Can a Hurricane Help an Economy?

Before, during and after a natural disaster like Harvey, we have hurricane economics affecting gasoline markets and the GDP.

A New Way To Take Our Economic Pulse

Economists become somewhat similar to weather men and women when their GDP monitor is a nowcast that forecasts the present.

What Star Wars Can Teach Us About Success

Even as it celebrates its 40th birthday after a quiet 1977 debut, we cannot be sure of the reasons for Star Wars’s success.

The Economic Significance of Alcohol Consumption

While it is relatively easy to measure how much alcohol consumption varies among countries, identifying a direct economic impact is much tougher.

How Holiday Spending Helps (and Harms) Our Economy

Holiday spending is about more than Mother’s Day when we look at the long list of days, weeks and months that were created to boost a brand or industry.

What Matt Damon Can Teach Us About Chinese FDI

The Great Wall is a man beats monsters movie. Set in medieval China, the film has Matt Damon stumbling upon China’s Great Wall just when they need him to conquer a horde of invading Tao Tei. From what I can…

Daylight Saving Time Dilemmas

Last weekend, our daylight saving time dilemmas began again as we lost an hour of sleep but gained evening time to shop, exercise and go to athletic events.

Why Measuring Happiness is Tough

Measuring happiness is tough because of the difference between what we actually experience and what we remember about those moments.

The Accuracy of the Mashed Potato Index

Mashed Potatoes could be a good way to decide the direction of consumer spending. Where are we going? To consumer spending indices. The Mashed Potato Index (MPI) A pound container of mashed potatoes will cost you $4 at Stew Leonard’s, a NY…

Weekly Roundup: From Santa’s Salary to Holiday Spending

This week’s economic news summary includes Apple’s corporate taxes, Santa’s GDP connection, seasonal spending, the gender gap and the brain and shopping.