Economic History

October 2, 2015
Published by Elaine Schwartz at October 2, 2015
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The Importance of Accurately Estimating When We Will Die

Retirement savings and income depend on the person's prior income, longevity, the macroeconomic environment, Social Security and other entitlement programs.

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September 30, 2015
Published by Elaine Schwartz at September 30, 2015
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Part 1: Understanding the Student Loan Crisis

The characteristics of the student loan crisis include a high default and delinquency rate, huge amounts of money and a personal and macroeconomic impact.

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September 22, 2015
Published by Elaine Schwartz at September 22, 2015
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Next Week’s Budget Problems

Always contentious, the federal budget needs to be approved by October 1st or a continuing resolution needs to enable discretionary federal spending.

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September 16, 2015
Published by Elaine Schwartz at September 16, 2015
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Bringing The Martian Down to Earth

For pure enjoyment The Martian is a good read but also it helps us recognize how travel to Mars has and will have positive externalities on earth.

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September 15, 2015
impact of recycling
Published by Elaine Schwartz at September 15, 2015
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Why Doing Good is Not Always Easy

By recognizing the tradeoffs of recycling, preserving endangered species and improving world health, doing good could become more productive.

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September 14, 2015
Published by Elaine Schwartz at September 14, 2015
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Part 2: How the Middle Income Trap Could Catch China

While some high middle income economies have slowed down and then accelerated again, using World Bank criteria, China's economic growth is tough to predict.

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September 13, 2015
Published by Elaine Schwartz at September 13, 2015
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Part 1: The Trap That China Wants to Avoid

Currently slowing down, China's economic growth might be challenged by the middle income trap that has caught Brazil but not Taiwan or Malaysia.

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September 1, 2015
Published by Elaine Schwartz at September 1, 2015
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What Our Food Says About Us

Because middling food like hamburgers is consumed by most people in the affluent West, what we eat does not necessarily reflect inequality or social status.

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August 30, 2015
Published by Elaine Schwartz at August 30, 2015
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Why a Life Needs a Price Tag

Although it seems callous, for safety regulation like speed limits and for victims' compensation like 9/11 we need to quantify the value of a life.

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August 24, 2015
CEO performance and golf
Published by Elaine Schwartz at August 24, 2015
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How Your Lawn is About More Than Grass

Nothing but grass, lawns began as conspicuous consumption from the English and French aristocracy and now are a middle class manicured status symbol.

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August 21, 2015
Published by Elaine Schwartz at August 21, 2015
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Some High Speed Trading History

Depending on how fast news travels, high speed trading can be done through homing pigeons or computers but both have created information asymmetry.

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August 19, 2015
Published by Elaine Schwartz at August 19, 2015
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How to Find More of the American Dream

Recognizing that neighborhoods with better schools and other shared characteristics affect income mobility, anti-poverty policy can become more effective.

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