Cian Twomey

Opinion | China is winning the trade war Trump started On many fronts, Trump is inadvertently aiding China’s anti-American dictatorship.

In January, President Donald Trump declared trade war on China. It gives me no pleasure to report that China — a ruthless, anti-American dictatorship — is winning. But the evidence is inescapable. China’s economy grew by 5.3% in the first half of the year, America’s by only 1.25%. wapo.st/3UeAFE9

Behind the Curtain: AI is shouldering the American economy The biggest companies in history are spending a stunning amount of money to fuel the AI revolution.

The biggest companies in history are spending a stunning amount of money to fuel the AI revolution.

This dynamic is basically powerful enough to cover for an economy that otherwise looks like it's weakening by the day.

How brilliant is this www.weregildcalculator.com

A fun reminder that a loss of 60,000 jobs in and around academia is ~50% more than all coal mining jobs in the entire country.

The minute someone starts blabbering about "woke" or the "woke mind virus", you just know that they're about to say some of the dumbest shit you have ever heard with the most confidence you have ever seen.

Moodys Chief Economist Mark Zandi: “The (US) economy is on the precipice of recession…Consumer spending has flatlined, construction and manufacturing are contracting, and employment is set to fall. And with inflation on the rise, it is tough for the Fed to come to the rescue.”

Gaza Starvation Photos Tell a Thousand Lies Hamas propaganda exploits seriously ill children, and Western media go along.

The editors who published this should go straight to The Hague. I mean literally, according to the terms of international law such as it exists.

AI thrives where education has been devalued | The Observer A culture that views knowledge as a means to an end invites the misuse of new technology

“It is less that AI is the cause of degradation in reading and thinking, and more that the creation of a culture that views knowledge primarily in an instrumental manner has made it easier to misuse AI.” My ‪@theobserveruk.bsky.social column: observer.co.uk/news/opinion...

Beef patties from different countries

Calculating the tariffs on these international cows of mystery is going to be challenging

I don't know who heads Ireland's statistics agency @csoireland.bsky.social but I do know our Taoiseach won't or can't fire them on a whim

It has been the honor of my life to serve as Commissioner of BLS alongside the many dedicated civil servants tasked with measuring a vast and dynamic economy. It is vital and important work and I thank them for their service to this nation.

"He's a piece of shit, but let's get the political science stuff out of the way," Steven told me when I asked if he thought support of Tesla could be considered apolitical. "Elon Musk has platformed white supremacists and antisemites on X. He got rid of all the moderation. He put back accounts that were clearly neo-Nazis. He's changed algorithms to promote that type of hate. Him and DOGE did massive cuts in the government, including our civil services. He's cut cancer research. Did I mention he was a giant piece of shit?" "He's cut our aid to Africa, which Will result, without exaggeration, in millions of women and children and innocent people dying. Millions," he said. "I'm not a big fan of people who give the Hitler salute. I mean, I'm kind of fussy like that. He gave it twice at Trump's inauguration," he continued. "He's a Nazi. And he cheats at video games. You have another question?"

lol at this response to a “man on the street” interview with protestors at the Tesla diner

The White House is happy to announce the new head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics

This is awful. Reliable economic data is a key strength of the US economy.

When Argentina and Greece faked economic data it contributed to major crises.

I don't think Trump will be able to fake the data given the procedures. But there is now a risk plus an awful appearance.

Great to see such an improvement. Onwards and upwards

Marc A deserves this

Where's that idea being floated?
Clearly, we need a more diversified economic strategy, but definitely not an "independent economy"

If tariffs were such brilliant economic policy (note they're not), many other countries with trade deficits or low GDP growth would have used them in recent decades

Always reactivation.

Evidence for:

Reactivation of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)
Reactivation of latent Tuberculosis (LTBI)
Reactivation of dormant cancer cells.

The downstream negative population health effects of unmitigated SARS-CoV-2 transmission are undeniable now.

The Bots Will Work Together Also Kalshi bets, Robey Warshaw, ETHZilla, and putting Bitcoin on your credit card.

www.bloomberg.com/opinion/news...

"In simulations designed to mimic real-world markets, trading agents powered by artificial intelligence formed price-fixing cartels — without explicit instruction. Even with relatively simple programming, the bots chose to collude when left to their own devices"

Among the many issues that this piece highlights is how the conspiracy theories surrounding COVID-19 origins have remained almost entirely focused on a handful of chat logs and email threads from five years ago while the science has been evolving and pointing more and more towards zoonosis.

FROM. AMERICANS. YOU. FUCKING. SHIT. HEADS.

The race for the future of cross-border payments Projects that aim to innovate correspondent banking should be seen as a geopolitical, not just technical, imperative

Much more attention should be focused on the projects to innovate wholesale payments involving financial institutions and central banks - argues Elettra Ardissino here. There are high geopolitcal stakes involved www.ft.com/content/44d9...

Rasmus Jarlov on Twitter writes: "There is nothing to celebrate. Moving from average tariffs of less than 2% on trade between the USA and Europe to 15% under today’s deal will inevitably lead to inflation. Almost everything will become more expensive in both Europe and the USA, and we will all be worse off. The economic illiteracy in the White House is doing serious damage to the West." Stylish Skunk replies: "I have a feeling you have 0 idea what you're talking about. In fact I know you do." Rasmus Jarlov responds: "Of course. I am former minister of trade in Denmark and you are an anonymous Twitter profile. You probably know a lot more than me. For sure."

lol

I'd rather a leprechaun than this plastic MAGA Paddy

Europe should tell Trump to "fuck off"

a fervent anti-abortion republican having an affair and allegedly paying for several abortions always the ones u most suspect

Irrational Exuberance, the 2025 edition

The stablecoin loophole that could expose the EU A regulatory framework must be established for tokens issued both inside and outside the bloc

The stablecoin loophole that could expose the EU - This is a fascinating argument from Richard Portes, particularly the tension between the push to establish a common EU market and the desire of nations to get a jump in areas like crypto www.ft.com/content/3dd6...