The widening gap between the wealthy and – well, everyone else in America has occupied news headlines since the housing collapse of a few years ago. As the famous one percent gets richer and the other 99 do not, a new theory suggests that income inequality is really...
California’s Drought Hits Wallets – and Health
It takes nearly five gallons of water to cultivate a single walnut - more than it takes to grow a head of lettuce. But in drought stricken California, the water it takes for those and other fruit and vegetable crops is in drastically short supply – and that has...
Wikimedia Fights NSA For Your Civil Rights
The National Security Agency’s domestic surveillance operations hit the headlines last year to a volley of outraged objections from civil libertarians in the US and abroad. But while the news coverage has faded, the spying hasn’t – and a new lawsuit filed against the...
Millennial Entrepreneurs Change the Economic Game
Millennials get a lot of press lately – most of it bad. This generation of new and recent college grads keeps on making headlines for its staggering student loan debt, problems fitting into the working world, and lack of interest in traditional “adult” goals. But many...
Can Apple Turn Gold Into Profits?
Gold – that ancient standard for wealth and beauty – has had a roller coaster ride in the world’s money markets lately, trading down from last year and struggling against other commodities in global investing. But a new maneuver from Apple Corp is poised to change all...
Students Strike Against Loan Debt
The much-discussed US student loan debt load has hit $1.2 trillion, and in spite of government-sponsored debt forgiveness and other measures, it isn’t likely to shrink. Now, a group of students is taking matters into their own hands by simply refusing to pay off loans...
Do New Laws Erode Financial Privacy?
Where financial privacy is concerned, you can run, but you can’t hide. There was a time when offshore banking was the smart choice for investors, corporations and just about anybody who wanted to keep assets safe from the prying eyes of authorities. Swiss bank...
The Dollar Becomes a Crowded Trade
The US dollar continues to trade strong in world markets. But as it continues its climb, some market watchers worry that it might be time to put on the brakes. According to a recent article from Business Insider, the dollar has become what’s known as a “crowded trade”...
Deflation and Oil Prices: Should Investors Worry?
Oil prices are falling, dropping below $200 USD for a barrel of crude. And while that makes US consumers happy, the tumble in prices is fueling worries of a looming round of deflation that could ripple throughout the economy and trigger another round of intervention...
Can a Strong Dollar Stifle Profits?
Can anything stop Apple? The computer giant posted record earnings for its most recent quarter, fueled by sales of its flagship device, the iPhone. Though it looks as if nothing can make a dent in Apple’s performance, one thing might: the performance of the dollar in...