Yearly Archives: 2020

Robert Pollin: Biden Not Phasing Out Fossil Fuel, Relies on Carbon Capture

Robert Pollin critiques the Biden climate plan for over-relying on unproven carbon capture, investing too little in solar and wind, and treating China as a rival.

2:00PM Water Cooler 9/4/2020

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~

State Controller Betty Yee Calls for Public Discussion of CalPERS Governance Reforms Following Sudden Departure of CIO Ben Meng

Controller Betty Yee forcefully slapped down CalPERS’ CEO Frost’s claim that Yee was satisfied with the burial of Yee’s governance issues.

COVID: Where Science Goes To Die

A forceful critique of Covid-19 research.

Links 9/4/2020

Charter Schools Find Gold in Federal Government Aid to Small Businesses While Black-Owned Firms Get the Shaft

Due to the economic fallout of Covid-19, charter schools added to systemic inequities that afflict black communities.

Labor Day Weekend Posting and Comments Schedule

We’ll be on a somewhat lighter schedule this Labor Day weekend, back to our normal drill on Tuesday. Hope you get at least a mini-break too!

2:00PM Water Cooler 9/3/2020

~ R.I.P David Graeber ~

US Tax Dollars Funded Every New Drug in the Last Decade

Amid debates over costs—and profits—from a coronavirus vaccine, a new study shows that taxpayers footed the bill for every new drug approved from 2010 to 2019

Links 9/3/2020

22 Year Study Finds Hedge Fund Managers Collect 64% of Investors’ Gross Returns

Hedge fund managers claw an awful lot in fees out of their investors but the reasons look to be different than for private equity.

How CalPERS Staff Keeps the Board in the Dark About Compliance Problems

CalPERS has long covered up its dirty linen, including by making uninformative presentations to the board.