“Rule or Die” Mentality Comes to U.S. Politics [Note to Readers: The views expressed here are solely those of Ross Kaplan, and do not represent Edina Realty, Berkshire Hathaway (“Berkshire”), or any other entity referenced. Edina Realty is a subsidiary of Berkshire.] Minnesota Native Son (and fellow St. Louis Park High School grad) Thomas Friedman...Read More
I Don’t Think It’s Got Anything to Do With “Learning” What is the most dismaying thing about “Some Bankers Never Learn,” Gretchen Morgenson’s article documenting mortgage bankers’ efforts to sabotage legislation (Dodd-Frank) aimed at cleaning up lending standards? It’s not the bankers disingenuously arguing that tighter standards will unfairly limit home ownership. It’s not the...Read More
Diagnosis: Excellent. Prescription: None Until we as a country figure out how to divvy up these losses on housing and let these markets clear and move on, they will be a serious drag on employment. –Thomas L. Friedman, “The Uncertainty Tax“; The New York Times (6/11/2011) NYT Columnist (and former St. Louis Park ECHO staffer)...Read More
One Size Doesn’t Fit All While energy sources like sunlight and wind are free and naturally replenished, converting them into large quantities of electricity requires vast amounts of natural resources ” most notably, land. –Robert Bryce, “The Gas is Greener“; The New York Times (6/7/2011) My Midwesterner’s reaction to Bryce’s piece? “So, what’s the problem?”...Read More
