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2:00PM Water Cooler 1/6/2025

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By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Patient readers, this is a travel day for me and hence an Open Thread. Talk amongst yourselves! –lambert

Bird Song of the Day

At IM Doc’s suggestion–

Gray Catbird, Indian Springs Wildlife Management Area; along Blair’s Valley Road, Washington, Maryland, United States. “Adult Gray Catbird singing from roadside vegetation.” No doubt sitting in the catbird seat!

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I did think this was remarkable, though. From Old School blogger Jon Schwarz (the image duplicates but the text does not):

Apparently the entity known to us as DOGE has some quasi-formal existence somewhere, but as what? As in “Hey, kids, let’s put on a show!”? Or more?

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Contact information for plants: Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) find out how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. From Angie Neer:

Angie Neer writes: “I’m taking the liberty of attaching a photo, because the Water Cooler plants have long been a highlight of my days. This one was shot about 45 years ago, on Tri-X film that I developed myself in the darkroom of my high school. (The same public school where I learned typesetting with real lead type!) I hope it expresses the mood of seeing a friend receding into a future that’s perhaps mysterious, but lush with beautiful possibility.”

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Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. Material here is Lambert’s, and does not express the views of the Naked Capitalism site. If you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldn’t see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know I’m on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for three or four days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:

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About Lambert Strether

Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (“Because markets”). I don’t much care about the “ism” that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don’t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered. To me, the key issue — and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me — is the tens of thousands of excess “deaths from despair,” as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics — even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton’s wars created — bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow — currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press — a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let’s call such voices “the left.” Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn’t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I’ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.

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62 comments

  1. alrhundi

    I don’t know if anyone watched the Zelenskyy interview with Lex Fridman, but I feel crazy reading any sort of comments about it. The main criticism is that Lex is a “Russian sympathizer” by asking questions about how violation of Russia’s concerns led to the invasion, or the potential for peace/ceasefires not involving Ukrainian NATO membership. Maybe I am naive to expect anything like this but Zelenskyy was unwilling to entertain it even slightly and would default to talks about NATO security guarantees, arms packages, and being hopeful of Trump, without actually going into details. I had to stop 1.5 hours in because it felt like nothing of substance was actually being said and I was wasting my time.

    Reply ↓
    1. lyman alpha blob

      Currently listening to Christoforou’s recap of it here, which might be more palatable. Very interesting that Zelensky abjectly refused to speak Russian with Fridman, which made Fridman use some AI translation thingy which overdubbed what they both said into English. I thought the video in today’s links sounded a little off, and that would be why.

      Reply ↓
      1. alrhundi

        Even when he spoke in English the AI translator was used for consistency, I believe. I’ll check out that recap, thanks for the link (even though I’m not a fan of Rumble). I understand he wants to reinforce Ukrainian identity but it’s too bad that he refused to speak in Russian. I think their conversation would have been better if they didn’t have to rely on broken and delayed translations.

        Reply ↓
        1. p

          Is the unconstitional head of state not a native russian speaker?

          He can surely sound more convincing,even sincere in that,than ukranian.

          But I so quickly forget,he is an entertainer, one on the western stage.

          Reply ↓
    2. Anonymous Coward

      I read somewhere Lex Fridman being accused of serving as a CIA asset. Don’t know if it’s true, and not sprung original from my brain, but it tracks. I find him to be exhausting and dull to listen to at any length. I would not say the same of Joe Rogan.

      Reply ↓
      1. Ben Panga

        Fridman first became famous through Musk

        In 2019, while working at MIT, he coauthored a controversial study of Tesla’s Autopilot concluding that human drivers remained focused while using the semiautonomous system. Musk, Tesla’s CEO, was so enamored that he flew Fridman to the company’s headquarters to tape an interview.

        From Peace, love, and Hitler: How Lex Fridman’s podcast became a safe space for the anti-woke tech elite (Business Insider)

        I’ve also seen (but cannot find a link for) suggestion that he represents the interests of Russian Jewry.

        Neither of these preclude him also being a CIA asset. In fact, I think they make it more likely.

        Reply ↓
  2. lyman alpha blob

    When I heard the news of Trudeau’s resignation earlier today, it made me think of my personal list of faces I would most like to punch since he is on it, along with Zuckerberg, W Bush and Biden.

    The squillionaire nerdbox who wrote the post Schwartz referred to above has just cracked the top 5, and I don’t even know what he looks like.

    Reply ↓
    1. herman_sampson

      I think the squillionaire needs to take Jimmy Carter’s place in Habitat for Humanity and apply some phyics by swinging a hammer.

      Reply ↓
      1. Bugs

        My understanding of Habitat for Humanity is that it is a neoliberal outfit that only accepts for candidates those who can qualify for credit to take a on mortgage. The point of it was to move renters who could pay mortgage, but didn’t have down payments, into ownership. It’s not housing for the poor. Moreover, people working there have complained in public fora that it’s not a workplace with working class solidarity. What would anyone expect from a peanut farmer.

        Reply ↓
          1. steppenwolf fetchit

            I have an old memory that an Israeli architect named Moshe Safdie was involved in starting HFH. If I got that right, my credibility has just gone up a little. If I got it wrong, my credibility has just gone down a little.

            Reply ↓
        2. Rod

          Herman_Sampson I like your thinking on that, HfH having many of the same participatory elements of that short DODGE gig did. But he doesn’t have to swing a hammer, he could carry stuff too, or pick up stuff also. Etc
          and Bugs—imo, I’m suggesting you would benefit from a clearer understanding of HfH before speculating—using either MicaT’s Link or this more direct one(same site but more direct)

          https://www.habitat.org/stories/common-questions-about-habitat-humanity

          And that thing about “what would anyone expect from a Peanut Farmer”, well it’s a little more complicated than what you heard on MSM.

          https://www.google.com/url?q=https://jimmycarter.info/peanuts/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiNgbaPl-KKAxWNTTABHRudMAMQFnoECAsQAg&usg=AOvVaw0rYH6U2GeV1wtXoCASFiWY

          Reply ↓
          1. ambrit

            Carter’s stint as an officer in the Navy, where he was involved in the beginnings of the American atomic submarine fleet established him as a classic Technocrat.

            Reply ↓
    2. Mark Gisleson

      Anyone want in on a pool as to how long Freeland lasts? I’m giving her two weeks. She doesn’t seem like someone who’ll handle power well.

      Reply ↓
            1. thousand points of green

              If I could just get the topsoil in my garden beds to be six feet deep, I would be living in my own private Iowa.

              Reply ↓
              1. ambrit

                It helps to have a herd of giant herbivores “process” the acres for a while.
                While we are on States that begin with “I”, let us query Senator Warren about her reaction to the D R Taylor song; “Indianna Don’t Want Me.”

                Reply ↓
              2. Mark Gisleson

                Grundy County to be specific. The family story is that the first Gisleson to arrive in Iowa in the early 1840s passed over what would become Grundy County to settle further north where the hilly and less farmable terrain reminded them more of Norway.

                Luckily the second generation grew up and said #$@! hilly terrain and moved west to north central Iowa where the topsoil isn’t six feet deep but close : )

                Reply ↓
                1. thousand points of green

                  The only exposure I have had to Iowa is seeing it from the train when crossing it. I found it fascinating to behold. Patches of huge umbelliform plants here and there. Patches of feral hemp plants from ( I suspect) the WWII time of planting hemp for victory.

                  In one place I saw a deep gully-cut into a slope ( evidence of bad land management). It looked like chocolate cake all the way to the bottom of the gully-cut which looked 6 feet deep to me ( as seen from a moving train). I felt like I wanted to jump out and roll around in it.

                  I thought maybe I will retire to Iowa to live the gardening life.

                  More recently I have read that due to the heavy use of all kinds of cancer juice by mainstream conventional agriculture in Iowa, there is now an ” Iowa shaped” layer of mobile chemo-tamination slowly soaking down through the soil and subsoil, all set to reach Iowa’s groundwater in the fullness of time.

                  So I realized that if I wanted to ” retire to Iowa”, I would have to create my own private Iowa to live in. Since i can’t run huge herds of ruminant grazers here in my little semi-burban co-op apartment yard, I can only get as close as heavy-labor deep diggenmixing of the soil will allow me to get.

                  Reply ↓
                    1. thousand points of green

                      Thanks. It could be something to try in addition to the deep diggenmix I already do.

    3. griffen

      Our top lists of those worth making an effort to rhetorically punch are different but only by distinction… I’ve got some dating back to circa 2008 and onward. Eric Holder, Mary Jo White were leading DOJ at a time when they adorned the kid gloves in handling any real investor fraud or securitization fraud that wrecked lives and wreaked havoc. Easy examples those were.

      No let’s pursue all these documents it will take much of our time. Let’s just assume markets are better regulated now, oh after Dodd – Frank and move forward… Meanwhile our 44th President, highly esteemed by many adoring citizens, enjoys his life post Presidency at any manner of inviting homes at desirable locations….Yeah it’s good to be the ruler once or after you’ve completed your stint.

      Reply ↓
    7. Randall Flagg

      I would like to add my thanks for that lovely photo.
      45 years ago. A great picture is timeless.
      And beyond missing Mr,Strether in the future, I hope that the plant pictures and great artwork will somehow continue each afternoon.

      Reply ↓
  4. Kurtismayfield

    DOGE tweet.

    This post reads of something from /LinkedIn Lunatics . Someone full of marketing jargon and false positivity, but ultimately always about themselves. Also people that never actually ran anything or tackled large structural.problems. You notice the code words in the post that says “They are important people”, but really don’t want to get their hands dirty.

    I fully expect this person to roll out a self improvement mlm company any day now.

    Reply ↓
    1. Stubbins

      These are the people the LinkedIn Lunatics are imitating — they’re just temporarily embarrassed neoliberal .001%.

      I found it heartening. If this is the type of person we have on the DOGE team, the whole thing will dissolve in the face of a govt. steamrolled piloted by bureaucrats. They’ll all get impatient and pissed and go chase the Next Big Thing instead.

      Reply ↓
  5. Ben Panga

    LA tech entrepreneur nearly misses flight after getting trapped in robotaxi (Guardian)

    Mike Johns was riding in an autonomous Waymo car on his way to Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix when the vehicle began driving around a parking lot repeatedly, circling eight times as he was on the phone seeking help from the company….

    …he was unable to tell if the representative he spoke with was human or AI…

    ….Waymo told the Guardian the “looping event” had been addressed by a regularly scheduled software update. Johns was not charged for the trip, the company said.

    —–

    The short film “Please Hold” (trailer) is getting closer to reality

    Reply ↓
    1. LawnDart

      Not charged for the trip? Insane!!! Waymo can’t be giving this stuff away– think of the shareholders!

      Mr. Johns got to circle the lot 8-times, while other people wait for hours at an amusement part just to enjoy a ride ONCE: that is a whole lot of hedonic value not captured by the company, or arguably, a theft of services by Mr. Johns.

      If there was any justice in the world, Johns would be sharing a cell with St. Luigi.

      Reply ↓
  9. Judith

    Latest from Patrick Lawrence. I think he is arguing we are in WWIII.

    The world is at war, yes, but ours are wars of a different kind by way of the technologies and methods used to wage them — to say nothing of the objectives of those who start them. The nature of power and how it is exercised have been transformed.
    ……..

    The wars that beset us — in Europe, in West Asia, in East Asia — are many. With or without military engagement, they have already started. But to step back even a small distance, they seem to me to be one.

    This is a war between a power that has reigned without serious challenge for half a millennium and the powers, non–Western powers, the 21st century thrusts forth in the name of global parity.

    The one is fading, the other emergent. The world is at war, and it is a war of worlds.

    https://consortiumnews.com/2025/01/06/patrick-lawrence-our-world-of-wars-our-war-of-worlds/

    Reply ↓
      1. Ben Panga

        > A war of the West versus all the various Non-Wests united against their common Western foe?

        A war by the Hegemon on those that try to forge their own path.

        The article repeats the ” [overt] War with China in 2027″ idea. I’ve seen this so often, I’m beginning to wonder if wars are scheduled many years ahead akin to the Olympics. Presumably if said war doesn’t happen then, US planners believe that China will become untouchable.

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    2. The Rev Kev

      Boris Johnson did say that if the west lost in the Ukraine, that it would be the end of western hegemony.

      Reply ↓
  10. steppenwolf fetchit

    What can DOGE and the DOGEists achieve, whatever it is and whomever they are? By themselves as themselves, not too much.

    But as a hammer and a crowbar in the hands of political operators more intelligent than themselves, they can be used to do as much damage as the more intelligent political operators can imagine doing, until the more intelligent political operators have their fingers cut off at the shoulder , thereby causing the hammer and crowbar to fall mute and non-living onto the ground.

    Reply ↓
  11. steppenwolf fetchit

    Here is a little item noting that President Musk will likely become a trillionaire in the next few years. Handily enough, it offers a “before” and “after” photograph of Mr. Musk. ” Before” and “after” Musk’s gender-affirming surgery. Those pictures could become a “poster-meme”. ” Elon Musk before and after his Gender-Affirming Surgery”.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/comments/1hvd721/elon_musk_is_likely_to_become_a_trillionaire_in/

    Reply ↓
    1. steppenwolf fetchit

      My instinct is unerring and my score is a hundred percent. Every truly amusing image-entry I have posted here has been removed by the moderator of the image-site in question.

      Reply ↓
  12. Ben Panga

    He first became famous through Musk

    In 2019, while working at MIT, he coauthored a controversial study of Tesla’s Autopilot concluding that human drivers remained focused while using the semiautonomous system. Musk, Tesla’s CEO, was so enamored that he flew Fridman to the company’s headquarters to tape an interview.

    From Peace, love, and Hitler: How Lex Fridman’s podcast became a safe space for the anti-woke tech elite (Business Insider)

    I’ve also seen (but cannot find a link for) suggestion that he represents the interests of Russian Jewry.

    Neither of these preclude him also being a CIA asset. In fact, I think they make it more likely.

    Reply ↓
    1. steppenwolf fetchit

      Since Russian Jewry is probably a million or so people, how can one man represent the conflicting and crosscutting interests of so many people?

      Perhaps the suggestor was thinking of a very narrow social class slice of Russian Jewry? And mistook the slice for the whole? ( If Mr. Fridman even actually represents even a slice?)

      Reply ↓
    1. JM

      Oh geez. :(

      NEJM had something last week about the Canadian youth who was hospitalized, and while they made it, it sounded like a harrowing experience.

      Reply ↓

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