Ben Carlson

The Air Conditioning Effect

Of all amazing leaps forward in household technologies in the early-to-mid-1900s — automobiles, radios, televisions, refrigerators, washer/dryer, dishwasher, etc. — the most underrated might be air conditioning. I have been thankful for air conditioning every humid Michigan summer day of my life. I can’t imagine how people ever lived without it. Using cold as a…

Why the Market is So Confused Right Now

According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the U.S. economy peaked in February and officially entered a recession in March. This is a newsflash to exactly zero people. When the pandemic hit and the economy was put in the freezer, it was immediately obvious the longest economic expansion in this country’s history came to…

Some Things About the Markets That Will Never Change

This is the craziest market I’ve ever seen. The pandemic somehow turned a bunch of people into day traders.  At first they were buying beaten-down airline and cruise stocks. Now they’ve moved on to buying shares of companies that have filed for bankruptcy. Hertz, JC Penney, Pier 1, Chesapeake Energy and GNC have all filed…