Official numbers prove what we feel in our bones – the U.S. economy has hit the proverbial glass ceiling. On Thursday, the Labor Department reported that U.S. unemployment claims held steady at 884,000. This represents [...]
Introduction For those of us who remain fascinated by World War II, an area of discussion is France. We ask ourselves how such a great nation could have accepted defeat only some 31 days after [...]
Last Thursday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s comments helped bolster stock prices. Powell replaced the bank’s existing target for inflation of 2%. Instead, they would accept an average of 2%, and therefore allow price increases above [...]
The confusion about the status of the American economy and prescriptions to fix it has merit. The United States is in a recession, but this downturn is unlike any our country has ever witnessed. There [...]
“To take a child from its mother seemed to be the lowest thing a human being could do,” one journal entry went, describing the moment when the Krauses met with parents in Austria. “Yet it [...]
In 1964 Bob Dylan wrote a song “The Times Are a Changin.” It was an anthem for frustrated youth and summed up the anti-establishment feelings of people who wanted America to embrace Civil Rights legislation. [...]
In May 1868, the Senate came within a single vote of taking the unprecedented step of removing a president from office. Although the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson was ostensible about a violation of [...]
I only recently learned of this bizarre turn of events: The English Department at Rutgers University recently announced a list of “anti-racist” directives and initiatives for the upcoming fall and spring semesters, including an effort [...]
The Commerce Department last week reported the steepest-ever decline in the U.S. gross domestic product. The value of goods and services fell at an annual 32.9% in the second quarter, wiping out nearly five years [...]
The Captive Mind and America’s Resegregation, Wall Street Journal by Andrew Micha, Dean of College of international and Security Studies at George Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Germany Introduction All Americans have been [...]
A study by EY-Parthenon, a consultant to the education industry, indicated that some 800 of America’s 2,000 colleges could close. Twenty percent of colleges run deficits because of inadequate endowments, less than optimal enrollment and/or [...]
Introduction An editorial in today’s Wall Street Journal described their response too the violence and vandalism that impact many urban areas this weekend. Despite extensive newspaper and television coverage, I remain in a quandary whether [...]
The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of previously owned homes rose 20.7% in June over May. This is the biggest increase on record going back to 1968. The surge in existing-home sales follows [...]
The Time Life Building Only Has 500 workers showing up in comparison to Pre-Pandemic 8,000 The Rockefeller Center Ecosystem of Restaurants and Shops, created to serve Midtown workers and tourists, has gone dark Introduction: [...]
A recent wave of violent crime has roiled the city of Atlanta, amplifying tensions in a community still reeling from the coronavirus pandemic and a debate over policing and race. Atlanta’s problems highlight the [...]
In June, retail sales increased by 7.5%. Retail sales account for about a quarter of all consumer spending. The reopening of malls, restaurants, and other service industry positions allowed millions of people to return to [...]
By Jonathon Kaufman Introduction I have always wanted to know about the people who facilitated the immigration of 18,000 European Jews (many of them penniless) in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s to Shanghai, saving them [...]
Introduction Since the killing of George Floyd, our nation has been focused on race. Television commentators and newspaper editorials have highlighted the issue. In helping me formulate my thoughts, I have been particularly impressed by [...]
On Wednesday, United Airlines said that it is expecting to lay off close to 50% of its U.S. domestic workforce. United is not alone. American Airlines may have to cut 20,000 jobs, and Delta has [...]
On Thursday the Labor Department reported that we added 4.8 million jobs in June, reducing our unemployment rate slightly to 11.1%. This is our second month of job growth after losing 20 million jobs earlier [...]
As we approach the midyear, the future direction of our economy remains mixed. The renewed national upsurge in COVID-19 cases has forced some states and cities that have reopened to reverse course. President Donald Trump [...]
The reclosing of eleven Apple stores in four states on Friday highlighted the growing concerns that the coronavirus is gaining ground. Scientists have expressed anxieties that the U.S. has replaced Italy and China as [...]
The New York Times reported that the American Museum of Natural History will remove a prominent statue of Theodore Roosevelt from its entrance after years of objections that it symbolizes colonial expansion and racial discrimination. [...]
“When they burn books, they will also ultimately burn people” Heinrich Heine, German Jewish Poet Prophetically, Heinrich Heine in 1821 predicted that those people who burn books ultimately burn people. Sadly, he anticipated both the [...]
Introduction H.W. Brands, who spent six years writing a book about Ronald Reagan, provided me wonderful insights. In brief, the public Reagan who appeared so warm and approachable was in fact distant. Brands commented that [...]
Interview between David Rubinstein and Taylor Branch, best known for writing a trilogy of books chronicling the life of Martin Luther King Introduction I have thoroughly enjoyed, The American Story, a compilation of interviews between [...]
Last Wednesday Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said: “This (COVID-19) is the biggest shock in the U.S. and in the world in living memory. We went from the lowest level of unemployment in 50 [...]
Last Wednesday Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said: “This (COVID-19) is the biggest shock in the U.S. and in the world in living memory. We went from the lowest level of unemployment in 50 years [...]
Introduction Since 1986 I have been able to listen to books. For me, this has been immensely satisfying. I initially received books on tape and then returned the books to Books on Tape and [...]
The Eyes of Texas are Upon You All the live long day The Eyes of Texas are upon you You cannot get away Do not think you can escape them At night or early [...]
Introduction Over the past forty years I have read several books about the Dreyfus Affair. Over time, my focus has shifted from the personal tragedy of Alfred Dreyfus, unjustly convicted and brutally treated, to the [...]
China’s legislature has taken preliminary steps to impose greater national security control over Hong Kong. These efforts would override the territory’s partial autonomy in order to crush anti-Beijing protests. For several years, the tensions between [...]
Over the past few days, economic releases have highlighted the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic. On Friday, we learned that consumer spending dropped a record 16.4%. On Thursday, the Labor Department reported that 36.5 [...]
Introduction Today’s New York Times highlighted the canonization of federal deficits. For the first 75 years of my life, I learned repeatedly that government deficits should be a source of fiscal concern. Today there [...]
On Wednesday, the European Commission projected that Europe’s economy will decline by 7.4% this year. Unfortunately, this downturn far exceeds the financial crisis of 2008, when the Eurozone’s economy shrank by 4.5%. Currently, economists expect [...]
“You measure yourself by the people who measure themselves by you.”--Phil Knight Introduction A normal review book would involve highlighting the important message of the book. In this case, I enjoyed the book so much [...]
