Our stupid reality, in 2 parts

Two items that illustrate our insane reality in 2021. Where many others choose to bend reality.

And it was because of a group of Redditors decided to do a 2020s version of this, except it was the old Wall Streeters that were short selling, and the little guys that were bidding things up.

As he so often does, Charlie Pierce summed up the situation well, not only alluding to this great movie scene, but also in recognizing that today's stock market has very little to do with "investing".

Up until Wednesday, GameStop was one of those places in the mall that just blended into the essential mall-ness of all malls, like Auntie Anne's or Cinnabon. I woke up this morning and it was the armored vehicle busting in through the front gates of American capitalism. If we ever needed more proof that The Market is just a bookie joint with aspirations, this was it. And I still think if you unwrap a Bitcoin, there's a chocolate coin inside.

And at Madison's Capitol, many are living in their own virtual, alternative reality. In the real Wisconsin, we've gotten through the post-Holiday period, and are continuing to improve on the COVID front, with infections are down to their lowest levels in 4 months.

Apparently that's too good for the Republicans in the gerrymandered State Legislature.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm the sucker for working and paying bills, masking up in public, limiting my COVID exposure and trying to get by in a normal way.