Some essays are witty and vibrant but do not edify. Some essays edify but are as plodding and as painful as a dentist pulling teeth. Your essay is FANTASTIC as it is both funny and edifying.
The essay radiated gleeful wit, as evinced by your comment that, “The European Union talks a much better talk, but like an on-line hooker, delivers only simulation,” and it instructed as it discussed matters that I never heard of, “Such as the Queen’s Consent.”: Also, some of the stats you mentioned were infuriating. I think you said that one third of all wealth is to some extent “off the books” or beyond the grasp of any nation.
Your essay made me stop and think and see a very stark parallel with infectious diseases: You made it clear that the nation state may be ill equipped to stop financial titans from looting the world because the big boys can artfully send money from one jurisdiction to another. Similarly, the nation state is ill equipped to control pathogens as Ebola or Covid or Marberg can hop on an airplane and travel from Africa to New York.
Really, a great essay with a lot of work put into it. I really appreciate the footnotes.
One other thing: I hope my last message, with all those questions re communications on substack, did not annoy you. My tech problems are legion, and I often lose messages. (Eg you said you sent me an e mail, but I never found it.)
Salut David ! Thanks for the kind words. Yes, this is the world we live in. It moves invisibly around us and only provokes outrage every so often, when a bandaid is applied and the whole thing is promptly forgotten. Too many numbers ! Somehow having revelations about the Queen and news about Luxembourg in the same week was enough to provoke me into action. Invisible Money was the original series on Ground Report. I updated and added, and yeah, it took me five times to get the Harpo line right. (Outrage is easy, comedy is hard.) / You are never an annoyance. I'm just so far behind and have now begun the (rah rah) "Agent Battle," so even further than usual. I've wanted to add my twenty centimes to a few of your pieces but Survival has gotten in the way. Glad to see you're still banging em out. I'm going to reread your Robert Kennedy piece and the bit about southerners. I've got some Huguenot hillbilly blood so we'll see if sparks fly ! This week, promise.
I wrote that poem re Bobby Kennedy many, many years ago. I have read it some downtown venues and a lot of people seemed to like it. But I never got it published. But that's another story and it's too late at night for me to rave and rant at the cruel world.
😄❤️ James Graham continues to be brilliant. This article is everything you never wanted to know about world banking and tax havens, but definitely should. Good, reliable information written in James Graham’s own literary style. I recommend it. I subscribed to this page after reading it. 👏👍👍👍
Some essays are witty and vibrant but do not edify. Some essays edify but are as plodding and as painful as a dentist pulling teeth. Your essay is FANTASTIC as it is both funny and edifying.
The essay radiated gleeful wit, as evinced by your comment that, “The European Union talks a much better talk, but like an on-line hooker, delivers only simulation,” and it instructed as it discussed matters that I never heard of, “Such as the Queen’s Consent.”: Also, some of the stats you mentioned were infuriating. I think you said that one third of all wealth is to some extent “off the books” or beyond the grasp of any nation.
Your essay made me stop and think and see a very stark parallel with infectious diseases: You made it clear that the nation state may be ill equipped to stop financial titans from looting the world because the big boys can artfully send money from one jurisdiction to another. Similarly, the nation state is ill equipped to control pathogens as Ebola or Covid or Marberg can hop on an airplane and travel from Africa to New York.
Really, a great essay with a lot of work put into it. I really appreciate the footnotes.
One other thing: I hope my last message, with all those questions re communications on substack, did not annoy you. My tech problems are legion, and I often lose messages. (Eg you said you sent me an e mail, but I never found it.)
Salut David ! Thanks for the kind words. Yes, this is the world we live in. It moves invisibly around us and only provokes outrage every so often, when a bandaid is applied and the whole thing is promptly forgotten. Too many numbers ! Somehow having revelations about the Queen and news about Luxembourg in the same week was enough to provoke me into action. Invisible Money was the original series on Ground Report. I updated and added, and yeah, it took me five times to get the Harpo line right. (Outrage is easy, comedy is hard.) / You are never an annoyance. I'm just so far behind and have now begun the (rah rah) "Agent Battle," so even further than usual. I've wanted to add my twenty centimes to a few of your pieces but Survival has gotten in the way. Glad to see you're still banging em out. I'm going to reread your Robert Kennedy piece and the bit about southerners. I've got some Huguenot hillbilly blood so we'll see if sparks fly ! This week, promise.
I wrote that poem re Bobby Kennedy many, many years ago. I have read it some downtown venues and a lot of people seemed to like it. But I never got it published. But that's another story and it's too late at night for me to rave and rant at the cruel world.
😄❤️ James Graham continues to be brilliant. This article is everything you never wanted to know about world banking and tax havens, but definitely should. Good, reliable information written in James Graham’s own literary style. I recommend it. I subscribed to this page after reading it. 👏👍👍👍