Portland streaming tax: Could Netflix and Spotify fund live arts?

by Ty Davison | Mar 8, 2026 | News & Commentary

Portland streaming tax: Could Netflix and Spotify fund live arts? – oregonlive.com: Portland Council President Jamie Dunphy will pursue a series of proposals intended to reform and reshape the city’s perennially loathed arts tax — and also create a new, separate...

Giving people money helped less than I thought it would

by Ty Davison | Aug 20, 2025 | News & Commentary

Among the things I’ve gotten wrong/changed my mind on is giving out money to the poor as a governmental policy solution. This is not to say that the poor don’t need or deserve help. It’s to say that the studies show that direct cash subsidies don’t work, at least in...

Kroger to close 4 Fred Meyer, QFC stores in Washington state

by Ty Davison | Aug 20, 2025 | News & Commentary

Kroger to close 4 Fred Meyer, QFC stores in Washington state – oregonlive.com: Monday’s announcement, which follows several other recent Kroger closures in Washington, sparked concerns in Kent and Everett, where locals worry over declining access to grocery...

Most Americans can’t afford life anymore — and they just don’t matter to the economy like they once did

by Ty Davison | Mar 7, 2025 | News & Commentary

Most Americans can’t afford life anymore — and they just don’t matter to the economy like they once did – MarketWatch: Life for Naomi Burns and her family of six is not easy. She and her boyfriend are raising four children in a small town about an hour from...

Denmark’s postal service to stop delivering letters

by Ty Davison | Mar 6, 2025 | News & Commentary

Denmark’s postal service to stop delivering letters: Denmark’s state-run postal service, PostNord, is to end all letter deliveries at the end of 2025, citing a 90% decline in letter volumes since the start of the century. The decision brings to an end 400...