Bob CollinsThe New York Times’ Upshot blog shares a little secret today: The economy is taking off and a lot of people haven’t noticed. Read more →
MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
Economy
William Tentis, 64, is one of the many people who hold cardboard signs around St. Paul.
His says ‘Veteran.10 yrs Army. God Bless.’
It’s been five years since he’s held a job Read more →
It’s only a house that’s the subject of a New York Times story today about a house once purchased by Lou Gehrig, but it’s got plenty of history to document that people can be awfully tough on people.
The people on the Iron Range, whose politics now matches the color of its topography, have a lot riding on the president’s promise to bring the steel industry back. Read more →
For 15 years it stood as a symbol of development dreams denied. When a building was knocked down in 2002, it stayed in the belief that some developer would see the ‘opportunity’ (as we call empty buildings and lots in downtown St. Paul) and build a new one.
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With the announcement this afternoon that President Donald Trump wants to charge a 20% tax on imports from Mexico to pay for his wall across the country’s southern border, there’s a fair chance of an all-out trade war erupting.
What happens then? Read more →
Anyone who actually knows the market knows that past performance is no indication of future results. Obama’s 16 percent drop in value over the same period of time as Trump’s 6 percent increase only tells us one thing: Markets go up and markets go down.
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At least for most us suburbanites, the steady march of chain-store America has overwhelmed whatever defense small business could mount. Businesswise, at least, if you’ve seen one town, you’ve seen them all.
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Given the current state of affairs, we’ll take a heartwarming story anywhere we can find it, and Steve Hartman’s latest effort certainly fits the bill.
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Donald Trump was at it again with a sunrise tweet aimed at General Motors.
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It’s a reminder that the people are not necessarily bystanders to what happens to businesses and the icons of their region. Communities get whatever communities will support. Read more →
It’s entirely possible the alleged resurgence of vinyl has been overstated. Read more →
The percentage of people making more than their parents dropped to 58 percent by 1992 from 92 percent in 1970. By 2014, it stood at 50.2 percent. Read more →
The Amazon Go store is being tested in Seattle. Walk in, take what you need, and pay automatically. Who needs humans?
No doubt there are plenty of reasons why this is a great idea. And yet, the future is scary.
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Running a liquor store in rural Minnesota seems like a great way to lose money, especially if it’s the town running the store.
The Minnesota State Auditor has found net profits for municipal liquor stores dropped nearly 9 percent in 2015 compared to the year before, the Rochester Post Bulletin reports.
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