Category Archives: Banana republic

Global Protests Round-Up, Proposed Causes: Global Slump, Income Inequality, Social Media (and More)

Today’s global protests are an enormous story, bigger than Occupy. Here are some of the frames that journalists are using to cover them.

The Boss on Board: Mafia Infiltrations, Firm Performance, and Local Economic Growth

Italian firms infiltrated by the Mafia are disproportionately in the utilities and financial services sectors and that infiltration has a strong negative effect on local long-term employment growth.

Elizabeth Warren’s Plan-itis: Excessive Lobbying Case Study

A hard look at a Warren plan reveals a lot not to like.

California Blackout: Turning the Lights Off

So first came the blackout….

Chile in Flames: The Neoliberal Model in Crisis Throughout the Region

An overview of the protests in Chile.

Democrats Seek $70 Million Corporate Cash to Fund 2020 Convention

The Democratic convention is shaping up as a classic example of corruptoin.

Sacramento Bee Insinuates That CalPERS and Its Vendor Diligent Boards Have Grossly Deficient Security in Forthcoming Hit Piece Against Board Member Margaret Brown

CalPERS’ latest effort in its vendetta against pro-transarency board member Margaret Brown is a misfire, with Sacramento Bee reporter Wes Venteicher’s reputation as potential collateral damage.

The Rise and Fall of the Roman Republic: Part 1 of 4: Structure and Background

Drawing lessons from three books on the Roman Republic.

Drug Watchdog Finds $5.1 Billion in Price Gouging on 9 Drugs

Another indictment of drug pricing.

Trump’s Border Wall is a Multi-Billion Dollar Corporate Handout

How Trump made the long-standing border boondoggle even bigger.

California’s New Transparency Law Reveals Steep Rise In Wholesale Drug Prices

Drug price data in Califorinia shows mind-boggling increases in wholesale prices since 2019. Of course, the industry claims that that information is misleading.

The IMF Convenes in Washington, Deaf to the Suffering It Causes Across the Planet

A brief reminder of the IMF record of failure and harm.

PG&E Blackout Round-Up, Mini-Grids, and Thoughts on The Jackpot

PG&E’s bankruptcy woes, possibilities for a more resilient grid, and “androgenic, systemic, multiplex, seriously bad sh*t” (The Jackpot).

Income-Based Repayment Becoming a Costly Solution to Student Loan Debt

A proposal to fix income-based repayment schemes for student loan debt unwittingly illustrates the deficiencies of “preserve the status quo” approaches.