The World – Rounder or Flatter? The Chinese and Greeks first postulated that the world was round. Christopher Columbus and other explorers later proved the fact to the bewilderment of many Europeans.  But, in 2005 the columnist Thomas Friedman argued that the world … Read more

Farming Bill–Law of Unintended Consequences The Law of Unintended Consequences continues to amaze me. Governments pass laws thinking that they are doing something to help those most in need and often exactly the opposite occurs. I’ve seen it happen over and over and … Read more

Productivity and Agricultural Yields One of the long-term drivers of commodity prices is productivity gains driven by technological progress. From the late 1700’s until 1950, land use devoted to agriculture increased fivefold, in line with increases in population. But, since 1950, the percentage … Read more

“Wind”-y City Everyone showed up.  It wasn’t a ribbon cutting ceremony; it wasn’t a ground breaking. It was all about throwing a switch. Rock Port, MO, became America’s first ever community to be completely powered by wind in April 2008. Rock Port has … Read more

Summer Fun! In nearly every Boomtown USA presentation I give, I include the story of Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN. The town has grown from only 59 in the 1940’s to over 2,000 today. I love the town’s name! Holiday World puts … Read more

Are we near the end of the Dollar Down Cycle? The argument that the declining US dollar implies the end of US leadership in the global economy is flawed. The US dollar’s slide is by no means unprecedented. The US currency has gone … Read more

Try Ignorance The $600 stimulus checks are starting to go out all over the country. These funds are likely to be used for new consumer purchases, savings and the pay down of debt. It will be a short term fix for an economic … Read more

What it Takes to be a Successful Entrepreneur Marc Kramer, a faculty member at the Wharton School of Business, recently posted his list of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. Common traits he noted among all entrepreneurs include: 1.Habit of reading. … Read more

Opportunity (?) Blew Into Town May 4, 2008 marked the one year anniversary of the massive EF-5 tornado that set down in the town of Greensburg, KS, virtually wiping it off the map. Ninety- five percent of the homes and businesses were destroyed. … Read more

Broadband in the United States According to Telecommunications Industry News, broadband penetration in the U.S. has grown by more than 300% in the past six years. This is according to a recent report by Scarborough Research. Approximately 49% of American adults now have … Read more