March | 2012 | AEIdeas

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Restaurant Index Expands in Feb. for 4th Month

Mark J. Perry | March 30, 2012, 3:08 pm

“Bolstered by positive same-store sales and traffic results and an optimistic outlook among restaurant operators, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) remained above 100 for the fourth consecutive month in February. The RPI – a monthly composite index … read more >

Carpe Diem

Friday Morning Links

Mark J. Perry | March 30, 2012, 2:55 pm

Originally sent out through my Twitter account: 1. From BBC News, 2012 Marks the 50th Anniversary of Breast Implants, First Operation Was Spring 1962. 2. Real estate market is booming in Cuba after home buying and selling are now allowed … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Middle East and North Africa

Livni’s demise shakes up Israeli political landscape

Lazar Berman | March 30, 2012, 2:17 pm

As her time as opposition leader ends with a thud, at least we can say Tzipi Livni always stuck to her guns. • In September 2008, when PM Ehud Olmert submitted his resignation letter, President Shimon Peres looked to Livni, newly … read more >

Carpe Diem

Markets in Everything: Maine Eels for $2k/Pound

Mark J. Perry | March 30, 2012, 1:33 pm

NY Times — “The next two months will bring sleepless nights and high anxiety — and quite possibly an extraordinary windfall — for a small universe of people in Maine. They are the lucky few with licenses to catch elvers … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy

Best of the foreign policy blogs (Mar. 24 to Mar. 30)

Marc Thiessen | March 30, 2012, 12:03 pm

Here is the best of what AEI’s foreign and defense policy scholars are reading this week: Must see TV: Jon Stewart, via Mediate.com, absolutely savages Barack Obama’s “intimate moment” with Medvedev. John Rizzo, former CIA general counsel, writes at Hoover.org … read more >

Economics

Carpe Diem’s charts of the week

Mark J. Perry | March 30, 2012, 11:25 am

1. The Newspaper Association of America reported that advertising revenue for print newspapers in the U.S. fell to $20.7 billion in 2011. Adjusted for inflation, that’s the lowest annual advertising revenue for newspapers since 1951, sixty years ago. It took … read more >

Economics

Actually, the affordable housing push did cause the subprime crisis

Edward Pinto | March 30, 2012, 11:23 am

Attempts continue in the blogosphere to deny the government’s central role in the housing collapse and ensuing crisis. The latest is by Washington Post reporter Suzy Khimm: “No, the affordable housing push didn’t cause the subprime crisis.” What Ms. Khimm … read more >

Economics

Here’s the amazing difference Paul Ryan has already made

James Pethokoukis | March 30, 2012, 9:50 am

Marco Rubio has endorsed Mitt Romney, and now so has Paul Ryan: Rep. Paul Ryan threw his support behind Mitt Romney on Friday, hailing him as the “best person to beat the president” and warning that the Republican primary needs … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion

What you may have missed in the polls: Wisconsin, the nomination contest, and nuclear energy

Karlyn Bowman and Andrew Rugg | March 30, 2012, 9:38 am

Wisconsin watch: In a new Marquette Law School poll, Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker has a narrow lead over announced recall election candidate Kathleen Falk (49 to 45 percent) among Wisconsinites. Walker leads another potential candidate, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, … read more >

Carpe Diem

Michigan Economy Shifts Into High Gear in January as Economic Activity Index Reaches 6-Year High

Mark J. Perry | March 30, 2012, 1:25 am

Comerica Bank’s Michigan Economic Activity Index rose seven points in January, up to a level of 98. The January index level is 38 points, or 63%, above the index cyclical low of 60, and marks the highest index reading since … read more >