The advance estimate of U.S. third quarter GDP was released this morning, indicating that the economy grew at 2 percent. Third quarter growth was driven by private consumption and government defense consumption. Investment expenditures were weak, and trade was a small drag on third quarter growth. Business investment expenditures actually contracted, while residential real estate… Read more

 How to become a Billionaire By Bill Ackman Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has produced an interesting lecture on finance and investing.  It can be found at www.floatinguniversity.com.  It is one of twelve lectures on “big ideas” currently residing on the site.  Ackman’s lecture, titled “All you need to know about finance and investing in… Read more

The world’s horse population is estimated to not exceed 65 million, while the world’s population of people is estimated at 7.05 billion.  We have at least 108 people for every horse.  It wasn’t always thus.  In 1800, Europe’s estimated horse population was 14 million, while its people population was an estimated 150 million.  They had… Read more

I began my career as an economics professor (actually, assistant professor) at the Claremont Graduate School (now Claremont Graduate University).  In 1980, I joined with three colleagues at the Claremont Men’s College (now Claremont McKenna College) who had started an economics advisory company called Claremont Economics Institute (CEI).  CEI provided financial forecasting and consulting to… Read more