Wall Street


Panic in the Real Economy

Panic in the Real EconomyLast week’s stock market turmoil here and in China threw the financial infotainment shows into a tizzy. If only they covered the financial drama unfolding in regular homes across the country with the same level of enthusiasm.

Gas and oil prices are really low right now. In a sane world, this would be a good time to raise the gas tax and plug the long-neglected gaps in infrastructure funding. But things are not sane, and low gas prices are only seen as an opportunity to go back to the SUV excesses of the 90’s.

Read the comic at the New York Times.


America’s Top Sports Cop

America's Top Sports CopLike most Americans, my interest in soccer peaked with youth soccer (Go BYSA!) and only returns during the men’s and women’s World Cup tournaments. But anyone with a passing interest in the game can tell FIFA is terribly corrupt.

Last week’s FIFA arrests were surprising and long overdue. Awarding the 2022 World Cup to the sweltering desert nation of Qatar was more than a bad idea, it’s been deadly for the workers tasked with building the infrastructure for the games. It’s a shame corrupt banks aren’t subjected to anywhere near the same level of scrutiny as corrupt sports leagues.

Read the comic at The New York Times.