Perspective for What’s Ahead

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March 9, 2026

Tariffs and the trade deficit

On February 19th the Wall Street Journal reported that America imported a record amount of goods last year and that the U.S. trade deficit in December – the latest date for which figures are available – rose $70.3 billion.  The goods trade deficit hit a record $1.24 trillion in 2025.  …

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February 20, 2026

Navigating AI’s swift sea change

Over the past year, Artificial Intelligence has shifted from being a buzzword to something that is actively changing how work gets done.  This is true especially in technology, but increasingly it is affecting businesses in every sector of the economy.  The speed at which AI is getting better at solving…

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January 9, 2026

The rise of the individual investor

Since the 1980s, financial firms on Wall Street have increasingly relied on machines and algorithms to streamline trading and enhance their returns.  Firms like Blackrock, State Street, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and others invested heavily in powerful computer hardware.  They then aggressively recruited the top PhDs in math, logic, and…

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October 21, 2025

Building a well-diversified portfolio and Making a Difference

A quote attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson measures success in ways that transcend finances. “To laugh often and much,” it begins. “To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty;…

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April 22, 2025

An Earth Day reflection and an everyday celebration

After a challenging start to my day, I walked to work this morning. It isn’t a long walk, but it is a refreshing one. As I breathed in the fresh spring air, I exhaled a lot of the morning’s frustrations. It occurred to me that what we give to the…

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April 21, 2025

Five financial tips for NFL draftees…and you!

The process has changed dramatically since NFL Hall of Famer Herb Adderley, a first-round pick, found out he had been drafted in 1961. The 21-year-old cornerback negotiated his contract alone and signed it on the hood of a car in an unfamiliar parking lot. “I was talking with (Packer assistant…

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March 4, 2025

A friendly warning about really good deals

A friend of mine announced that she and her family were wrapping up the settlement of her uncle’s estate. A cheerful consumer, he had amassed an impressive collection of cars and recreational vehicles during his lifetime. The family wanted to sell as many of these items as they could before…

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February 11, 2025

Internet safety tips for you

We’ve offered lots of tips on how to keep your device safe online: Take your time before you respond to an unsolicited request. Double check the email address or link before you click on anything. Do not email personal information, especially account details or Social Security information, to anyone. Today,…

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September 4, 2024

Speed kills on the information superhighway too

Speed kills. We learn this before we even put a key into the ignition for the very first time. Speed limit signs show up everywhere on streets and highways. They encourage us to slow down, consider our surroundings and proceed with caution. Speed also kills on the information superhighway. It…

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August 20, 2024

Life lessons from a lemonade stand

We could all learn a lot from the evolution of the lowly lemonade stand. Still manned by cute kids on hot summer afternoons, many lemonade stands have gone high tech. If you look closely at those hand-lettered signs, you might see a QR code directing you to a secure payment…

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