The moment a group of people stormed the Capitol building last Wednesday, news companies began the process of sorting and commoditizing information that long ago became standard in American media. Media firms work backward. They first ask, “How does our target demographic want to understand what’s just unfolded?” Then they pick both the words and the facts they want to emphasize. It’s why Fox News uses the term, “Pro-Trump protesters,” while New York and The Atlantic use “Insurrectionists.” It’s why conservative media today is stressing how Apple, Google, and Amazon shut down the “Free...…The moment a group of people stormed the Capitol building last Wednesday, news companies began the process of sorting and commoditizing information that long ago became standard in American media. Media firms work backward. They first ask, “How does our target demographic want to understand what’s just unfolded?” Then they pick both the words and the facts they want to emphasize. It’s why Fox News uses the term, “Pro-Trump protesters,” while New York and The Atlantic use “Insurrectionists.” It’s why conservative media today is stressing how Apple, Google, and Amazon shut down the “Free...WW…

There were so many false reports circulated by the dominant corporate wing of the U.S. media as part of the five-year-long Russiagate hysteria that in January, 2019, I compiled what I called “The 10 Worst, Most Embarrassing U.S. Media Failures on the Trump-Russia Story.” The only difficult part of that article was choosing which among the many dozens of retractions, corrections and still-uncorrected factual falsehoods merited inclusion in the worst-ten list. So stiff was the competition that I was forced to omit many huge media Russiagate humiliations, and thus, to be fair to those who...…There were so many false reports circulated by the dominant corporate wing of the U.S. media as part of the five-year-long Russiagate hysteria that in January, 2019, I compiled what I called “The 10 Worst, Most Embarrassing U.S. Media Failures on the Trump-Russia Story.” The only difficult part of that article was choosing which among the many dozens of retractions, corrections and still-uncorrected factual falsehoods merited inclusion in the worst-ten list. So stiff was the competition that I was forced to omit many huge media Russiagate humiliations, and thus, to be fair to those who...WW…

SubscribeConveniently sent to your email inbox regularly, Purdy’s Two Cents includes actionable market commentary, new stock ideas, and in-depth stock research and analysis.Pro:Con:Pro:Con:Pro:Con:Pros:Cons:This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. All Content on this Site is information of a general nature and does not address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity.You alone assume the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks...…SubscribeConveniently sent to your email inbox regularly, Purdy’s Two Cents includes actionable market commentary, new stock ideas, and in-depth stock research and analysis.Pro:Con:Pro:Con:Pro:Con:Pros:Cons:This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. All Content on this Site is information of a general nature and does not address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity.You alone assume the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks...WW…

SubscribeHi,Welcome to BIG, a newsletter about the politics of monopoly. If you’d like to sign up, you can do so . Or just read on…Today I’m going to write about how private equity is reacting to the pandemic and the bailouts. PE is heavily indebted, and therefore is at high risk in a shock. I’m going to explore PE’s vulnerability, and how the industry is engaged in a political strategy to repurpose the Federal Reserve to its ends. I’ll also explore whether their strategy can work. First, housekeeping. Normally I try to write two essays a week, but this post took me quite some time to put...…SubscribeHi,Welcome to BIG, a newsletter about the politics of monopoly. If you’d like to sign up, you can do so . Or just read on…Today I’m going to write about how private equity is reacting to the pandemic and the bailouts. PE is heavily indebted, and therefore is at high risk in a shock. I’m going to explore PE’s vulnerability, and how the industry is engaged in a political strategy to repurpose the Federal Reserve to its ends. I’ll also explore whether their strategy can work. First, housekeeping. Normally I try to write two essays a week, but this post took me quite some time to put...WW…

SubscribeWhile Rowan and I are , some of these farmers have been in the news. COVID lockdowns have scrambled food demand and worker supply, and they’ve been howling louder than just about anyone about how it’s been impacting their business First — they’re complaining about a shortage of cheap, exploited farm workers. Second — they’re saying they have to destroy their crops because of lack of demand. To aid their suffering, Trump’s people have pushed through a multi-billion dollar agribusiness bailout and are planning to it make it easier and cheaper for agribusiness to hire and exploit...…SubscribeWhile Rowan and I are , some of these farmers have been in the news. COVID lockdowns have scrambled food demand and worker supply, and they’ve been howling louder than just about anyone about how it’s been impacting their business First — they’re complaining about a shortage of cheap, exploited farm workers. Second — they’re saying they have to destroy their crops because of lack of demand. To aid their suffering, Trump’s people have pushed through a multi-billion dollar agribusiness bailout and are planning to it make it easier and cheaper for agribusiness to hire and exploit...WW…

Subscribe“I don’t want to be the person that breaks up the Chicago Bulls as long as they’re winning championships.”— Jerry Reinsdorf, Game 5, 1998 NBA FinalsIt’s here. The Last Dance.The documentary series that will be, in the minds of many Bulls fans, the definitive account of the dynasty years, kicks off tonight. More than 100 interviews, more than 500 hours of never-before-seen footage, more than 20 years in the making, all to answer one question:Why did Jerry Reinsdorf choose loyalty to Jerry Krause over loyalty to Michael Jordan?Maybe you have other questions, but I don’t.That question...…Subscribe“I don’t want to be the person that breaks up the Chicago Bulls as long as they’re winning championships.”— Jerry Reinsdorf, Game 5, 1998 NBA FinalsIt’s here. The Last Dance.The documentary series that will be, in the minds of many Bulls fans, the definitive account of the dynasty years, kicks off tonight. More than 100 interviews, more than 500 hours of never-before-seen footage, more than 20 years in the making, all to answer one question:Why did Jerry Reinsdorf choose loyalty to Jerry Krause over loyalty to Michael Jordan?Maybe you have other questions, but I don’t.That question...WW…

SubscribeHi friends;⚠️ Thank you for those who completed the last week survey. However, only 12% of you friends completed it. I am sure we can do better! I am therefore offering a second chance to the latecomers. And don't forget, a beautiful gift is waiting for you at the end!A Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure described in 1960 by the American-British physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson (cf ). It is an empty spherical structure built around a star to capture its radiated energy in all directions. Nothing escapes.I will not go into details but it is clear, from numerous...…SubscribeHi friends;⚠️ Thank you for those who completed the last week survey. However, only 12% of you friends completed it. I am sure we can do better! I am therefore offering a second chance to the latecomers. And don't forget, a beautiful gift is waiting for you at the end!A Dyson sphere is a hypothetical megastructure described in 1960 by the American-British physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson (cf ). It is an empty spherical structure built around a star to capture its radiated energy in all directions. Nothing escapes.I will not go into details but it is clear, from numerous...WW…

SubscribeIN THE EARLY 1980s it was decided—by whom, and for what ultimate purpose, we can’t say for sure—that Donald John Trump would build a casino complex in Atlantic City, New Jersey—probably the most mobbed-up municipality in the state. Dealing with the mafia might have dissuaded some developers from pursuing a Boardwalk Empire, but not Trump. He was uniquely suited to forge ahead.Donald’s father, the Queens real estate developer Fred Trump, had worked closely with Genovese-associated and -owned construction entities since building the Shore Haven development in 1947, when Donald was...…SubscribeIN THE EARLY 1980s it was decided—by whom, and for what ultimate purpose, we can’t say for sure—that Donald John Trump would build a casino complex in Atlantic City, New Jersey—probably the most mobbed-up municipality in the state. Dealing with the mafia might have dissuaded some developers from pursuing a Boardwalk Empire, but not Trump. He was uniquely suited to forge ahead.Donald’s father, the Queens real estate developer Fred Trump, had worked closely with Genovese-associated and -owned construction entities since building the Shore Haven development in 1947, when Donald was...WW…

SubscribeIf you happened to attend one of Roy Williams’ KU basketball camps in the mid-’90s, you almost certainly heard the rumor that Michael Jordan was, at one time, a camp counselor. Maybe you’ve even seen the above image—this one is plucked from a message board and it is, by far, the highest quality version of the image I could find. Jayhawks beat writer Matt Tait hit on MJ’s time in Lawrence a little bit, focusing on the 1997 Bulls-Sonics exhibition game at Allen Fieldhouse. But, like the Jordan-at-KU-camp legend itself, some details from the article present more questions than...…SubscribeIf you happened to attend one of Roy Williams’ KU basketball camps in the mid-’90s, you almost certainly heard the rumor that Michael Jordan was, at one time, a camp counselor. Maybe you’ve even seen the above image—this one is plucked from a message board and it is, by far, the highest quality version of the image I could find. Jayhawks beat writer Matt Tait hit on MJ’s time in Lawrence a little bit, focusing on the 1997 Bulls-Sonics exhibition game at Allen Fieldhouse. But, like the Jordan-at-KU-camp legend itself, some details from the article present more questions than...WW…

SubscribeTake a look at some contrasting sets of headlines. First, from planet earth:Weekly Jobless Claims Hit 5.425 Million, Raising Monthly Loss To 22 Million Due To Coronavirus ()Worst Case Fears Of 20%-Plus U.S. Jobless Rate Are Now Realistic ()Then from Wall Street:Private Equity-Owned Companies Sell New Bonds in Credit Rally ()Fed’s Historic Move Spurs Rally in Junk Bonds: 6 ETF Picks ()As we head into the second month of pandemic lockdown, two parallel narratives are developing about the financial rescue. In one, ordinary people receive aid through programs that are piecemeal,...…SubscribeTake a look at some contrasting sets of headlines. First, from planet earth:Weekly Jobless Claims Hit 5.425 Million, Raising Monthly Loss To 22 Million Due To Coronavirus ()Worst Case Fears Of 20%-Plus U.S. Jobless Rate Are Now Realistic ()Then from Wall Street:Private Equity-Owned Companies Sell New Bonds in Credit Rally ()Fed’s Historic Move Spurs Rally in Junk Bonds: 6 ETF Picks ()As we head into the second month of pandemic lockdown, two parallel narratives are developing about the financial rescue. In one, ordinary people receive aid through programs that are piecemeal,...WW…