by Mark Franke The Wall Street Journal recently ran a front-page article about a dentist in Utah who was in debt over his graduate school student loans to the extent of $1,060,945. Yes, $1,060,945, and he is just one of 101 who owe more than a million dollars. This man had attended the school of dentistry at the University of Southern California, a private institution among the priciest of U.S. universities. One year of dental studies…

by Eric Schansberg, Ph.D. For all of the discussion about race, it is rarely informed by novel ideas, knowledge about historical research or careful analysis. I recently read three books that have much to offer those who are trying to understand race in America — past, present and future. “Slavery by Another Name” — In his 2008 book, Douglas Blackmon describes “trade” between governments and industry, farms and coal mines — from the end of…

by Leo Morris Several months ago, on the occasion of state legislators yet again mulling the rescue of casinos from the doldrums, I wrote of my mixed feelings about state-sanctioned gambling. Since occasionally I have enjoyed indulging in games of chance, I can’t claim any moral high ground. The challenge of beating the odds to reap unearned rewards is a temptation to which most of us have succumbed. But gambling is a weakness that can…

by Leo Morris Don’t trust the Internet. The information you find there might not be entirely accurate. — Mark Twain Pity the poor folks of Monroe County. They’re right in the path of the menacing mile-a-minute vine, another dangerous invasive species from that awful Asia. It can grow up to six inches in a single day, so better not slow down if you’re in its path or it might just crawl all over you. It’s a…

“Inventing Freedom: How the English-Speaking Peoples Made the Modern World.” By Daniel Hannan (HarperCollins Publishers, Epub Edition, December, 2013, 6574 Locations) by Maryann O. Keating, Ph.D. The public’s fascination with the wedding this Spring of Britain’s Prince Harry to the American Meaghan Markel would not surprise Daniel Hannan. Rather, he would see it as support for the central theme of his book, “Inventing Freedom.” As nations around the world devolve into ethno-nationalism, Daniel Hannan hypothesizes that English-speaking…

by Leo Morris There is no such thing as a free lunch. Yeah, well, about that. According to news reports, students in Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) will receive both free lunches and free breakfasts starting next year. Not just middle and elementary students, as it has been since 2014, but high school students as well. And not just economically deprived students — all students, regardless of the ability of their parents to pay. “Free,”…

by Mark Franke The discipline of economics is at once both brilliantly simple and obtusely complex. Ask a class of undergraduates taking Econ 101 for a general education elective, and I dare say you will find no takers on the former proposition of simplicity. One does hope, however, that economics majors will place themselves mostly in the simplicity column. One problem is the terminology economists use to describe theories and concepts. Take rent-seeking. The layman…

“It is hereby ordained and declared by the authority aforesaid, that the following articles shall be considered as articles of compact between the original States and the people and States in the said territory and forever remain unalterable, unless by common consent, to wit: . . . Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.” — The Northwest Ordinance,…

by Leo Morris You’ve likely run into this little riddle before: Would you rather have $1 million or an amount that results from starting with a penny and doubling it every day for 30 days? Even if you don’t know the quiz or bother to do the elementary math, you can tell it’s a trick question that almost demands the selection of the least-obvious answer. And the least-obvious answer turns out to be the right…

by David Penticuff It is promising for my community that the spending of its county economic growth council is coming under official scrutiny this summer. Historically, the council has gotten most of its yearly funding from the Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT), a local income tax for county residents. While the so-called growth council started as a private not-for-profit, it has been taking tax dollars to supplement its own growth rather than the prosperity of our community. Back…