The boldness of this particular Senator in publicly attacking a person, an American citizen is astonishing. Briefly, the Arab American Institute is a non-profit membership organization that advocates for the interests of Arab-Americans. Founded in 1985 by James Zogby, the brother of pollster John Zogby, the organization is based in Washington, D.C. The organization seeks to increase the visibility of Arab-American involvement and candidates in...
Read More »Louisiana Senator John Kennedy Goes off the Rails
The boldness of this particular Senator in publicly attacking a person, an American citizen is astonishing. Briefly, the Arab American Institute is a non-profit membership organization that advocates for the interests of Arab-Americans. Founded in 1985 by James Zogby, the brother of pollster John Zogby, the organization is based in Washington, D.C. The organization seeks to increase the visibility of Arab-American involvement and candidates in...
Read More »Kamiddle Class Tax Cut Harris
I just heard an advertisement for Kamala Harris in which she said she would raise taxes on the rich and cut taxes for the middle class. I was pleased. I note the empirical fact that, in years when the income tax is constitutional yet the top marginal tax rate is below 69%, nonincumbent Democrats are elected president if and only if they promise to raise taxes on high incomes and cut taxes for the middle class. I usually do not make predictions (I...
Read More »Riding the Northern Explorer or How to Run a Passenger Railroad.
I spent much time over my 50 years working in foreign countries. I needed something to do so I would sight see on weekends and in the early evenings. The Germans gave me a car so I would take off to visit castles, etc. Ended up in Czech Republic, off to Prague on a Sunday. The Germans paid for my gasoline and meals as they sent me to those countries. Cut over to Strausberg France, Zurich. The same in China, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia. I...
Read More »Not Enough to Shrink the Pay Gap with Other College Graduates
Teacher pay rises in 2023 by Sylvia Allegretto Economic Policy Institute Just offering up a portion of an EPI report on Teacher’s Earnings Public school teachers attaining a bachelor’s degree to teach in the U.S. do not make similar wages as what other similarly degreed people in other fields. There is a pay gap between the disciplines and gender. The EPI report compares the pay of public-school teachers with the pay of college graduates...
Read More »Carbon capture and storage is a fantasy — and taxpayers are footing the bill
A relatively long piece on Carbon Capture by Vox. It does touch on every topic concerning capture and storage. Oil companies sold the public on a fake climate solution — and swindled taxpayers out of billions by Amy Westervelt Vox This spring, Democrats wrapped up a nearly three-year investigation into the fossil fuel industry’s role in climate disinformation and asked the Department of Justice to pick up where they left off. In House...
Read More »Book Review with Excerpts
Sailing Alone by Richard J. King Reviewed by one-handed economist David Zetland I read this 2023 book by Richard J. King on the recommendation of LS. It’s all about those sailors who take to the sea alone, with only wind (or muscle power). It’s about the mental and physical challenges, and how technology and society have added or (mostly) subtracted from them. I thought the book was insightful. It definitely convinced me that sailing...
Read More »Frontloading Interest Rate Cuts
This report by Employ America was written the day before the Unemployment report was released on the 6th. There is another link to a report on Indeed at the end of this report. It too makes for an interesting tead. The good news from the August jobs report is the labor market is not weakening as quickly as July’s shaky report would have you believe. The bad news is the labor market’s strength is slowly fading. Time is a-wasting for the Fed to take...
Read More »Soft Landing ?
A soft landing (disinflation without a recession) looks possible. Also the remaining threat is the FED’s sticking with high interest rates, even though inflation is at a very reasonable level. I personally publicly and will almost certainly decline even if unemployment remains low. The change can be predicted, because the US index includes owner equivalent rent, a price which no one pays which is a calculation of how much homeowners would pay if...
Read More »Ken Burns Keynote Address to the Graduating Class of 2024
[embedded content] 643,567 views May 20, 2024Why would I be timely with this Keynote Address to the Class of 2024 by Ken Burns. Fifty-something addresses to graduating classes at Brandeis University. Good listen if you have 25 minutes to hear it. Ken Burns books are good reads and make for something to do while spending 10 or more hours on a plane. ...
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