Capitalists love to talk about markets and competition — up to a point. But when market competition gets difficult, like when the capitalists in question are faced with a competitor offering a better product, or a better price, or really any other advantages, well…then they reveal that they hate competition, and their real preference is… Continue reading

“Shortly after the [2024] election, a newspaper reporter asked Nikolai Patrushev, who is close to Putin, if Trump’s election would mean ‘positive changes from Russia’s point of view.’ Patrushev answered: ‘To achieve success in the elections, Donald Trump relied on certain forces to which he has corresponding obligations. And as a responsible person, he will… Continue reading

The president, in its inaugural address, declared a “national energy emergency.” Why does it insist on existing in its own alternate (worse) reality? In our reality (“real reality”) the US is doing historically well in energy: Production, the light brown line, exceeds consumption (blue line) and while the nation both imports and exports energy products… Continue reading

These are from a new translation by Ken Liu: “A country teetering on the edge of a collapse is filled with patriots.” “The more people arm themselves, the more chaotic the country.” “Lords stride about in glorious clothes, carry sharp swords, eat so much good food that they’re sick of it, and hoard wealth beyond… Continue reading