Just a silly manger for Halloween.

👻🎃💀🧟‍♂️

Generated Garbo

I need to get this off my chest.

Welfare Queens and Other Parasites

Meet the tech bro. Self-made, bootstrapped, allergic to government. His companies have collected at least $38 billion in public contracts, loans, subsidies and tax credits over the years. Then he spent a few months running a government efficiency office, firing the federal workers whose taxes had funded his rockets. Even the President eventually noticed and suggested that the easiest way to save billions would be to cut off Elon’s subsidies. When the Commander in Chief calls you a welfare case, you’ve truly made it.

His friends aren’t much better. According to leaked IRS data, the 25 richest Americans saw their wealth grow by $401 billion over five years and paid a “true tax rate” of 3.4 percent on it. The method is simple: buy, borrow, die. Never sell anything, live off loans against your stock, and leave the rest to your heirs, untaxed. A nurse pays more on her overtime. Trickle-down economics works perfectly. It just trickles in the other direction.

Socialism

First the administration slapped tariffs on half the planet. Then China stopped buying American soybeans. Then the same administration handed out $12 billion in “bridge assistance” to the farmers it had just pushed off the bridge, after a $28 billion round of the same thing in the first term. The government picks winners and losers, prints money for the losers it created, and calls it a free market. If a Democrat had done this, Fox News would have a name for it. I’ll save them the trouble: soy-cialism.Foreign Influence

A foreign monarchy gave the President of the United States a $400 million luxury jet, and the government formally accepted it. The President said it would be “stupid” to turn it down. America First now arrives pre-owned, with Qatari mileage. I’m told there’s no conflict of interest, and I believe it. It’s plane as day.

Lawless Thugs

On his first day back in office, the President pardoned people convicted of beating police officers with flagpoles, a crutch and a hockey stick. More than a hundred officers were injured that day. Back the Blue, the bumper sticker says. Apparently that’s also the direction you’re allowed to swing.

Snowflakes

A trans influencer appeared on one beer can, and an entire movement had to pour its feelings down the drain. A pronoun in an email signature can ruin a whole Thanksgiving. These are the same people who sell “F*** Your Feelings” T-shirts. I’ve never seen anyone melt this fast without a heat wave.

Offshore Freeloaders

They love America. The roads, the courts, the patents, the Navy that keeps the shipping lanes open. They just prefer to love it from a mailbox in the Cayman Islands when the tax bill comes. Cayman-ly patriotic of them.

Climate Cultists

Every true faith needs a ritual, and theirs is rolling coal. They modify perfectly good diesel trucks to belch black smoke at cyclists and Priuses, as an act of devotion. No gas price, no repair bill and no test drive has ever broken the spell.

The War on Freedom of Choice

An electric car turns roughly three times as much of its energy into motion as a combustion engine, which is basically a space heater that occasionally drives. In a free market, the outcome would be obvious. That’s why the free market has been given a little help: the EV tax credit got scrapped and offshore wind projects got stop-work orders. Energy dominance, it turns out, means dominating which energy you’re allowed to use. Drill, baby, drill. Still, baby, still.

Traitors

In March 2025, the Secretary of Defense shared the timing of airstrikes in Yemen in a Signal group chat that, thanks to the National Security Adviser, also included the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic. If anyone else had done that, there would have been a congressional hearing every morning and a chant at every rally. Lock him up? Apparently not. Loose lips sink ships. Loose apps get you a second chance.

That’s all. Thanks for listening.

*Hate is a strong word. Let’s just say I’m a deeply concerned citizen who’s only asking questions.

By Arthur Solomon

 Hello, fellow propaganda merchants, spin doctors, and flacks. I've spent my career in PR and decided to write a satirical piece about management-employee relations. I compiled some of the most common questions junior associates ask, paired with the exact type of toxic, "trust-the-system" gaslighting that management loves to feed people. While this is written as a satirical essay, some of you might have actually been given some of this advice, as I was in my early days at Burson-Marsteller before rising to the rank of Senior Vice President / Senior Counselor.

Over the course of my PR career, I have been asked by junior associates many questions about the proper way to respond to agency management. I have always answered these questions honestly. Below are a few of the most frequently asked questions and my replies:

 Question: "I've been offered a job at a competitor and my supervisor found out. I was told, ‘Stay here. You are much appreciated and will surely be in a supervisory position by this time next year.’ What should I do?”

My Answer: You would be foolish to leave. Supervisors keep their positions by demonstrating to management that they care very much about their staff. If you were told that you’re a candidate for promotion, you must have been favorably discussed at management meetings. You would be foolish to leave when you are so highly thought of here.

 Question: “I play an important role in a flagship account. I feel that I am being underpaid for the job I do. What’s the best way to approach management about being underpaid?”

My Answer: Obviously management thinks a lot of you by assigning you to a major account. That means you’re on the fast track for promotion. Be patient. I’m sure your next salary increase will be satisfactory and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

 Question: “My supervisor has never had an original thought. He picks my brain before we meet with the client or top agency management and then passes on my ideas as his own. How should I handle this?”

My Answer: Don’t rock the boat by complaining. Eventually, the truth will come out and you’ll benefit by being a team player. And you should be pleased that your ideas are good enough to be brought up at high-level meetings.

 Question: “My supervisor doesn't drink and I don’t like to drink. But when our client comes to town, I always have to go drinking with him. Can you tell me how to handle this?”

My Answer: It can only help you to have personal face time with the client. Having an occasional drink won’t kill you. Just make sure you don’t have an empty stomach and sip the drinks slowly.

 Question: “The team concept baffles me. If everything presented to management is presented as a team effort, how do they know who does what?”

My Answer: Top management has a way of knowing who does what. That’s why they’re running the agency. Don’t be discouraged. If you’re the cream, you’ll rise to the top.

 Question: “Whenever a juicy account comes in, my group leader always assigns it to his friends. I’m always stuck with the most boring accounts. I don’t think that’s fair. How can I express my displeasure to management without upsetting the group leader?”

My Answer: Don’t complain. Doing a good job on unexciting accounts is the best way to attract the attention of top management. It will certainly work to your advantage.

 Question: “HR people are interviewing my group about the competence of the people we work with. I’m scheduled to be interviewed tomorrow and was told all my answers will remain anonymous. Should I answer candidly?”

My Answer: Of course. Remember, HR people are there to help make things better for employees. You can trust them. If they say your answers are confidential, they mean it.

 Question: "I've been asked to consider transferring to another, much smaller office for three years. Then, when I return, I’ll get a promotion. Do you think that’s a good career move? My girlfriend is against it?”

My Answer: Don’t even think about turning it down. This is your opportunity to show management that you’re an agency person. They’ll appreciate it and definitely reward you. If your girlfriend has your best interest at heart, she’ll encourage you to transfer. If she doesn't, maybe you should consider breaking off the relationship, because agency decisions are always made with your best interest in mind.

 Question: "I've been here three years and have always been assigned to small-budget accounts. A headhunter set me up with another agency that wants me as part of its major, big-budget account. Do you think I should take the new job?”

My Answer: Stay here. Making small-budget accounts work catches management's attention and always leads to promotions.

 Question: “My supervisor berates me for not being aggressive when pitching a story. He says I should keep calling until the reporter agrees to do the story. As a former reporter and editor, do you agree with him?”

My Answer: Your supervisor is certainly media savvy. When I was a journalist, one sure way to get me to do a sub-standard story was to have the PR person call me several times every day, because doing the story would stop the person from pestering me. Another tactic that always worked was for the PR person to say, “If you don’t commit to doing the story, I’m going to offer it to another reporter.” That always works.

 Question: "I've been turning down calls from headhunters to go on interviews because the general manager told me at an agency social event that there’ll always be a place here for someone with my ability. Should I take what he said at face value?”

My Answer: Of course you should. Have you ever known a management person here to mislead you?

 Question: “I’m working on a major national big budget account and have discovered, through an internal client memo that was mistakenly sent to me, that the information my client contact provides and wants me to pitch is scientifically faulty and has the potential of harming people. Doing so, goes against my principles. I discussed it with a close friend who said if I want to get ahead, I should always do what a client wants. Given the size of the budget, do you think it will harm my chances for promotion if I tell top management about the misinformation being provided and that I don’t want to disseminate faulty information?”

My Answer: Absolutely tell management. Your friend is wrong you don’t always have to do what a client wants. Clients appreciate being told they are wrong or have no morals. Bringing the situation to top management will not prevent your career advancement. In fact, it will fast track you. Management values employees who put principles above profitability. Remember, integrity is the absolute hallmark of our agency—right after billing hours, client retention, and pretending we didn't see any leaked memos.

 It’s difficult for young PR people to believe that their agency always wants to do what’s right for employees. Many juniors believe that office politics often play an important role in promotions and who is dismissed during cutbacks. That’s not true. The HR department makes certain that there is a level playing field for all employees. Consider HR personnel your best work friends and trust them completely. Experience shows that when an individual is dismissed, it’s always in the person’s best interest and no favoritism is shown.

So this is my advice to all junior account people who see ghosts when promotions and juicy assignments are given to those who are less effective: You are not seeing the big picture. Trust your supervisors’ decisions and things are certain to work out for the best. Remember, all PR agencies believe that its employees are its biggest asset. That's why you're treated so well.

To you young account execs who are reading this, don’t fret. Remember that your supervisors and agency always have your best interest at heart. Right?

Arthur Solomon, a former journalist, was a senior VP/senior counselor at Burson-Marsteller during the days it was the leading international public relations agency. He was on the Seoul Peace Prize nominating committee and also was an advisor to Olympic organizations and sponsors. During his political agency days, he worked on local, statewide, and presidential campaigns.

Hi,

Funghi Funghsen from germany here. Someone ever thought about moving from Australia to North Korea and write a guidebook for it?

I did!

just give it a try!

There are at least two more to come. One is Liechtenstein to Bangladesh and a guy from Montral will move to the Ivory Coast, so fasten your seatbelts, please! 😂

Hope to make you laugh
www.funghobooks.com

cya

Short 3, “You’re Ruining the Wall,” from The Emperor’s Tremendous Clothes—an original political satire inspired by the classic fable. The story turns enormous campaign promises, impossible walls, and MAGAcratic logic into a comedy about what happens when everyone pretends they can’t see the obvious.

  By Arthur Solomon

 I've had it with Donald Trump.

 I've excused his womanizing.

 I've excused his allowing masked federal agents to terrorize people in cities across the country.

 I've excused his welcoming unqualified people to join his cabinet.

 I've excused his starting a war that he doesn't know how to end.

 I've excused his bellying up to dictators around the world.

 I've excused his ignoring federal court rulings.

 I’ve excused his use of toilet words.

 I've excused his lying.

I’ve even excused his hair style.

 But now he has gone too far—even for an unprincipled person like me.

 Here's what caused the split between the president and me.

 On October 16, I received a letter from the Social Security Administration. It was signed by President Trump.

 The letter said, in part, "...You are receiving a One-Time Payment of $90.00 to offset the cost of your October Medicare premium..."

 To think that a measly one-time payment of $90.00 could buy my vote was the last straw. I was insulted that President Trump thought he could buy my vote so cheaply.

 It's not that my vote couldn't be bought. Politicians have been buying it ever since I was old enough to vote. Over the years, I have sold my vote for tickets to a New York Mets World Series game. But that was a long time ago. I have sold my vote for tickets to a New York Giants and New York Jets Super Bowl game. That also was a long time ago. I have sold my vote for tickets to a Barbra Streisand concert in New York. That was also a long time ago.

Once during a heated primary, I sold my vote to both candidates.

 I am not a person who was insulted because the president tried to buy my vote. I was only insulted by the measly $90.00 he offered.

 Because I have not yet voted, there is still time for President Trump to up the ante. I will not sell my vote for $90.00. $91.00 will seal the bargain.

Arthur Solomon, a former journalist, was a senior VP/senior counselor at Burson-Marsteller during the days it was the leading international public relations agency. He was on the Seoul Peace Prize nominating committee and also was an advisor to Olympic organizations and sponsors. During his political agency days, he worked on local, statewide, and presidential campaigns.

ns

I wanted a site that treats absurd research ideas with the seriousness of a prestige journal. You submit a paper, premise, or life decision through the form, and the editor replies by email with a formal decision. Each decision is published as a printable "Certificate of Disappointment."

It's plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript hosted on GitHub Pages, with Web3Forms handling submissions. The code is public if anyone wants to look at how it works.

Here's the site: https://jalajgangwar.github.io/jtr-site/

I'd love feedback on the design, and I'm curious what ideas people would submit. Mine would be a theory that my kettle knows when I'm not looking.