The Fuck You Level: Why Americans Can’t Take Risks Anymore

There's a playground in the Netherlands made of discarded shipping pallets and construction debris. Rusty nails stick out everywhere. Little kids climb on it with hammers, connecting random pieces together. One false step and you're slicing an artery or losing an eye. There's barely any adult supervision. Parents don't hover. Nobody signs waivers. American visitors … Continue reading The Fuck You Level: Why Americans Can’t Take Risks Anymore

The Fuck You Level: Why America Can’t Take Risks Anymore (Extended)

The Speech In The Gambler (2014), loan shark Frank explains success to degenerate gambler Jim Bennett: You get up two and a half million dollars, any asshole in the world knows what to do: you get a house with a 25 year roof, an indestructible Jap-economy shitbox, you put the rest into the system at … Continue reading The Fuck You Level: Why America Can’t Take Risks Anymore (Extended)

When the Tower Can’t Be Rebuilt: What Institutional Economics Misses About the Next Decade

Rebecca Patterson's recent New York Times essay uses a Jenga tower as a metaphor for the American economy in 2025. Blocks are being removed—small businesses cutting jobs, federal layoffs, consumption concentrating among the wealthy—while AI companies pile massive investments on top. Eventually, she warns, Jenga towers fall down. She's right about the instability. But the … Continue reading When the Tower Can’t Be Rebuilt: What Institutional Economics Misses About the Next Decade

Employment Society

"Healthcare in the United States is in the midst of a massive wave of consolidation. For example, fifty years ago, virtually all non-academic, non-government U.S. physicians had an ownership interest in their practices. Today, approximately 70% of U.S. physicians are employed by hospitals or other corporate entities. Likewise, mergers and acquisitions have landed more than … Continue reading Employment Society

One Fifth of U.S. Adults Have Limited Reading Comprehension

"Many counties that lack programs also double as hot spots of low adult literacy. These are primarily in the mountains of Appalachia, the Southern Black Belt, the Central Valley of California and along the Texas border with Mexico, but they exist throughout the nation. In about 500 American counties, nearly a third of adults struggle … Continue reading One Fifth of U.S. Adults Have Limited Reading Comprehension

US Approves Google Plan To Let Political Emails Bypass Gmail Spam Filter

"The US Federal Election Commission approved a Google plan on Thursday to let campaign emails bypass Gmail spam filters. The FEC's advisory opinion adopted in a 4-1 vote said Gmail's pilot program is permissible under the Federal Election Campaign Act and FEC regulations "and would not result in the making of a prohibited in-kind contribution." The FEC said Google's … Continue reading US Approves Google Plan To Let Political Emails Bypass Gmail Spam Filter