Today’s Water Cooler: NAFTA and wage arbitrage, China, Biden, Sanders, PA results, flipping the House, leading indicators, manufacturing, Maersk, Uber, coyotes, class warfare, self-knowledge, new planet
Sunday, February 8, 2026
CalPERS Issues False and Misleading Press Release to Try to Railroad Board on Private Equity Industry Enrichment Scheme
A brazen example of CalPERS staff trying to muscle board members and have them violate their fiduciary duty regarding a massive, misguided, and sketchy private equity outsourcing scheme.
Yes, Neoliberalism Is a Thing. Don’t Let Economists Tell You Otherwise
Now that people have started to discover what neoliberalism is, denialism is the rage.
CalPERS Board Members Say They Don’t Want to Do Their Jobs, Can’t Be Bothered With Dealing With Their Mail
The CalPERS board makes an embarrassing display of how little interest it has in rolling up its sleeves and doing some work.
Yet More Brexit Idiocy: Cabinet Thinks Begging to Stay in Customs Union Will Solve Irish Border Problem
The UK is now trying to marry up two unworkable Brexit ideas and call it a solution.
IEA: High Oil Prices “Taking A Toll” On Demand
Mr. Market may not yet take issue with rising oil prices, but the real economy is starting to register the pinch.
2:00PM Water Cooler 5/16/2018
Today’s Water Cooler: Trade, Biden, House races, industrial production, housing, trucking and ELD, coal, RVs, cellphone surveillance, robots, Kissinger on AI, Twitter on trolling
Trade War: How Tensions Have Risen Between China, the EU and the US
A very useful recap of trade measures taken so far and potential impacts of various threats made by the US, China, and EU.
What Do the Jersey Elections Have to Do With Britain?
Not only is the isle of Jersey facing increasing scrutiny for its status as a notorious tax haven, especially from the UK, but populist desire for reform is surging from within as elections approach.
Ecuador Hints It May Hand Over Assange
Assange’s luck in staying out of the hands of the US may be coming to an end.
Bill Black: Fair Seas and Following Wind John McCain
A missive from Bill Black to Senator McCain.
Announcing Birmingham Meetup for Next Wednesday, May 23
Announcing our meetup in Birminingham next week.
Do Not Even Consider Using the Voice Over Internet Service Vonage
Vonage deserves to die as a business for what they have put me through.
