Reading Room

Welcome to thePaulmighty's reading room. Swing on by for a curated, wide-ranging list of juicy juicy links.

2019-01-03
We lose money on every widget, but we make up for it in volume! Dotcom2.0 is a tower of Ponzi babel; profits actually matter, who woulda thunk it?
The Profitless Prosperity Sector Will Collapse -- adventuresincapitalism.com

2018-10-29
An interstellar object flew by Earth in late 2017. Squint one way, it's a rock. Another way, it's a thin crumpled sheet, maybe even artificial. Lots to think about in this essay.
Oumuamua, Thin Films and Lightsails -- centauri-dreams.org

2018-02-27
Our real economy is shite
Goldilocks is dead -- zerohedge.com

2017-11-28
Elon's Musky green energy shell game continues unabated. If you Tesla motor for climate, you are most likely stupid and pretentious.
Tesla's coal-powered cars and trucks -- freightwaves.com

2017-09-11
The marketing geniuses at Restoration Hardware were shocked that 2 words drove most online ad responses: "Restoration" and "Hardware". And they say marketing is an easy degree. On a related note Google and Facebook ad revenue is rapidly disappearing fake money.
Ad Spending Anecdote From Restoration Hardware -- zerohedge.com

2017-09-01
Once again satire news proves more valid than #fakenews establishment media.
Peaceful Protest Interrupted By Swarm Of Aggressive Black-Clad Militants -- theonion.com

2017-05-16
Two recent posts from David Stockman about the incredibly overvalued multi-bubble ponzi scheme that we call our markets.
Look Ma, No Hands! -- dailyreckoning.com
Hurricane Bearing Down on the Casino -- dailyreckoning.com

2016-10-05
OMG the cognitive disonance of American modern media. Why are the satire sites so much more accurate that the "real" news sites?
This Plus-Size Model Was Inspiring. But Then She Lost 100 Pounds, Which Was... Also Inspiring? -- clickhole.com

2016-03-22
How "free trade" screws the American middle class, making the rich (and their multinational corporations) richer while undermining local law and well-being. (via zerohedge.com)
Why Trump is Right on Trade Agreements -- firstrebuttal.com

2016-03-16
Two thoughtful essays explaining: (a) why all that public COLLECTIVE Nordic shit is a smoking hot deal for selfish INDIVIDUAL outcomes; (b) the religious / private charity structure of American conservative dreams has been weighed, and found wanting. Jesus, just read some Dickens to see how well it didn't work.
What Americans Don't Get About Nordic Countries -- theatlantic.com
The Myth of a Private Charity Social Safety Net -- theatlantic.com

2014-06-08 (reposted for relevance 2016-03-08)
A lengthy, comprehensive look at America's self-induced black history myopia, and her failure to square accounts for 400 years of shameful fuckery from slavery to segregated suburbs.
The Case for Reparations -- theatlantic.com

2016-01-30
Two tales of the medical-industrial complex: $750 billion in unneeded procedures and the wisdom teeth extraction scam (both via boingboing.net). The American ponzi never sleeps.
Overkill: An avalanche of unnecessary medical care -- newyorker.com
Think twice about getting your wisdom teeth removed -- fusion.net

2016-01-24
China makes 38 billion ball points yearly, but they can't manufacture the tiny high-precision ball needed for quality writing. Another look at the issue here.
Ball point pens & China's manufacturing weakness -- ejinsight.com

2010-01-16 (reposted to new link 2016-01-04)
A very well-reasoned, interesting Star Wars fan theory: R2 and Chewie are the rebellion's most effective assets across Eps. I - VI. (Paulmighty note: Theory fits Ep. VII as well. And I think R2 has Force talent).
A New Sith, or Revenge of the Hope -- km-515.livejournal.com

2016-01-02
A talk on web bloat, ad cruft, and the need for much less ad surveillance for a slimmer, faster internet.
The Website Obesity Crisis -- idlewords.com

2015-12-07
Yet another confirmation that expensive tech in schools doesn't work. Johnny can't read because you suck at parenting and your school pukes $$ everywhere.
I gave my students iPads, then wished I could take them back -- washingtonpost.com

2015-12-01
Great op-ed from a young, female, politically active voter who will not support Hillary Clinton. tl;dr: Hillary is a warmongering pawn of Wall St. and big pharma; Bernie Sanders is demonstrably better.
I'm a millennial and I'll never vote for Hillary Clinton -- salon.com

2015-10-02
Here's a primer to help decode American media coverage of Syria. Remember, it's never our fault, it's those dang Rooskies agin!
A Prep-Sheet for Syria Media Propaganda -- counterpunch.org

2015-08-12
A look at the subtle, sophisticated censorship of American media. Why documentarian Charles Ferguson (Inside Job) couldn't make his Hillary Clinton doc.
Why I Am Cancelling My Documentary on Hillary Clinton -- huffingtonpost.com

2015-08-11
The thin line between scholastic and correctional intitutions gets thinner. Trigger warning -- this post is a microaggression by thePaulmighty directed at you.
Coddling of the American Mind -- theatlantic.com

2015-08-11
Intellectually deficient post-modern colleges and their coddled, thoroughly deconstructed students are tolerant and inclusive of any thoughts that are not at all different from their own.
That's Not Funny! College students can't take a joke. -- theatlantic.com

2015-08-03
Your tax dollars fund Ukrainian nazis, once again creating the terrorists of tomorrow. The U.S. foreign policy circle is complete!
Monsters of Ukraine: Made in the USA -- original.antiwar.com

2015-08-03
Even Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter knows the U.S. has devolved into oligarchy fueled by wealthy bribes (oops, "campaign finance").
Former POTUS Jimmy Carter: U.S. is "Oligarchy With Unlimited Political Bribery" -- zerohedge.com

2015-08-03
Vitally important American issues mostly ignored by our political class, especially candidates for POTUS.
Where Candidates Fear to Tread -- kunstler.com

2015-07-27
How government / bank interventions break markets, exlained via simple housing market example.
When Authorities "Own" the Market, the System Breaks Down -- oftwominds.com

2015-07-09
Some of these life-hacks might actually work!
40 Clever DIY Life Hacks -- fullnews.in

2015-07-06
Debt relief was great for Germany, but Germany insists that everyone else pay-in-full.
Piketty: "Germany Has Never Repaid Its Debts -- zerohedge.com

2015-06-21
The increasingly difficult economics of recycling America's endless flow of overpackaged shit.
American recycling is stalling -- washingtonpost.com

2015-06-15
When oligarchs talk "free trade" they really mean "give me your money". Your paid-for President is working hard to expedite the process.
Comic - The Transpacific Partnership (TPP) and "Free Trade" -- economixcomix.com

2015-06-06
A commencement speech for the poor saps of the class of 2015. From corrupt politics to a bloated security state #URsofucked :)
Going for Broke in Ponzi Scheme America -- tomdispatch.com

2015-05-31
A comprehensive overview of ISIS philosophy. Daesh likes dat ole' time religion, straigh outta the '50s; the 1250's that is.
What ISIS Really Wants -- theatlantic.com

2015-05-22
A simple comic explanation of how small priveleges and benefits multiply over time.
Comic - On a Plate -- thewireless.co.nz

2015-05-10
Even Joss Whedon can't defeat... Franchise Man! Why superhero flicks will only suck harder.
Age of Robots: How Marvel is Killing the Popcorn Movie -- medium.com

2015-05-06
Look, if you're white in America and don't know shit about race relations and history... STOP PRETENDING YOU KNOW SHIT ABOUT RACE RELATIONS AND HISTORY!
White America's Greatest Delusion -- alternet.org

2015-04-30
Corrupt tough-on-crime politicos, cooked statistics, and killer cops coming to a city near you. No city is immune, it's just a matter of degree.
Baltimore as a Microcosm of America -- libertyblitzkrieg.com

2015-04-08
I don't mean to imply that you've benefited from racism, buuuuut... You've prolly benefited from racism.
Comic - The Story of Bob and Race -- leftycartoons.com

2015-01-20
A satirical look at the cavalry of the high seas.
History Of The Battleship In 15 Awesome Pictures -- duffelblog.com

2013-11-27
A hilariously accurate motherfucking rant about the horribly bloated modern internet.
This is a motherfucking website -- motherfuckingwebsite.com