Multi-cellular structures appeared approximately 700 million years ago. There were 2.3 billion years of single cell organisms. Original writing date: June 18, 2008 Out of curiosity, what is the difference, at the end of the day, between the trading of a derivative and a Ponzi Scheme? Original writing date: March 6, 2009

As a follow-up to my prior posting, I’m attaching a copy of the article which appeared in the Dallas Morning News on the attempt by individuals on the State Board of Education in Texas to challenge the teaching of evolution in science text books. Apparently, evolution is safe—but barely—for another year! Original writing date: March [...]

This article from the New York Times is interesting in that it puts the unemployment issue and the job losses in the context of a remaking of our economic environment. The suggestion is that this particular recession has reflected a fatal blow to a number of businesses and industries that are simply not going to [...]

I found this column by Peggy Noonan to be particularly poignant. Take a look at the over-the-top level of accountability reflected by the Third Marine Aircraft Wing as to an accident which occurred in the University City neighborhood of San Diego on December 8, 2008. The story is particularly vivid when contrasted with the meltdown [...]

It occurred to me tonight, as I watched The Big Chill again, and pondered our economy, that I can’t always get what I want, but I will definitely get what I need. Original writing date: November 17, 2008

There’s no question this has probably been the strangest Christmas holiday most of us, at least under the age of 60, have experienced. After all, from an historical standpoint, this year has been touted as a year not inappropriately compared to 1929. There are some who are conjecturing that 2009 is going to be a [...]

533,000 jobs lost in November. 1.9 million jobs lost since December 2007. A 2.7 million increase in jobs lost since December 2007. 10.3 million people are now out of work nationwide. 3 million more jobs are expected to be lost by spring 2010, Jobless rate 1 year ago was 4.7 percent and in October it [...]

On the 200th anniversary of the birthday of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book, The Origin of Species, I’ve read a plethora of articles from all different directions. As you can imagine, George Will of the Washington Post Writers Group has his own particular approach which is always, erudite [...]

Russ Bredholt, Jr. of Bredholt & Co. sent me some bulleted Book Notes he had produced on a book “The Black Swan” by Nassim Taleb. In light of its relevance in today’s economic reality, I thought it might be of interest to pass along. I’m calling this a simple “Black Swan” in history. Take a [...]

I’m sure we are all, at this point, reading everything we can on the upcoming Stimulus Bill. This review, in Monday’s Wall Street Journal, was an insightful evaluation of the potential net effect, in economic terms, of government spending of that magnitude. Take a look. Original writing date: January 26, 2009 Article writing date: January [...]