Tuesday, November 4, 2025

More on Deaths of Despair: New Study Links Early Job Loss to Higher Rates of Overdose Deaths and Suicides

Another look at deaths of despair confirms the danger of job loss and even too-early retirement.

The Pious Predator State: The Cookiecutter Shark and the New Regime in Turkey

The new regime in Turkey is a form of the predator state, acting as a cookiecutter shark, feeding on its prey and not killing it outright.

Ilargi: What? Default? Where? Dollar?

Why the dollar is not losing its privileged status any time soon.

Links 7/26/2020

For the Birds: Our Avian Friends Compile Amazing Flight Records, While Most Humans Remain Grounded by COVID-19

Birds continue to fly, according to new information released by the British Trust for Ornithology, untrammelled by COVID-19.

Massive Protests in Portland Continue After Judge Denies State Request for Restraining Order Against Federal Agencies

Portland protests continue and judge refuse to issue a temprary restraining order against action undertaken by federal agencies.

Links 7/25/2020

Thomas Frank: Populism is Not Mob Rule

Liberal elites see mass movements as endangering their ‘educated and wise leadership’. Populism and anti-populism has deep roots in American history.

Even If Joe Biden Wins in a Blowout, the ‘Global Economy’ Is Not Coming Back

Why corporations are past the high water mark for global commerce.

2:00PM Water Cooler 7/24/2020

COVID charts for the five problem states, smaller states, and the world ~ Biden trolls health care ~ Trump losing Iowa, Florida, donors ~ The War Party ~ 2016 is Year Zero ~ Rejected absentee ballots ~ Leading indicators, housing, rail ~ Vaccines ~ 1619 Project ~ Cake ~ What is an individual?

Essential – and Expendable – Labor, in Mexico, for the US

How workers in Mexico are now essential—to U.S. corporations.

Links 7/24/2020

Unequal Consequences of COVID-19 Across Age and Income

A six-country look at who is affected by Covid-19 and what there responses tend to be.

Brexit and Inertia

Things have changed very little on the Brexit front, which is not good.

Why Does Essential Work Pay So Little… And Cost So Much?

Ruminations on the nature of work and employment.