Let me start with a confession: I hate variable annuities. Hate is a strong word, so let me rephrase: I despise them with an unholy passion. To be fair, not all annuity reps are snake oil salesmen, and there can be specific situations where an annuity might make sense for a given investor. But by...Read More

Rumors broke last week that the high-end version of the Apple Watch—the Edition—would have an 18-karat-gold case and could cost $4,000 or more.  Some rumors have the sales price closer to $10,000, or about on par with an entry-level Rolex. This immediately begs the question: Who in their right mind is going to pay Rolex...Read More

Here’s a little fact that will blow your mind. In Iran, you can get married for an hour and then divorced, no strings attached. It’s the sigheh, or “temporary marriage” (sometimes called the “pleasure marriage.”) In a sigheh arrangement, the duration of the marriage and the dowry are specified in advance, and once the time...Read More

In Economy & Markets last month, Harry Dent had some interesting comments on marriage and family formation in Japan and what it means for the Japanese economy. Here’s an excerpt: It’s one thing to naturally have fewer kids as a country urbanizes and gets more wealthy. It costs more to raise and educate kids in...Read More

Here’s a little something to think about with Valentine’s Day coming up: Chinese couples will be making a lot fewer babies in the years ahead. And this has major implications for China’s future growth. A China baby bust might sound counterintuitive to anyone who follows China, as the government announced in 2013 that it would...Read More