Category Archives: Ridiculously obvious scams

The Mnuchin-Powell Affair Over the Fed’s “Special Purpose Vehicles” in Dollars & Effects

The Treasury and Fed set up junk-buying SPV programs The unwind is oddly controversial given that they never should have been created.

Regulating Fintech in Europe: Lessons from the Collapse of Wirecard

Since Fintech companies can be very complex, their oversight requires understanding their business model and combining regulation and supervision based on both entities and activities.

Insurance Companies Flag “Driver Disengagement” as Factor in Robot Car Safety

The irony of automation….

Investigation: How Pesticide Companies Are Marketing Themselves as a Solution to Climate Change

After decades of denial and delay by big agribusiness, the pesticides industry now appears to have become a climate champion.

Nick Corbishley: Bankruptcy Looms As Cash-Starved UK Local Councils’ High-Risk Real Estate Bets Sour

UK councils were already in trouble due to austerity, inflated charges for services, and mismanagement. Covid is set to generate bankruptcies

Outsourcing: A Personal Window on the Rise of Grifting

Some vignettes from the rise of outsourcing.

McKinsey, Deloitte Charge Big Bucks to States for Botched Covid Projects

McKinsey and some other big consulting names are taking advantage of Covid-overwhelmed state governments.

Affluent Authoritarianism: New Evidence on Public Opinion and Policy

New research shows once again that it’s large firms and the 1%—not the “median voter”—who drive U.S. policy.

Stop Girdling the Post Office

A pre-election reminder of the importance of saving the Post Office.

Gig Worker Employment Fights Like Those in California Pit Flexibility Against a Livable Wage – But ‘Platform Cooperatives’ Could Ensure Workers Get Both

A proposal to improve gig worker bargaining power and solidarity.

Savvy Patient Fought for the Price She Was Quoted − And Didn’t Give Up

Another case of patient-gouging that got cleaned up only when the press called.

Hubert Horan: The Airline Industry Collapse Part 5 – The Battle to Protect Airline Investors From Economic Reality Enters a New Phase

Why the big airline operators’ talk about turning the corner in early 2021 is bunk.

Goldman Gets Off Easy in 1MDB Scandal Despite Further $2.9 Billion in Payments, Criminal Charge Against Malaysian Sub

Despite the big numbers, Goldman gets the kid glove treatment relative to the severity of its 1MBD misconduct.

CalPERS: Poster Child of Private Equity Cargo Cultism

CalPERS’ zealous defense of private equity looks pathological. So we hazard a diagnosis.