Zachary Escalante

9,000 Microsoft employees did everything right. Top schools. FAANG resumes. $200K salaries. Still got replaced by a line item in an AI budget. Senior engineers. Directors. PMs with FAANG resumes and 15-year careers. The memo called it “voluntary retirement.” Nobody volunteered. Here’s the part nobody’s saying out loud: Microsoft is cutting humans to pay for AI. The same people who built the company are now funding the technology that made them unnecessary. No performance review saves you from a budget decision. This is what the AI transition actually looks like. Not robots. Just a reallocation of spend.

"nobody wants to work anymore" imagine explaining a 5 round interview process to boomers

CHRIS CAMILLO JUST LAID OUT HOW TO MAKE $500,000 A YEAR AS AN "AI GUY" FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES His blueprint: 1. Walk into any HVAC, plumbing, or sprinkler business. 2. Ask where they're leaking money. 3. Build them an AI agent that answers after-hours calls, sends instant texts, and gets quotes out in real time. 4. Integrate it with their CRM for free. 5. Charge them $2K-$3K/month to be their "AI guy." Repeat across 10-20 businesses. "There are people right now doing this."

Make this affordable again.

Wife told me to pick a romance for her on her kindle so I put it on the chapter of Beren and Luthien in the Silmarillion. (She has never read any Tolkien)

True, and the exact opposite of the constant claims to the contrary, but precisely what you’d expect from a huge surge in productivity.

I thought about doing this without any jokes, something I've never done here in 23 years, to impress upon people how much different I feel this issue is from any I have ever covered.

Unbelievable coincidence: Dreher is moving soon. We were told for the past week that Orbán’s money had no effect whatsoever on postliberals’ behavior, views, and commentary.

This is the problem: what job will AI create that AI won't be better than a human at? That's what all these people don't get... AI is not every other technological revolution we've had. It's the final revolution.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei: “50% of all tech jobs, entry-level lawyers, consultants, and finance professionals will be completely wiped out within 1–5 years.”

This won’t be necessary. For every job lost to AI, 5 new jobs will be created—many of them will be jobs we’ve never even heard of that could’ve never existed without AI.

For anyone who used a computer between 1990 & 2005… what’s the one game you still think about?

On Sunday, April 12, 2026, at approximately 8:15 p.m., the Boulder County Communications Center received a report of climbers in need of assistance on the Naked Edge climbing route in Eldorado Canyon State Park. A group of three climbers reported they were unable to continue their ascent after losing their route and not having headlamps as darkness fell. The lead climber was positioned on pitch five of the route, while the two additional climbers remained on pitch four. The climbers encountered challenges with rope management and pace, resulting in becoming delayed on the route after nightfall. Rocky Mountain Rescue Group (RMRG) responded to the technical rescue, and Boulder Emergency Squad (BES) aided with drone support. Rescuers were able to maintain visual contact with one of the lower climbers via drone, while additional rescuers worked to assist the lead climber. Verbal contact was established with the climbers at approximately 10:19 p.m. Rescuers reached the first climber at approximately 10:30 p.m. and provided warming supplies. A rescuer rappelled approximately 105 feet to reach the two lower climbers, securing them at approximately 11:31 p.m.The two climbers on the lower pitch were then assisted in ascending the final pitch of the route, completing the technical portion of the climb at approximately 12:58 a.m. All three climbers safely returned to the trailhead at approximately 2:25 a.m. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind outdoor enthusiasts of several important safety considerations. Climbers attempting long or technical routes should carefully manage their time and ensure they have a realistic plan to complete their objective well before dark. Always carry reliable headlamps with extra batteries, even for routes expected to be completed during daylight hours. Additionally, climbers should bring sufficient food and water to sustain themselves in the event of delays, as well as appropriate layers to stay warm in rapidly changing mountain weather conditions. Mild daytime temperatures can quickly become cold and hazardous after sunset. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the dedicated volunteers of Rocky Mountain Rescue Group and Boulder Emergency Squad, whose skill, coordination, and commitment were instrumental in the successful outcome of this rescue. Their willingness to respond at all hours and in challenging conditions continues to make our community safer. Agencies assisting with the rescue effort included: Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Unit, Boulder Emergency Squad, and Rocky Mountain Rescue Group. Drone footage courtesy of BES. Music: Darkness Cinematic Sport Trailer Musician: AlexGuz