Opinion

What are the super-wealthy so worried about?  Why are they selling so much stock, buying land, and building bunkers?  Maybe they think the sky is about to fall.  Or maybe they’re afraid of something worse: the economy will crash, a terrible apocalypse is imminent, or the world’s craziness will go completely out of control. 

Think about Asian tigers, and countries like China, Japan, and South Korea come to mind.  Vietnam is not one of them – at least not yet.  But that could change soon enough, as it is expanding ties with economic partners around the world, developing relationships with others, and has implemented economic policies and reforms favorable to business.  Even as we are watching, it is becoming a regional economic power to be reckoned with and flexing its muscles. 

It’s become a New Year’s ritual to predict what will happen in the upcoming year.  This is not as simple as it seems to be, and most people who stick their necks out have their heads handed to them.    

Disney made its reputation early in Hollywood’s history by producing animated films, cartoons, and the like.  Even decades later, they still have plenty of appeal and charm, but the company’s long-term ambitions went far beyond the silver screen.  And as the company grew, the Disney brand became famous, trusted, highly-regarded, and brought in streams of revenues and profits. 

News like this would be refreshing at any time.  It’s especially welcome these days, when so much of the news is gloom and doom, and anti-Israel rhetoric has become rampant and fashionable.  

What happens when the bills come in faster than they can be paid?  Millions of Americans are trying to figure out an answer to this question, but so far no one has.  In the interim the problem has only been getting worse.