Over the last year, Americans–and for that matter the world – witnessed the onset of a new era. I covered this to an extent in my post on Brexit  where I posited some rather dark parallels to the events of the early 20th century (https://www.moviesmarketsandmore.com/brexit-rings-the…-dis-integration/ ). But the surprising facts of the Trump candidacy and the weakening Clinton candidacy are further evidence this trend is in full swing and gathering momentum. The reality is that populism, nationalism, isolationism and protectionism are on the way in and globalism, inclusiveness, and pluralism are on the way out. With less than two months to go, it appears very possible that Donald Trump will be our new president. I would go so far as to set the odds at

The fact that one man and a group of supporters stood up against the most powerful elements in the world in order to defend our freedom is not something that needed to be sensationalized or otherwise embellished. And while there are those who want to demonize Snowden, I say with more confidence than I have said about anything else I know about life, history will make him a great hero. – That is, as long as we follow his lead. Because if we if we allow the government into the most private rooms of our homes and our minds, then Orwell’s terrible vision will have coalesced around us. As you recall, it was the job of Winston Smith himself to be part of the team that rewrote

With the recent heralding of the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, I find myself transported to the living room floor, crouched alongside my brother in front of the family’s sole TV. Tuned in to one of the few available channels, but “tuning in” with purpose, it became a ritual filled with mysticism and meaning. At the time, and sufficiently stimulated after the show, it only meant that we might demonstrate the Vulcan neck pinch on our sister or younger brother. But today, I reflect on how the show expanded my worldview. Anyone who watched it was forced to consider the implications of ever-bolder space launches and the terrific vaults of technology into abysses of space and time and even being. That small screen made me,

After I watched the trailer for Florence Foster Jenkins, the new movie starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, I didn’t think I’d like it. The idea of listening to someone who thought they could sing–but couldn’t– seemed like two hours of torture. I say that as someone who likes to sing from time to time, but knows better than to believe those incurably polite people who say “you have a beautiful voice.” But when my mother suggested we go to a movie, I knew it was the only one to see. So imagine my relief when, despite a number of scenes where “Florence” indulges her dream of singing for the public, I experience a solid film based on a true story, set in New York

            Well, it’s only fair. After all, Ben Bernanke got to help blow the biggest-ever bubble (real estate bubble), and of course Alan Greenspan could rightfully be called the Lawrence Welk of Central Banking because he was a bubble-blowing machine (technology stock bubble, LBO, commodities, real estate). Now it’s Janet Yellen’s turn. We understand that she might already have “bubble envy,” but just what kind of bubble she will be known for is not yet clear. She has a good start on several potential good ones, though. On her watch, we have 1) a bond bubble that features the highest prices for government bonds in history (which implies that interest rates are at record lows), and she has 2) a