Author Archives: Yves Smith

Suffocating an Island: What the U.S. Blockade Is Doing to Cuba

Medea Benjamin provides a gripping on-the-ground report of how conditions in Cuba are deteriorating due to the US oil blockage.

Costs of Device-Reliant Parenting: Kids Deficient in Empathy and Storytelling Skills, Can’t Read, Show Declining Cognitive Performance

Another disconcerting report on the harm done to kids by device and tech heavy parenting

Links 2/11/2026

Reuters Finds AI-Using Surgery Devices Harmed Patients; Nature Magazine and Reuters Find Medical Chatbots Not Beating Patients’ Own Internet Sleuthing

More reasons to be concerned about the aggressive implementation of AI in medicine.

The Finance Curse Is Killing Britain

A well-warranted harsh look at the high cost an overly-large and ever-more-extractive finance sector imposes on society as a whole.

‘This Is Your Money’: Trump Assault on CFPB Has Cost Consumers $19 Billion

The affordability crisis includes the cost of being cheated, which due to the weakening of the CFPB alone is a handsome sum.

Links 2/10/2026

The European Veal Pen: How the US Weaponized Russophobic Paranoia & Energy Geopolitics To Capture Control of Europe

Can Europe free itself from its capture by the US, which looked like a dandy idea until the US became an openly predatory hegemon?

Journalism May Be Too Slow To Remain Credible Once Events Are Filtered Through Social Media

Some hand-wringing, as well as blame shifting, as to why social media and independent sites are eating the lunches of mainstream media.

Iran War Watch: US Moves Towards Attack Footing Despite Questionable Odds of Success

On the Iran front, the US is taking steps that do not look like mere posturing. Many experts, including ones in Iran, think war is nigh.

Links 2/7/2026