You'll see these stories popping up all over, and if the story isn't about your district, chances are it will be stoking some administrators Fear Of Missing Out. But the FOMO seems sadly misplaced.

Greenwich Time ran its story by Jessica Simms about the Greenwich School District's new chatbot under the headline, "Meet Greenwich Public Schools new chatbot who won't say why the district got rid of tacos at lunch," and that's the closest it comes to taking a critical look at this Connecticut school district's addition of a cutesy chatbot. 

Does a story about a chatty LLM website mascot have to take a critical look? Yes, it does, because every story about "AI" should be reckoning with the question. "Is this worth the power, ecological and financial cost?" (Also, will it fail disastrously and compromise student data in the process?) "Does it have a cute avatar attached" probably shouldn't be near the top of the list.

The GPS website has a cute chat invite in the bottom corner, not unlike the standard help-chat box on many sites (all of which trigger, for persons of a Certain Age, Clippy-related trauma). It greets you-

My name is G.P. Sleuthhound and I am relentless and stubborn on a scent. I serve as the Greenwich Public Schools chatbot.
As my name tells you, I can do one thing better than any creature on earth: track down the answer to your question on our website.
How can I help?

The district's director of communications says the department is loaded with dog lovers, and bloodhound is on point, so there we are. G.P. even has a little deerstalker hat. According to the district, the chatbot is "a more advanced search bar," except that LLMs don't make particularly good search engines. Also, this product is confined to the school's website, which means the job doesn't require a particularly clever search engine any way.

The district is using AlwaysOn, a company that promises turnkey chatbots for districts. The company was founded in 2021 and "sponsors" many states' Public Relations Associations (like California's version). Located in Newport Beach, CA, its name guarantees that it is hard to track on line. Its LinkedIn profile says it has 2-10 employees. 

AlwaysOn was founded by Teddy Daiber. Daiber graduated from Brown University with a degree in economics (and some history on the Lacrosse Field, including big time private high school play). Daiber was an analyst at Barclays, worked the commodities desk at Citi, the started founding things. In 2014 it was Poolit, an online content save-and-share outfit, then in 2016, Head of Customer Success for Informed K12, a workflow automation operation for schools. 

In 2021, he was launching his new business. The Oct/Nov 2021 issue of the Palm Springs Unified School District news letter announced a new chatbot for helping navigate the website, including some quotes from Daiber, listed there as the CEO of Otto Technologies. At that point, the product was Otto Chatbot, launched in the spring, with PSUSD as one of its first customers. Daiber and district admins are excited about how the product helps people find information on the website (which begs the question, "How much of this would be unnecessary is more school websites sucked less?")

An awful lot of the pitch does seem to be about being able to search the website for information. Here's what the AlwaysOn website says about the chatbot-search engine distinction: 

Website search is just a keyword search with no intelligence and limited data. Search doesn’t improve over time and is completely dependent on what words you use in your search. Search lacks conversational or discovery features that create a great customer experience, and all the work is on the stakeholder to sort through the results to find the best information.

Chatbots use Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing to interpret and understand what exactly a stakeholder wants when they ask a question. Chatbots organize and return the best answers and information. Chatbots also automatically improve from each interaction, work in multiple languages, and provide insightful analytics on the most popular questions and topics.

A chatbot can "interpret and understand exactly what a stakeholder wants when they ask a question"??! That is some powerful magic indeed. 

The company is clear on where the chatbot can search (just your school site) but not so clear on how and on what content the bot has been trained. It is clear that it does not save personal user info, but collects general info with an aim to analyze what people are trying to find out.

Attaching the AI label to this dedicated search program invites users to imagine capabilities that it doesn't have. Simms looked through questions that have been asked and found items like "why did they get rid of tacos" and "who does the most work at GPS." The chatbot couldn't answer those. 

I tried the chatbot out myself. "When were Greenwich schools founded?" I asked. "Various times," G.P. replied, then went on to provide the info about just one school, plus info about the founding of the town. I asked who the youngest staff member is. The chatbot replied with a bunch of excerpts from the website that included the word "youngest." I asked it "who teaches the highest level of English" and it replied "The highest level of English is taught by Certified English Language Learner (ELL) teachers in Greenwich Public Schools." All of its answers come with a link to the location on the website where it found its answer.

I asked it if Monday's lunch will be delicious. It told me that this month the cafeteria is featuring "delicious zucchini." I asked it to write me a limerick about kindergarten. It gave me a list of excerpts from the website that list the word "kindergarten."

Yeah, this "chatbot" turns out to be not very good at interpreting and understanding what the user really wants, and mostly functions like a mediocre search engine. But it does let the school district declare that it is right out there on the cutting edge with some of that AI stuff that is supposed to be so cool, even if the cutting edge looks a lot like search engines from five years ago. 

AlwaysOn and Greenwich schools just happen to be the ones that crossed my screen-- there are loads more of these things out there. School districts with a bad case of FOMO teaming up with vendors who have figured out that AI is a great marketing tool. You remember when Common Core was The Big Thing and every publisher slapped "Common Core" on their same old stuff because it helped with marketing? The AI revolution in education feels a lot like that.

It would all be kind of cute and amusing if AI weren't using up money and electricity and water and computing capacity that could be put to better use than creating an image of a bloodhound with Sherlock Holmes fashion style. Keep an eye open in your neighborhood. 

Special note to journalists. It took no special ton of time or effort for me to find the background for AlwaysOn or try out its capabilities, and only slightly more regular effort to be slightly informed about AI stuff. Please make those efforts, and the next time someone shows up with a Gee Whiz press release or pitch about some AI-in-education awesome sauce, please exercise a little critical examination and research. Because if all you're going to do is take in what they say and just push it back out again, I know a digital bloodhound that can do your job.

Washington Post political cartoonist Ann Telnaes has resigned, after the paper refused to publish this one. I’m guessing Bezos didn’t like his portrait. Democracy does indeed die in darkness, WaPo. We here at the WMDBS are not afraid of political cartoons, but we are deeply concerned about obstacles to a free press. Follow the link to read her full statement.

 A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Mortgage Costs

Buying a home is an exciting step, but it comes with financial responsibilities. One of the most significant aspects of homeownership is understanding the costs associated with financing the purchase. These costs go beyond the loan itself and include several components that can affect your monthly payments and long-term budget.

This guide aims to break down the key expenses involved in financing your home. 

The Basics of Mortgage Costs

When financing a home, your payments typically consist of several components. The main costs include the principal, which is the amount you borrow, and the interest, which is the fee charged by the lender for borrowing the money. Together, these make up the majority of your monthly payment. In addition to the loan itself, there are often other expenses, such as property taxes, insurance, and private mortgage insurance (PMI). Understanding these basics is essential for calculating your total costs and preparing for the financial responsibilities of homeownership.

Calculate Your Costs with a Mortgage Loan with Interest

Calculating the costs of your loan with interest is an important step in understanding your financial commitment. Start by considering the loan amount, the interest rate, and the loan term. These factors determine your monthly payments and the total amount you’ll pay over time. A lower interest rate or shorter loan term can significantly reduce your overall costs. Break down your payments to understand how much goes toward the principal and how much is interest. This calculation helps you plan better and ensures you’re prepared for the long-term financial responsibility of homeownership.

You can use tools like mortgage loan plus interest calculator by SoFi to estimate your monthly payments and overall loan costs. Using a calculator helps you understand how different factors, such as a lower interest rate or a shorter loan term, can affect your costs. This tool is invaluable for financial planning and ensuring that your financing aligns with your budget and long-term goals.

Breaking Down the Principal and Interest

The principal is the amount you borrow from the lender, while the interest is what you pay for the privilege of borrowing that money. Your monthly payments are split between these two components. In the early years of your loan, a larger portion of your payment goes toward interest, with the balance gradually shifting to reduce the principal. Interest is typically calculated as a percentage of the loan amount. The rate you secure will significantly impact your total payments, so it’s important to shop around for competitive rates.

Understanding Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

Private mortgage insurance is often required if the amount you’re paying as a down payment is less than 20% of what the home costs. PMI protects the lender in case you default on your loan. While it provides security for the lender, it adds to your monthly expenses. To avoid PMI, consider saving for a larger down payment. If PMI is unavoidable, ask your lender about options for removing it once you’ve built enough equity in your home.

Accounting for Property Taxes

Property taxes are another important cost to consider. These taxes are based on the assessed value of your home and local tax rates. They are usually included in your monthly payments and held in escrow by your lender, who pays them on your behalf. It’s essential to research property tax rates in the area where you plan to buy. Factoring these taxes into your overall financing plan will give you a more accurate picture of your total expenses.

The Role of Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners insurance is an essential part of financing a home, as most lenders require it to protect their investment. This insurance covers damages to your property caused by events like fire, storms, or theft. It may also provide liability coverage if someone is injured on your property. The cost of homeowners insurance depends on factors such as the value of your property, its location, and the level of coverage you choose. Be sure to shop around and compare quotes from different providers to find a policy that meets your needs and fits your budget. Including this expense in your financial plan ensures you’re fully prepared for homeownership.

Additional Fees and Closing Costs

Closing costs are another important consideration when financing a property. These fees are paid upfront and typically include expenses such as loan origination fees, appraisal fees, title insurance, and legal fees. On average, closing costs range from 2% to 5% of the loan amount. Budgeting for these costs early in the process is important to avoid surprises on closing day. Ask your lender for a detailed estimate of the fees involved so you can prepare accordingly. Understanding these additional expenses helps you manage your finances and ensures a smoother closing process.

The Impact of Loan Terms on Costs

The length of your loan term plays a significant role in determining your monthly payments and overall costs. Shorter terms, such as 15 years, result in higher monthly payments but lower total interest paid over the life of the loan. Longer terms, like 30 years, offer lower monthly payments but increase the total interest cost. Choosing the right loan term depends on your financial goals and current situation. A shorter term can save you money in the long run if you can afford higher payments. However, a longer term may be more suitable if flexibility is a priority. Carefully weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.

The Importance of a Fixed vs. Adjustable Rate

When evaluating your options, understanding the difference between fixed and adjustable-rate loans is crucial. Fixed-rate loans maintain the same interest rate throughout the term, providing predictable monthly payments. On the other hand, adjustable-rate loans have rates that can change after an initial fixed period, potentially increasing your payments. Fixed rates are ideal for those who value stability, while adjustable rates may be appealing if you plan to sell or refinance before the rate adjusts. Consider your financial goals and risk tolerance when deciding which option is best for you.

Tips for Reducing Mortgage Costs

There are several strategies to lower your financing costs. Making a larger down payment reduces the loan amount, which can lower your monthly payments and total interest paid. Improving your credit score can also help you qualify for better rates, saving you money over time. Additionally, consider refinancing your loan if interest rates drop significantly. Refinancing can reduce your monthly payments or shorten your loan term. Taking proactive financial management can lead to substantial savings and a more affordable homeownership experience.

Understanding the various costs involved in financing a home is essential for effectively making informed decisions and planning. With careful planning and a clear understanding of the process, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the journey of homeownership confidently.

The post A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Mortgage Costs appeared first on DCReport.org.

Neither “capitalism” nor “socialism” seems to me well-named. As I’ve noted here in the past, my experience is that most Americans who favor “socialism” don’t actually favor the dictionary definition of government ownership of the means of production, but instead favor something resembling a Scandinavian approach to government taxes and spending. However, the Swedes themselves–who after all lived in close proximity to socialism in the style of Soviet Russia for decades–typically say that they are not socialists, but instead follow their own kind of capitalism. Sometimes “socialism” ends up being the name for an aspirational desire for a better world, while “capitalism” is blamed for all the problems of modern living, which means that the comparison is between apples and oranges.

The meaning of “capitalism” is a muddle as well. Robert Fredona, Sophus A. Reinert, and Teresa da Silva Lopes lay out some of the issues in “Forms of Capitalism” (Business History Review, Spring 2024, 98:1, pp. 3-35).

Among the many examples they offer is a 1939 book written by N.S.B. Gras, a prominent Harvard Business School professor who described six kinds of “capitalism” in Business and Capitalism: pre-business capitalism, petty capitalism, mercantile capitalism, industrial capitalism, financial capitalism, and national capitalism. Gras wrote: “[T]he term ‘capitalism,’ like ‘rheumatism’ and ‘indigestion,’ must be abandoned or differentiated. To be sure, discrimination in the use of the term impairs its propaganda value. Our interest here, however, lies simply in a better understanding of the subject.”

In American politics, it sometimes seems to be assumed that “capitalism” means Republicans and “socialism” means Democrats. But these terms do not exist as a shorthand for 21st century US politics, nor as a way of distinguishing American economic/political arrangements from those of northern Europe. After a review of attempts to define capitalism and to differentiate various “capitalisms,” the authors write (footnotes omitted):

Simple dictionary definitions aside, after a century and a half of good faith attempts by some of our keenest minds, we don’t seem any closer to meaningful agreement about the definition of capitalism or the historical boundaries of the phenomenon. The caution proposed by Weber in defining “religion”—“definition can be attempted, if at all, only at the conclusion of the study”—should perhaps be applied to studies of “capitalism” in equal or greater proportion.

Some definitions seem too inclusive. N.S.B. Gras’s own definition, for example: “a system of getting a living through the use of capital,” by which he means “goods or trained abilities used in producing other goods or services.” Even more inclusive is Deirdre McCloskey’s. She has argued with panache that capitalism and the market economy, which “contrary to what you might have heard, has existed since the caves,” are synonymous. “Market participants are capitalists. You are, for example.” Some seem rather too exclusive: despite his protests to the contrary, Braudel’s insistence on separating capitalism—“a world apart where an exceptional kind of capitalism goes on, to my mind the only real capitalism”—from both material life and the market economy, and finding it only in the “shadowy zone” of great merchants and monopolists “hovering above the sunlit world of the market economy,” seems rigid and artificial (or at least excessively Olympian). In stark contrast with McCloskey’s paleolithic capitalists, some have pushed the “dawn of capitalism” all the way to the 1830s or 40s. Rather than every market participant being a capitalist, most definitions are more restrictive, like David Schweickart’s: a capitalist, for him, is “someone who owns enough productive assets that he can, if he so chooses, live comfortably on the income generated by those assets.” …

Many of capitalism’s staunchest defenders tell us that capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism at all. Peter Thiel—a capitalist by all the definitions we’ve read— tells us, no, “actually capitalism and competition are opposites.” The best definitions risk being somewhat boring. The most interesting ones seem less interested in capitalism’s form than its spirit. Such is Wallerstein’s identification of capitalism’s essential, and essentially irrational, characteristic: “the persistent search for the endless accumulation of capital—the accumulation of capital in order to accumulate more capital” along with “mechanisms that penalize actors who seek to operate on the basis of other values or other objectives.”…

When it comes to capitalism, precision is not always called for, and not always helpful. … Many of the newly-coined “forms” of capitalism that we listed above—perhaps especially the most outré ones, like “sugar daddy capitalism” or “Candy Crush capitalism”—may be ways of identifying not new “forms of capitalism” in the traditional sense but new characteristics of a capacious and polythetically-defined capitalism. Along the same lines, but from a different vantage point, we might think about what the characteristics are that are shared by both “managerial capitalism” and “booty capitalism,” or “mercantile capitalism” and “casino capitalism.” From either perspective, though, we might put it this way: capitalisms form a family.

Another possible approach to capitalism is the spatial. It is no longer enough to think in terms of gradation, or of whole societies as the unit of study, as Frederic Lane once did. “Capitalism,” he argued, “is a matter of degree: it is hard to find a society 100 percent capitalistic or 0 percent capitalistic.”

Naturally, some of these definitions of capitalism appeal to me more than other, but I won’t fight those battles here. I’ll just note that in my own mind, the high-income countries of the world are all “capitalist,” although they model different forms of capitalism that embody different social tradeoffs. Fredona, Reinert, and da Silva Lopes write: “We suggest stepping back and reconsidering the pronouncement of N.S.B. Gras, at the origins of business history, that capitalism must be abandoned or differentiated. Capitalism, whatever it is, whenever it began, seems at once more productive and more destructive than any other force in human history. It also seems intractably plural.”

The post Many Capitalisms first appeared on Conversable Economist.

As a German citizen who has watched in horror (but not complete surprise) as Elon Musk and J.D. Vance recently threw their support behind the far-right, extremist Alternative for Germany (AfD), let me just say: Wow. Simply, wow. You’d think by now that the billionaires and political hopefuls of the world would at least do a little research before cheerleading a group. But no—here we are.

Let’s start with the basics. The AfD is not some misunderstood political movement seeking "freedom of speech" or "national pride." No, the AfD is an extremist, xenophobic party officially classified by Germany’s Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution) as a right-wing extremist organization. Yes, I’m aware that’s a mouthful, but the key takeaway here is: this is officially an extremist group. This isn’t a ‘disagreement over policy.’ This is an organization whose views are so far beyond the mainstream that they are under surveillance by the German government. That’s what happens when a party is labeled anti-constitutional, not compatible with the Basic Law, and deemed a threat to democracy itself.

But it seems Musk and Vance don’t have the slightest clue about any of this. After all, why bother reading German court rulings or understanding why an entire nation has held massive protests against the AfD’s neo-Nazi and anti-Semitic ideologies when you can just bask in the glory of being “controversial” on Twitter, right?

To help out these two world-famous public figures who have, it seems, never ventured beyond the surface of their own echo chambers, here’s a quick primer on why the AfD is not just "a little right-wing" or "alternative"—it’s an extremist nightmare. The AfD’s far-right faction, known as Der Flügel (The Wing), was so radical that it caused the resignation of the party’s founders. The German courts have repeatedly ruled that this faction is anti-constitutional, and it is considered "not compatible with the Basic Law"—you know, the very foundation of Germany’s democracy. And yet, somehow, Elon Musk and J.D. Vance feel comfortable cosigning this extremist ideology.

Let’s go deeper, shall we? In case the esteemed Vice-President elect and Co-President elect missed it, Germany has a commitment—a national pact, if you will—to never again let Nazi ideologies take root. It’s why the AfD’s youth wing is officially classified as an extremist organization, enabling the German government to track their every move through wiretaps, undercover agents, and even surveillance of their online activity. It’s not overreach, it’s basic, fundamental security—because if there's one thing we learned from history, it’s that letting neo-Nazi groups fester is the last thing Germany (or the world) can afford. And the AfD, like the Nazis, have anti-semitism as a foundation of their beliefs.

But hey, let’s not take the word of a bunch of bureaucrats and government agencies. Let’s hear from some experts, right? Jewish organizations across Germany and beyond have long warned about the AfD’s rampant anti-Semitism, including Holocaust denial. A report by the American Jewish Committee found that anti-semitism is central to AfD philosophy. That’s not "fake news"—that’s coming directly from the people whose families lived through the atrocities of the Nazi era. But J.D. Vance, apparently, knows better. His recent dismissal of these concerns as "fake news" is a masterclass in intellectual laziness—or, dare I say, willful ignorance.

And while Vance dismisses reports from the German government and leading Jewish organizations, let's take a moment to point out his fantastically misguided assertion that AfD supporters come from areas in Germany that were historically most opposed to the Nazi Party. Oh, J.D. Vance, what a charmingly naïve take. You see, Vance may not be aware that in 1990, Germany reunified, and East Germany, long subjected to Soviet-backed pro-Nazi propaganda, suddenly had access to these so-called "anti-Nazi" regions. So when he points to the areas that opposed Nazi ideology, he conveniently ignores the fact that those areas were reshaped—demographically, politically, and ideologically—after the fall of the Berlin Wall. But why bother with history when a good soundbite will do?

It’s almost comical how out of touch both Vance and Musk are with the broader geopolitical realities and history of Europe. It's as though they've picked the worst possible hill to die on. And let's be honest: there’s something deeply troubling about two high-profile figures publicly backing a party that is not only extremist but is officially under surveillance for posing a threat to democracy, all while gleefully dismissing the warnings of countless experts.

The bottom line is this: the AfD is a dangerous, anti-Semitic, extremist group. Period. Full stop. Musk and Vance’s glowing endorsements of the party are either due to a complete lack of understanding or, more likely, a deeper, more troubling alignment with extremist ideologies. They’ve both played fast and loose with history, politics, and facts—and unfortunately, the consequences of their words will be felt far beyond Twitter and Ohio.

So, here's to hoping that next time these "visionary" men are thinking of endorsing dangerous, hate-filled groups, they at least take five minutes to Google it first. Or better yet, maybe they could ask a German. We seem to know a thing or two about this stuff.

Here’s a virtual toast to your flourishing in 2025. But more so than any other year, our wishes should not just be from person to person, but rather wishes for societies – and the society of societies, global humanity. I haven’t felt so gloomy about politics, broadly defined, in a very long time. A genocide is happening while all of us can see it, and mainstream politics and society tries every trick possible to rationalize and justify what is happening. Our politicians are failing to get us off the path to the deadly collapse of Earth’s ecosystems. The rise of autocracy and fascist policies has now reached such levels that we may start to wonder why so many in the generations of our parents and grandparents risked, and often sacrificed, their lives to free us from fascism – only to give us the freedom to vote the authoritarians and the fascists back into power.

(I deleted all the swear words I included when I wrote the first draft of this post. But I confess, these days I swear a lot when I think and write about politics).

So what to do? There are at least three options: Fight, flee, or freeze. The last one would amount to just let it happen, and hope for the best – that technologies will save us, that democracies are resilient, that we are exaggerating the dangers. Well, I am not sure… is this position supported by the facts? I doubt it, and the risks of being too optimistic or naïve are too large, in my view.

The second, flee, would be to acknowledge the dangers but stop being politically engaged, or not take up the opportunity to become politically engaged, because one doesn’t want to be involved – too risky, too burdensome, too much of a hassle. One can flee into the the world of shopping-malls and consumerism, or the world of yoga and meditation retreats, or just go off-grid and live a simple life in Walden. Or become obsessed with money and one’s own social status. Fleeing certainly has its attractive features – to avoid having to be stressed and risk activists’ exhaustion, and just simply to have an easier life. But except if one does not care that something similar to Apartheid or genocides could reoccur, or that Russian-type “democracy” might spread over the world, it is a position whereby one freerides on the efforts of others to engage in the resistance to evil.

The conclusion must therefore be that we should collectively redouble our efforts in fighting and resisting evil, but in a way that we also take proper care of ourselves. Hence, we must make our resistance more effective, so that it does not deplete our energies before we’ve reached our goals: strengthen democracies, avoid collapse of key planetary ecosystems, stop genocides and wars, and assure at least some minimal levels of social justice. It also certainly implies that as many people as possible should join the resistance, since this is not work that can be done by small numbers. I do not know of magical tricks on how to get us this kind of effective resistance, but perhaps these things help: talking about our resistance-activities with others, and inviting them to join; spreading lots of love and laughter among our comrades in the resistance; acknowledging and thanking those who are leading and contributing to the resistance; being aware that the strength of our strategies in resistance is key and hence that we need to learn about strategic resistance and upgrading our strategic skills (rather than just assuming that good intentions are enough); and engaging in proper self-care – doing exercise, going outdoors (nature!), meeting people just for fun, sharing meals, and doing whatever we need to nurture ourselves and others – whether that is going to a weekly yoga or salsa class, or to a house of prayer. What else to add?