AI Archives - Ramblin' with Roger

May rambling: Not Wisdom

RJ wins another SDMA

What I Can’t Show You (John Green visits Koidu Government Hospital and sees the Maternal Center of Excellence for the first time), and Despair is Not Wisdom (Hank Green).

The FDA withdrew studies showing that the Covid and shingles vaccines were safe.

Gas Station Drugs: a world of questionable supplements and boner pills, and The Hadow Docket: a shortcut to the Supreme Court – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

I Was Told I Had 6 Months to Live. That Was 20 Years Ago. — Here’s what two brain surgeries taught me about public health and care access.

I caught myself thinking: “Some of these research papers are awfully good for what might be a student’s first effort.”

Some white nationalists swoop in after natural disasters, trying to soften their image while offering help (Lesley Stahl/60 Minutes)

8647

Demand destruction vs fuel-superseding infrastructure: Will FOTUS Hormuz us into the full Gretacene?

AI

Silicon Valley Is Bracing for a Permanent Underclass. AI is pushing millions of employees to the edge of a cliff as most sectors are racing to replace jobs with AI. As a wise friend of mine noted, “We need programs and plans to ensure everyone is active, connected, engaged with society when millions have no work. Some countries will get this right, while others will slide into a dystopian abyss of depression, isolation, and anger toward technology that will not bode well for a peaceful, productive humanity.”

I got punished for paying off my car loan two years early

A rare archaeological site in the Sonoran Desert was bulldozed by a DHS contractor involved in building the latest sections of the border wall.

Free Phone Calls Saved Incarcerated People and Their Loved Ones $622.5 Million

Young Boy Finds the First Ancient Greek Artifact Discovered in Berlin

New Musicals ‘Schmigadoon!’ and ‘Lost Boys’ Lead List of Tony Nominees

The Song That Puts You to Sleep (On Purpose) and The Cartoon That Shut Down Boston and Operation Mincemeat and The Part of Canada That Doesn’t Want You

MUSIC

Not Me No Way – Rebecca Jade, who won Best R&B, Funk or Soul Song at the 35th Annual San Diego Music Awards

This Is How We Walk on the Moon – Arthur Russell

Rounds by Jessie Montgomery, for piano and strings, inspired by poet TS Eliot

Moonage Daydream – David Bowie

Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) – Bobby Womack

Peg – Steely Dan

At The Ballet – Audra McDonald, Megan Hilty & Kelli O’Hara

All You Need Is Love – Peter Sprague, featuring Rebecca Jade

Suffolk Suite by Doreen Carwithen

If You Don’t Know Me by Now -Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

Man On The Moon – R.E.M.

Coverville 1579: Cover Stories for Lesley Gore and Christopher Cross

Horses and Divorces – Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert

This Year – the Mountain Goats

Favorite Songs By Favorite Artists (Series Four) #2: The Bonzo Dog Band and #3: Midnight Oil and

Bastards of Young – the Replacements

Moonshadow – Yusef/ Cat Stevens

Dream Walkin’ Mashup – Peter Sprague and Leonard Patton

Theme from The Love Boat – WDR Funkhausorchester

Everyone’s Gone to the Moon – Nina Simone

Common – Maren Morris featuring Brandi Carlile

Time – Tom Waits

I Wish I Was the Moon – Neko Case

Addicted To Love – Robert Palmer

Man On The Moon – Megan Moroney

Aloha Bossa Nova – Peter Sprague, featuring Allison Adams Tucker

Eclipse – Pink Floyd

How Do You Know What Is True?

without a soupçon of proof

“How do you know what is true?” I find this to be a fascinating question. In mid-autumn 2025, a couple of guys came onto my porch and knocked on my door. Looking through the front window, I assumed that they were from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I could have ignored them, I suppose, but I’m always interested in conversing about issues of faith. Indeed, I’ve talked with Mormons before; I even have a Book of Mormon, which I suppose undercut one of the young men’s talking points. (I’ve TRIED to read it, but it hasn’t grabbed me.)

One of the guys was from Utah (no surprise) and the other from Arizona. The one who did much less of the talking was the one who asked, “How do you know what is true?”

Part of it is observation. If I let go of a pencil, it falls. Some of it has been drawn from what I’ve read. When I was a kid, I absorbed the entire Encyclopedia Americana, plus its annual updates. And, as often noted, I received the World Almanac almost every year from 1963 to 2018, and devoured a lot of random statistics.

823 years!

This is why I was so quick to debunk that Internet myth that a particular calendar pattern happens only every 823 years. There’s a LOT of stuff online I don’t trust. When someone states something as fact, and I haven’t seen it, I often ask where they saw it. When they say, “On Facebook” or “the Internet,” I’ve been known to press for more information; what site on the Internet, for instance.

There’s someone I’ve known IRL, and a person I know indicated that he died. But I’ve seen nothing like a news article or an obituary, something I could use to verify. I’m loath to share faulty information. When I hear a famous person has died, I wait until I’ve seen the news in two or three historically reliable sources. It’s one of the reasons I’ve subscribed to GroundNews: to see other, diverse sources.

But I’m also willing to recognize that our understanding of information changes.

When my father painted my ceiling to reflect the planets in the Milky Way, there were no moons around Mercury and Venus, one around Earth, two around Mars, 12 around Jupiter, nine around Saturn, five around Uranus, one around Neptune, and none around Pluto. The inner planets would be the same, but Jupiter has at least 95, Saturn has 274(!), Uranus has 28, and Neptune has 16. Pluto is no longer considered a planet, but the largest of its five moons, Charon, is half Pluto’s diameter.

This doesn’t mean science was”wrong,” but that more information has been gleaned. I get frustrated when the result of additional knowledge is presented as “they were lying to us” without a soupçon of proof.

Uh-uh

As an information specialist – my title for a time – I’m discouraged when misinformation or disinformation is readily disseminated. This is not new – I read about Bob Denver’s “recent” death in 2012 when he passed away in 2005.

But the algorithm is far more robust now, and that was before the onslaught of Artificial Intelligence. I find information nearly every day that is reductive at best, summarizing other sources, often poorly. And sometimes it’s just wrong to conflate people with the same or similar names.

When I was first online in the late 1990s, I took it upon myself – now it sounds ridiculous – to “correct the Internet.” Now it’s nigh unto impossible, and it frightens me how resilient BS can be. Neil deGrasse Tyson gives us pointers on what to believe on the Internet and what not to believe.

It’s not a new problem, though. “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” -Isaac Asimov, scientist and writer (2 Jan 1920-1992)

DOGE, AI And Tariffs

labor force is shrinking

An article in Forbes from mid-August notes that in 2025, Job Cuts Have Already Surpassed All Of 2024—DOGE, AI, And Tariffs Are the Biggest Causes.

According to a career services firm, Challenger, Gray & Christmas, “private and public employers cut 62,000 jobs in July, an almost 30% increase from the previous month and a 140% spike over the same month last year.

“More than 806,000 jobs have been cut to date in 2025, already above the 761,358 eliminated in all of 2024.

“The Challenger report says so-called ‘DOGE impact’ is the leading reason for job cut announcements so far in 2025… ” Check out layoffs. FYI, which notes that nearly a quarter of the jobs are in health and Human Services.

“In addition to the direct cuts to the federal workforce, DOGE cuts to grant funding have also led to 17,826 cuts in the non-profit sector this year, up 413% from this time in 2024, Challenger said. Non-profit organizations have cited mounting challenges from reductions in federal funding, rising operational costs, and persistent economic uncertainty.”

Tech

“Technology is the leading private sector in job cuts, with 89,251 eliminated in 2025 so far. Challenger says the advancement of artificial intelligence and ongoing uncertainty surrounding work visas have contributed to workforce reductions, which are up 36% in the sector over the same time period last year.

“The retail and automotive sectors have seen an increase in layoffs as the result of global tariffs implemented… Retail announced 80,487 job cuts in July, up 249% through this time in 2024, citing tariffs, inflation, and ongoing economic uncertainty. “

This video touches on some of these numbers, including the regional impact variations.

An example from Daily Kos and Common Dreams: John Deere has axed more than 200 employees to cut higher costs caused by tariffs. “As stated on our most recent earnings call, the struggling ag economy continues to impact orders for John Deere equipment,” the company said in a statement obtained by Illinois Public Media.

But what does it mean?

Callie Cox, the chief market strategist at Ritholtz Wealth Management, worries in Business Insider about an under-the-radar number that raises a huge red flag for America’s job market.

“Wall Street bigwigs, major investors, stock analysts, and economists [all] agree on… the fundamental importance of the job market….

“This is why many economists and analysts focus on the unemployment rate… The headline jobless rate is 4.2%, up from record lows set in 2023, but hardly at a catastrophic level…

“Still, there is one number… that represents a serious cause for concern. The official US labor force, which measures the number of working-age Americans actively working or looking for work, is shrinking at a rate normally seen during the depths of economic crises. The pool of available workers has stalled for three straight months, the first such streak since 2011…

“The reasons for this shrinkage point to worrying shifts in America’s job market, and the consequences could be perilous. Over time, a smaller labor force presents pernicious challenges: lower growth, tax revenue, and productivity…

“The immigration crackdown and a rough hiring environment are only part of the story. Other long-term trends could be depressing the number of people willing to jump into the workforce. Labor force participation among women has yet to recover from pre-COVID levels, given steep childcare costs, return-to-office mandates, and the cost of childcare. The participation rate among teenagers 16 to 19 years old has also plummeted over the past few months, likely a product of fewer entry-level opportunities.”

Data

Vincent Geloso, senior fellow at AIER, is an assistant professor of economics at George Mason University, who obtained a PhD in Economic History from the London School of Economics. He shows the bogus suggestion that the BLS produced “low-quality” data or displayed “partisanship.” He adds, “Bureaucracies are usually too self-serving to get partisan. The consequences of bad data are high, and error rates are pretty low – no matter who is president.”

Also: Impact of Immigrants on Labor History

The Role of Undocumented Workers in High-Growth Occupations and Industries Across the United States

This post is Chuck Miller’s fault

I am a meteorologist?

This post is Chuck Miller’s fault. On May 22, my old blogger buddy from my Times Union blog days wrote Thanks for stating the obvious, Google…

He noted, “My blog is 100% written by me. Chuck Miller. A living, breathing, flesh and blood human. I am not a synthezoid, I am not a Replicant, I am not from Rossum’s Universal Robots, no no no no no.” I’ve met Chuck more than once. I’m at least 99.44% sure that that he’s real.

“That being said, I felt like checking out Google’s AI search engine and asking it what it thought my blog was about.”

At least, Chuck knows what AI IS, unlike the Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who confused AI with A1, as in the steak sauce.

This seemed like a fun idea for a lazy blogger.

what is rogerogreen.com

“Roger O’Green is likely referring to Roger O. Green, an American meteorologist. Rogerogreen.com might be his personal website. If it’s his site, it probably showcases his professional background, weather forecasting services, or related work. Would you like more information on Roger O. Green or his work?”

I DID NOT KNOW I was a meteorologist. This was very excited to know! Wait. I’m NOT a meteorologist. Am I?

The real me

So I tried

What is https://rogerogreen.com about

https://rogerogreen.com appears to be a personal blog titled “Ramblin’ with Roger.” It’s written by Roger Green, a librarian who’s passionate about music, theater, books, and life experiences. The blog features various posts about:

Theater and Arts: Roger shares his thoughts on the Tony Awards, discussing nominated productions and reflecting on past performances he’s seen. He also writes about the impact of funding cuts on arts organizations.

Personal Reflections: Roger shares stories about his late father-in-law, Richard, and the significance of a painting he inherited, “The Bookworm” by Carl Spitzweg.

Family and Memories: He writes about his sister Marcia, sharing photos and anecdotes from their childhood and family experiences.

Local News and Events: Roger discusses the closure of Trinity United Methodist Church in Albany, where he used to attend and participate in various activities.

Politics and Social Issues: He touches on current events, such as James Comey’s seashells and the controversy surrounding them.

Overall, “Ramblin’ with Roger” seems to be a space where Roger Green shares his diverse interests, thoughts, and experiences¹.

So that was what I wrote that week. Not great insight, but whatevs.

Movie review: The Wild Robot

say important things

Based on good word-of-mouth, I attended a Tuesday afternoon matinee showing of the animated film The Wild Robot at the Spectrum Theatre in Albany.

I didn’t know it was based on a children’s book until I saw the movie. The story begins with robots that are shipwrecked on the shore. One robot is stymied by the fact that our heroine has no people to serve.

(Hmm. Can robots HAVE gender? This and many other questions are addressed in author Peter Brown’s reflections on the writing of this book.)

Initially, Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o) confounds or terrifies the wildlife she sees. When she figures out the language of the woodland creatures, she, to her surprise, is not welcome. She inadvertently ends up parenting an orphaned baby goose, Brightbill (Kit Connor), assisted by a conflicted fox, Fink (Pedro Pascal).

I loved this movie. First, the DreamWorks film looks marvelous. But more importantly, it has a compelling storyline about making one’s way in a strange land. Some have compared it favorably with the movies E.T., the Iron Giant, and WALL-E, and I suppose there are hints of those.

“stunning visual feast but also a moving meditation”

However, I found it more reflective and deep about the complexities of life, yet it is still accessible to children. Several reviews (97% positive on Rotten Tomatoes) glommed onto the complexities of being a parent. Yet, at times, it was hysterically LOL funny.

Leonard Maltin wrote: “The Wild Robot is a genuinely beautiful movie, in every sense of that adjective. Its physical production is impressive, to say the least, but there are no weak links in its chain, from character design to its exquisitely rendered environment.” Other critics used terms such as “unexpected emotional rollercoaster, “and “a moving meditation on life, friendship, and survival in an unforgiving environment,”

Some reviewers were even more taken by it. Courtney Lanning of Arkansas Public Radio wrote: “Everyone who watches ‘The Wild Robot’ can come away connecting with something, whether it’s an urge to help others, even if they’ve hurt you in the past, or learning to say important things to loved ones because you never know when it’ll be too late.” Hmm. She’s not wrong.

Right before the film, I attended a book review of The Eye of the Master: A Social History of Artificial Intelligence by Matteo Pasquinelli, reviewed by Lex Bhagat, former Executive Director of FFAPL, and currently a business librarian at NY SBDC, where I used to work. Two days later, I saw an episode of Law & Order: The founder of an AI-infused dating app is murdered. These got me thinking again about the nature of technology and how “real” Roz was. No answers, just musings.