Close-up of China on a world map with a flag pin.

China from the Inside

June 24, 2024

The following “Weekly” has been contributed by a Chinese citizen living in Shanghai. We are keeping the name of the author anonymous. “China is a large country with a long history and many people.” This sentence succinctly summarizes Chinese society.…

Read More
Silhouettes of diverse people standing in front of a world map.

Fertility Rates, Immigration Policy, and the Have-Nots

June 17, 2024

Demographic trends in the industrial parts of the developed world are fascinating to follow. Several factors contribute to a country’s ability to grow and expand its GDP, including the availability of health, housing, education, and leisure resources. Historically, a major…

Read More
Colorful balconies with plants on a sunny building facade.

The Politics of Apartment Rent

June 10, 2024

Recently a major landlord company in Atlanta was raided by the FBI as part of a nationwide investigation into apartment rent price-fixing. What began in 2022 as a class action suit by renters in several states has now escalated into…

Read More
Lighthouse on a rocky coastline under a partly cloudy sky.

Who are you, man, who are you really?

June 3, 2024

In the 1987 movie Barfly, Micky Rourke’s character is a soul-searching alcoholic who hangs out in bars pondering life’s mysteries. “Who are you?” a patron asks. “Ah, the eternal question” is Rourke’s response. On the 1976 album “One More from…

Read More
A metal marker embedded in pavement showing the Boston Marathon route.

Boston Lucky

May 28, 2024

This past holiday weekend, I had the opportunity to spend a few relaxing days in Boston. The city is widely known for its deep-rooted history, impeccably preserved architecture, prominent churches and cathedrals, numerous colleges and universities, professional sports teams, and…

Read More