Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Michael Hudson on Coronavirus and Debt Winners and Losers

Michael Hudson explains why debt cancellation and turning banks into utilities is the only sound response to the cornacrisis.

The Pandemic Shows the Importance of Funding Early Childcare and Education Infrastructure (Updated)

Why investment in childcare and education provides high returns yet has been largely ignored in Covid-19 responses.

2:00PM Water Cooler 6/26/2020

COVID-19 spike in the states, plus county data ~ Biden on masks ~ Biden on Black Lives Matter ~ Massive Trump takedown by Nooners ~ The Great Assimilation™ ~ Consumer spending, personal income, consumer sentiment ~ The Black Death ~ COVID-19 aerosols, HVAC ~ Forests and carbon

Pandemic-Emptied Hotels Could Become Affordable Housing, City Officials Suggest

Potentially thousands of vacant hotel rooms in New York City alone are ripe for conversion into permanent residences, deputy mayor, housing groups and hotel owners agree.

Links 6/26/2020

Newspaper Woes Intensify in Covid-19 Era: Widespread Job and Pay Cuts as Ad Revenues Fall

While you were busy worrying about coronavirus, the newspaper business took another body blow.

SEC Issues Devastating Risk Alert on Private Equity Abuses; Effectively Admits Failure of Last 5+ Years of Enforcement

The SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations says private equity conduct is really really bad.

The Best Law Capital Can Buy

A review of the important new book “The Code of Capital: How the law creates wealth and inequality.”

2:00PM Water Cooler 6/25/2020

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~

Bayer Agrees to $10.9 Billion Glyphosate Settlement

Bayer agrees to $10.9 billion glyphosate settlement, resolving much pending US litigation. The company still faces European woes.

Links 6/25/2020

‘Downright Dangerous’: Trump Moves to End Federal Support for Testing Sites as US Sees Record Daily Spike in Covid-19 Infections

Trump administration moves to curtail COVID testing – on theory that if there’s no test showing the tree fell in the forest, it did not fall.

LA Times’ Michael Hiltzik Shellacks CalPERS for Trumped-Up Attacks on Board Member Margaret Brown, Toadying to Staff Instead of Providing Oversight

Mike Hiltzik gives the CalPERS board yet another well-warranted dressing down.

Minnesota, Ellison Announces Climate Lawsuit Against Exxon, Koch, and API

Minnesota launches a bold climate lawsuit. What are its odds of prevailing?

2:00PM Water Cooler 6/24/2020

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~