Translation

Pluralistic: The Big Con (19 Jun 2026)

Doctorow argues that pyramid schemes like Amway operate as a "big con" where everyone pretends to succeed. He draws parallels to Trump, Musk, and Zuckerberg, claiming their wealth comes from cons and subsidies, not business acumen, with AI and the metaverse being the latest swindles.

Background

- Cory Doctorow writes Pluralistic, a hugely influential blog on tech, monopoly power, and digital rights. - The "big con" is a classic grift where everyone the mark meets is in on the scam. Doctorow uses it as a lens to understand pyramid schemes like Amway — and then modern politics and business. - Amway's founders co-founded the Heritage Foundation with their fortune. The article argues that much of American conservatism and its "self-made man" mythology is structurally built on this pyramid logic. - Doctorow connects the dots from Amway to Trump (real estate and crypto grifts) and Elon Musk (subsidies, inflated claims), arguing that massive investment doesn't mean something is real — the "pony under the pile of shit" fallacy.

Wikipedia Is Up (2001)
10.0
Jimmy Wales announced that Wikipedia was live at wikipedia.com on January 15, 2001. The site was intended to be a "really quite snazzy" wiki complement to the Nupedia project, offering a more collaborative and less formal environment for building an encyclopedia.
Realta Fusion generates electricity directly from a fusion reaction
10.0
Realta Fusion has achieved a milestone by generating electricity directly from a fusion reaction, reportedly a first. The breakthrough marks a significant step toward practical fusion energy, potentially offering a clean and nearly limitless power source.
Daybreak
10.0
OpenAI has announced Daybreak, a new initiative focused on advancing AI safety and alignment research to ensure artificial general intelligence benefits humanity.
ESO: SpaceX plans to launch 1M satellites for space-based data centres
9.5
SpaceX has announced plans to launch approximately one million satellites to create space-based data centres, according to the European Southern Observatory (ESO). The massive satellite constellation would significantly increase the number of objects in orbit, raising concerns about light pollution and interference with astronomical observations.
RT Max Weinbach: I had early access to this model and I'll post more Thursday, but I think the most impressive part is this model NEVER GIVES UP If yo...
9.0
Max Weinbach says he had early access to OpenAI's new model GPT-5.6 Sol, calling it his favorite model by far. He highlights that it never gives up and will keep reasoning until it's done. OpenAI announced that GPT-5.6 Sol, along with Terra and Luna, will launch publicly on Thursday, with preview access expanding globally now.

Pluralistic: The Big Con (19 Jun 2026)

Background

Related stories

Wikipedia Is Up (2001)

Realta Fusion generates electricity directly from a fusion reaction

Daybreak

ESO: SpaceX plans to launch 1M satellites for space-based data centres

RT Max Weinbach: I had early access to this model and I'll post more Thursday, but I think the most impressive part is this model NEVER GIVES UP If yo...