The Blind Spot podcast: Episode 3 with Frances Coppola
We would have had another episode of the podcast out sooner, but Junseth got taken out for a few weeks with Covid. But finally, we’re back! In the latest edition of the Blind Spot podcast we are joined by Frances Coppola, nocoiner extraordinaire and occasional director of epic films about the mafia. (Not really on […]
Rationist No. 4: An independent middle class is the sine qua non of democracy
This is the fourth in a series of essays by Tim Ferguson, founder of the Anacyclosis Institute, arguing in favour of Rationism, a middle-class-oriented political theory that advocates benchmarking the national economy against the national median household net worth. Izabella Kaminska has also described Rationism as Vitruvian Capitalism, based on its promotion of the values […]
In the Blind Spot (Beirut blast, Syria, Marbella)
This edition of the Blind Spot Wrap was compiled by Dario Garcia Giner. Money and market matters: The internet went wild with memes after it discovered Jim Cramer was ringing the NASDAQ bell this Monday. Nancy Pelosi’s husband purchased $5mn in stock of Nvidia ahead of a bill that would hand subsidies to chip manufacturers. […]
Spotlight on the ‘Uber Files’
The “Uber Files” are not the Uber exposé you are looking for By Hubert Horan and Izabella Kaminska What the gilet jaunes protests in France could not achieve, a recently published exposé about ride-hailing unicorn Uber is apparently on the verge of doing: getting French President Emmanuel Macron to resign. According to French media opposition […]
ALTIF transcripts: England’s water companies are up Schitt’s creek again
England’s Water Companies: Up Schitt’s Creek Again Things are going from bad to worse for the privatised water industry, argues Feargal Sharkey. The rivers are running with sewage, and now there are warnings the whole South East could run out of water. We discuss possible fixes with the ex-Undertone, fisherman and water campaigner, from nationalisation […]
In the Blind Spot (Syria, Coups, Euro collapse)
Money, markets, media: The release of the United States’ June employment report highlights that Fed’s job in reversing inflation is far from over. Matt Taibbi writes an excellent piece on the soaring prevalence of censorship in mainstream media. Paul Krugman writes an interesting article on how all the economic data is conflicting. Harald Malmgren was […]
Kremlinology and Aesopian language, Western edition
What the hell is going on with the Western “free press” system? Matt Taibbi thinks he knows and as usual, doesn’t pull any punches. In his latest Substack piece:The New Kremlinology: Reading the New York Times, the independent journalist makes the following observation (our emphasis): Whether through Emily Bazelon’s Times Magazine piece “The Battle Over Gender […]
In the Blind Spot (Japan’s Article 9, Jetsons, Media)
This edition of the Blind Spot Wrap was compiled by Izabella Kaminska (IK) and Dario Garcia Giner (DGG). Money, markets, and more: Bloomberg piece estimates just under 4.5mn families in the UK are in serious financial trouble. The Uber files released by the ICIJ outline Uber’s covert lobbying power over some Western politicians. An incredible […]
Spot Markets Live Transcript: 11/07/22
Hi everyone! Today’s Spot Markets live session is with Neil Collins, the former City editor of the Telegraph, FT columnist and now co-host of ‘A long time in finance’ with Jonathan Ford. Comments from Izabella and Neil that address audience questions have been put in bold Spot Markets Live – 11/07/22 Izabella Kaminska 10:58 Hello […]
Spotlight on the bureaucratic state’s productivity problem
Productivity has been faltering in the UK since at least 2008. We know this because the UK’s Productivity Commission says so. That’s not to say the UK is alone here. Productivity rates have been falling all over the western world. It’s just the situation in the UK is particularly bad, for reasons not properly understood […]