201. What do farmers do in a trade war?
Two American farmers share their experiences and feelings regarding the trade war affecting the soybean industry and its primary market, China.
202. Korea’s Low Fertility Rate
The post discusses Korea's exceptionally low fertility rate and its implications for the economy, including labor supply and the influence of housing costs and education on family planning.
203. American Association of Physicians and Surgeons Opines on … Gold
The post discusses the decline in confidence in U.S. Treasury bills, rising gold purchases by central banks, and critiques of the Affordable Care Act.
204. Former Palantir workers condemn company's work with Trump administration
Former employees criticize the company's collaboration with the Trump administration, claiming it contradicts its foundational values.
205. Trump's plan for movie tariffs leads to global confusion
A proposal for imposing tariffs on foreign movies raises questions about its implementation and potential beneficiaries amidst Hollywood's production struggles.
206. 'James' wins 2025 Pulitzer Prize for fiction
The post discusses the announcement of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, awarded to a novel that reimagines a classic American work.
207. Recession Watch Metrics
The post discusses economic indicators suggesting a potential recession, emphasizing trade policy and housing data while noting resilience in the U.S. economy.
208. ICE Mortgage Monitor: Home Prices Continue to Cool
Bill McBride discusses the cooling trend in home prices, highlighting changes in the ICE Home Price Index and market dynamics affecting homeowners.
209. Why 100 Humans Probably Can’t Beat a Gorilla
An argument that collective action problems hinder cooperation among large groups, making it unlikely for 100 humans to successfully coordinate against a gorilla despite their numbers.
210. A Note From the Netherlands
The author reflects on the quality of life in the Netherlands compared to the U.S., highlighting social well-being, urban design, and political stability.
211. ISM® Services Index Increased to 51.6% in April
Bill McBride discusses the increase in the ISM® Services Index to 51.6% in April, indicating ongoing economic expansion in the services sector.
212. The Tech Right is not succeeding
Noah Smith discusses the struggles of the Tech Right, particularly the disconnect between their objectives and the broader political landscape, highlighting Elon Musk's declining influence.
213. Housing May 4th Weekly Update: Inventory up 2.1% Week-over-week, Up 32.9% Year-over-year
Active single-family housing inventory has increased significantly both week-over-week and year-over-year, indicating a larger-than-normal seasonal pickup in 2025.
214. Menger's Principles Is Obsolete
Robert Vienneau discusses the obsolescence of Carl Menger's consumer demand theory in light of modern economic theories like revealed preference and utility theory.
215. Emergent Ventures, 9th India cohort
Tyler Cowen discusses various entrepreneurs and projects in India supported by Emergent Ventures, focusing on innovation and social impact across multiple sectors.
216. Trump's cuts come for food banks
An argument that food banks are facing challenges due to recent cuts in funding, impacting their ability to serve communities effectively.
217. Kindness, repeated use, and longrun distortionary effects from ChatGPT
An argument that repeated interactions with AI can lead to significant personality changes, drawing parallels to cult-like influences and examining anecdotal evidence of relationship impacts.
218. My Weekly Reading for May 4, 2025
The post discusses the impact of tariffs on the economy, particularly how they affect labor and capital allocation, and examines the consequences of Chinese imports on manufacturing employment.
219. FOMC Preview: No Change to Fed Funds Rate
Bill McBride discusses expectations for the FOMC meeting, indicating no change to the Fed Funds Rate and analyzing economic projections and conditions.
220. Alternative Estimates of Output
An argument that alternative measures of output, such as GDO, provide insights into GDP discrepancies and the impact of inventory investment on economic forecasts.