Yesterday, we looked at inflation around the world. Today we can see how countries are using interest rates to fight it. This NY Times map uses arrow length to show the size of recent interest rate hikes:

During close to 30 years, we grew accustomed to a rather low inflation rate. With few exceptions, year-over-year inflation averaged close to 2.3 percent in the U.S. And we were not alone. Displaying low inflation rates in OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) nations, the black line at the…

Several months ago, we looked at the case for Happy the Asian elephant. Now there is a decision. According to the majority opinion in a 5 to 2 decision, Happy is not a person in the eyes of the law. As the chief judge of New York’s highest court explained…

A road is much more than a strip of asphalt. Expressed by Adam Smith in 1776, roads facilitate “distant sale”. They enable mass production by permitting smaller towns with larger factories to sell elsewhere what they make. …

So far we have $33 million from 10 countries and the EU. An unusual example of crowd funding, the goal is to drain oil from a stranded ship. Otherwise we could wind up with a catastrophic oil spill. In slightly more than two captivating minutes you can see how to…

Since 1928, based on the S&P 500, there have been 26 stock market declines that we call bear markets. But they were especially frequent during the 1930s:

Several months ago, Tesla agreed to recall 53,822 self-driving vehicles that were programmed to roll through a stop sign. The company decided that vehicles moving at less than 5.6 miles an hour need not stop if the car detected no pedestrians, cyclists, or cars. However, federal regulators said, “No.” Not…

The number of stranded drivers is up. As the price of gas climbs, so too does the number of unexpectedly empty tanks:

Hot sauce lovers are worried. They might not be able to buy Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, Chili Garlic, and Sambal Oelek chili paste. In addition, the restaurants and supermarkets that depend on Sriracha as a spicy ingredient could be looking for a substitute. Do take a 2 1/4 minute look…