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takeoff # Takeoff
"Yeah of course. Streamlining." Jazz echoed their now ex-manager, eyeing a magpie bounce carefully along a branch through the window. It looked intently ahead at something out of sight. "Yeah of course. Streamlining." Jazz echoed their now ex-manager, eyeing a magpie bounce carefully along a branch through the window. It looked intently ahead at something out of sight.
"It's not you. I'll be happy to write you a reference. Sorry it has to go this way, but this goes way above my head." "It's not you. I'll be happy to write you a reference. Sorry it has to go this way, but this goes way above my head."
"No, it's okay," Jazz sighed, eyes still on the bird, "it's not your fault. Effective immediately, I presume?" "No, it's okay," Jazz sighed, eyes still on the bird, "it's not your fault. Effective immediately, I presume?"
"Yeah, effective immediately. I'll send your documents through Note after the call. You'll get paid for any holiday you have left, of course." "Yeah, effective immediately. I'll send your documents through Note after the call. You'll get paid for any holiday you have left, of course."
"Alright, Mike. No hard feelings," they said, trying to mean it, "thanks for letting me know. I'll see you later." "Alright, Mike. No hard feelings," they said, trying to mean it, "thanks for letting me know. I'll see you later."
"Bye, Jazz. Take it easy." "Bye, Jazz. Take it easy."
The line went dead, and Jazz let the phone drop from ear to lap without looking away from magpie. The further it advanced along the branch, the more it shook. It kept its head as level as it could as it did so, and switched strategy from hopping to inching towards the extemity. Whatever it was looking at was still invisible to Jazz, though they could see the end of the branch. It reminded Jazz of a video they'd watched on infinities, something about halving the distance with every step. You could move forever and never cover the distance you did in step one. The magpie stopped moving entirely, and appeared to stretch itself forward as much as it could. It was pretty in the sunlight, against the blossom in the tree and slate building behind it. Then it cawed, jerking Jazz from their reverie, and took flight, giving up whatever prize it had sought. Maybe there'd been nothing there to begin with. The line went dead, and Jazz let the phone drop from ear to lap without looking away from magpie. The further it advanced along the branch, the more it shook. It kept its head as level as it could as it did so, and switched strategy from hopping to inching towards the extemity. Whatever it was looking at was still invisible to Jazz, though they could see the end of the branch. It reminded Jazz of a video they'd watched on infinities, something about halving the distance with every step. You could move forever and never cover the distance you did in step one. The magpie stopped moving entirely, and appeared to stretch itself forward as much as it could. It was pretty in the sunlight, against the blossom in the tree and slate building behind it. Then it cawed, jerking Jazz from their reverie, and took flight, giving up whatever prize it had sought. Maybe there'd been nothing there to begin with.
Getting up, Jazz threw the phone onto the queen double in the corner and took their coffee to the window, blinking with a face full of sky. Their room was sunny in the morning, one of the reasons they'd picked it, and they couldn't see into any of the rooms of the grey opposing block. They wondered if anyone else was starting their week receiving a similar phone call. Or maybe they were making one. They didn't envy Mike's position, he couldn't be long for the chopping block himself. Jazz didn't imagine they were the only one losing their job today, even in their team. Business was business, after all, and business wasn't good. They necked the dregs of their cup and glanced around the tree and the roof edges they could see. They tried not to be disappointed when a second magpie failed to materialise, then turned and left the room. The cursor blinked on their monitor, prompting the never-coming words of a now forever-forgotten draft. Their phone chimed cheerily to no one as Mike's email arrived. Getting up, Jazz threw the phone onto the queen double in the corner and took their coffee to the window, blinking with a face full of sky. Their room was sunny in the morning, one of the reasons they'd picked it, and they couldn't see into any of the rooms of the grey opposing block. They wondered if anyone else was starting their week receiving a similar phone call. Or maybe they were making one. They didn't envy Mike's position, he couldn't be long for the chopping block himself. Jazz didn't imagine they were the only one losing their job today, even in their team. Business was business, after all, and business wasn't good. They necked the dregs of their cup and glanced around the tree and the roof edges they could see. They tried not to be disappointed when a second magpie failed to materialise, then turned and left the room. The cursor blinked on their monitor, prompting the never-coming words of a now forever-forgotten draft. Their phone chimed cheerily to no one as Mike's email arrived.
@ -65,7 +71,7 @@ The pencil scratched as it detailed in the last parts of Ana's skirt trim. The s
--- ---
Dawning Chorus ## Dawning Chorus
At Ballad we strive to make tomorrow the everyday. At Ballad we strive to make tomorrow the everyday.
@ -81,7 +87,7 @@ Chorus will be made available to our Business Pro customers over the coming week
--- ---
yoooo i finally finished it! _\[image attached\]_ yoooo i finally finished it! [image attached]
sorry for being a bit awol lol sorry for being a bit awol lol
ive been away from computers for a bit ive been away from computers for a bit
walks in the park touching grass self care type beat walks in the park touching grass self care type beat
@ -164,7 +170,7 @@ That's why the government has announced a brand-new public-private partnership t
Get Go now. Be part of the Symphony. Get Go now. Be part of the Symphony.
_Symphony_:tm: and _Symphony Go_:tm: are registered trademarks of Ballad:registered: Incorporated. Earnings are subject to market demand and income tax. Biometric identification required. _Symphony_^TM^ and _Symphony Go_^TM^ are registered trademarks of Ballad Incorporated. Earnings are subject to market demand and income tax. Biometric identification required.
--- ---
@ -173,9 +179,13 @@ _Symphony_:tm: and _Symphony Go_:tm: are registered trademarks of Ballad:registe
A scrawny young man looked to his sides, and back to the group leader to see it was in fact he that had be gestured at. He rose to his feet, clearing his throat. A scrawny young man looked to his sides, and back to the group leader to see it was in fact he that had be gestured at. He rose to his feet, clearing his throat.
"Uh, hi everyone," he stammered, "I'm Will." "Uh, hi everyone," he stammered, "I'm Will."
"Hi, Will," came the collective's response. "Hi, Will," came the collective's response.
"Hi. I was in, uh, service. A receptionist, at a big hotel in central. Last week management said we wouldn't be needed and not to come back the next day. Our contracts are shift work so like, they just cancelled any shifts we had left. Keys were already digital so people can just use their phones for them I guess. I think there's maybe some security guards left. Some cleaners. But everything I did can be handled by Symphony now I suppose. I dunno I like talking to people but who needs that anymore, right? "Hi. I was in, uh, service. A receptionist, at a big hotel in central. Last week management said we wouldn't be needed and not to come back the next day. Our contracts are shift work so like, they just cancelled any shifts we had left. Keys were already digital so people can just use their phones for them I guess. I think there's maybe some security guards left. Some cleaners. But everything I did can be handled by Symphony now I suppose. I dunno I like talking to people but who needs that anymore, right?
"Anyway I'm no good at anything else. My parents said I should try Go, but it feels kinda gross to me. Receptionist is hardly a glamourous job but I liked to think I was at least a bit helpful. Who does Symphony Go help? I mean what are they even doing? You take a widget to someone, drop a package at a centre, you get a few bucks here and there. Sure it's not slave labour, but it's pointless, right? Tiny little bite-size gigs, disconnected from each other, it's MacGuffins all the way down. It's no way to live.
"I'm no good at anything else. My parents said I should try Go, but it feels kinda gross to me. Receptionist is hardly a glamourous job but I liked to think I was at least a bit helpful. Who does Symphony Go help? I mean what are they even doing? You take a widget to someone, drop a package at a centre, you get a few bucks here and there. Sure it's not slave labour, but it's pointless, right? Tiny little bite-size gigs, disconnected from each other, it's MacGuffins all the way down. It's no way to live.
"Anyway, I was saying this to Jake," - the man next to Will raised his hand, gave a little half-smile of acknowledgement - "I was saying this Jake and he told be about you guys. I didn't exactly have any better ideas, so I came along and I figure something is probably better than nothing. So, uh, yeah. Hi." Will retook his seat. "Anyway, I was saying this to Jake," - the man next to Will raised his hand, gave a little half-smile of acknowledgement - "I was saying this Jake and he told be about you guys. I didn't exactly have any better ideas, so I came along and I figure something is probably better than nothing. So, uh, yeah. Hi." Will retook his seat.
"Thanks, Will," the leader spoke again, "it's good to have you. I think your words will resonate with a lot of us here tonight. By people, for people". "Thanks, Will," the leader spoke again, "it's good to have you. I think your words will resonate with a lot of us here tonight. By people, for people".
@ -188,24 +198,21 @@ Jazz had tried Go, and did indeed resonate with Will, it felt pointless, heartle
Initially Jazz had been critical of the group's increasingly aggressive rhetoric, but the more time they spent listening to Rose, listening to the group's stories, and the fractured picture they had of the rest of the world were coalescing. They'd been an avid Note user in the early days; they could effectively commission PhD research into any topic they wanted, for a cost of pennies and a couple of hours as the agent did its thing. However, as more sectors were made redundant, obsolete, the government continued to prioritise the economy over the lived experience of people on the ground. They only knew a handful of people still in what they'd have called work just a year ago, largely in manual labour jobs. Symphony was smart, not strong, Initially Jazz had been critical of the group's increasingly aggressive rhetoric, but the more time they spent listening to Rose, listening to the group's stories, and the fractured picture they had of the rest of the world were coalescing. They'd been an avid Note user in the early days; they could effectively commission PhD research into any topic they wanted, for a cost of pennies and a couple of hours as the agent did its thing. However, as more sectors were made redundant, obsolete, the government continued to prioritise the economy over the lived experience of people on the ground. They only knew a handful of people still in what they'd have called work just a year ago, largely in manual labour jobs. Symphony was smart, not strong,
"We know it divides and conquers. We're most vulnerable on our own, together is our only chance. Given the pace things are moving, I think it's time we take our discussions to the next level. Ballad has a shard on the edge of town." "We know it divides and conquers. We're vulnerable on our own, together is our only chance. Given the pace things are moving, I think it's time we take our discussions to the next level. Ballad has a shard on the edge of town, and we might only have the one shot."
Jazz held Rose's hand tighter.
--- ---
news report about attempted action Good evening, I'm Tanya and this is the news at 6. The local Symphony shard was the scene of some drama earlier this afternoon as a group of people with paint, megaphones and RF equipment attempted to enter the premises, not apparently in service of active Symphony Go tasks. They were blocked from entering by nearby Go workers, and a stalemate ensued as they appeared to be wearing sensory deprivation equipment which impaired their ability to receive instructions. None of the individuals were carrying identification or mobile phones. The situation was defused when a Go worker was able to speak to the group's leader, after which they dispersed, with some heading inside the shard. Symphony has said the situation was resolved amicably with no impact to productivity.
no arrests or violence, symphony/crescendo directed go drivers (operators?) to intercept and talk to them, convinced them otherwise
what happened afterwards?
...in other news... In other Symphony news, the national government has announced wide-reaching integration of the next-generation Ballad model, Crescendo, into state operations. Given the success of Symphony, state officials are saying it would be "irresponsible" not to use Ballad's models to make optimal use of limited resources. As technology, manufacturing and commercial services have been revolutionised by Ballad models over the last several years, experts agree that "beyond reasonable" evidence exists that these models are effective, safe and our best collective chance for managing an uncertain and difficult future. They dismissed alignment concerns of Symphony and Crescendo as "fearmongering", saying that anyone with such concerns should direct their questions to their Note or local Symphony shard.
ballad and govt officials announce the integration of reason models into state infrastructure...
how do we finish on crescendo?
--- ---
https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/kritzer_05_23/ - https://clarkesworldmagazine.com/kritzer_05_23/
https://ai-2027.com/ - https://ai-2027.com/
https://xeiaso.net/blog/2024/the-layoff/ - https://xeiaso.net/blog/2024/the-layoff/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age_of_Miracles - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Age_of_Miracles
https://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/blit.htm - https://www.infinityplus.co.uk/stories/blit.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Understand_(story)