Please think GDP for a moment. Reported and revised during each quarter, GDP numbers create a reaction. If the growth rate is high, lawmakers assume their policies are working. When the numbers are lower, people wonder how to boost them.…
Business Cycles
Elon Musk’s Tunnel Vision
It appears that Elon Musk’s year-old Boring Company has tunnel vision. The firm has proposed a high-tech tunnel between NYC and Washington D.C. that got a verbal okay from the White House: Where are we going? To new tunnels and…
The Shrinking Cities Problem
An idyllic mountain village wants you. The town has one shop, a church, houses that have been there forever, and a population that has shrunk to 240. It is located in the Swiss Alps. Albinen’s plusses include clean air, magnificent views, and…
Why China is Eating More Cranberries
For China, becoming a middle income country is about more than per capita income. It is also about cranberries. Chinese Cranberry Consumption In 2013, most Chinese consumers had not heard of the cranberry and, until recently, they even had no word for…
The Surprising Lessons From Economic Crises
For all economic crises, some economists tell us, “This time it’s different,” while others disagree with their new solutions.
The Messages That Satellite Images Send
By showing illuminated areas of the world, nighttime satellite images can tell economic stories that relate to growth and contraction.
The Time Zone Changes That Massachusetts Might Make
Cows don’t like the switch to daylight saving time. A California organic dairy farmer said he enjoys the extra hour of light that starts in March. But his cows don’t. Because they are accustomed to a 2:00 a.m. milking regimen,…
The Power of Saudi Female Drivers
By royal decree, a Saudi woman can drive by June 24, 2018. But she still might need permission from her husband to buy a car. Narrowing the Saudi gender gap will be complicated. The Saudi Gender Gap First, let’s see…
All You Never Knew About Sleep and Work
In Japan, you could be admired for taking a daytime snooze at work. Called inemuri, “sleeping while present,” lets you attend a meeting while displaying your diligence through your exhaustion. It lets you signal that you are on the job…
What Technology Entrepreneurs Want From Government
With Silicon Valley being called a massive ATM, researchers looked at the opinions of elite technology entrepreneurs to see their political influence.