Tag: Mutual Benefit Societies
-
MBS is the answer
Quick take on Polymarket by Ted Gioia, who knows the biz end of show biz: It’s getting harder to earn money in the entertainment business. But it’s getting easier to earn money gambling on the entertainment business—especially if you own the betting platform. The same is true of all industries. At one time the stock…
-
We could learn more
This rant was inspired by two sources: the Chavez version of oil MBS, and Mamdani’s brilliant phrase ‘the warmth of collectivism’. Progressives and wokies love to focus on the ‘spiritual’ side and the ‘suffering’ side of the old American tribes. We could learn a WHOLE HELL OF A LOT MORE from the commercial success of…
-
Shock and awe? Not clear yet /// EDIT: Clear.
A brave science teacher in Caracas has been reporting via Substack for a few weeks. The only reliable news comes from locals who see and hear what’s happening. Around here, the only reliable news comes from the SpokaneNews facebook group. Mainstream “news” from every city and country is useless. The previous stage of our grotesque…
-
Happy (fake) WWV New Year!
Since the 1960s I’ve always tried to mark the new year by catching the actual time on WWV. Shortwave reception in Spokane is poor, so I’ve failed to hear WWV in recent years. Last year it came in loud and clear on 10 MC. This year was typical, so I had to rely on a…
-
More Hudson trivia
Bought yet another picture book on Hudson. This one is by Don Butler, who worked as a stylist for Hudson in the 40s, then moved to Nash and Chrysler. He didn’t have as much inside access as Conde, but did some long research to gather up a wider variety of pictures. His book answers a…
-
Not quite the right target
This author at First Things has an interesting proposal. The new pope, who started his rule with a powerful prophecy against Demon Altman, should set up a new Knights Templar to evangelize tech leaders. The Catholic Church’s urgent task extends far beyond merely inviting tech entrepreneurs, innovators, or tech investors to Vatican conferences on AI…
-
Grange beats Orange
A nice contrast to yesterday’s piece on tribes NOT doing the right thing. In part of the Plains the Mutual spirit still functions. Unsurprising. This is Mennonite territory, Farmers Co-op territory, and Grange territory. High plains farmers are accustomed to working together. Via NiemanLab: High Plains Radio, a collective of small NPR stations in irrigated-circle…
-
Same question
A few days ago I noted some positive developments in correct handling of Psychopath Trump. Some local elites are learning how to help their own communities, some aren’t. Here’s another some are / some aren’t story, seen via Nieman Lab. Cutting off public broadcasting funds was the right thing to do, even if Trump did…
-
An MBS story never told
This is a splendid story. The origin of a world-famous structure is never heard in our media and history books, for a fucking obvious reason. In 1930 San Francisco wanted to build the Golden Gate Bridge. Banks were collapsing and The Holy Market had decided to bomb the whole country. None of the usual funds…
-
Pope goes hardass on robber barons.
This is damned impressive! Prevost calls out the use of blockades and sanctions as a weapon of war, speaking specifically of Israel. He’s also talking to US, which has been routinely blockading dozens of countries since 1960. = = = = = START QUOTE: “We are now witnessing, with deep sorrow, the inhumane use of…
-
Not a good idea
Some commentators are taking the Carney victory as a time to start agitating for independence for the prairie provinces. Bad idea. When you’re the mouse fighting a hostile psychopathic cat, you need all the force you can muster. Workers vs corporations are the easiest example. One worker at a time has no chance of gaining…
-
Is Elon more efficient than SS?
This 1962 educational film about Social Security is a nicely produced story, by educational film standards anyway. It tells about SS by following a young reporter who visits the administration with her grandpa, to see how SS works for young people and old people. At one point the film mentions that modern computers enable SSA…
-
No sympathy
I note that the “mayor” in Spokane has joined other “mayors” in a court brief opposing Trump’s cuts to research funding. No sympathy. The corruption of federal funding has been blatantly obvious and perfectly well known inside academia. Everybody knows it and everybody keeps taking it. For christ’s fucking sake, EISENHOWER warned about it in…
-
Brutalist typography
This 1970s film is teaching journalism students about proper design. It’s unapologetically brutalist, in the same denaturing spirit as Corbusier in architecture or Cage in music. Remove all beauty. Remove all decorations. Remove all variation and improvisation. Only stark colorless rectangles are allowed. Replace it with squared-off type masses… Short words, short sentences and short…
-
Happy WWV New Year!
Since the 1960s I’ve always tried to mark the new year by catching the actual time on WWV. Shortwave reception in Spokane is poor, so I’ve failed to hear WWV in recent years. Tonight it came in loud and clear on 10 MC! I’ll call this a sign for a BETTER year with BETTER reception…
Polistra's Mill 