Martyn Rhisiart Jones
Madrid, Wednesday 21 January 2026
In early 2026 the technology industry is once again telling big confident stories about its own future. These stories dominate earnings calls conference stages and investor decks. They sound transformative urgent and inevitable. Yet when examined closely many of them rest on fragile foundations and selective evidence rather than operational reality.
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Sir Afilonius Rex
Madrid, 18th December 2025
What is Hasbara?
Hasbara, a Hebrew term meaning “explanation,” refers to Israel’s public diplomacy and propaganda efforts. These efforts aim at shaping international opinion in favour of its policies. This is particularly true regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It transcends mere PR. It functions as a strategic tool to control narratives, delegitimise critics, and portray Israel as a perpetual victim. It justifies its actions, including occupation and military operations. Government entities like the former Ministry of Strategic Affairs coordinate hasbara. It involves state funding. Volunteer networks and partnerships disseminate pro-Israel messages globally.
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Sir Afilonius Rex and Vanessa Bell
Bloomsbury, London, 8th November 2025
Calling Bullshit on Fakery
A LinkedIn post by Thorsten Wunde (or “WundeThorsten”) shared a viral anecdote claiming to illustrate why “socialism always fails.” The story presents an economics professor in Sweden. He fails an entire class after averaging the grades to simulate socialist equality. This action leads to widespread laziness and eventual collapse. It concludes with a moral: When half the population realises they can slack off, the nation is in danger. The other half sees no reward for effort. This marks the end of every nation. This tale aims to serve as compelling evidence of socialism’s inherent flaws. However, it is deeply problematic on several levels. It is factually, logically, and empirically flawed. It’s a classic example of a fabricated parable. It is dressed up as real-world evidence. This story has been circulating online since at least 2009. It appears as chain emails and memes, often tied to U.S. politics (e.g., “Obama’s socialism”). Below, we’ll break it down systematically.
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Written by Martyn Richard Jones
What does Big Data have to do with Robitussin?
I will explain.