A perversely optimistic future
With unemployment at a stubbornly high rate, home foreclosures still proliferating and commercial loans (especially for real estate) teetering, is there reason for optimism? Sometimes adversity is reason for optimism, […]
Joblessness will be long, severe
“…The social legacies of the Great Recession are still being written, but their breadth and depth are immense. …We are living through a slow-motion social catastrophe, one that could strain […]
Obama strikes back
In the Scott heard around the world, previously unknown Massachusetts state Rep. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) drove his dusty, old pickup truck to victory in knocking off the Democratic nominee for […]
The lost decade and beyond
Much has been written about the lost decade of Japan, which has now become two decades. Now the United States has lost a decade of its own, which hopefully will […]
Economic data suggest reasons for optimism
As I have stated before, the economy won’t hit the bottom until housing prices stabilize. Recent reports show that single-family home prices in the U.S. posted a slight 0.2-percent increase […]
Voters take whack at Obama-nomics
On the last day of October, which traditionally is a weak month for the market, the Dow Jones dropped nearly 250 points. It was its 10th triple-digit move of the […]
Big quarter may not salvage index’s decade
The quarter that ended on Sept. 30 was one of the best quarters in years for the market. The Dow averages, the Standard & Poor’s index and NASDAQ all added […]
China leads the way to a global recovery
Stocks have rallied nearly 50 percent since its low on March 9. In spite of this, the S&P 500 stock index is still missing nearly $5 trillion in market value […]
The United States of Goldman Sachs
If you are like millions of other Americans, your investments didn’t do so well last year. Now it has been revealed that you are in good company. In recent filings, […]
Truth or consequences ahead for investors
In the quarter that just ended the Dow Jones industrial average rose an astonishing 838 points, or 11 percent. It posted its best quarter since 2003. When you consider that stocks had fallen sharply in the early part of the year, the rally is even more remarkable. Since the 12-year low, on March 9, the market is up 29 percent, yet the Dow remains down 3.8 percent for the year and down 40 percent f[...]
History is but a lantern to our stern
Learning from past experiences will help investors navigate the U.S. economy
History is but a lantern to our stern
“If men could learn from history, what lessons it might teach us! But passion and party blind our eyes, and the light which experience gives is a lantern on the […]
News
- $960,000 office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 10, 2026
- Two projects in historic districts in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 10, 2026
- Multnomah County commits up to $101.6M for Moda Center
- Portland code changes to take effect in November
- Los Colibris project approved for Portland’s OMSI District
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $9.9 million in top bidders | Aug. 7, 2026
- Oregon opens infrastructure grant program
- Ex-TV host claps back at Detroit officials in blight case
- 31-unit multifamily project in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 3, 2026
- $2.4 million office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 3, 2026
- Transportation commission weighs ODOT budget cuts
- Lam Research planning $1.7 billion investment in Tualatin
Commentary
- Beware of when the debt collector comes calling | Opinion
- Assembly of a future workforce begins with an invitation | Opinion
- Beware of overlooking legal requirements for remote workers | Opinion
- Become a critical thinker and transform a workplace | Opinion
- Managing construction risks with international suppliers | Opinion
- A rally with many engines: the lesson of 2026’s first half | Opinion
- Oregon housing challenges persist despite sound and fury | Opinion
- When does an employee’s bullying become harassment? | Opinion
- Ditch disorganization — the cost of deferred decisions | Opinion
- Consider 10 common risks for healthcare construction projects | Opinion
- Clarifying the reach of a law regarding prevailing wage | Opinion
- Adjust to legal changes now to ensure compliance later | Opinion







