The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting
Thursday, February 27th, 2025
World Events — America’s Self-isolating President
The Economists
President Trump's recent shift towards Russia and away from traditional allies has sparked comparisons to Nixon's China strategy, but these comparisons are misguided. Trump's approach to Russia is not a strategic "reverse Kissinger" move, but rather a self-isolating policy that weakens America's global position. Unlike Nixon's calculated outreach to China, which was driven by both national interests and a desire for global stability, Trump's actions appear to be based on personal inclinations and a transactional view of foreign policy. The current geopolitical landscape is vastly different from the 1970s, with Russia and China already closely aligned against Western interests. Trump's pivot towards Russia is alienating long-standing allies and undermining America's leadership role in the world, rather than cleverly reshaping global alliances. This approach risks isolating the United States rather than strengthening its position against China, as some of Trump's supporters claim.
Tech — All Eyes on Nvidia
CNBC
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has stated that next-generation AI models require 100 times more computational power than their predecessors due to new reasoning approaches. This significant increase in computational demands is attributed to advanced models like DeepSeek's R1, OpenAI's GPT-4, and xAI's Grok 3, which employ step-by-step reasoning processes to solve problems more effectively. Despite concerns raised by DeepSeek's efficient open-source models, Huang views this development positively, emphasizing that it demonstrates the growing need for powerful AI computing resources. Nvidia's recent financial results reflect this trend, with the company reporting a 78% year-over-year increase in revenue to $39.33 billion, driven largely by a 93% surge in data center revenue to $35.6 billion. This growth underscores the increasing demand for Nvidia's high-performance GPUs in AI applications, reinforcing the company's dominant position in the AI chip market.
Business — Nissan Prepares to Replace CEO After Deals Fell Apart
Bloomberg
Nissan Motor Co. is reportedly planning to replace CEO Makoto Uchida following disappointing financial results and the collapse of merger talks with Honda Motor Co. The company's directors are exploring potential successors to Uchida, who has led Nissan since late 2019. This development comes as Nissan faces significant challenges, including a projected net loss of ¥80 billion for the fiscal year ending in March, a stark contrast to earlier profit forecasts. The automaker is grappling with a dated product lineup, high incentive spending, and a looming record debt bill, with all three major credit rating agencies downgrading Nissan to junk status. Despite Uchida's earlier reluctance to step down before stabilizing the business, the board's actions suggest a growing urgency to change leadership and potentially seek new strategic partnerships to secure Nissan's future in an increasingly competitive automotive landscape.
Health — How Can Forgiving Someone Else Build My Self-Esteem?
Psychology Today
Forgiving others can significantly boost one's self-esteem through several psychological mechanisms. When we forgive, we engage in a process of seeing the inherent worth in the offender, which often leads to recognizing our own inherent value. This practice of forgiveness requires strength to bear the pain of the offense without retaliating, which can enhance our self-perception as resilient individuals. Additionally, the act of forgiveness is a moral virtue that involves giving a gift of goodness to the offender, which can increase our sense of happiness and self-worth. Research has shown that forgiveness interventions can lead to increased self-esteem, with studies demonstrating that individuals who undergo forgiveness therapy experience improvements in self-esteem that persist over time. Furthermore, forgiveness can lead to greater empathy and a sense of purpose in helping others, which can contribute to a more positive self-image. Contrary to criticisms that forgiveness is a sign of weakness, the process of true forgiveness involves both mercy and the pursuit of justice, ultimately empowering the forgiver and enhancing their self-respect.
Baking - Macha Red Bean Cake
The matcha red bean cake is a three-layered dessert featuring honey matcha cake, filled with sweetened red bean paste, and finished with a light coating of matcha buttercream. This treat harmoniously blends the earthy taste of matcha with the creamy sweetness of red bean, creating a perfectly balanced flavor experience.
Little Epicurean
Song Rec — Ocean Eyes (Billie Eilish)
Quote of the Day
“It will get easier’ is probably the most offensive thing you can say to someone in the grip of pain. You are borrowing from a future that isn’t promised, a future that depends entirely on their endurance of the pain. You are taking for granted a well of strength within them that they may not possess, fast-forwarding through the ugly bits that you don’t want to watch but they must live through, nonetheless. ‘It will get easier’ is not a helpful thing to say to someone for whom only the present moment can exist, so vivid, so intense that it’s not possible to imagine a moment beyond it. The future doesn’t matter to someone enduring an unimaginable pain, so let’s not entertain that childish fantasy. All that matters is the pain that is consuming you in this moment, that you grit your teeth and try to survive it. You invalidate the pain and the damage it inflicts when you hasten to skip past it to a brighter tomorrow. Sometimes things are just unremittingly shit and the only respectful thing to do is to stand next to the person going through it and scream along with them.” — Evanna Lynch, The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting