Humanity is in a perilous phase, and the existential challenges we now face may hold the answer to the age-old question of whether there is
Alien Life and Humanity’s Future
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Weekly Market Compass
Musk Ox
A herd of musk oxen are abandoned by their dominant male. How will they defend themselves? An allegory.
Markets Vastly Underestimate Trump Risk
A Trump presidency poses significant investment risk which is nowhere to be seen in prevailing asset prices or in consensus market commentary.
Climate Change and Collective Will
Climate change is forcing the understanding that free market, libertarian ideals of human self-interest are incapable of addressing the life
Hurricanes and the US Presidency
Two years ago, Asheville NC was viewed as a climate haven. Two weeks ago it was almost washed away from Hurricane Helene. No one seeking the
Are Consumers Being Ripped Off?
Many Americans are frustrated with an economy that by most measures is actually doing pretty well — the explanation may lie in rising
Resetting US-China Economic Relations
International economic cooperation is vastly underestimated and occasionally necessary. The US and China need to find ways to cooperate.
The Fed: Set to Fail Conventionally?
The Fed has achieved its dual mandate of price stability and maximum employment. So why will it ease gradually and not all at once?
‘Whac-a-Mole’ Economics
Ever since the global financial crisis, politicians have jettisoned economic theory for reflexive solutions to economic challenges. Neither
The Fed’s Awkward Dismount
Fed Chairman Powell was poised to be hailed as the central bank gold medalist who stuck the soft landing. Has this changed?
Building Up, Breaking Down
Driving 30,000 miles around the United States is a good way to be reminded of some of life’s most important lessons.
The Coming US Tax Battles
The controversial 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will expire next year, spurring heated fiscal debate.
Don’t Kid Yourself, There is A Choice
We deserve better candidates for the world’s most powerful and important job, but we cannot let frustration be our master — this year’s
When the Rules Change
Charlie Brown, and the iconic cartoon series Peanuts, has much to teach us about how to navigate a time of fundamentally changing norms.
Inflation: The Making of a Good Story
Inflation is perhaps the key topic of today’s political economy, but it is also one that is ripe for storytellers to manipulate.
Jedi Mind Tricks
If you could give yourself and other young women advice on how to navigate a male-dominated society, what would it be?
Life Doesn’t Come With a Manual, It Comes With a Mother
This Mother’s Day, we honor our mother’s in prose and verse.
You Can Do This
When despair, fear and helplessness set in, it is important to recall the skills and experiences that calm our minds and allow us to persevere.
Why Inflation (Still) Matters
A gummed up US housing market threatens the Fed’s inflation target. It could also undermine markets and President Biden’s re-election
Monetary Policy: The Dog That Did Not Bark
The US economy has become less sensitive to Fed rate hikes. But the Fed can still ease this year, given declining inflation.
Why Are We So Glum?
The economy is objectively strong, but Americans are undeniably pessimistic, convinced the American Dream is slipping away.
The Future of ‘Sworking’
Seniors working, or ‘sworking,’ is a true potential win-win that could help alleviate pressure both on public pensions and on the elderly’s
Trump, Avalanches, and Character
Sometimes, an avalanche is triggered by one final snowflake weighting a slope beyond what it can take. Could Trump’s growing litany of legal
The Economic State of the Union
As President Biden prepares to deliver his State of the Union address, it is an opportune time to consider what the economic data says about