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How Cheap Federal Loans May Harm Students
Tweet Share on Facebook June 25, 2012 CommentWashington politicians are congratulating themselves for another giveaway to taxpayers: the looming deal to extend the 3.4 percent interest rate on subsidized student loans, instead of letting the rate return to its prior level of 6.8 percent.
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The SUV Era Is Officially Over
Tweet Share on Facebook June 25, 2012 CommentIt hit me when I first saw the 2013 Ford Escape parked in front of my house: Americans have fallen out of love with the SUV. The rugged individualist has traded in his boots for a comfortable pair of Rockports.
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Bizarro World: Stocks Rally on Bad News From Moody's About Banks
Tweet Share on Facebook June 22, 2012 CommentAt first, it sounded like a real bummer for the markets.
Ratings agency Moody's recently downgraded its credit ratings on 15 of the world's biggest banks, a sign of the ongoing stress in financial markets. Five American banks—Citigroup, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan Chase and even the impregnable Goldman Sachs—got dinged.
The news sent stocks … higher.
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Video: Your Taxes Are Already Going Up
Tweet Share on Facebook June 22, 2012 CommentYahoo! Finance recently invited me on its Daily Ticker program with Aaron Task to talk about states and cities that are already raising taxes. My contention is that this is a preview of what will happen at the federal level before long.
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Microsoft Surface Could Kill the Barnes & Noble Nook
Tweet Share on Facebook June 21, 2012 CommentMicrosoft's plan to introduce a new tablet computer, the Surface, has set the stage for a three-way battle with fellow giants Apple and Google in the booming tablet market.
So where does the humble Nook E-reader fit in? Possibly nowhere.
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Why Taking on the iPad Is a Smart Move for Microsoft
Tweet Share on Facebook June 21, 2012 CommentFox Business invited me on air recently to discuss the new Microsoft Surface, a tablet computer similar to Apple's iPad that's likely to debut later this year.
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GM's Comeback Continues
Tweet Share on Facebook June 21, 2012 CommentThere's more good news for U.S. automakers.
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Why Billionaires Donate So Much Money To Politicians
Tweet Share on Facebook June 20, 2012 CommentIf you're paying attention to the presidential fund-raising race, you might be thinking: Hey! I could sure use $100 million!
That's the sum casino mogul Sheldon Adelson is willing to spend to boot Barack Obama out of the White House. Whether he gets his wish or not, Adelson will likely become America's most lavish campaign funder.
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Trust in Government and Other Institutions Hits New Lows
Tweet Share on Facebook June 20, 2012 CommentAfter winning the Revolutionary War, George Washington issued some strong guidance to the liberated citizens of the nascent United States. "In his holy protection," the revered general wrote in 1783, "[God] would incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government."
That advice was tough to swallow for people who had just escaped the heavy hand of the British monarchy, and feared repressive government. Similar sentiments exist today, as if George III were sitting on a throne in Washington, D.C.
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With the Surface Tablet, Microsoft Tackles the "Innovator's Dilemma"
Tweet Share on Facebook June 19, 2012 CommentMicrosoft has become a behemoth known for its plodding pace of innovation and several blown efforts to exploit the huge lead it commands in the PC software business.
