As a person who just bought a refrigerator after our 90s workhorse finally gave up the ghost (RIP, guess we'll be on that buying a new fridge every two years train like everyone else now, thanks planned obsolescence), re AI and chatbots and consumer sentiment and the weird reviews on the retail sites vs what was in Consumer Reports, I just want to give a shout out to Consumer Reports, which my late dad subscribed to and which I have my whole adult life as well. We need them. We need ethical, objective journalists testing and reviewing products without a profit motive. I remember last year or maybe the year prior they did a fundraising push on the fact that under the circumstances of (gestures broadly) they needed to prioritize and were going to focus on baby stuff for a while. It kind of broke my heart.
My library provides FREE log ins to the CR website! Check your libraries! Use your libraries! Sorry for all the exclamations points - I just love our libraries so much
The thrifty person trope is all well and fine, but maybe let's bring back the generous billionaire trope, someone who gives away money faster than they can make it (or at least tries). Like MacKenzie Scott. Being outrage at the price of milk is pure performance.
re "Amazon is likely to be the first company to reach $1 trillion in annual revenue, which makes it the perfect strategic target for the labor movement, Benjamin Y. Fong writes." I would recommend checking out the Megacorp podcast, season 1 for any who wants to learn more about Amazons labor practices. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-megacorp-89680740/
*sigh*. If you want a target for unionization based on *actual capital earnings*, Berkshire-Hathaway, Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and J.P. Morgan Chase are all better targets.
~58% of Amazon's Operating Income is derived from AWS, which has essentially nothing to do with its fulfillment centers or delivery services. Last-mile delivery is the least profitable part of the supply-chain; Amazon's profit margin on North American retailing is 6.45%; including international, it's 5.43%. Meanwhile, the margin on AWS is 36.99%.
I was JUST talking with my husband about sports betting platforms and prediction markets, and how I think they're a sign of the economic times (like crypto, blegh).
Cost of living pressures paired with societal pressures to be Manly Men Who Earn Big Money (TM) push men toward these risky behaviors for a quick win, I think. A la dropshipping.
I forwarded him this post. I think the sports betting statistics were pretty eye-opening for him. I don't think he understood the reach these platforms have.
As a person who just bought a refrigerator after our 90s workhorse finally gave up the ghost (RIP, guess we'll be on that buying a new fridge every two years train like everyone else now, thanks planned obsolescence), re AI and chatbots and consumer sentiment and the weird reviews on the retail sites vs what was in Consumer Reports, I just want to give a shout out to Consumer Reports, which my late dad subscribed to and which I have my whole adult life as well. We need them. We need ethical, objective journalists testing and reviewing products without a profit motive. I remember last year or maybe the year prior they did a fundraising push on the fact that under the circumstances of (gestures broadly) they needed to prioritize and were going to focus on baby stuff for a while. It kind of broke my heart.
My library provides FREE log ins to the CR website! Check your libraries! Use your libraries! Sorry for all the exclamations points - I just love our libraries so much
I’m such a mega CR fan!
Great take, Consumer reports is my #1 trusted source.
The thrifty person trope is all well and fine, but maybe let's bring back the generous billionaire trope, someone who gives away money faster than they can make it (or at least tries). Like MacKenzie Scott. Being outrage at the price of milk is pure performance.
re "Amazon is likely to be the first company to reach $1 trillion in annual revenue, which makes it the perfect strategic target for the labor movement, Benjamin Y. Fong writes." I would recommend checking out the Megacorp podcast, season 1 for any who wants to learn more about Amazons labor practices. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-megacorp-89680740/
*sigh*. If you want a target for unionization based on *actual capital earnings*, Berkshire-Hathaway, Alphabet, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and J.P. Morgan Chase are all better targets.
https://www.investopedia.com/the-world-s-10-most-profitable-companies-4694526
~58% of Amazon's Operating Income is derived from AWS, which has essentially nothing to do with its fulfillment centers or delivery services. Last-mile delivery is the least profitable part of the supply-chain; Amazon's profit margin on North American retailing is 6.45%; including international, it's 5.43%. Meanwhile, the margin on AWS is 36.99%.
https://www.investopedia.com/how-amazon-makes-money-4587523
https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/amazon-earnings-q4-2025-report
Might I present the TCN ball cap for the warmer weather? https://store.tuckercarlson.com/products/ny-commie-dad-hat-navy?variant=46198393405598
I was JUST talking with my husband about sports betting platforms and prediction markets, and how I think they're a sign of the economic times (like crypto, blegh).
Cost of living pressures paired with societal pressures to be Manly Men Who Earn Big Money (TM) push men toward these risky behaviors for a quick win, I think. A la dropshipping.
I forwarded him this post. I think the sports betting statistics were pretty eye-opening for him. I don't think he understood the reach these platforms have.
OMG the Tucker Carlson hats!!
Hilarious & illuminating, thanks so much!