2020 was a tough year all around. Coronavirus cast a pall over every aspect of life. Millions of Americans lost their jobs, and the stock market dropped 26% in just four days. Murder hornets showed up, and the Tiger King shot to national celebrity. Is it any wonder most of us looked forward to 2021… Read More

Walk into any suburban supermarket, and you’ll find entire aisles of food you wouldn’t have seen when you were a kid. What the heck is quinoa, anyway? Who invented kombucha? And if mom had served kale, you might have appreciated broccoli more. But there’s one whole category that delights millions, and that’s the case full… Read More

Last week, hell broke loose on Wall Street as an online flash mob of mostly-rookie traders took on the hedge fund elite — and won. Their target: GameStop (GME), a struggling retailer selling used video games, often out of shabby strip centers surrounded by check-cashing joints and tattoo parlors. Shares have soared from about $17… Read More

Odds are good that if you hear the words “Mike Tyson” and “money,” you think of the huge purses ($685 million!) that Iron Mike won, then squandered, in his colorful career. Tyson, who surely could have benefited from reading a Dave Ramsey book, was legendary for his excess. Who else would drop $1.5 million on… Read More

It’s a common misconception that accounting and taxes are all about numbers. Looking at a balance sheet or a tax return, it’s an easy mistake to make. Just look at all those numbers in all those boxes! In reality, though, it’s not about numbers, and any competent 10-year-old can handle the math. Accounting and taxes… Read More

There’s a saying, usually attributed to Lenin, that “nothing can happen for decades, then decades happen in weeks.” These last few weeks certainly feel like decades happening in weeks. The election, the coronavirus surge, and especially the violence in Washington have combined to produce a news overload unlike anything most of us have lived through.… Read More

It’s not just a new year, folks. 2020 is finally . . . finally . . . finally over! While most of us were perfectly happy to see it in with a whimper instead of the usual bang, we’re all looking forward to the day when murder hornets, Tiger King, and (“gestures wildly in the… Read More

America has always been a land of opportunity, and there are many paths to fame and fortune. If you’re physically gifted, consider professional sports. If you’re blessed with good looks, Hollywood beckons. If you’re born with the gift of gab, consider used cars (or politics). And if you’re just plain brilliant, Silicon Valley begs for… Read More

Despite the 2020 malaise, holiday season is in full swing, and we expect you’re on your best behavior to make Santa’s nice list. But there’s one famous guy who works harder than anyone else to be naughty this time of year, even in 2020 — and that’s everyone’s favorite Dr. Seuss anti-hero, the Grinch. We… Read More

The Time: July 25, 1965. The Place: The Newport Folk Festival. Master of Ceremonies Peter Yarrow steps out to introduce the singer-songwriter sensation Bob Dylan. Festival organizers are perplexed as they watch his crew setting up heavy equipment. Then Dylan takes the stage to launch into “Maggie’s Farm” — with (gasp!) a Fender Stratocaster. Dylan… Read More