An extra cost in American homes sales

Here's one way to make it cheaper to buy and sell a home in the US: hire a real estate agent from Britain! Read my Datapoints column in the NYT on how US homeowners pay far higher real estate commissions than British homeowners. 

In checking accounts, the less you have the more you pay

Read my New York Times Datapoints column on how the poor pay a higher price than anyone else--yet again.

Two Countries, Two Vastly Different Phone Bills

Read my NYT Datapoints column on US cell phone prices compared with the UK. Why are we paying much higher prices for cell phone service? As far as I can tell, the quality is not demonstrably different. But wouldn't you like to know? Why can't we have a good comparison about cell phone pricing and quality of service in the US?

American pays more for the internet than anyone else

Well maybe not quite more than anyone else but compared with major developed countries! Read my Newsweek piece on how America has the most expensive communications services--phone, TV and internet--compared to the UK, Germany, France and others. And it's not as if the quality of what we get is demonstrably better.

Who You Calling Parochial?

Other nations used to make fun of Americans for not being very well traveled. Most Americans don't even have a valid passport, the joke went. But that is changing. More Americans than ever before hold a current passport. Read my Newsweek piece on the new trend.

Little Italy

How has Italy benefited from the EU? Looking over a ten year period, the Italian economy has actually shrunk. What's next with other major European countries now showing weakness? Read my Newsweek piece on the topic.

Leisure class dismissed

Read my Newsweek piece. You May have more time on your hands than you think.

Universities are chasing endowments at the students' expense

Here's an idea for how to curtail rising college tuition. Read my Newsweek piece and find out.

Wildly different prices suggest US health care must heal itself

Read my Newsweek column on the crazy pricing of health care services. Perhaps Obamacare's greatest achievement will be making health care pricing a bit more transparent.

The typical household, now worth a third less

Read my New York Times Datapoints column in today's paper. The numbers are a bombshell. The rich may be getting richer but the vast majority of Americans aren't standing still, they're actually getting slaughtered financially. An economic system where only a few win while the majority loses is broken.

Watch my video at the 92nd Street Y

Watch my Two Numbers column on the rise of gmail produced by the 92nd Street Y

You're half the person you used to be

Read my Newsweek 2 Numbers column on how much wealth the typical American family has lost due to the Great Recession. It's staggering!

Porkage Fees

Read my Newsweek Two Numbers column on why wine costs so much in restaurants. It's a little window into the way the market works.

Choices abound in an ETF Boom

Read my Datapoints column in Sunday's NYT on the hottest area of the market.

Encryption protects Gmail from everyone except Google

Read my Newsweek 2 Numbers column on Google's strategy with Gmail.

The Coal, Hard Facts

Read my Newsweek piece on what really matters in reducing coal emissions.

Shares and Not Share Alike

Read my Newsweek piece on how the stock market has become less relevant to most Americans.

The Surge In Investing by Conscience

Read my NYT Datapoints on the growth in sustainable and responsible investing. The size of the industry and the growth since 2007 surprised me! Will growth continue?

Kale has a chip on its shoulder

Read my Newsweek piece on our eating habits. It might surprise you.

Paying a Premium to Cross the Pond

Read my NYT datapoints column on how a lack of competition in transatlantic flights is keeping airfares high.