Saturday, July 19, 2025

Mass Gatherings Contributed to Early COVID-19 Mortality: Evidence from US Sports

A clever and disconcerting analysis shows how much big indoor gatherings boosted Covid-19 deaths.

Why International Financial Regulation Still Falls Short

Financial regulators still don’t like to tame bubbles even after seeing how costly it is when they go boom. Shame, that.

2:00PM Water Cooler 8/5/2020

COVID up-and-comers, swing states ~ Biden blows a gasket on cognitive testing question ~ Biden foreign policy ~ Allan Lichtman of keys fame predicts Trump loss ~ Cori Bush victory in Missouri ~ Employment, services, trade ~ Immunology ~ “The Science” ~ The Louvin Brothers ~ Adam Tooze

International Trade Has Cost Americans Millions of Jobs. Investing in Communities Might Offset Those Losses

After too many years of “Let them eat training,” a more practical answer to trade-induced job losses.

Links 8/5/2020

Washington Going Full Andrew Mellon as Stimulus Talks Drag, Inadequate Support Guaranteed

An inadequate second stimulus is guaranteed. The only question is “how inadequate”?

Remembering John Weeks

John Weeks was a leading critic of economic orthodoxy who dedicated his life to building a better world.

Preserve Our Post Office, Before It’s Too Late

It ought to be stunning that the Post Office needs to be defended….

2:00PM Water Cooler 8/4/2020

COVID: Party on ~ Biden as the next FDR ~ Sanders’ “10 reasons” ~ Trump interview ~ Closed Republican Convention ~ Podesta, war-gaming 2020, uses faithless electors strategy, Democrats threaten secession ~ Manufacturing, housing, employment ~ Herd immunity ~ Evictions

Call for ‘Emergency Charity Stimulus’ as Billionaire Wealth Soars and US Nonprofits Sink

Charity reform would help deploy more funds to address more Covid-19 needs, but the real remedy lies in much bolder government spending.

Links 8/4/2020

Hubert Horan: The Airline Industry Collapse Part 3 – Recovery Expectations Were Always Dreadfully Wrong

Not only is the airline industry in desperate shape, but its executives have made its bad situation worse, increasing resolution costs for all bagholders.

How’s Your Economy, Small Businesses Death Watch Edition

A reader query focused on small businesses.

Is Silicon Valley Nudging Us Towards an Authoritarian Future?

Why it is not crazy to worry about Silicon Valley.

2:00PM Water Cooler 8/3/2020

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~