What's the difference between a shoe and a GPU chip?

I just ordered what will probably be my last two pairs of Allbirds shoes, after the company announced yesterday that it was throwing its lot in with AI. Economics writer Kyla Scanlon observed that this is "a good example of why [the market increases] shouldn't be happening today," and I can't disagree with her.

In other alarming, bizarre, or sometimes happy stories:

• As Vice President JD "Couchy" Vance wades into the OAFPOTUS's demented attacks on Pope Leo XIV, Amanda Nelson reminds him that "every major political movement in America that made anti-Catholicism central to its identity ended in collapse."
• A jury has found that Live Nation acts as a monopoly, because obviously they do, bringing me some hope that the next administration will actually break up the company.
• Philosopher Matt Lutz does not see a possibility of AI alignment.
• Chuck Marohn does not see a possibility of New York City achieving solvency, at least not until city leaders accept reality.
• Chicago had record-breaking rainfall this week, but at least our drought is officially over.

I shall now resume my exploration of Claude's capabilities in designing software. So far, it's a good junior programmer.