As we all know, Kenne, a Miwok word meaning "one," is a soft-ripened goat milk cheese produced by the Tomales Farmstead Creamery in Tomales, California. The maturation period is about two weeks. It has a mild, earthy flavor — so it's nothing like this newsletter, which is as fired up as a Baptist preacher about all this here election nonsense. To the cheddlines: Cheese-out! –Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor P.S. Let's watch the mass testing of some robot dogs on the 'gram! |
|
|
"There is nothing like a visit to Disneyland Resort." — Jessica Good |
|
| 1. U.S. Inflation Numbers Are Rorschach Blot for the Election |
A nuanced set of consumer price numbers yesterday made a Rorschach blot for major news outlets, with different headline writers interpreting them on one side or the other of the U.S. election.
The Associated Press led with news that inflation dropped to its lowest level in September since the surge began three years ago, "adding to a spate of encouraging economic news in the closing weeks of the presidential race."
Editors of the Wall Street Journal's story by economics reporter Harriet Torry, meanwhile, led with the homepage headline that "U.S. Inflation is Cooling More Slowly Than Expected," with the consumer price index rising 2.4% last month, higher than the average 2.3% "that economists polled by the Wall Street Journal had expected."
I emailed Harriet to ask: "Could you expand a little more on this poll: 'that economists polled by the Wall Street Journal had expected.' How many economists were polled from which institutions, and over what period? Is this a "back of a napkin" sort of poll? Or something more rigorous?"
Amazingly, I'm yet to hear back. It seems you either think inflation is still rampant and the country is on a course for disaster that can only be corrected by voting a certain direction, or that it's cooling in line with expectations, and you should probably… vote the other way.
The easing inflation aligns with the Federal Reserve's target of 2%, and there are signs of a cooldown in the housing market, potentially easing consumer burdens. Gas prices fell significantly, while grocery and restaurant prices saw modest increases, with clothing prices rising more significantly. Still, I do remember when I could buy a pair of jeans for less than $80. Make denim prices great again!
The inflation peak was at 9.1% in June 2022, and Goldman Sachs economists predict core inflation will drop to 3% by December 2024. The U.S. economy would likely perform better under a Kamala Harris presidency than if Donald Trump returned to the White House, economists with Goldman Sachs wrote in a note in early September. That prompted the bank's CEO, David Solomon, to say the report got blown out proportion.
"What the report did is it looked at a handful of policy issues that have been put out by both sides, and it tried to model their impact on GDP growth," Solomon told CNBC in mid-September. "The reason I say a bigger deal has been made of it is what it showed is the difference between the sets of policies that they've put forward is about two-tenths of 1%."
So, we're arguing over decimals, basically, and on the economy? You've probably already made up your mind. Read More |
|
|
2. Get Your Popcorn As Kamala Harris Goes on Unscripted Media Tour |
The Vice President has joined Stephen Colbert, Alex Cooper, Howard Stern and The View over the last week to persuade pivotal groups like younger voters, older Americans, and Black and Latino audiences that she's worth voting for. Locked into a neck-and-neck race with Donald Trump despite outspending him, Harris is leaning into unscripted interviews after having spent years leaning out of them — something the Trump campaign has highlighted, taking aim at "disastrous word salad clips that come out of her highly controlled softball interviews."
There are still voting blocs that are yet to engage and want to learn more about Harris before supporting her, the thinking goes. She and her campaign appear to have decided that the risk of more unscripted interviews is worth taking. [Grabs popcorn.] Trump, meanwhile, declined a pre-election interview with 60 Minutes. His campaign also regularly bans reporters from events.
"What Harris is trying to do is still introduce herself to the American people, and that doesn't mean through policy," Peter Loge, who teaches politics and communication at George Washington University, told the Washington Times. "It's about showing the American people who she is as a person and having them connect with her as a human being."
The biggest swing state still in play is Pennsylvania, where Harris leads Trump by 47.9% to 47.5% according to polls, which as we all know, are sorta… not terribly accurate. So. If you live in Pittsburgh and watch Colbert or listen to Call Her Daddy, which way are you gonna vote? Email me! Read More |
|
|
| Mass testing at the Unitree Robotics factory in China. 😳
The Unitree Go1 is a next-generation robot dog that can reach speeds of up to 17 km/h, featuring adaptive joints and an intelligent side-follow system. |
|
|
3. Nobel Prizes Awarded to AI Pioneers Who Now Warn on Dangers of AI |
Two AI pioneers, John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton, have been awarded the Nobel Prize in physics. Their work in creating the fundamentals of machine learning has transformative implications for how we live but also raises concerns over AI's potential risks to humanity.
Hinton, a dual citizen of Canada and Britain working at the University of Toronto, and American Hopfield of Princeton, were recognized for their contributions to artificial neural networks. These computer systems, modeled after human brain neurons, are employed broadly in science and medicine, which have permeated everyday life.
Hopfield laid the groundwork in 1982, which enabled Hinton's subsequent advancements. Hinton's pivotal development was the backpropagation technique, which mimics learning through error-correction, a process considered instrumental to the evolution of AI. It's also a lot like how these newsletters come together when I show them to my editors.
Hopfield and Hinton's combined efforts have led to improvements in productivity and healthcare, with Hinton likening AI's impact to that of the Industrial Revolution. Despite these advancements, both men express concerns about AI's risks, particularly the loss of human control over more intelligent systems. Hopfield has voiced caution regarding the ethical use of AI, equating its dual potential for benefit and harm with that of nuclear energy and biology work on viruses. Hinton, who left a position at Google to speak more freely on such matters, warns of systems eventually superseding human intelligence and control. I'm sure it's fine. It's fine! Read More |
|
|
4. Taking the Mickey: Disneyland Prices up 6% |
In grave and serious news of national import, Disneyland is raising ticket prices by about 6%. Peak-season single-day tickets for Disneyland are up to $206 from $194, or you can get a Magic Key annual pass for $599 (up from $499). The changes come after Disney acknowledged a fall in profits recently, particularly underperforming expectations in spring 2024.
"There is nothing like a visit to Disneyland Resort," Jessica Good, a Disneyland Resort spokesperson, told CNN for a story about the price hikes. "We always provide a wide variety of ticket, dining and hotel options, and promotional offers throughout the year, to welcome as many families as possible."
For me the bigger picture is: You were fine with paying $194 to go to a theme park based on a talking mouse, but now suddenly you're up in arms because it's $206. Somebody just moved your cheese; that's all. Read More |
|
|
5. Slow-Moving DOJ Mulls Break-up of Google (Which is Never Going to Happen) |
The Department of Justice (which should have you quaking in your shoes if you're a multi-billion-dollar corporation) is considering a legal action to break up Google's illegal monopoly of the Internet search market. Official court filings reveal that the DOJ is exploring "structural remedies" including breaking up the company and preventing Google from paying companies to make its search engine the default on smartphones and other devices.
Google, owned by Alphabet, plans to challenge the DOJ's case, suggesting that the government's approach is an overreach that would harm consumers. Google also criticized the DOJ's approach as "radical."
The case mirrors the U.S. government's 1990s attempt to break up Microsoft to prevent its dominance in the software market. A historical precedent saw a judge ordering Microsoft's split, only for the decision to be appealed and the case eventually dropped by the DOJ.
The department plans to submit a detailed proposal by November 20, with Google's response due by December 20. In totally unrelated news, there's a presidential election on November 5, which could result in different leadership and priorities at the DOJ. And they say lawyers just bill millions of dollars to tell you to try to delay everything... oh. Read More |
|
|
| So, What Do You Think of Cheddar?
|
We want to hear from you! From shows to site to this very newsletter, we'd love some feedback. |
|
|
|
