Author Archives: Yves Smith

Links 12/23/16

I Correct Schumer Fudging What Medicare Privatization Would Mean and He Pretends He Was Being Honest All Along

Chuck Schumer’s nose is getting so long that he needs to get a hacksaw. That does not not bode well for the Democrats standing up to Trump.

Tom Engelhardt: The Future According to Trump

Gaming out some likely Trump scenarios.

Deutsche Bank Wins in Stare-Down With Department of Justice Over Mortgage-Backed Securities Liability; Credit Suisse Also Settles While Barclays Holds Out

Deutsche came off well in a mortgage settlement with the DoJ, while Barclay’s decision to fight doesn’t look so smart.

Links 12/22/16

Uber’s Woes Mount: California Strips Driverless Cars’ Registration, Losses Rise, VAT Charges Loom

Uber has a bad week.

Italy Announces Sketchy Plan to Bail Out Monte dei Paschi

The Monte dei Paschi domino is finally about to fall. But what does that mean in practice?

Hospitalized Patients Treated by Female Doctors Show Lower Mortality

A JAMA article, based on a large, well-designed study, found that female doctors in hospitals saved more lives than men. The question is why

Italy Banking Crisis Is Also a Huge Crime Scene

While Italy’s banking crisis results from business loans gone dud in a shrinking economy, some of the banks were also up to no good.

Links 12/19/16

The Fundamental Flaw in Muddied Brexit Thinking

Brexit negotiators seem clueless about how to get out of their own way. Here’s why.

Is Technological Progress Behind Growing Income Inequality?

Do elite-serving claims that technological change is a big driver of the rise in inequality hold up to scrutiny?

Links 12/17/16

Uber, Gig Economy: “The Brutality of the System Is Being Lost on Those Who Actually Use These Apps”

The Financial Times’ Izabella Kaminska argues that the gig economy is a new form of feudalism.