~ Today’s Water Cooler ~
Thursday, January 15, 2026
FDIC Sells Much of Silicon Valley Bank to First-Citizens Bank. Total Cost of SVB Collapse to Deposit Insurance Fund: $20 Bn
Even collapsed banks have lots of assets that the FDIC sells to cover the costs to the Fund. Signature Bank collapse costs the Fund only $2.5 billion
Fed-Inflicted Bank Wobbles Persist as Investors Fret About Deutsche
Bank fundamentals do not look likely to get better any time soon, yet the Fed seems determined to make matters worse.
How Debt Dynamics Polarize Economic and Political Power
An overview from Michael Hudson’s new book, The Collapse of Antiquity, which extends his analysis of how debt creates an entrenched elite.
Please Keep Off the Grass!
Breaking the power of the Lawn Industrial Complex.
Sen. Sanders Shows Fire, but Seeks Modest Goals, in His Debut Drug Hearing as Health Chair
“What am I missing in thinking that it’s cruel to make a medicine that people can’t afford?”
Gender Reveal… It’s Brands!
On gender proliferation.
Your ‘Recycled’ Grocery Bag Might Not Have Been Recycled
Recent laws encourage recycling old plastic into new products. But verifying recycled content relies on tricky math.
The Collapse of Antiquity: Greece and Rome as Civilization’s Oligarchic Turning Point
The media introduction to Michael Hudon’s newest book, The Collapse of Antiquity.
2:00PM Water Cooler 3/24/2023
~ Today’s Water Cooler ~
Artificial Intelligence in Medicare Advantage Plans Impedes Access to Care
Another reputable body reports more examples of Medicare Advantage plans using AI to engage in insurance fraud.
