In each of the coming years, we will see more floods destroy billions upon billions of dollars worth of property, crops, and infrastructure, and take hundreds of lives; more frequent, more deadly, tornadoes and hurricanes that will do the same; an increasing lack of water for crops cause food shortages and higher food prices, which will lead to more people going hungry, starving. Before long, in America, we will begin to see the lack of water cause...
Read More »The Last Straw
Just as some of those first to suffer the consequences of Climate Change were those who had been subsisting on marginal lands; some of the first to suffer the consequences of the most recent round of inflation were those who had been subsisting on marginal incomes. This was a lot of Americans. Before inflation, they were barely making ends meet because too much of their too little income was going towards housing. In a more balanced economy, housing...
Read More »Weekly Indicators for August 8 – 12
Weekly Indicators for August 8 – 12 at Seeking Alpha My Weekly Indicators post is up at Seeking Alpha. Gas prices continue to be the dominant driver of changes in the current situation. As usual, clicking over and reading will bring you fully up to date on the economic nowcast and forecast, and also reward me a little bit for my efforts. ...
Read More »Russian Central Bank Head May Be Out
Russian Central Bank Head May Be Out This is the first English language report of this, as near as I can tell after some serious googling, but it is all over a lot of pretty serious Russian sources. Reportedly, Elvira Naibiullina, Head of the Russian Central Bank, left her position this past Tuesday or thereabouts. It is unclear if she resigned or was fired, although the hints seem to be the latter. The buzz is that she is going to be made a...
Read More »Jobless claims: once again, a relentless uptrend
Jobless claims: once again, a relentless uptrend I feel like a broken record at this point, as every week the trend seems more and more relentless. Initial jobless claims rose once again, by 14,000 (seriously revised down by 12,000 from last week’s reading of 260,000) to 262,000. More importantly, the 4 week average rose another 4,500 as well to 252,000, a (revised) 8 month high. Continuing claims also rose 8,000 to 1,428,000, the highest...
Read More »What Was in My In-Box
Both Dan and I put this assortment of articles from various sites showing up in our In-Box. Rearranged the articles according to subject. Hopefully, you find something of interest. Democracy “How to confront the growing threat to American democracy,” Tom Nichols – Niskanen Center, In September 1787, an onlooker is said to have asked Benjamin Franklin what kind of government he and the other delegates to the Constitutional Convention in...
Read More »Previewing July CPI: about gas, housing, and vehicle prices
Previewing July CPI: good news and bad news about gas, housing, and vehicle prices – by New Deal democrat While July’s consumer inflation is likely to be less intense than in recent months, I don’t see it coming back down to more “normal” levels. The good news is gas; the bad news is vehicles and housing. To begin with, gas prices have fallen about 25% from their peak at the end of June to this past weekend. To get to their “real” price, I...
Read More »Pelosi’s Visit To Taiwan
Pelosi’s Visit To Taiwan, Econospeak by Barkley Rosser I wish to present a view of Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan that is different from what I have seen from others. Most commentary I have seen is either very for or very against her visiting there. On the favorable side has been wide praise from across the political spectrum, with many Republicans joining in who almost never praise her for anything. Many people support providing a positive...
Read More »What was in my In Box
Various (most) articles I typically get during a week. Some I look up to see what else is going on in the world. Most of this I briefly scan the articles and read what is interesting to me. I sometimes start writing on the topics, am interrupted, and find myself having to recall some of the thoughts with which I started. Economy “Price Gouging at the Pump Results in 235% Profit Jump for Big Oil: Analysis” (commondreams.org), Jessica Corbett...
Read More »Older People now Outnumber Younger People With Student Loan Debt*
That coming from Alan Collinge of Student Loan Justice Org. I have been writing about him, his supporters and followers, his Org. Student Loan Justice, and the government’s response to student loans for a decade now. This is news, facts, etc. about 45 million people in 2022 and not some anecdote. The post title comes from Alan Collinge’s* article in an email to me after I sent him this article, surprisingly originating in the New Yorker....
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