Kevin Zatloukal
@kczat.com
Computer scientist. Part-time lecturer at UW CSE, data scientist at 4for4, and OSAM research partner. Fan of the Huskies, Seahawks, and Man City FC
Reposted by Kevin Zatloukal
A Sunflower Showdown lament.
October 25, 2025 at 8:09 PM
A Sunflower Showdown lament.
Do people who think "billionaires shouldn't exist" is going too far think "trillionaires shouldn't exist" is also over the line?
Musk ended Tesla’s earnings call with a fiery outburst over his proposed $1 trillion pay package, blasting advisers who tried to block it and warning his future at Tesla is on the line. He suggested he may leave if the deal doesn’t pass the Nov. 6 vote.
www.wired.com/story/elon-m...
www.wired.com/story/elon-m...
October 23, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Do people who think "billionaires shouldn't exist" is going too far think "trillionaires shouldn't exist" is also over the line?
These equity deals are so bizarre. The US government already owns, in effect, 21% of all US companies via the corporate income tax. If you want more, just raise the corporate income tax rate.
*TRUMP ADMIN IN TALKS FOR STAKES IN QUANTUM-COMPUTING COS: WSJ
*IONQ, RIGETTI, D-WAVE IN TALKS FOR GOVT. TAKING STAKES: WSJ
*FIRMS DISCUSSING MIN. US GOVT FUNDING AWARDS $10M EACH: WSJ
$QUBT $IONQ $QBTS $RGTI
www.wsj.com/business/ent...
*IONQ, RIGETTI, D-WAVE IN TALKS FOR GOVT. TAKING STAKES: WSJ
*FIRMS DISCUSSING MIN. US GOVT FUNDING AWARDS $10M EACH: WSJ
$QUBT $IONQ $QBTS $RGTI
www.wsj.com/business/ent...
October 23, 2025 at 1:15 AM
These equity deals are so bizarre. The US government already owns, in effect, 21% of all US companies via the corporate income tax. If you want more, just raise the corporate income tax rate.
Was reading Akhil Amar's book Born Equal and got to the part where the Civil War ends. Then, the seceding states try to send representatives back to Congress and pretend that they hadn't quit before. Hilarious to think that they tried George's move from Seinfeld in real life.
October 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Was reading Akhil Amar's book Born Equal and got to the part where the Civil War ends. Then, the seceding states try to send representatives back to Congress and pretend that they hadn't quit before. Hilarious to think that they tried George's move from Seinfeld in real life.
Finally bit the bullet and unsubscribed to the RenMac podcast. Trying to sift out the useful financial information in that sea of terrible political opinions is just not worth the effort.
October 12, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Finally bit the bullet and unsubscribed to the RenMac podcast. Trying to sift out the useful financial information in that sea of terrible political opinions is just not worth the effort.
You'd think the WaPo could bother to look these things up: "But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."
WaPo today. Used to be better than birdcage liner material. A shame, really.
September 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
You'd think the WaPo could bother to look these things up: "But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States."
What I love about Seattle's sports media in a nutshell:
Host: What do you think of the Seahawk's new uniforms?
Guest: Well, let me preface this by saying de gustibus non est disputandum (in matters of taste, there is no dispute). Having said that, I think they're TRASH.
Host: What do you think of the Seahawk's new uniforms?
Guest: Well, let me preface this by saying de gustibus non est disputandum (in matters of taste, there is no dispute). Having said that, I think they're TRASH.
August 30, 2025 at 4:51 AM
What I love about Seattle's sports media in a nutshell:
Host: What do you think of the Seahawk's new uniforms?
Guest: Well, let me preface this by saying de gustibus non est disputandum (in matters of taste, there is no dispute). Having said that, I think they're TRASH.
Host: What do you think of the Seahawk's new uniforms?
Guest: Well, let me preface this by saying de gustibus non est disputandum (in matters of taste, there is no dispute). Having said that, I think they're TRASH.
Telling GPT 4.1 the exact position of every piece on the chess board only lets it get about 3 more moves further on average (from 15 up to 18) before making an illegal move. Makes me think its illegal moves are more hallucinations than lack of a "world model".
August 15, 2025 at 4:01 AM
Telling GPT 4.1 the exact position of every piece on the chess board only lets it get about 3 more moves further on average (from 15 up to 18) before making an illegal move. Makes me think its illegal moves are more hallucinations than lack of a "world model".
Reposted by Kevin Zatloukal
that pub closure finding is interesting
July 19, 2025 at 5:48 PM
that pub closure finding is interesting
The anti-Mamdani sentiment seems quite similar to what happened to AOC initially. As far as I can tell, the later was incredibly helpful for AOC's political future.
June 30, 2025 at 7:42 PM
The anti-Mamdani sentiment seems quite similar to what happened to AOC initially. As far as I can tell, the later was incredibly helpful for AOC's political future.
It took an incredible late season surge, but I was once again able to get my FPL team into it's rightful position: one spot behind @marcruby.bsky.social
May 26, 2025 at 6:17 AM
It took an incredible late season surge, but I was once again able to get my FPL team into it's rightful position: one spot behind @marcruby.bsky.social
Reposted by Kevin Zatloukal
Good news: fossil fuels provided less than half of US electric power in March for the first time ever
oilprice.com/Energy/Energ...
oilprice.com/Energy/Energ...
U.S. Electricity From Fossils Fuels Dips Below 50% for the First Time Ever | OilPrice.com
For the first time in history, fossil fuels supplied less than half of the United States' electricity generation for an entire month, marking a significant shift in the nation's energy mix.
oilprice.com
May 7, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Good news: fossil fuels provided less than half of US electric power in March for the first time ever
oilprice.com/Energy/Energ...
oilprice.com/Energy/Energ...
🚨 Trump endorses singular use of "they"
Trump on trade talk: It doesn't matter who 'they' is.
April 24, 2025 at 4:41 PM
🚨 Trump endorses singular use of "they"
Reposted by Kevin Zatloukal
Have to think The Vatican is going to at least call Brad Stevens here
April 21, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Have to think The Vatican is going to at least call Brad Stevens here
Imagine posting this about the "Golden Rule" ON EASTER...
Yeah probably the most plainly he’s ever laid out his philosophy on tariffs and basically everything else in life
April 20, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Imagine posting this about the "Golden Rule" ON EASTER...
I continue to find the myopic focus on manufacturing jobs confusing. If I work on wiring together electronics in a factory, that's a manufacturing job and wonderful to behold. But if I go to someone's house to fix their electronics, that's a service job and nothing special. Both are skilled trades.
April 17, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I continue to find the myopic focus on manufacturing jobs confusing. If I work on wiring together electronics in a factory, that's a manufacturing job and wonderful to behold. But if I go to someone's house to fix their electronics, that's a service job and nothing special. Both are skilled trades.
Reposted by Kevin Zatloukal
the other insane thing about these new tariff exemptions is that they exempted the machinery used to make semiconductors because that’s obviously counterproductive to re-shoring semiconductor manufacturing but have not extended that logic to ***all the other types of machinery***
April 12, 2025 at 5:39 PM
the other insane thing about these new tariff exemptions is that they exempted the machinery used to make semiconductors because that’s obviously counterproductive to re-shoring semiconductor manufacturing but have not extended that logic to ***all the other types of machinery***
Reposted by Kevin Zatloukal
An under appreciated benefit of being the reserve currency and the fiscal space that comes with it—you can not only insure your economy against shocks at low cost, you can achieve great structural benefits with patient govt capital
www.dallasfed.org/-/media/docu...
www.dallasfed.org/-/media/docu...
April 11, 2025 at 7:34 PM
An under appreciated benefit of being the reserve currency and the fiscal space that comes with it—you can not only insure your economy against shocks at low cost, you can achieve great structural benefits with patient govt capital
www.dallasfed.org/-/media/docu...
www.dallasfed.org/-/media/docu...
After the recession, I wonder if we'd see a bipartisan consensus for removing any president's ability to fire people at will. The rules that let the president do so were written for George Washington, and we don't have Washingtons as president very often.
April 11, 2025 at 7:16 PM
After the recession, I wonder if we'd see a bipartisan consensus for removing any president's ability to fire people at will. The rules that let the president do so were written for George Washington, and we don't have Washingtons as president very often.
The estimates I'm seeing for 2025 all have lower GDP, higher inflation, and higher deficits.
Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget:
"This budget sets the stage for the largest deficit increase in history – an unprecedented bill that requires just $4 billion in savings to offset up to $5.8 trillion in deficits. What an absolute disgrace."
"This budget sets the stage for the largest deficit increase in history – an unprecedented bill that requires just $4 billion in savings to offset up to $5.8 trillion in deficits. What an absolute disgrace."
April 10, 2025 at 7:44 PM
The estimates I'm seeing for 2025 all have lower GDP, higher inflation, and higher deficits.
Reposted by Kevin Zatloukal
$SPX 4-day decline of 12%. Here are all 4-day declines >10%. That momentum has usually taken time to bottom - those scanty lines are low retests/lower lows. Only twice did it V-bounce (circles). This is only one-way of looking at the current market, and its all about what Dear Leader does next
April 8, 2025 at 9:56 PM
$SPX 4-day decline of 12%. Here are all 4-day declines >10%. That momentum has usually taken time to bottom - those scanty lines are low retests/lower lows. Only twice did it V-bounce (circles). This is only one-way of looking at the current market, and its all about what Dear Leader does next
Who in their right mind is buying this chart?
April 8, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Who in their right mind is buying this chart?
Here's a quick solution: everyone selling us goods converts to an "as a service" (e.g., apples as a service) payment model. That moves them into the service category. All goods trade goes to zero. Problem solved.
April 7, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Here's a quick solution: everyone selling us goods converts to an "as a service" (e.g., apples as a service) payment model. That moves them into the service category. All goods trade goes to zero. Problem solved.
Isn't this roughly the same as what caused the inflation last time?
April 6, 2025 at 1:58 AM
Isn't this roughly the same as what caused the inflation last time?
Congrats to everyone who sold back when the S&P closed under it's 200 day moving average. Hats off to you
April 4, 2025 at 11:36 PM
Congrats to everyone who sold back when the S&P closed under it's 200 day moving average. Hats off to you