Category: Finance

El Niño is here, and forecasters warn that it’s likely to be bigger and stronger in 2026-27 than any El Niño event recorded in at least 150 years. During strong El Niños, global air and ocean temperatures spike, and precipitation patterns shift dramatically – flooding rains deluge places that are normally dry, and drought strikes […]

Drawing on 14 years of data, we examined whether access to broadband internet could improve Americans’ use of time and found that a 10% increase in broadband adoption across a community corresponds to a 1.19% reduction in waiting time. Losing time waiting for goods and services is a reality millions of Americans face. Whether standing […]

A lot has changed since college athletes began earning compensation in 2021. A small percentage have become rich due to their talent and marketability. The vast majority, however, have earned much more modest additional income, if any at all. But one thing hasn’t changed: Opponents of college students cashing in on marketing their name, image […]

When the Sundance Film Festival begins in Boulder, Colorado, on Jan. 21, 2027, tens of thousands of filmmakers and moviegoers will descend on the city. The influx of film aficionados will bring a problem familiar to cities that host large events: Those out-of-town visitors will all need lodging at the same time. Boulder has traditionally […]

Funding and planning for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence fell largely to two nonprofits with similar names: America250 and Freedom 250. That similarity has sowed a lot of confusion over who was in charge of which celebrations. And according to a report House Democrats released on July 2, 2026, […]

Food assistance is one of the most effective tools for fighting poverty in America. New federal rules are testing that reputation. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, helps low-income people afford groceries. The program’s benefits reach far beyond the grocery bill, with research linking the program to better outcomes for K-12 students […]

The next time you call an Uber ride or order food delivery with an app, there’s a good chance that the gig worker you meet is getting government benefits. In 2025, companies such as DoorDash, Lyft and Uber had the most workers receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits among all major employers, according to a […]

When I leave my Boston condo every day, I say good morning to the concierge, who works for a contracting company providing staff to residential buildings. When I conduct an interview in a nearby building, the people who clean that office at night are contractors. The person who serves me my lunch sandwich is a […]

The 1844 edition of the widely used schoolbook written by William H. McGuffey, “Newly Revised Eclectic Fourth Reader,” includes a dialogue about the difference between “true and false philanthropy”: Mr. Fantom: I despise a narrow field. O for the reign of universal benevolence! I want to make all mankind good and happy. Mr. Goodman: Dear […]

As you read this article on your computer or smartphone, you are almost certainly using open-source technology in some way. It forms the foundation of the global digital economy, from operating systems and web servers to databases and encryption protocols. While the United States and Europe have led the development of open-source technology, China is […]