Month: April 2021

Climate change, environment, risk management

Climate Change, Rising Temperatures and Food Security

James Cox

Increasing temperatures globally will have an impact on the economy, and especially the supply of food.

“Scientists have high confidence that global temperatures will continue to rise for decades to come, largely due to greenhouse gases produced by human activities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which includes more than 1,300 scientists from the United States and other countries, forecasts a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century.” (1)

Temperature is a primary factor affecting the rate of plant development. Warmer temperatures expected with climate change and the potential for more extreme temperature events will impact plant productivity. (2)

Continue reading “Climate Change, Rising Temperatures and Food Security” →
entrepreneurship

In Memoriam, Alan Krueger and Raising the Minimum Wage

James Cox

Anyone who knows me, knows I don’t easily shed tears. But I did on Monday March 18th, 2019. For over an hour I wept.

On this day it was announced that Alan Krueger, beloved Princeton economist, had passed away over the weekend. (1)

Michael Mckee of Bloomberg said “He was one of the nicest people in economics, always willing to sit down and explain concepts to you, to talk with you, it’s a real shock…” Peter Coy continued, “If he were just a nice guy it would be one thing, but he was also a deep scholar…” McKee explained, “There are a lot of economists doing important work, but Krueger really had an enormous impact on public policy outcomes.” All concurred, “It’s a tragedy.” (3)

Continue reading “In Memoriam, Alan Krueger and Raising the Minimum Wage” →
health, protection, risk management

The Benefits to a Healthy Diet: Quality of Life, Financial Security and Legacy

James Cox

Its no secret that human longevity has been growing due medical advances over the past 30 years. Life expectancy in 1960 was 66 for men and 73 for women; in 2010 the average expectancy was 80 for men and 84 for women. (1)

However, in addition to longevity, one of the issues people have struggled with is a decreased quality of life in a person’s later years. Chronic diseases play a major role in limiting peoples experience and inflicting pain on the elderly and their families… cancer, strokes, dementia, respiratory, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s. 

These issues not only reduce a person’s enjoyment of life but affect their financial health as well. The expenses associated with medical care and long-term care are substantial. But baby-boomers are not sitting still…

Continue reading “The Benefits to a Healthy Diet: Quality of Life, Financial Security and Legacy” →