Is Your Pension Safe?
An important reminder about how pensions work and the risks of various types.
Read more...Author Archives: Yves Smith
The US Dollar: Not a Traditional Safe Haven
Why the dollar is more of a safe haven than it might seem, despite Trump’s persistent undermining.
Read more...Iran War Watch
The US is acting like it is hot for war with Iran. Trump is moving so many military assets that it will be hard to climb down. What next?
Read more...ICE Not Only Looks and Acts Like a Paramilitary Force – It Is One, and That Makes It Harder to Curb
Why it is important to recognize that ICE is a paramilitary operation. Among other things, they are harder to reform than traditional police.
Read more...Defeat of the West – Michael Hudson and Lena Petrova on Davos Panic, Destruction of the EU & Economic Collapse
Michael Hudson and Lena Petrova discuss the breakdown of the US-led order, Trump’s misguided efforts to maintain primacy, and what comes next
Read more...Satyajit Das: Book Essay – Measuring Progress
Carl Benedikt Frey traces the history of technological innovation. But does that constitute progress?
Read more...Population Growth Slows to Crawl, Net Migration May Turn “Negative”: Census Bureau’s New Population Estimates
Population stagnation or even shrinkage has major implications for prospects for housing, employment, and consumer spending.
Read more...Links 1/28/2026
More Evidence of Destructive Deflation in China
China’s deflation crunch is getting worse.
Read more...Creative Energy Diplomacy Might Avert Another American Attack On Iran
Trump needs a face-saving way to de-escalate with Iran. Is an energy deal possibe?
Read more...Retro Fever: Cranking Back the Years
From Trump on down, the US is particularly keen on the retrograde.
Read more...Trump Does a Soft TACO as Republicans, NRA and Law Enforcement Officers Oppose ICE Thuggery. A Gambit or a Real Climbdown?
Trump for the moment is signaling a climbdown on his hyper-aggressive ICE tactics. But how long will this show of contrition last?
Read more...Geopolitics as a Monetary Shock: The ‘Silent Tightening’ in the European Banking System Due to Sanctions Against Russia
Another example of Ukraine war blowback on the West: banking costs rose and lending tightened due to the sanctions on Russia.
Read more...Is Being Virtuous Good for You – or Just People Around You? A Study Suggests Traits Like Compassion May Support Your Own Well-Being
Is being virtuous more than just its own reward?
Read more...Ukraine Hoist on Its PR Petard? Bizarre Media and Official Silence Over Humanitarian Crisis From Russian Grid Attacks, Extreme Difficulty of Rebuilding
The damage to Ukraine’s grid is already so serious and hard to remedy that its future as a failed state is close to certain.
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