Via Felix, we discover Joe Nocera at the NYT reporting that securitization professionals are not as stupid as they would have had us believe: What [the FDIC] has discovered, said [Michael H. Krimminger, the F.D.I.C.’s special adviser to the chairman for policy], is that the contracts are rarely as constricting as investors and servicers have […]

Bloomberg has an article on the international implications to remind us competitors are watching and acting as many of us look inward very intensely. This article reminds us that even though the Doha rounds are done, the WTO structure is in place. A U.S.-triggered spate of global carmaker-bailout proposals may spark trade disputes over whether […]

rdan David Sirota at Salon has reflected my take on media and says it much better than I. And here in addition to the first link. If you’re having trouble remembering what the recent election was all about, rest easy: You’re probably not going senile — you’re likely experiencing the momentary effects of brainwashing. For […]

Late Working-Age Suicides Rising: Study Noni Mausa This study from the American Journal Of Preventive Medicine offers troubling statistics – between 1999 and 2005, there has been roughly a 5% increase in suicide rates. But all that increase is confined to one demographic — whites aged 40 to 64. An L. A. Times story today […]

Robert Waldmann Matthey Yglesias points to an old mediamatters.com report which attempts to demolish the center right nation claim. I think the report is a precious resource as it collects the relevant data. Previously I found myself wasting a lot of time searching pollingreport.com. I have some thoughts on the report after the jump. update: […]

By Bruce Webb PGL raises and answers this question over at Econospeak Health Care Debate: So This is Why Conservatives Hate Social Security. Or rather he allows Conservatives in the person of Michael Cannon at Cato admit the fundamental truth: successful government social programs fatally undercut future political success for the Right. Cannon: Blocking Obama’s […]

Geithner it is. I guess we can pretend he’s not a Clinton administration alum. And he has the right experience: Though not an economist, Mr. Geithner has a deep understanding of monetary and fiscal policy and broad experience in international trade issues. Before the current crisis, he was involved in the bailouts of Mexico, Indonesia, […]

rdan hat tip to reader Jack for this example of reading making the rounds of car dealers: Subject: An example of American management expertise. It’s nice when they use an analogy to show what’s really going on – then we can understand it better. This should be sent to GM !!! Toyota and GM decided […]

OSO writes: “With thousands of houses already torched beyond repair and tens ofthousands more likely to perish, this mass immolation will reduce thesurplus supply of houses in California.” said Professor Saul O’Hara ofthe New York School of Economics today. “With a drop in supply therewill come an increase in prices, which will then reinvigorate thestate’s, […]