Friday Findings

Unfinished L.A. high-rise towers have attracted graffiti artists after the developer ran out of money. Reuters photo by Mike Blake:

Will AI provide the economic boon the internet did in the ‘90’s? That windfall wiped out the excesses of all politicians, making even the worst look good. The debt/deficit is a lot higher now, although I’m not sure how it compares in today’s dollars. To the young considering investment: No risk, no reward. Take a reasonable shot.

Headline from nypost.com: “CBS seizes confidential files of fired reporter pursuing Hunter laptop story in ‘unprecedented’ move: sources.” I hope she backed them up on one of her own devices.

Is this an omen? Headline from newsmax.com: “Teamsters Donate to GOP for First Time in 20 Years.”

More evidence World War III is underway. Headline from foxnews.com: “Popular Caribbean resorts no longer ‘off limits’ as cartels continue killing Americans.” The same slimes who, with the aid of China, export fentanyl.

There may not be a more amusing headline in the day’s news than this out of DC. From FN: “Low-income recipient of Dem mayor’s $10,800 handout blows most of it on luxury vacation.” Par-tay!

It’s National Rationalization Day. When I was done working for peanuts this afternoon, I told myself: at least it wasn’t zero, at least you weren’t stuck in the house, at least you got the prime parking spot, at least you got rid of a couple of thick books, at least it wasn’t cold or snowing. Were those rationalizations designed to diminish the sting of disappointing sales? Whatever. Sprinkles began about halfway through today’s session of the Anti-Inflation Book Shop, taking a lot of the fun out of it. My thanks to the gentleman who bought three DVDs in Russian, and to the woman who purchased The Doctor’s Book of Home Remedies: Thousands of Tips and Techniques Anyone Can Use to Heal Everyday Health Problems by the Editors of Prevention Magazine Health Books; and to Wolf, who took home All About Me!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business by Mel Brooks. Here’s the mensch as Torquemada, lampooning The Inquisition in The History of the World Part I (1981):

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