Author Archives: Yves Smith

Links 8/27/2020

Emergency Situation: The Slow-Moving Tragedy of the Russian Arctic

The Russian version of America’s flyover has it pretty bad: declining industries and environmental stress.

Another COVID Mystery: Patients Survive Ventilator, But Linger in a Coma

Another way Covid-19 can mess up people who survive the disease: protracted comas

CalPERS Board Member Theresa Taylor, Under Investigation for Multi-Year Failure to Report Income, Digs Her and CalPERS’ Hole Deeper Via Supporting Conflicted Actions Taken by Ex-Chief Investment Officer Meng

CalPERS’ Board Vice President Theresa Taylor shoots herself and CalPERS in the foot.

How Do Banks Create Money?

A short primer on banks from a Modern Monetary Theory perspective.

Columbia Journalism Review Publishes Detailed Expose on Gates Foundation Buys Influence With Journalists

Why you should not trust the Gates Foundation.

Summer Rerun: Journey into a Libertarian Future: Part III – Regulation

Another dive, in both senses of the word, into the implications of libertarian ideology.

Robot Generals: Will They Make Better Decisions Than Humans – Or Worse?

The odd idea of replacing generals with AI is getting a hearing.

World Bank’s ‘Mobilizing Finance for Development’ Not Financing Development

The World Bank is trying to rebrand a failed public private partnership scheme as “blended finance”. Developing countries, beware.

Links 8/25/2020

The Wealth of Corporations: Why Firms Have Zero Net Worth, and Why It Matters

A theory of net worth and what that means for measurements of wealth.

Foreign Direct Investment and Supply Chains in a Risky World

More forecasts on the future of supply chains.

Former Board Member Jelincic: CalPERS Claims It Is Protecting Confidential, as in Criminal, Informants in Hiding Details About Lending

CalPERS made damaging statements to justify withholding information about private loans. That suggestswhat it was hiding is even worse.

New York City Faces Another “Drop Dead”: How Many Other Cities Will Wind Up in Distress?

We are at best only at the end of the beginning of big cities’ Covid-19 pain. What comes next?

Covid-19: Carmageddon Beckons Unless Work from Home Continues

Another way Covid-19 is wreacking havoc on major cities.