By now the impacts of supply chain disruption are becoming all too familiar: shortages, inflation, factory closures, goods waiting at ports to be unloaded. All these impacts are serious enough, but another more-hidden concern lurks just beneath the surface: the impact of supply chain failure on national security, broadly defined as a nation’s ability to… Continue reading Supply Chain Disruptions: The Risks and Consequences
Global Coal Power Demand On Track For Record As Green Energy Transition Crumbles
There’s no question that the ‘greenification’ of the global economy has returned many industrial countries to coal in 2021. New data from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that the amount of electricity generated worldwide from coal is on track to hit a record high. IEA’s Coal 2021 report says global power generation from coal soared 9%… Continue reading Global Coal Power Demand On Track For Record As Green Energy Transition Crumbles
Pearl Harbor Conspiracy? (FDR, Advance Knowledge, Soviet Spy)
Podcast: Download MYS185: In 1941, the US and Japan engaged in tense negotiations to avoid war, but failed. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli discuss who was responsible for that failure; whether the failure was intended; and what role Soviet agent Harry Dexter White played in all this. Get all new episodes automatically and for free:… Continue reading Pearl Harbor Conspiracy? (FDR, Advance Knowledge, Soviet Spy)
What Are FOMC Meetings And Why Are They So Important?
Have you ever wondered why stock traders on Wall Street always pay close attention to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s meetings and activities? Well, the Federal Reserve, commonly referred to as the Fed, is the most important central bank in the world because of the U.S. dollar’s special role as the main reserve currency for… Continue reading What Are FOMC Meetings And Why Are They So Important?
This COVID Winter May Cause Fewer Deaths yet Still Bring a Surge
Coronavirus cases in the U.S. have been plummeting since their recent peak in mid-September, and practically everyone has grown tired of COVID precautions. But cases plateaued in early November, and winter is coming. Experts warn it is not safe to let down our guard just yet. Some western states, such as Alaska, Colorado and North… Continue reading This COVID Winter May Cause Fewer Deaths yet Still Bring a Surge
Does Vertical Integration Improve or Imperil U.S. Health Care?
Health care consolidation is endemic across the United States. With consolidation—both horizontal (hospitals acquiring other hospitals) and vertical (for example, hospitals and health systems acquiring physician practices)—has come public attention and regulatory scrutiny. Proponents of consolidation argue that size generates efficiencies and offers opportunities to improve care coordination and quality. Critics point to concentrated markets… Continue reading Does Vertical Integration Improve or Imperil U.S. Health Care?
BlackRock – The Fed’s Wall Street Croupier
Authored by David Stockman, Central banks have not merely inflated the bejesus out of assets prices. They have also caused the very foundations of financial markets to metastasize, yielding an endless array of new products that have no real economic function except to facilitate new forms of pure wagering. Foremost among these are exchange traded… Continue reading BlackRock – The Fed’s Wall Street Croupier
At the Dawn of Life, Heat May Have Driven Cell Division
An elegant ballet of proteins enables modern cells to replicate themselves. During cell division, structural proteins and enzymes coordinate the duplication of DNA, the division of a cell’s cytoplasmic contents, and the cinching of the membrane that cleaves the cell. Getting these processes right is crucial because errors can lead to daughter cells that are… Continue reading At the Dawn of Life, Heat May Have Driven Cell Division
What Does Africa Need Most Now: Russian Arms Sales or Good Vaccines?
Africa has not traditionally been a high-value market for arms exports, but Russia has been very active on the continent. Moscow is using arms sales there to influence political and military leaders. Russia is the largest exporter of weapons to Sub-Saharan Africa (PDF). Its arms exports to Africa have increased by 23 percent over the… Continue reading What Does Africa Need Most Now: Russian Arms Sales or Good Vaccines?
A Theory As To Why COVID Cases Started Skyrocketing In Central Europe Last Month
As the scientific community continues the search for patterns related to Covid – why some people become ‘long haulers’ vs others, for example – an interesting theory has emerged as to why cases began to spike in Central Europe starting in mid-October. According to Twitter user @kbarve, the scientific community may want to look at… Continue reading A Theory As To Why COVID Cases Started Skyrocketing In Central Europe Last Month