it.
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Comment on An AI-generated country song is topping a Billboard chart, and that should infuriate us all in ~music
agentsquirrel LinkWhat should be more infuriating is that country music for the past several decades has been largely cookie-cutter songs, long before autotune came on the scene. It's no coincidence that the...What should be more infuriating is that country music for the past several decades has been largely cookie-cutter songs, long before autotune came on the scene. It's no coincidence that the country genre is the first to see an AI work on a chart, albeit digital sales and not one of the main charts. I think it's just a matter of time until we see AI songs on main country charts, and then other genres. Record companies exist for one reason: to make money. Eliminate the artist and you've eliminated a cost. Of course this won't work for music from an artist like Taylor Swift where there is a persona behind it, touring, etc., but for probably 90% of popular music, it will work, well.
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Comment on What ridiculous thing would you spend billions on? in ~talk
agentsquirrel LinkI'd buy the largest empty warehouse near a metropolitan area I could; we're talking 1/2/3+ million square foot of space. I'd renovate it to look pretty, but keep it empty, and open it to the...I'd buy the largest empty warehouse near a metropolitan area I could; we're talking 1/2/3+ million square foot of space. I'd renovate it to look pretty, but keep it empty, and open it to the public as "Trump's Museum of Lifetime Accomplishments".
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Comment on Why cassette tapes are coming back in ~music
agentsquirrel Link ParentSure, but I can't say I've ever heard anyone talk about cassette degradation being charming. When someone drops a needle on a record and you hear the little pops from dust and stuff, you know it's...Sure, but I can't say I've ever heard anyone talk about cassette degradation being charming. When someone drops a needle on a record and you hear the little pops from dust and stuff, you know it's a record and there's a sort of nostalgia that comes with it. When someone hits play on a cassette and I hear hiss, I think "lousy audio system".
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Comment on Why cassette tapes are coming back in ~music
agentsquirrel Link ParentDolby C was pretty darn good. I never had Dolby S, but I read that it approached CD quality. I did have some of my old decks stored in the garage but the rubber belts inside went bad rendering...Dolby C was pretty darn good. I never had Dolby S, but I read that it approached CD quality. I did have some of my old decks stored in the garage but the rubber belts inside went bad rendering them useless. I couldn't possibly see getting back into cassettes today, even as a retro hobby sort of thing. Vinyl is another story.
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Comment on Why cassette tapes are coming back in ~music
agentsquirrel Link ParentA revival of any legacy digital format is unlikely considering one can put a lossless digital file on a USB stick.A revival of any legacy digital format is unlikely considering one can put a lossless digital file on a USB stick.
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Comment on Why cassette tapes are coming back in ~music
agentsquirrel Link ParentVinyl and cassettes degrade differently. Records may get dusty, but you can clean them. But even with some dust, scratches, pops, and whatever, the degradation is kind of seen as acceptable and...Vinyl and cassettes degrade differently. Records may get dusty, but you can clean them. But even with some dust, scratches, pops, and whatever, the degradation is kind of seen as acceptable and somewhat charming. Cassettes on the other hand tend to get noisy and hissy, and get drop outs and flutter. Cassettes, back when I used them, seemed to be going bad the day you recorded on them, although commercially recorded tapes less so. Records can wear out, but I don't recall ever doing it. I certainly warped a few in a hot car.
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Comment on Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted by a federal grand jury, an extraordinary escalation in US President Donald Trump’s effort to prosecute his political enemies in ~society
agentsquirrel Link ParentAgreed. I'm betting now that Trump has declared "antifa" a terrorist organization (a declaration with no legal framework against an organization that doesn't really exist), he's going to start up...Agreed. I'm betting now that Trump has declared "antifa" a terrorist organization (a declaration with no legal framework against an organization that doesn't really exist), he's going to start up investigations attempting to link Democratic politicians and organizations to antifa.
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Comment on Jimmy Kimmel pulled “indefinitely” by ABC after Charlie Kirk comments in ~tv
agentsquirrel Link ParentFurthermore, HBO is not transmitted over FCC-licensed TV stations.Furthermore, HBO is not transmitted over FCC-licensed TV stations.
That's great, but in business not everything is driven purely by profit. If a company can make 10x, 100x, or more in another line of business, especially if that line of business is a core focus and growing, the $50M line of business can be a distraction, and even seen by boards and investors as detrimental to the core operation. Usually in this type of situation, the right answer is to spin the unit off or have it acquired, and put the cash into growing the core business.