Fearless commentary on finance, economics, politics and power

A hard look at the use of the notion of populism in recent political discourse, starting with the curious lack of self-professed populists.

A discussion of how the rich got to be that way and why their justifications for their advantaged status don’t stand up to much scrutiny.

More evidence on cancer clusters in the Corn Belt, and the difficulty of rallying official interest and help.

The architecture of Bragg’s case, and the state of play of its various elements.

~ Today’s Water Cooler: Open Thread ~

This column examines why consumer sentiment in the US remained depressed in 2023 despite low unemployment and falling inflation, and finds that increasing borrowing costs can explain much of this gap.

The latest in KLG’s arc of posts on the theory and practice of science in the so-called modern world.

While media focus is on pro-Palestine protests in the US, anger in North Africa and Western Asia could boil over

In a sharp departure from established practice, Milei admits that the Falkland Islands, or Malvinas, are, to all intents and purposes, British. And he is no rush to change that.  For most Argentines, Margaret Thatcher is a controversial figure, to put it mildly. It was she who, as British Prime Minister, ordered the torpedoing of […]

~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, pandemics, Stormy Daniels takes the stand, vaccine hesitancy, why have kids stopped reading? ~

Europe leaders and experts are spooked by what Covid and Ukraine war, erm, energy actions have done to their supply sources. What to do?

Why peak oil, like Godot, keeps not arriving.