Category Archives: Doomsday scenarios

Biden Again Indicates that US Will Defend Taiwan ‘Militarily’ – Does This Constitute a Change in Policy?

A look at how the US likes to present its role in the escalating conflict over Taiwan.

Yanis Varoufakis: Time to Blow Up the Electricity Markets

How the EU’s neoliberal Rube Goldberg electricity market has made the energy shortage problem much worse than it needed to be.

Truss’s Plan to Hike Defence Funding and Ignore the Climate Is a Disaster

How Liz Truss’ defense budget math does not work…or does really well if the point is to roll social support back to Victorian workhouses.

Using the Payments System to Enforce an Russian Oil Price Cap Likely to Cause Supply Shock

The G7 plans to use its payments system to enforce a Russian oil price cap, because that worked so well in the shock and awe sanctions.

Speculation Over What Russia Does Next

Russia, as in Putin, is under pressure to amp up the Ukraine war. Will he be able to hold out?

Gasoline Demand Destruction Accelerates Despite Plunge in Prices: Consumption Drops to August 1997 Level

Gasoline purchases show a softening economy, but the Fed is likely to ignore that memo.

Olaf Scholz and Vladimir Putin Talk Past Each Other as Ukraine Pushes for Formalizing Ukraine’s NATO Lite Status

NATO is saber-rattling at Putin and the Russian leadership. Will Russia escalate or wait to see NATO’s cards?

What Should You Do During a Flood? Stay Out of the Water

Some practical flood advice.

Why The EU Is Struggling To Bring Its Energy Crisis Under Control

Why the EU is hitting a wall.

Fog of War, Military and Economic

Some questions about quality of Ukraine war commentary.

New Study More Than Triples Estimated Costs of Climate Change Damages

A new Nature study lends weight to the idea that federal agencies could be much more aggressive in regulating climate pollutants.

Michael Hudson on Student Debt Relief, Inflation, Ukraine Disaster Capitalism, Petrodollar Challenge

Michael Hudson gives a newswap with Ben Norton: student debt forgiveness, inflation, Ukraine, dollar rows, and the death of the Queen

EU Wrangling Over Energy Plans That Amount to Band-Aid Over Gunshot Wound

Even with energy-hungry businesses shuttering or reducting operations, most EU officials don’t grasp how bad things will become.

Truss Energy Shambles

New Prime Minister Liz Truss is aleady managing to underperform the low expectations for her.