Skip to content Skip to main navigation Skip to footer

Money & Banking

ZERO WASTE STORE closes after 5 months: What happened?

When I read this story in a local news outlet (Evanston Now), my initial questions revolved around the kind of input the owners got from Evanston economic and climate folks before they opened, e.g., from Downtown Evanston, Evanston’s Economic Development Department, Citizens Greener Evanston. Of course it’s possible that the owners (who already owned a […]

Evanston, IL POP-UP NEWSLETTER: New City Manager, GPI (economic metrics), Renewed U.S. Women’s Movement

CONTENTS A. New City Manager (with “local foods” bonus)B. Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI): Better economic metric for Illinois?C. Renewed U.S. women’s movement: National convention, webinars, women’s bill of rights TO: — Evanston voters, media, political groups, businesses, activists, institutions— Residents in my neighborhood (Nichols Neighbors)— Some non-Evanston voters with Evanston connections & interests Read in your […]

FUNDED SOVEREIGNTY: Universal basic income for participatory democracies

I first came across the term “funded sovereignty” in a book by Native American scholar, Barbara Alice Mann. Her 2000 book, Iroquoian Women: The Gantowisas, is an eye-opening read for anyone who believes in the ideals of the U.S. It is also sanity-inducing for anyone who’s been disappointed in the implementation of those ideals. Mann’s book […]

THE MONEY QUESTION: Old and New

It turns out that The Money Question was a common topic of civic conversation in colonial U.S. and early U.S. history. In 1913, the adoption of the Federal Reserve Act, which privatized the U.S. money system “permanently”, seemed to put an end to public discussion about The Money Question.  INTRODUCTIONI first learned about The Money […]

A CONUNDRUM: Transition to a Gift Economy — Who gifts to the mothers?

In my lifelong search for women’s public authority, I’ve been studying the gift economy, especially the maternal roots, as facilitated by scholar/philanthropist Genevieve Vaughan and many other women. Vaughan’s websites are filled with resources featuring scholars from around the world: articles, videos, event proceedings, etc.— Original website  Gift Economy— Newer  Maternal Gift Economy Movement A new anthology […]

THE “PERSONAL MISERY” OF ACADEMICS (and other U.S. folks): Some Remedies and Resources

So, a Tweet has gone viral reporting on a poll that asked academics why they remain in academia. Davis Kedrosky, who writes a newsletter on Economic History Research, posted the results of the poll (no link, context, or credit). People in his replies identified it as a Sept. 24, 2021 Twitter poll originating from Prof. William […]

EVANSTON, IL Pop-up Newsletter: Money & banking — policy news + personal need

I had planned for this newsletter to cover:— City manager search: survey due today (Nov. 12)— Local foods: Congrats to new coalition, Evanston Grows — Downtown Evanston’s democracy grab re the downtown farmers market (or why so many decisions seem to be decided before they get to City Council)— Possible new resource for a better leafblower ordinance Unfortunately, I […]