HARARE, ZIMBABWE: Arriving at Harare’s renovated, ultra-modern airport, I paid for my tourist visa and stepped outside. There was a line of taxis and I approached one of several men standing and talking next to their vehicles. “How much to central Harare?,” I asked. We agreed on $25 (the US dollar is the currency used in Zim). I gave him a 20 and a five and got into … Continue reading Welcome to Zimbabwe
The Daily Friend January 17, 2026 Jerome Powell’s eloquent defence of Federal Reserve independence, delivered in a two-minute YouTube video on January 11th, was an inspiring act of courage. The 72-year-old outgoing Fed chairman spoke after receiving a grand jury subpoena that threatened a criminal indictment over his Congressional testimony about renovations to Federal Reserve buildings. Powell called alleged cost-overruns a pretext. The real issue, … Continue reading Powell, by Fighting Back, Makes it More Likely the Fed Will Retain its Independence
BizNews.com The Rational Perspective January 13, 2026 By Barry D. Wood In Budapest some time ago, I came upon a wall poster bearing the likenesses of potentates whose imperial rule collapsed in the aftermath of World War I. It was an advertisement for a museum exhibit. The Hapsburg empire in Vienna of Emperor Franz Joseph (seated) lasted 600 years. But stuck on the losing side of … Continue reading Trump’s Unprecedented Assault on the Rules-Based Economic Order
Back in the late 80s at the VOA morning meeting it was announced that the Grateful Dead would be in the downstairs conference room at 11 o’clock. A wannabe dead head, I strolled over to the C Street entrance where the band members emerged from a stretch limo. With only the music editor providing a greeting, I asked Jerry Garcia if they would like to see … Continue reading When the Grateful Dead Came to VOA…..and More
Barry D. Wood 