I promise I won’t keep writing about crypto, it’s just too easy to make fun of these idiots. I’m not sure why it’s so hard for journalists to believe that Sam Bankman Fried was actually a Sam Bankman-Fraud all along, pulling the wool over their unsuspecting eyes. Maybe it softens the blow, knowing that they weren’t the only ones fooled, but when a million people are missing funds, we have to ask why they believed in this guy.
The linked article is a hilariously sad and revealing read on SBF’s actual intentions, which weren’t at all altruistic, in fact, they were the same motivations that drive millions of white-collar guys named Rob and Mike. While mainstream outlets like the New York Times were writing glowing reviews of SBF’s benevolence, this man couldn’t care less about the issues plaguing our planet and its people. Journalists were so prepared to heap praise on this guy, pointing out his frugal clothing choices while ignoring the $40million penthouse he occupied in the Bahamas. Articles were quick to note SBF’s preference for cooking his own meals over expensive dinners out, but never bothered to mention his private jet.
Here was a man so willing to feed the media what they wanted to hear that no one ever bothered to do the due diligence of fact-checking or running the numbers. But who amongst us hasn’t told a lie that grew and grew until it was out of our control, prompting a bank run and leading to filing bankruptcy? That’s the price of doing business these days I guess.
Side Items
Watch the Mink: Apparently there are about 10,000 live mink roaming around northern Ohio at the moment. The story goes that some vandals/liberators broke into a farm that raises the fur-bearing creatures and released up to 40,000 from their cages. Naturally the clowns raising these delicate creatures for their fur were pretty upset. In 2013, a group calling itself the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) released mink at a farm in nearby Van Wert County, and now I’m going down the rabbit hole of figuring out how to contribute to their fine work
New LA Mayor Just Dropped: Shockingly, Caitlyn Jenner did not wind up winning the position of mayor of Los Angeles. I’ll give you a moment to process. Anyways, the new mayor of the City of Angels is former congresswoman Karen Bass, who became the first woman to be elected mayor of the second-largest city in the country. She defeated political titans like Jenner and billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso, who spent ~$80million of his own money on the campaign trail; moment of silence for that bozo’s money, which would’ve been better invested in Q-tips or lawn furniture
An Extremely Old Person Passed: I hate when there are articles dedicated to sharing the news of an old person’s death. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good obituary just as much as the next person, but when a person dies at the age of 113, that’s not news, that’s kinda expected, overdue even. Now if a 113-year-old releases 10,000 mink from a farm in northern Ohio, now THAT’S news baby
World Cup Preview
Belgium: The Red Devils enter this tournament with a heavy weight on their shoulders. For such a small nation, Belgium boasts a ton of top-tier talent, but thus far they have no silverware to show for it. Their best performance was in the 2018 World Cup, where they were able to secure a third-place finish, but this roster demands success. With Courtois the giant in goal, Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings in midfield, and Romelu Lukaku up top finishing chances, perhaps this time we’ll see the full potential of the small European nation with outsized hopes
Uruguay: One of my favorite teams this tournament, La Celeste feature two of my favorite Liverpool strikers, one from days past and another who’s just getting started. Darwin Nunez is one of Liverpool’s newest signings, and despite massive pressure to perform, he’s really starting to shine in red. And what can I say about Luis Suarez that hasn’t already been said about an unruly child on his first day of kindergarten. Suarez is unquestionably an immense talent, with a strange tendency to bite opponents in critical moments. If he can keep his teeth to himself, there’s no reason this team shouldn’t be feasting on opponent’s defenses. The midfield duo of Federico Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur should have little trouble controlling the pace of play and setting up goals for their strikers
Germany: Ahh the mighty Germans, a team with a rich history of winning and also an unexplainable history of strange losses. Die Mannschaft (which apparently is just German for “the team”, all this time I thought it was some sort of medieval Germanic torture device) are consistently ranked as a top five squad, with Manuel Neuer protecting the goal, Joshua Kimmich controlling the midfield, and a strong supporting cast featuring Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan, Chelsea’s Kai Havertz, and pretty much anyone who has ever suited up for Bayern Munich. I’d bet that Germany survives the group stages comfortably, but they’re not my pick to win it all this time