America now has 6,891 federally insured banking institutions. That's the fewest we've had since 1934. Though it may cause reflexive distaste, it is a fact: we could use more banks.

Just in time for the holiday charity season, the charity analysis group GiveWell has announced what it says are the three best charities in the world for helping the world's most poverty-stricken people.

Last week, voters in SeaTac, Washington voted to raise the minimum wage for airport workers to $15 an hour. California recently approved a statewide minimum wage of $10. As low wage workers increasingly voice their frustration with their shitty lot in life, it's time to raise the minimum wage— everywhere.

Voters in Switzerland this weekend rejected a proposal to limit CEO pay to 12 times that of the lowest-paid worker. An insane idea? "In Germany nearly three quarters would support such pay curbs, according to a poll."

Higher education is no longer the nonstop growth field it once was. America's college boom has peaked. Now, the industry of higher learning better prepare for the next step: shrinkage.

At the same time that vast majorities of investment professionals say that bubbles are forming in parts of the stock market, Americans are pouring more money into the stock market than they have since the first tech boom. Don't worry though baby, they'll pull out in time ;).

Want to do something patriotic? Want to show your national spirit? Want to help the economy, by contributing to the coffers of a speculative private investment firm? Drive more. Wall Street is depending on you.

A study shows that extremely rich people make the same stupid investing mistakes that average people do, if it makes you feel any better.

Yesterday, JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay a record $13 billion settlement as an apology for misleading investors about mortgage securities in the run up to the 2008 financial collapse. Can all of this be traced to a single ill-fated meeting in 2006?

In the past week, both a senior editor at Fortune magazine and the liberal think tank Demos have made similar proposals for how Walmart could greatly increase worker wages without harming its business prospects. What is this mysterious financial magic?

No one cares more about poor Americans than the Wal-Mart corporation does. That's why Wal-Mart is speaking up to say: The government must stop forcing Americans to waste money on health care, when that money could be spent buying crap at Wal-Mart.

Moody's has cut the credit ratings of several big Wall Street banks, because it's less confident that the government will bail them out if they fuck up. Baby steps.

At least once per year, it is healthy for all of us to take a moment and reflect upon the fact that corporate executives are quite plainly using their insider status to make unfair profits on their company's stock, while you, the average unconnected jerk, remain poor. Today is that day.

In 2009, just after the Great Recession struck, Andrew Huszar got a job at the Fed managing its "Quantitative easing" program— a huge purchase of bonds designed to stabilize the economy and get credit flowing. Now, Huszar says the program is a failure.

In Slate today, Matt Yglesias argues that anti-Wall Street populism is counterproductive, because it will cut Wall Street's profits, leaving less tax revenue for the populist government, thereby hurting the populist cause. It's worth pointing out briefly that this is incorrect.

In the financial world, as in the world of teen fashion, what is popular today will inevitably be reviled tomorrow. With that in mind: you simply must buy some stocks. They're absolutely divine, I hear!

In 2009, the US government passed bipartisan legislation designed to make the credit card industry fairer, and hold down credit card fees. Economists are flabbergasted to find that it did those things.

The U.S. Postal Service "has experienced a net loss of about $41 billion since 2007." LOL?

Tomorrow, New Yorkers will vote on whether or not to allow "as many as seven Las Vegas-style casinos" to be built in New York. Supporters say it's a great way to raise money for schools. Wrong.

"Bubble" is just "babble"—plus u. Buy! Buy! Buy! Buy! High! High! High! High!