Author Archives: Yves Smith

What Richard Vague Says that Matt Taibbi, Our Acrophobic Champion for the Duration of the COVD-19 Crisis, Needs to Learn about Stratospheric Levels of Public Debt

Economic historian/analyst Richard Vague clears up some of the misconceptions that Matt Taibbi and others have about MMT and crisis spending.

Covid-19 Diagnosis: Will We End Applying a Mosaic of Methods Worldwide?

A look at promising Covid-19 test methods, and why diagnosis approaches may wind up differing across countries.

Fatal Combination: Bailouts and Bank Rescues in Money-Driven Political Systems

A tidy case study into how much money it takes to buy Congressional votes.

Some Comments on the Sanders Campaign

Thoughts on the Sanders kneecapping.

Mark Blyth and Jeffrey Sommers: Austerity – A Dangerous Idea Returns

Why more austerity is one of the worst possible responses to the pandemic….yet the US is seeing even more of it.

Links 4/11/2020

Coronavirus Research Done Too Fast Is Testing Publishing Safeguards, Bad Science Is Getting Through

Scientific publishing is already suffering a quality control crisis, so it’s important to give a hard look at often-rushed coronavirus studies.

Labor Admits Superannuation Is a Ponzi Scheme

An Australian proposal would put stressed superannuation funds in even more trouble.

The Coming Battle for the COVID-19 Narrative

Will the disruption of Covid-19 deal a major blow to market ideology?

The Use and Abuse of MMT

Using government spending power to bail out financiers and rentiers makes a travesty of MMT.

CalPERS Dumps Risk Hedge Right Before Coronacrash, Sacrificing $1 Billion and Confirming Doubts About Chief Investment Officer Ben Meng’s Expertise

CalPERS supposed star hire Ben Meng just cost the giant fund $1 billion, over the objections of expert adviser Wilshire Associates.

COVID-19 Crisis Threatens Beleaguered Assisted Living Industry

Unregulated assisted living facilities are becoming hotbeds of coronavirus cases.

Overloaded Morgues, Mass Graves and Infectious Remains: How Forensic Pathologists Handle the Coronavirus Dead

The handling of the dead is a major but not much discussed challenge with coronavirus.

Links 4/9/2020

The Misguided Discussion of “Herd Immunity”

On the large gap between what the public and the scientific/medical community think about Covid-19 immunity, including testing for it.