Pluralistic: 17 Oct 2022 A giant grocery merger will send "inflation" through the roof

Today's links

A giant grocery merger will send "inflation" through the roof: The Kroger-Albertson's merger will trigger massive price-hikes.
This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: 17 Oct 2022 A giant grocery merger will send "inflation" through the roof"

Unspeakable

Big-Tech-as-cop vs. abolishing Big Tech

An abstract background; in the foreground are a collection of speech balloons of various sizes and shapes, each filled with the “Matrix Waterfall” graphic; in the center at the bottom of the frame are the “Three Wise Monkeys,” their faces replaced by the menacing, staring red eye of HAL9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey. — Cryteria, CC BY 3.0 (modified)/Japanexperterna.se, CC BY 2.0, modified; EnEdC, CC BY-SA 3.0, modified

Since late 2000, EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) has made steady progress, and now, despite US Big Tech companies’ illegal lobbying, it has become a law.

Continue reading "Unspeakable"

Pluralistic: 16 Oct 2022 RIP, Roger Wood, genius assemblage sculptor

Today's links

RIP, Roger Wood, genius assemblage sculptor: Sorely missed already.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2021
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: 16 Oct 2022 RIP, Roger Wood, genius assemblage sculptor"

Pluralistic: 15 Oct 2022 How lawyers became sadists

Today's links

How lawyers became sadists: What about the incentive not to be perceived as a colossal asshole?
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2020.
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: 15 Oct 2022 How lawyers became sadists"

Pluralistic: 14 Oct 2022 Medieval Times invents a modern union-busting tactic; Billionaire dilletantes vs good Democrats

Today's links

Medieval Times invents a modern union-busting tactic: Trademark, like all "IP," is a tool to control critics, customers and competitors.
Billionaire dilettantes vs good Democrats: Even the best Democratic candidate is no match for the worst Republican when wealthy "Democratic" donors meddle.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2007, 2012.
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: 14 Oct 2022 Medieval Times invents a modern union-busting tactic; Billionaire dilletantes vs good Democrats"

Pluralistic: 13 Oct 2022 US health insurers get more and more federal funding, deliver less and less care

Today's links

US health insurers get more and more federal funding, deliver less and less care: Medicare Advantage will murder your grandparents – and you're next.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: None
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: 13 Oct 2022 US health insurers get more and more federal funding, deliver less and less care"

Pluralistic: 11 Oct 2022 Trusting (machine learning) trust; The housing market turns (more) toxic

Today's links

Undetectable, undefendable back-doors for machine learning: IMPNet will give your model hallucination and you can't stop it.
Shelter in place: Prison for homelessness and lock-ins for home owners.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: None
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: 11 Oct 2022 Trusting (machine learning) trust; The housing market turns (more) toxic"

Pluralistic: 10 Oct 2022 Antitrust is – and always has been – about fairness

Today's links

Antitrust is – and always has been – about fairness: SCOTUS is entitled to its own (judicial) opinions, but not its own facts.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2007, 2012, 2017
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: 10 Oct 2022 Antitrust is – and always has been – about fairness"

Pluralistic: 09 Oct 2022 $100 billion later, autonomous vehicles are still a car-wreck

Today's links

$100 billion later, autonomous vehicles are still a car-wreck: The self-driving car fraud was great business for Uber and Tesla.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2021.
Colophon: Recent publications, upcoming/recent appearances, current writing projects, current reading

Continue reading "Pluralistic: 09 Oct 2022 $100 billion later, autonomous vehicles are still a car-wreck"

Bankruptcy protects fake people, brutalizes real ones

Debts that can’t be paid, won’t be paid.

A robotic hand wielding a gavel; the gavel is smashing the face of a terrified person. — Victor Bezrukov, CC BY 2.0 (modified) and Vitalik Radko/Deposit Photos, free license (modified)

“Debts that can’t be paid, won’t be paid.” There, in eight simple words, we have Michael Hudson’s key insight into the role debt and debt cancellation plays in the rise and fall of human civilizations.

Debts are inescapable.

In order to provide a society with its necessities — food, shelter, energy — producers need the inputs (seed, fertilizer, materials, tools) before they have the means to buy them.

In order to produce, producers must borrow.

Continue reading "Bankruptcy protects fake people, brutalizes real ones"