Hedge funds, sophisticated financial vehicles using strategies that can—whether the market is up or down—enrich hedge fund managers, are now allowed to advertise to the public. Problem: they suck at it. Can we help them?

George Soros, one of history's most successful investors, has wagered $1.3 billion that the U.S. stock market is going to crash soon. The average American is wagering the opposite.

When we talk about combating America's crisis of inequality, we talk about raising the minimum wage, curbing CEO pay, supporting organized labor, and other progressive ideas. Let's not allow the simplest fix of all to get lost, though: raising taxes.

Real estate in cities where you might want to live is expensive again. The gulf between expensive and inexpensive cities is large. It's time to accept the fact that you can't buy a house where you want to live, and start thinking about where you can buy something.

Despite an industry-wide tuition contraction, colleges had a great financial year last year. They took in more money from donors than ever before. And for the elite few, the boom years are booming big.

"This is a never-ending race," says the CEO of a high-speed trading firm that's built a network of lasers to trade stocks several nanoseconds faster. This is the single stupidest use of human ingenuity happening in the world today.

High frequency trading, in which superfast computer algorithims buy and sell stocks in fractions of a second, is little more than a tax on financial markets that goes directly into private pockets. There's more news today about how ridiculous the practice has become.

The governor of Tennessee wants to make community college in his state free. Is there any possible downside to that?

The good news: underwater homeowners are getting $1.5 billion in debt relief. The bad news: the government is taxing that money as income. "Happy debt relief. Here's some more debt."

Millennials are shitty money managers.

Stocks fell a cool 190 points today, after falling by similar amounts both Thursday and Friday of last week. Is now the time to buy? Is now the time to sell? Is now the time to stand idly by, ignoring the unknowable short-term fluctuations of finance? Perhaps.

Most Americans have scant hope of saving enough money to support themselves in retirement. In his State of the Union speech last night, president Obama proposed a new retirement plan for workers called "myRA." It's not an IRA. It's not a pension. What the fuck is it?

A new study says that Americans have accumulated $44 billion in unused gift cards in the last five years. Just give cash.

Economists estimate that the Great Recession cost America between $6 trillion and $14 trillion, all while economic inequality is growing worse. As food stamps and unemployment benefits are cut back, it is useful to reflect on why austerity may be a bad idea.

A new report from Oxfam notes that the richest 85 people in the world have the same amount of combined wealth as the bottom 50% of the world's population. Let's take it from them.

Well, this is terrifying.

The Poynter Institute describes itself as "a school dedicated to teaching and inspiring of journalists and media leaders." Teaching media leaders how to lose money, presumably.

Those precious Scandinavians, with their reputations for probity and craftsmanship and good working order. Do not be fooled. Behind the veil of Scandinavian tidiness lies a region rife with DEBT ADDICTS.

Some people thought that Detroit, a city that is bankrupt, might have to sell off the valuable art in its art museum in order to help pay its debts. Detroit will not have to do this after all.

The six biggest Wall Street banks made $415 billion in 2013, their best year since the financial crisis. You know what's cool again? Money. (Other peoples'.)