Author Archives: Yves Smith

Kennedy’s HHS Sent Congress ‘Junk Science’ To Defend Vaccine Changes, Experts Say

More on RFK, Jr. making shit up but attempting to wrap it in the mantle of science.

Climate Adaptation and Inequality: Lessons from Cape Town’s Drought

Cape Town’s drought illustrated that when climate crises become acute, the rich care for themselves irrespective of bigger effects.

Rob Urie: Why Retaliation Rhymes with Negotiation, US – Russia Edition

On not-well-known elements of the US-Ukraine-Russia conflict, the fecklessness of the left, and the abject stupidity of Western leaders

Satyajit Das: A Fist Full of Dollars

Two recent books seem unduly complacent about the status of the dollar as reserve currency.

“Is All Economic Growth Good?”

It can’t be said too often: what most economists call growth is too often what we here call groaf.

The Projected Death Count from Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill

Researchers projects that “big beautiful bill” cuts to public health insurance coverage may lead to upwards of 51,000 deaths a year.

Do AI Models Think?

A new paper confirms early doubts that LLMs could ever meet AI boosters’ claims that they were intelligent.

Links 6/10/2025

The 2025 Trade War: Dynamic Impacts Across US States and the Global Economy

Estimating the costs of the Trump trade war to Americans and foreign players.

“Trump Administration Closes In on Hard-Hitting Sanctions on Russia”

Russia sanctions enthusiasts try to talk over how Ukraine undercut Trump support with Ukraine’s attack on Russian nuclear deterrence assets

China’s Rare Earths Weapon Could Kill Europe’s Auto Industry

More on US and European car-makers’ vulnerability to China’s new rare earths licensing regime.

Links 6/7/2025