Jul 20 How do we invest in the future of humanity? Swedish philosopher Nick Bostrom explains By Paul Solman Economics correspondent Paul Solman recently traveled to Oxford University’s Future of Humanity Institute. And yes, there is an institute that studies only that -- the future of the human race. Continue reading
Jul 20 Column: ‘Maddeningly complex’ health care costs force patients to become detectives By Elisabeth Rosenthal We are constantly told we should be better consumers of health care, that we should shop for insurance and high-value care. Well, how can we be expected to do that if the prices are unknowable and we get contradictory answers… Continue reading
Jul 19 Column: My health insurance nightmare and what I’m doing from now on By Ivy Austin All I had wanted to know was my financial liability for a medical procedure. Who wouldn't?… Continue reading
Jul 18 Column: What does it mean when the Fed says it should ‘normalize’? By Benjamin M. Friedman As the economy has returned to normal following the financial crisis and the unusually steep recession that it triggered, the Federal Reserve now represents its intended course as “normalizing” monetary policy. Harvard's Ben Friedman explains what the Fed means by… Continue reading
Jul 17 Column: Fighting trickle-down economics in Seattle By Nick Hanauer Trickle-down economics claims that if wages go up, jobs must come down. A controversial new study from the University of Washington has inadvertently fallen prey to that antiquated narrative. Continue reading
Jul 17 Column: New study says the minimum wage hike in Seattle is bad for low-wage workers By Jonathan Meer If your immediate reaction to this study was to dismiss it, it is time to admit that your views cannot be swayed by science. Continue reading
Jul 13 Watch 9:30 The world of finance has a dark side, but that’s only half the story By PBS News Hour You could say that the field of finance has an image problem, with both fictional and real-life figures projecting greed and other less-than-likeable attributes. That’s why Mihir Desai has written a book, "The Wisdom of Finance," to balance the picture… Continue watching
Jul 13 Social Security trust fund will be depleted in 17 years, according to trustees report By Philip Moeller The annual trustee reports on Social Security and Medicare, released today, have become a doomsday clock for senior benefits. Continue reading
Jul 13 Quiz: Can you find the artists among these entrepreneurs and bankers? By Mihir A. Desai The cold calculus and material emphasis of finance seems about as far removed as one can imagine from the arts. And yet, many great writers and artists were tied to finance vocationally. Can you guess who?… Continue reading
Jul 13 Column: Why we are all insurance companies By Mihir A. Desai “We are all insurance companies.” This odd dictum, from the famous American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce, may serve us well as we struggle to find the best path forward in the health insurance debate. Continue reading