Author Archives: Yves Smith

The U.S.’ Return to Its “Denial Oil” Strategy Is Critical

A perspective from Kurdistan on the US’ choices in the Middle East, with control over oil an open question.

From the History of Western War Crimes: The Dresden Massacre (February 1945)

On the Dresden firebombing and the established pattern of World War II victors to ignore their war crimes.

North Ignores ‘Perfect Storm’ in Global South

The risk of rolling financial/economic crises across much of the Global South is high and the pressures seem only to be rising.

Links 2/14/2024

Science We Can Use: Why Do Autoimmune Disorders Afflict Women More Often than Men?

A detailed look at a widely-discussed new paper on why autoimmune diseases afflict women much more often then men.

A Look at Private Equity’s Medicare Advantage Grifting

More on why Medicare Advantage is a criminogenic environment. And private equity has gotten in on the action.

What Would Happen If Biden Stepped Aside?

The alternatives if Biden does not make it to the convention, the options are ugly.

GoFundMe Has Become a Health Care Utility

Increased reliance on GoFundMe for big medical bills (for those that can even raise money) confirms that the US medical system is predatory.

Links 2/13/2024

Ukraine Collapse Starting. What Happens Next?

Russia has a lot of choices to make when the Ukraine military collapses.

Moody’s Just Told You So — Downgrades Israel, Warns That Weaker US Backing for Israel, War With Hezbollah Would Trigger Crash

Ratings agency downgrades of Israel confirm that its economy is taking hits and will suffer even more damage under a long war.

Yanis Varoufakis: The Two Faces of the Euro – Jacques Delors and Wolfgang Schäuble

How two of the Euro’s principal designers initiated a process that led to what at least one of them, Wolfgang Schäuble, saw as a bad end

New Study Questions LNG as a “Bridge Fuel” in Decarbonization

Biden taps the brakes on LNG expansion. A sop to environmentalists or a sign of things to come?

Links 2/10/2024

Economic Solutions: How To Go from Financialized Neoliberalism to a Productive, Sustainable Economy

Some concrete proposals for how to slip the yoke of neoliberalism and start building a fairer and more functional economy.