So what is a balance of payments deficit, anyway? YouTube video by Paul Krugman

What is a balance-of-payments deficit? I should know, but I don't. Nobody does. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY6d...

Nunca nada es para tanto

Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio) YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen

I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Stay free

El Parlamento Europeo frena la aprobación del pacto comercial con Mercosur La Eurocámara vota a favor de remitir el acuerdo comercial al Tribunal de Justicia de la UE

Filibusterismo para que Europa sea débil.
Contra el comercio y a favor de los aranceles, como Trump, como los del Brexit, erosionando la mejor baza de Europa en el mundo: alianzas entre iguales, comercio, integración, tratados internacionales sólidos, respeto a la ley.

elpais.com/economia/202...

The Symposium (Penguin Classics) The Symposium (Penguin Classics) [Plato, Gill, Christopher, Gill, Christopher, Gill, Christopher] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Symposium (Penguin Classics)

‼️ Please share widely ‼️ This is the text Texas politicians do not want students to read. It's a fascinating discussion about sex, gender, and desire set at a lively drinking party. It's very important that students know NOT to read it: www.amazon.com/Symposium-Pe... Please help me spread the word.

ICE, Trump’s private army How a federal agency became a paramilitary force, built a parallel prison system, and now answers to the president alone—while Washington lectures Europe on democracy

🧵 For the past two days, we’ve been watching something obscene unfold.
The Trump administration is portraying the victim of ICE violence as a terrorist and the killer as a hero shielded by absolute immunity.
On one point, however, they tell the truth.

1/7
civiceconomist.substack.com/p/ice-trumps...

Trump Lays Out a Vision of Power Restrained Only by ‘My Own Morality’

tl;dr "L'État, c'est moi" www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/u...

This outcome is possibly great news for armed groups operating in the country. A weaker, more corrupt, more fragile, state will make new territories more accessible to ELN (and other gangs), expanding their territory in Apure, Táchira, Bolívar, and Zulia, potentially boosting cocaine production.

Any deeper political change seems less likely because of its higher risks (most likely requiring boots on the ground). Venezuelan opposition has very limited bargaining power in this process.

Granting full access to oil infrastructure (like the PDVSA terminals) in Venezuela seems to be the bargaining chip in the hands of the Venezuelan government. If they reach a deal (oil access exchanged for limited/cosmetic political changes), the regime will most likely survive.

Around 7,000+ heavily armed ELN (National Liberation Army, a pan-american narco-guerrilla) controls parts of Venezuela (in Zulia, Táchira, Apure, Amazonas, Bolívar). This originally Christian and Marxist group was created in 1964 and was never defeated. Any power vacuum will favour their expansion.

Trump Wants to Dominate Venezuela, Not Liberate It Maduro destroyed my country. What comes next could be worse.

Worth reading

open.substack.com/pub/persuasi...

Galtieri ordered an invasion of the Falklands in 1982, shortly after becoming the de facto president of Argentina. The British recovered the Islands and he was arrested in 1983.

Maduro will not be released by the Venezuelan army. Still, diversion strategies do not always end well.

In Cali, Colombia, where I am now, a small group of Venezuelans march chanting “Muera Maduro”, some cars honk, following the rhythm.

The US invaded Panama in 1989. In a five weeks operation, 23 US soldiers, 300+ Panamanian soldiers and 200+ to 1,000+ civilians were killed. Panama was then the size of Caracas today. A US deployment seems unlikely.

Scary Irony
A head of state who did not accept the outcome of a previous presidential election kidnaps a HoS who did not accept the outcome of the domestic presidential elections.

Desk Rejection should have (most likely) been the editor/AE decision. My desk rejection rate has never been higher.

If video were available back then, this is how disappearances during right-wing Latin American dictatorships would look.

Seeing citizens kidnapped by government forces should drive people to take to the streets, but apparently, it is not enough.

Etched in Marble: Dani Rodrik on Writing as Thinking and the Courage to Say It Out Loud Writers on the Forces That Shape Us and the Writing That Endures

Few economists write like Dani Rodrik.

He combines clarity, precision with the courage to say what others only think.

Read my full conversation with him here: catherineeunicedevries.substack.com/p/etched-in-...

🧵

I just received an email informing us about safety measures to take when traveling. Five years ago, I would not have imagined seeing these countries named together:

"Countries classified as high risk in terms of knowledge security are: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and the United States."

Want to reduce sexual harassment in MA higher ed? Sign up NOW to testify either remotely or in person Thur Oct 16 2025 for this bill I’ve been advocating for!

ACTION: Choose H.4113 from the menu of bills. The deadline to register is Tuesday, October 14, by 5 PM. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Where are you, @alvarolaparra.bsky.social ? Welcome to La Terreta

Sustainability & Behaviour Change: A look inside our introductory course

🌍 How can we use behaviour change to tackle real-world challenges?
See how our Introductory Course uses sustainability examples to bring behaviour change to life 👇 www.linkedin.com/pulse/explor...
📅 Next course starts 6 October - sign up: www.futurelearn.com/courses/beha...
@susanmichie.bsky.social

Come to Göttingen! 😀 Information event for prospective students/applicants from Non-EU/EEA countries: August 28, 2025, 14:00, Zoom: https://lnkd.in/eQZKsMvY Application window for citizens from… | Wi... Come to Göttingen! 😀 Information event for prospective students/applicants from Non-EU/EEA countries: August 28, 2025, 14:00, Zoom: https://lnkd.in/eQZKsMvY Application window for citizens from non-E...

Information session on the Master program in #DevEcon @uni-goettingen.de for prospective international non-EU applicants:
📆 Tomorrow (28th), 2 pm German time on Zoom

#EconSky #Postgrad #Students

Very good article by @martinsandbu.ft.com. I am still debating whether pragmatism now to prepare for a future confrontation might make sense. But when I hear European leaders praise Trump I do feel like the title of this article: they are selling our soul.

Unbelievable!!!

Apply for funding to work with me and Gord at Cornell!

Same experience here with a couple or recent tests. Perplexity Pro always failed when I tested it, no matter the LLM engine chosen, @carlbergstrom.com

As always, Ted Chiang is great in this interview.
cdh.princeton.edu/blog/2025/08...