Americans are on edge
From the continuing ebb and flow of jobs, to growing threats of terror, to something as simple as water—there is barely a moment of our daily lives that is not overshadowed with uncertainty, framed...
The tick tock of economics
My grandmother had a penny jar, while my father insisted we eliminate the one dollar bills and round up when playing Monopoly. The philosophical difference was not lost.
So why do policy makers seem to...
Time is on our side
As a younger self, I watched mere mortals struggle against the will of the "Old Man" with a child's curiosity. Here I learned a simple truth. Quiet observation and analysis informs future events.
If you...
Unintended consequences
The fact is, President Obama has caused us to care.
Gallup recently reported that Americans are paying closer attention to political news than during any non-election year since the company began tracking the issue in...
Hope, enthusiasm and joy
That’s what business owners are feeling. In fact, there’s historically high optimism around the nation’s economy according to the latest PNC survey. Just for context and to discern what’s real in today’s headlines—fear, despair...
America 2.0
Within the pages ahead, you will read about folks living the "original" American Dream, one of mere opportunity. It's a grand tale of strength, determination and stunning beauty; the stuff of legend.
Clearly, as we...
America was built by thinkers
One’s ability to work through challenges has a cascading effect on every level of society. Such a skill also strengthens our stream of renters and their ability to pay rent, be responsible citizens and...
Birth of a builder
Christmas makes me think of builders. It celebrates, among other supernatural events, the birth of a carpenter who apprenticed in the family business. Once grounded in the principles of earthly construction he went on...
The soul of success
From the tales of his tirades, it sounds like he missed his yoga class. Go figure. Even the laid-back, button-down Californians are stressed these days.
That, and it may continue to be open season on...
A primer in tribalism
You know, like, "I'm a Mac," or "I'm a PC."
That's called tribalism.
Back in the day, the unity of the tribe, in its purist form, was based on kinship. If you weren't kin, you were...
The monsters are due on Maple Street
"The monsters are due on Maple Street," (1960) was a classic. I recall it every time I read divisive tales about some one or group, or ill-defined boogie man, who has singlehandedly turned out...
Regaining our power of persuasion
I’m just back from the Balkans. It takes traveling to the genesis of the word balkanize to understand true division. To the naked eye, these people appear quite similar. Looks can be deceiving and...
Jumping from planes
I know this because he told us at the recent Mortgage Bankers Association conference in San Diego. He had just had his second hip replaced, but you couldn't tell it. No matter what you...
Lean into it
American optimism lives, though scuffed. The latest Gallup Poll shows an uptick in the Economic Confidence Index, after a six-week "morose." Pundits caution that there remain obstacles ahead that may challenge the air in...
Prescience: knowledge of things before they happen
A 2014 historical study suggests that not since the Civil War have we been so polarized as a nation. Climate change, immigration, Fair Housing law. The issues are many, and both the emotions, and...
