Ever thought of turning a seemingly crazy idea in to a successful business venture? Here’s one example. It might have seemed improbable that a skin-tight all-coverage spandex suit in lurid colors would be a choice of dress for some people. But a recent trend is conquering Europe and proving the opposite. What are we talking about? The Morphsuit. No, it isn’t about people just hankering after being...

Today, John F. Kennedy would have been 95 years old. Speaking at the University of Wyoming fieldhouse I heard him speak at the University of Wyoming when I was in second grade. Here is that speech, from 1963. He was assassinated fifty-eight days later in Dallas, Texas. I had met Senator Gale McGee on a few occasions, by that time. Here is what I heard:

Economists have a lot of ways to measure how the economy is doing. I’ve got a measure of my own — at least about the local economy of my neighborhood and a few surrounding areas. It’s the number of yard sales every weekend, and the kind of things being offered. Yard sales hereabouts used to be an adult version of kids’ lemonade stands. They were basically just fun affairs, a chance to sit...

Poor, poor Jaimie Dimon. My heart goes out to the man, Selig. But Mr. B, he’s a competitor. He heads another Wall Street bank, JPMorgan Chase. I know Selig. I know. But his company lost $2 billion on some trading deals. Lost money, Selig! It was terribly embarrassing for the poor man. But don’t Wall Street banks often lose money on their trading? Almost never, Selig. Goldman made money 25 days last...

There was a story about solar energy in yesterday’s New York Times. There was a very different story about solar energy in today’s Los Angeles Times. It would be nice, very nice indeed, if policy makers in this country read both these stories and drew the appropriate conclusions. The New York Times story was about a wonderfully intelligent, market-based method of putting solar panel-generating electricity...

Mr. B. You’re looking radiant. Today’s visit to Stall #8 seems to have touched you in a very positive way. It has, Selig, It has. What was that wonderful music I was listening to with my headphones in there? It was so…so… Strangely recognizable, sir? Uplifting? A perfect something to go with your reading of this month’s cover story in Bloomberg Markets Magazine? Yes, Selig. And...

“I despise people who go to the gutter on either the right or the left and hurl rocks at those in the center.” –Dwight Eisenhower

Before I became a senior editor with Bloomberg Financial News where my work revolved around business and economic issues, I spent years writing about the environment. This background has given me a rather interesting focus — an ability to see some important similarities in the ways the natural world and the world of economics operate. From this perspective, it’s clear to me why Mitt Romney should not...

The New York Times today reported that a former associate of Mitt Romney at Bain Capital is writing a book that purports to show why greater income inequality is good for the economy, and also benefits the 99 percent-plus who haven’t been cunning or well connected enough to become super-rich. His argument, in brief, is this: most of the money garnered by these super rich worthies isn’t spent on...

Sometimes it’s the little stuff that drives one crazy.

Jobs aren’t coming back rapidly in most parts of the country. They are, however, coming back slowly in most places. One major exception is Wisconsin. The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that Wisconsin was the only state in the country to experience “statistically significant job losses” in the 12 months ended in March. And though most of these loses were in the public sector, it...

I admit it. I’ve been having a lot of trouble understanding this family values thing. I knew it had something to do with gun ownership and undermining environmental regulations, of course. But its larger meaning had alluded me until this past week, when the family value-loving House of Representatives finally made the term’s meaning crystal clear to us all. To fund government subsidies for student...

Mr. B. You’re back again. Nothing bad on the digestive front, I hope. No. Selig. I actually came by to talk with you about something important. To get your advice. Can we sit down and chat? Sit down, sir? This is a washroom. The only places where we could… Point taken. We can chat standing. Do you know what a political action committee is, Selig? A PAC? Yes sir. They’re things that promote...

Tomorrow is Earth day. Did you notice? The New York Times didn’t mention the fact in today’s edition of the paper. Neither did the Wall Street Journal. Nor did the Los Angeles Times, though it did have a short piece about German environmentalists and nuclear power in their coutry. Come Earth Day itself, of course, some notice of the natural environment will be on view. Doubtless the Obama Administration...

If Obama loses the presidency this fall, it will probably be because he ran against the wrong opponent. He ran against Mitt Romney. Democrats used to know who and how to demonize Republicans in order to win elections. When FDR ran for reelection in 1936, he didn’t run against his official Republican opponent that year, Kansas Governor Alf Landon. He ran against Herbert Hoover. Against Hoovervilles. Against...

This and other amazingly common misconceptions are analyzed by the always-wonderful CGP Grey: 5 Historical Misconceptions Rundown! (This item cross-posted to DeanEsmay.com.)

Is inflation in this country well under control? You might think so if you listen to what’s coming from the Fed on the subject, or even from Paul Krugman, whose analysis of economic matters I usually find quite perceptive. Unfortunately, however, inflation here is not well under control when you look at it more closely and distinguish between “bad inflation” and “good inflation”...

Did you know that working moms who don’t watch Fox are socialists? Neither did I. But then I asked some folks on Twitter, who were beating up on a friend of mine who is a left of center lady, not unlike myself, and was on Fox this morning (the national cable version, not the local), if they could link to the clip about which they were razzing my friend, since, being a working parent, I don’t watch...

Sorry to bother you, Mr. B. But something happened this morning I thought you should know about. What is it Selig? A leak in the piping? I hope my Stall #8 hasn’t been flooded. No, sir. Nothing that serious. It was just that guy who came by this morning. I don’t know who he was, but he said he was here to install gun mounts over the sinks and toilet bowls. Oh that. No need to worry. He was authorized....

I’ve got a lousy cold and a lot of work – and ideas – backed up but I cannot endure one more column headline opining on why there’s a gender gap between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. The gap exists because of reality: when women look around and on an every day occasion, see and experience where we aren’t included or even thought about, or, when we are included or thought about,...