Category Archives: Banana republic

‘America Has a Monopoly Problem’: Coalition Backs Legislation to Break Up Big Tech

Anti-monopoly interests have proposed a series of bills to give regulators more power, particularly with respect to tech.

‘Catastrophic Injustice’: Judge OKs Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy Plan Shielding Sacklers

Tens of thousands dead and the Sacklers get to ride away with their Purdue Pharma loot.

Prominent CalPERS Retiree Group Warns California Secretary of State About Illegal, Hacking-Friendly Voting Methods

An important CalPERS beneficiary group calls out the fund’s use of illegal, insecure, fraud-friendly internet and phone voting.

EXPOSED: How CalPERS Tried and Continues to Try to Cover Up Former Chief Investment Officer Ben Meng’s Misconduct

A CalPERS case study in “The cover up is worse than the crime,” Ben Meng edition.

Board Member David Miller Takes CalPERS-Paid Vacation by Abdicating Oversight, Obstructing Board Members Doing Their Job

Why David Miller deserves a special place in the CalPERS board member Hall of Shame.

Ida’s Landfall Imminent, Disaster Expert General Russel Honoré Says Time to Declare Climate Emergency

Gulf Coast communities face added pollution as Hurricane Ida nears amid the build-out of gas export and plastic-manufacturing plants.

Imperialism Then and Now: Capital Relocation, Inequality, Encroachment and Protracted Crisis

On how imperialism enabled exploitation of labor in the global South, and then pressure on worker wages in advanced economies.

Could California End Up With a Trump-Like Governor?

How much should Californians worry that Larry Elder, a politically inexperienced, hard core right winger, might become governor?

EXPOSED: CalPERS’ Brainwashed Board in Denial that CIO Meng Caused His Own Downfall with Information He Himself Provided

CalPERS’ secret rmeeting after CIO Meng left in a huff shows how staff controls the board, here by falsely claiming internal sabotage.

EXPOSED: Transcript of CalPERS Closed Session on Ben Meng Departure Shows Clear and Extensive Violations of Transparency Laws, Builds Case for Contempt Ruling by Judge Markman (Presiding)

Oops! CalPERS released nearly all of a transcript of a board meeting after Ben Meng’s resignation that it was fighting to keep secret.

Notes on the ‘Loss’ of Afghanistan

Cleaning up some misperceptions about the US operation in Afghanistan, including the idea that it was a country.

50th Anniversary of Powell Memorandum: Neoliberalism Has Wrecked Its Hosts

Commemorating a desructive anniversary, that of the Powell memo that set forth how big business would wage war against ordinary citizens.

School or ‘Russian Roulette’? Amid Delta Variant and Lax Mask Rules, Some Parents See No Difference

A discussion of parents worried about sending their kids back to school curiously contains only red state/nonurban examples.