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America has long been the linchpin of the global economy.  It has often been suggested that when America sneezes, the world catches a cold.  So far, the world’s largest economy has not reached for a tissue or even sniffled, but large trading partners are exhibiting signs of weakness.

Are we in a drought or not?  It depends on where you live.  According to the map above, virtually all of California is not.  Those living to the southeast of the Golden State are not so lucky.  How did this come to be?  An excess of rain last year in California helped.  However, the West Coast probably shouldn’t act as if the current state of water will last

We all know the old saw about slowly boiling a frog.  It is a cruel idea but demonstrates how the consequences of steady, yet destructive behaviors can sneak up on us if we aren’t careful.  America has been growing its levels of debt for years.  Some have worried about the outcome while others are more sanguine.  For now, those remaining calm have been on the right sid

Those in the economics profession are often charged with making forecasts.  For some periods, there is a lot of agreement regarding the path of the economy.  But then the road gets bumpier, and opinions begin to differentiate more and more.  Th

What causes the daily fluctuations in stock markets can seem confusing.  There’s a reason for that.  They are confusing.  From moment to moment, prices can change on a dime without any apparent cause.  It reminds me of a concept in quantum mechanics called Wave Function Collapse.

It’s preseason, but the National Football League has started its 2023 season.  There was a game on last night and more to come in the next few days.  Quarterbacks are arguably the most important player on the field.  They lead, execute strategies, and take blame when things don’t go their team’s way.  The role requires them to be under constant pressure fro

July 2023 was hot.  Numbers are still being crunched, but it’s likely to go down as the warmest on record.  That could set up for an interesting rest of the summer if the heat doesn’t back down some.  According to a group of researchers at University of California, Berkeley, (Solomon M.

I'm Buy-Now-Pay-Later Man,

I live on a credit plan.

I see it, I want it, I get it, you see,

No money? No problem, it's all so easy.

I'm Buy-Now-Pay-Later Man,

I live on a credit plan.

Employment data have been rather consistent during the past year or so and could be setting up the Federal Reserve for a period of difficulty.  Growing payrolls have been the trend every month since December 2020.  The year-over-year statistic has been above zero since April 2021.  Although, it has also been decelerating since then (see the chart above), partly due to the law of

Philadelphia is a significant city in American history.  Delegates from 12 of the 13 original colonies met as there as the First Continental Congress on September 5, 1774, for a meeting which lasted until October.  Fast forward nearly two centuries and American Bandstand (AB) premiered there in March 1952.