In the Blind Spot: Why everyone’s the ‘resistance’ now
SNEAK PEEK — Why the Trump 2.0 regime really does represent a technocratic takeover of the U.S. government. But maybe that’s not a bad thing? — How JD Vance has primed the U.S. legislative machine for a Chinese selective default based on the non-payment of antique Chinese bonds. — The reinvention of Kazakhstan’s Mukhtar […]
In the Blind Spot (Technocratic coups)
SNEAK PEEK — Is a coalition of tech bros and industrialists planning to rescue America in the event all hell breaks loose after the November 5 U.S. election? — Rumors of the dollar’s demise are greatly exaggerated because alternatives are still too expensive and require even more pre-paid capital. — China’s economic model faces […]
In the Blind Spot (The West’s regulatory chainsaw massacre)
SNEAK PEEK — Regulators finally catch on to the liquidity vulnerabilities associated with intraday liquidity mismatches brought on by instant payments and mobile apps. — Why the West’s incoming red-tape “chainsaw massacre” risks creating a two-tier capital market. — Dario argues that by giving back the Chagos islands, the British risk opening up a destabilizing […]
In the Blind Spot (Why the internet might never be the same again)
SNEAK PEEK — Authoritarian states are using a UN process to extinguish the internet’s borderless and free nature by transforming it at the root level into a fragmented patchwork of centrally governed protocols. — An upcoming HBO documentary claims to know Satoshi’s identity, and Izzy knows who it is. — Dario argues that […]
In the Blind Spot (The proliferation of dual-use corporations)
SNEAK PEEK — There’s been a Cambrian explosion of high-signal news the past month, and Izzy wonders if it has something to do with AI helping everyone join the dots. — What if most of the private sector is actually dual use? Izzy considers the impact on valuations if the purple economy — aka […]
In the Blind Spot (The slow march of Western capital controls)
SNEAK PEEK — Izzy sprinkles a few insights gleaned from her Saudi-state-funded trip to Riyadh. — Are capital controls about to make a comeback? Evidence is mounting that the answer is yes. — Dario reports from Buenos Aires on how ordinary Argentines are handling Milei’s reforms. Good evening subscribers! Greetings from Riyadh. By the […]
In the Blind Spot (Elite overproduction as a geopolitical risk factor)
SNEAK PEEK — Why the downfall of Bangladesh’s Iron Lady, Sheikh Hasina, offers a cautionary tale for the West’s own DEI debate. — Dario delves into the legitimacy of the counternarratives that claim American meddling may have played a role in her ousting. — Izzy argues that economies that specialise in supplying cheap labour to […]
In the Blind Spot (The slow shift to technopaternalism)
SNEAK PEEK — What does FCA listing reform have to do with the new era of technopaternalism? — China expert George Magnus shares his thoughts on whether it’s wise to emulate the China model. — Somaliland’s quest for international recognition is compromised by its deteriorating security situation, Dario writes. Greetings subscribers, or should I say […]
In the Blind Spot (‘Securonomics’, and the new UK security state)
SNEAK PEEK — Izzy takes a closer look at new Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ big economic idea of “securonomics” and what it really entails. — The US Supreme Court’s decision to grant immunity to the presidential office puts America’s constitution on course for an Augustus moment. — The prospect of peace talks between Turkey and […]
The subtle siege: How China could blockade Taiwan
Guest post by Paul Dabrowa You wake up in July 2025 to headlines blaring across every news outlet: “China invades Taiwan with coast guard fleet.” The images are striking—Chinese coast guard ships, flanked by a formidable array of maritime militia vessels, are seen enforcing a de facto blockade around Taiwan. The airwaves are filled with […]