Indulging in a Guilty Pleasure? Don’t Put It on the Card.
Economics
Why did people sink their savings into little plush toys?
Beanie Babies had astronomical appreciation estimates that sparked a collecting frenzy in the ’90s.
The Economics of Export Bans - Marginal REVOLUTION
India recently banned the export of non-Basmati rice. What are the economics of export bans? An export ban will tend to decrease the world supply thereby raising world prices but some of the previously exported goods will flow to the domestic market reducing domestic prices, which is the typical reason for an export bans. FT: […]
Farmers forced to dump excess milk due to oversupply
Got milk? Demand for milk is down this year, causing an oversupply for farmers.
Smuggling Fluff: How Beanie Babies Became Contraband
Everybody loves to recall the Beanie Baby craze in the late 1990s. It's the perfect reference point for bubbles like Pokemon cards and NFTs, and they're a good story about monopolistic competition. But these stories rarely remind us of the massive smuggling problem that created
UPS strike likely averted with 11th-hour deal
UPS workers might not strike after getting major concessions from their employer.
Matthew Rousu on Twitter
At National Portrait Gallery- seeing people have made same false claims about free trade for a long time. #teachecon pic.twitter.com/UiTEDxviMR— Matthew Rousu (@MatthewRousu) July 23, 2023
Pfizer Warns of Medicine Supply Disruptions from Tornado Damage
Dozens of drugs made by Pfizer Inc. may be more difficult for hospitals to purchase because they were manufactured at the company’s North Carolina plant that was damaged by a tornado last week.
Israeli startups act to relocate over judicial shakeup, survey finds
Nearly 70% of Israeli startups have taken action to relocate parts of their business outside Israel, a survey released on Sunday by an Israeli non-profit organisation on the government's planned judicial overhaul found.
Barbenheimer was the real deal
Will it usher in an era of more original films and fewer sequels?
Taylor Swift concert or a trip to Tokyo? Seattle's dilemma over soaring ticket prices
If you don't already have a ticket to one of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour performances in Seattle this weekend, you may be out of luck. Do this instead.
Wise Pockets World
Olive oil industry in crisis as Europe’s heatwave threatens another harvest
World’s biggest olive producer, Spain, on course for second bad harvest in a row, raising fears of gaps on shelves and even higher prices
The feds just laid out new guidelines for approving mergers — here they are
The new guidelines are meant to give businesses and courts a sense of how the two agencies determine whether a deal is unlawful.
Modest Declines in Positive Views of ‘Socialism’ and ‘Capitalism’ in U.S.
Americans see capitalism as giving people more opportunity and more freedom than socialism, while they see socialism as more likely to meet people’s basic needs, though these perceptions differ significantly by party. Many Democrats say socialism meets people’s basic needs; Republicans say it restricts individual freedoms.
FTC and Justice Department double down on strategy to go after corporate monopolies
New guidelines from the FTC and Justice Department are part of a broader push to promote competition and limit what the White House sees as excessive consolidation.
Used Clean Vehicle Credit | Internal Revenue Service
Beginning January 1, 2023, if you buy a qualified used electric vehicle (EV) or fuel cell vehicle (FCV) from a licensed dealer for $25,000 or less, you may be eligible for a used clean vehicle tax credit (also referred to as a previously owned clean vehicle credit). The credit equals 30% of the sale price up to a maximum credit of $4,000. The credit is nonrefundable, so you can't get back more on the credit than you owe in taxes. You can't apply any excess credit to future tax years. Purchases made before 2023 don't qualify.
Heat threatens to upend European tourism
Tourists visiting southern Europe amid a heat wave might question whether summer is the best time to visit.
Inflation Tracker: What Costs Less—And What Remains Stubbornly Expensive
The Journal has put together a price tracker of common items that many Americans buy monthly to see the direction of prices that matter to you.
Home Prices Are Finally Falling: How Low Will They Go?
Just how far will home prices fall? That's the million-dollar question for frustrated homebuyers, worried sellers, and homeowners.
The US Is Ugly. THIS is Why.
Head to Amazon, Target, or Walmart to get your own Hunt a Killer board game! | The US is UGLY. How did this happen? How did we get this suburban sprawl that ...
National Housing & Economic Forecast 2023 Mid-year Update: Despite Easing Home Prices, Costs Remain High
Realtor.com's midyear forecast and housing market predictions on key trends that will shape the remainder of the year. Home prices, market trends and more as we look toward the second half of 2023.
Why Americans are obsessed with peanut butter
Peanut butter is a $2 billion industry in the U.S. and it has been a mainstay in American pantries for more than 100 years.
Longevity clinics promising to lengthen lifespans are attracting venture millions
160 years young… and still kickin’. Clinics promising to lengthen life for a growing number of wealthy clients are popping up across America....
Incentive programs have lured thousands of remote workers from major metro areas to small cities
Nearly four years have passed since Tulsa Remote began promising $10,000 to workers who’d relocate to the Oklahoma city for at least one year. Here’s where that program and similar efforts stand today.
7 States That Will Pay You to Move There - Experian
Here are some states that are willing to pay you to move there, as long as you meet certain requirements.
Court denies FTC’s last-ditch attempt to stop Microsoft buying Activision Blizzard
Microsoft now has a path to close its giant deal
Vivek Ramaswamy unveils aggressive new fundraising strategy
"The reality is, if you can't hit 40,000 donors by middle of August, you have zero chance of beating Joe Biden in an election."
$20 gift cards and $1 books: GOP primary candidates test novel ways to raise money as they scramble for a spot on next month's debate stage | CNN Politics
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is offering $20 gift cards to people who donate at least $1 to his presidential campaign. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has promised grassroots fundraisers a 10% cut of the money they bring into his campaign. Other candidates are just pleading for $1 donations or offering campaign swag at a steep discount.