LONDON – In 2011, the Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman characterized conservative discourse on budget deficits in terms of “bond vigilantes” and the “confidence fairy.” Unless governments cut their deficits, the bond vigilantes will put the screws to them by forcing up interest rates. But if they do cut, the confidence fairy will reward them […]
After receiving our Established Entrepreneur of 2014 award, Gravity Payments founder Dan Price has just announced yet another game-changing proposition. Over the next three years, the 30-year-old plans to raise the minimum salary for every employee at his credit card processing company to $70,000, he told The New York Times. The concept dawned on Price, he said, […]
Apple’s data center in Prineville, Oregon (Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian) Apple is planning a large-scale expansion of its Prineville, Oregon data center, according to The Oregonian. The report claims Apple is likely to expand upon its current 338,000-square-foot data center with a matching facility and massive solar array this year, after Oregon governor Kate Brown signed […]
Image: Leah Nash Landy and Sophia in front of their North Portland home. Portland: family-friendly bedroom community to the world? Consider the maximally mobile 21st-century human, the person who could pretty much live anywhere. Landry Molimbi, for example. Born in France, the 31-year-old handles Western Hemisphere business development for a Cologne-based energy technology company. He […]
DELHI – In a recent exchange between former US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers on the plausibility of secular stagnation, one point of agreement was the need for a global perspective. But from that perspective, the hypothesis of secular stagnation in the period leading up to the 2008 […]
Wildflowers, waterfalls, and panoramic views—what more could you ask for? Plus 3 springtime travel ideas not to miss! Image: Brian Barker Balsamroot blooms at the top of Mosier Plateau. Occupying the sunbathed hillsides above the eponymous eastern Gorge burg, the Mosier Plateau Trail is a virtual garden bed of spring wildflowers. In fact, with more […]
Halfway through his term Portland’s mayor reflects on the city’s rising skyline, an urban world, and the city’s greatest challenge. Elected amid 2012’s postrecession hangover, Mayor Charlie Hales now presides over an urban boom that powers the nation’s second-fastest growing economy. (Only oil-rich North Dakota grew faster than Oregon over the past decade; the Portland […]
A survey this past week from Wasp Barcode–a client of mine who makes asset management systems (I am not being compensated to write this.)–caught my attention. Among other things, its biggest reveal was that 88 percent of the small business owners they surveyed reported being happy with their outside accountants. 88 percent! What is this […]
LONDON – The US dollar is hitting new 12-year highs almost daily, while the euro seems to be plunging inexorably to below dollar parity. Currency movements are often described as the most unpredictable of all financial variables; but recent events in foreign-exchange markets seem, for once, to have a fairly obvious explanation – one that […]
For over a year, Bank of America seemed to make headline news every day. Unfortunately, none of those headlines were good. Now top honors goes to HSBC. This time it is Argentina claiming that the British banking giant helped clients evade taxes. According to published reports, the Argentine tax authority, Afip, has raided HSBC. Argentinian […]