Making Sen$e Aug 29 Can an infusion of public R&D investment revitalize a lagging economy? The U.S. government spends about 0.7 percent of GDP on scientific research and development, down from 2 percent in the 1960s. Less investment means fewer chances for breakthroughs like the weapon-seeking robots that saved thousands of soldiers in Iraq and…
Making Sen$e Aug 15 An economist’s analysis of data on parenting, from breastfeeding to co-sleeping Raising a child is complicated and potentially confusing, with conflicting advice available everywhere a parent turns. Economist Emily Oster, a mother of two, dug into the data to help other parents make informed choices about managing their little ones --…
Making Sen$e Aug 01 Can reparations help right the wrongs of slavery? The first African slaves arrived in North America 400 years ago this month, landing at Jamestown in what's now Virginia. Recently, the idea of paying reparations for the atrocity of slavery has been earning new attention, even making its way…
Making Sen$e Jul 31 Column: The Fed is lowering interest rates, but so are market forces Is the Fed solely responsible for driving down interest rates? There's plenty of reason to think the answer is no.
Making Sen$e Jul 18 Why small cannabis growers want to produce the Champagne of pot The state government of California is currently developing rules that will define whether a geographic area can be deemed a marijuana growing region. For small farmers, who are threatened by industrial competitors and the cost of regulation, survival may depend…
Making Sen$e Jul 11 Marijuana has become big business. So why are small growers struggling to survive? As marijuana has been legalized in states across the country, investors have identified a major business opportunity. Still, the cannabis market isn’t all easy money. In California, new companies are scaling up operations, but some smaller ones fight to survive,…
Making Sen$e Jun 13 Can ‘baby bonds’ help the U.S. close its staggering racial wealth gap? Whites in the U.S. have much greater household and individual wealth than blacks and other minorities. In fact, the typical black household has about 10 cents for every dollar of wealth in a typical white household. Some economists and politicians…
Making Sen$e May 30 This La. battle is between big industry and a Green Army General Russel Honore commanded an infantry division in Korea and saw action in Operation Desert Storm, but it was his service as Commander of the Joint Task Force Katrina in 2005 that won him national acclaim. The experience of viewing…
Making Sen$e May 16 What Gen Z college grads are looking for in a career The oldest members of Gen Z, the population segment born after 1996, are leaving college and entering the workforce. How do their expectations and outlooks vary from those of the Millennials who have recently reshaped the modern workplace? Economics correspondent…
Making Sen$e May 02 How data drives Uber’s efficient but controversial business model With a presence in 65 countries, ride-sharing company Uber has conducted about 10 billion trips in its lifetime -- about 15 million per day. Paul Solman looks at how economists are using this treasure trove of data.