According to Joseph Coughlin, an expert on aging and founder of MIT’s AgeLab, there are two simple questions that can determine how well you’ll navigate your later years: “Who’s going to change the light bulb, and how are you going to get an ice cream cone?” These appeared in a recent New Yorker article by […]
News & Insights
The Yield Curve as Recession Predictor…
Economists and policy makers are spending a lot of time talking about the yield curve these days. This bond market metric plots the yields investors receive for different maturity bonds. Because they demand more compensation for holding longer-term debt, the yield curve typically slopes upward to the right (see chart below ). On rare occasions, […]
Vermont City Marathon Fundraiser – May 26, 2019
Hanson & Doremus employees and friends were excited to participate in the Vermont City Marathon. The event was held in Burlington, VT on Sunday, May 26, 2019. Those in attendance are pictured below. From left to right – Hannah, Xin, Alma, Rob, Madeline and Art (in back)
Is The U.S. Overdue For a Recession?…
I will do my best economist impersonation here and answer – yes and no. The yes part has to do with age. This recovery is nearly ten years old and if we keep going past July, as we almost certainly will, it will be the longest recovery in history. But age alone does not kill […]
Best to Sit for This Ovation…
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra recently concluded the longest labor strike in its prestigious 128 year history. The issue at the heart of the dispute was the future of the pension plan offered to musicians. While pensions have become quite scarce in the private sector, they remain a cornerstone among the nation’s leading orchestras. Earlier this […]
Let’s Look at This Straight in the Eye…
In conversations on Value Investing, references to the 1962 New York Mets have been coming up more often, and that’s not a good thing. The 1962 Mets are beloved for losing a staggering 120 games — a record for the history books that spurred then-manager Casey Stengel to despair, “Can’t anybody here play this game?” […]
5G, Not Just Another Phone Upgrade…
Industry experts expect great things from 5G, the latest generation of wireless technology. To understand why, it helps to know a bit about how cell phones function. Cell phones convert voice and data into electrical signals and then transmit those signals over radio waves to the nearest cell tower. The cell tower then passes the […]
Make-A-Wish Vermont Celebrates 30 Years!
This year our annual donation to Make-A-Wish Vermont will support the organization’s 30th Anniversary. The celebration includes dancing, hors d’oeuvres, live music with The Starline Rhythm Boys, and an auction. If you would like to join us, click on their logo below to purchase your tickets.
The All China Edition…
I spent the month of March in China, travelling from the deep south to the mid section of Shanghai/Hangzhou/Zhoushan. My economic thoughts are detailed on pages 2 and 3, my reflections on culture and life on page 4. And here is my ‘Lonely Planet Guide’ to the not-miss sights. 1. Wherever you go use the […]
“China is a Great Country But the People Are Poor…America is a Very Disorganized Country But the People Are Rich”…
This line from a cab driver in Hangzhou, China. The implication is that China is organized and safe and even though the people are still poor, the country is on the march. America on the other hand is wealthy but unorganized and it will suffer because it cannot move as quickly or as efficiently as […]
Piecing it Together, Understanding the New China …
A month in China gave me plenty of time to see the sights but also time to see some of the unique and yes, quirky aspects of Chinese culture. Here are a few. 1. A great place to go both early morning and at dusk is a public square or park. Older Chinese congregate in […]
Spelling Bee Champion
Local executives competed in teams to support the Burlington Sunrise Rotary Club and our local-focused literacy program – Imagination Library. The program delivers free books to local children from birth to age six. It’s been a while since any of us participated in a Spelling Bee. How did we do? Our very own Liz Ford […]
