Part the First: Profit in Medicine. In a report that will tug at the heartstrings of everyone, STAT tells us that HCA warns of lower profits in its future as more patients go uninsured because ObamaCare subsidies have gone by the wayside: The country’s biggest hospital chain lowered its 2026 profit outlook on Tuesday after […]
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Friday, July 17, 2026
Coffee Break: Health Care Digest
Topics: Coffee Break, Health care, Politics, Social policy, Social values
Posted by KLG at 2:00 pm | 10 Comments »
Links 7/17/2026
Topics: Links
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 6:59 am | 67 Comments »
As Argentina Celebrates World Cup Revenge Over England, Milei Is Literally Auctioning Off the Country
Whatever one might say about the 2026 World Cup, it has been eventful. Controversial, yes, downright dystopian at times, and quite possibly rigged, but eventful.
Topics: Guest Post
Posted by Nick Corbishley at 6:45 am | 29 Comments »
Iran War: US Sixth Wave of Escalation Strikes Hits Bridges, Civilian Infrastructure, More Promised Next Week; Iran Hits Bahrain Refinery, Signaling Ability to Destroy Gulf Energy Assets; Closure of Bab el-Mandeb Strait Expected
Today’s Iran war news: Trump continues to escalate, with more threatened for next week, apparently out of anger as opposed to with a plan.
Topics: Doomsday scenarios, Economic fundamentals, Energy markets, Media watch, Middle East, Politics
Posted by Yves Smith at 5:18 am | 79 Comments »
Rob Urie: No Path Forward, No Way Back, Imperial Decline Edition
Decades of misuse of US imperial advantages, malinvestment, looting produce hopium for destructive AI deployment as a rescue for the rich.
Topics: Free markets and their discontents, Guest Post, Income disparity, Politics, Ridiculously obvious scams, Social policy, Social values, Technology and innovation, The destruction of the middle class, The dismal science
Posted by Yves Smith at 4:52 am | 24 Comments »
How Apocalyptic Worldviews Are Moving from the Fringes to the Corridors of Power
Why apocalyptic concerns seem fully warranted, officials and prominent figures can use them to manipulate the public.
Topics: Doomsday scenarios, Guest Post, Media watch, Politics, Social values
Posted by Yves Smith at 1:34 am | 8 Comments »
How Did We Get Stuck?
Much seems to be moving, but little is fundamentally changing. But can it change, or are we stuck in a particular world system?
Topics: Coffee Break, Globalization, Politics, Social policy, Social values
Posted by Curro Jimenez at 2:00 pm | 21 Comments »
Big Money and the Maine Election: Round 2
Despite Maine Democratic Party claims that outside interests won’t influence who replaces Platner, the money trail suggests otherwise.
Topics: Guest Post, Income disparity, Politics, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Yves Smith at 10:05 am | 15 Comments »
Links 7/16/2026
Topics: Links
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 6:58 am | 42 Comments »
Iran War: Strait of Hormuz Traffic Falls as Trump Threatens Infrastructure Strikes; Iran Alleges $9 Billion of Witkoff/Kushner Profits from Negotiation Intel, Demands Cut
Today’s Iran war news: Trump’s bluster increases, evidently to compensate for military impotence.
Topics: Doomsday scenarios, Economic fundamentals, Energy markets, Media watch, Middle East, Politics
Posted by Yves Smith at 5:15 am | 87 Comments »
Satyajit Das: Déjà Vu All Over Again! Are Stock Markets Repeating Dot.com Mistakes?
AI valuations make the dot.com era look pale. Yet genuine excitement seems to be wanting.
Topics: Economic fundamentals, Guest Post, Investment outlook, Ridiculously obvious scams, Technology and innovation, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Yves Smith at 3:50 am | 17 Comments »
Senators and Representatives Block $1.15 Trillion Pentagon Bill Over Trump’s Illegal Iran War, Israel Integration
A preliminary success in blocking Trump’s plan to supersize the Pentagon budget and integrate the IDF.
Topics: Doomsday scenarios, Guest Post, Macroeconomic policy, Middle East, Politics
Posted by Yves Smith at 1:11 am | 7 Comments »
Coffee Break: Texas Gets Trampled by Trump’s DHS
Texas is getting what it voted for with Trump good and hard with ICE murdering a Houston man in cold blood, border walls threatening to mar the Big Bend, and data centers guzzling water and pricing small town families out of their homes.
Topics: Coffee Break
Posted by Nat Wilson Turner at 2:00 pm | 12 Comments »
Should BRICS+ Lead the Global South?
BRICS seems destined never to live up to hopes for it. Is strengthening the Non-Aligned Movement a better strategy?
Topics: Currencies, Free markets and their discontents, Globalization, Guest Post, Income disparity, Payment system, Politics
Posted by Yves Smith at 9:55 am | 6 Comments »
Links 7/15/2026
Topics: Links
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:59 am | 79 Comments »



