October 30, 2026
AMERICA'S GERONTOCRACY
This past year, three news stories highlighted noteworthy developments in the older demographic of the United States. In 2025, a study revealed that almost 20% of the United States labor force was 65 or older, the age traditionally associated with retirement. In 2000, that percentage was 13. At the same time, it was reported that the older half of America's population had become wealthier than at any other time in history, possessing almost 90% of all the wealth in the country. It was also pointed out that our national legislators are among the oldest we've ever had. Currently, 184 members of Congress are 65 years or older, or 34% of the Congress. Not only are these three stories related, but the data seems to support the idea that this situation was calculated.
October 28, 2026
CHOCOLATE
This year, Americans are expected to spend over $4 billion on Halloween candy, and most of that candy will be chocolate. Based on 2025 sales analyzed by Instacart, seven of the top ten candies purchased for Halloween in the United States were chocolate. Chocolate has become synonymous with holidays, celebrations, and gifts. But chocolate candy is a relatively recent invention, and the origin of its popularity owes more to its packaging than its taste.
August 21, 2026
DID CHASE SAPPHIRE RESERVE LOSE CUSTOMERS?
In June 2025, JPMorgan Chase announced that it was upgrading its Sapphire Reserve credit card. The annual fee for the most popular rewards credit card in the world was jumping from $550 to $795, a 45% increase. That announcement set off a firestorm of articles and online posts speculating whether the benefits of the card justified the new annual fee, and what the future of the card might hold. Looking at both the history of the card and the data from JPMorgan Chase financial reports, we will explore the rise of the first viral credit card, and see if there are any signs of recent negative impact due to changes in the program.
August 20, 2026
MOVIE THEATERS
This summer, Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey created a cultural argument that almost never occurs for movies: what is the best way to watch the film? Since the COVID-19 pandemic, most discussions surrounding the movies speculate about declining theater attendance, a subject we explored in an earlier episode, not which of the six available formats offers the best theatrical experience. Most of us are too young to remember that, originally, no one ever planned to go to the movies. The entire moviegoing experience was changed forever by one persnickety director.
June 3, 2026
THE EVOLUTION OF THE SMITHSONIAN
This year, while the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary as a country, another American institution is turning 180. Established in 1846 by President James K. Polk, the Smithsonian has evolved significantly over almost two centuries. As part of the American Semiquincentennial, the Smithsonian plans to reopen its iconic carousel and its first building, known as the "Castle," in the next few months.
May 14, 2026
THE OSCARS
We are officially in the midst of awards season, which is a ridiculous statement because entertainment prizes are awarded all year long. There are at least 19 televised award shows scheduled for this year. In 2025, the top seven award shows yielded a combined audience of over 75 million viewers. There are now awards for nearly every aspect of the entertainment complex, including sports, which already have awards for winning their respective competitions. The entire world is clearly obsessed with awards, and often ascribes greater value to those things which have been awarded. That mentality and behavior is no accident. It was carefully cultivated by marketers over nearly 100 years. And it all began with one controlling movie mogul in 1929.
February 25, 2026
HOW DISNEY BECAME THE JUGGERNAUT
Walt Disney began his career as a commercial artist at age 18 in 1919. The next year, he opened his own commercial art studio, which failed in one month. Two years later, he incorporated his first animation company. That failed within a year. After two bankrupted business attempts, Disney moved to Hollywood and started a third business with his brother Roy. In 1928, he created Mickey Mouse and released the first cartoon with synchronized sound. In 1932, he created the first full-color cartoon. In 1937, he released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first feature-length animated film.
February 18, 2026
GROUNDHOG DAY
Earlier this month, less than 200 miles from Pulsar's offices in York, Pennsylvania, an annual tradition was carried out in Punxsutawney. This small, Pennsylvania town becomes the focus of the whole world every year on the second day of February. A group of bearded men in top hats lifted a plump groundhog from its stump, held it high for the crowd to see, and declared that there will be six more weeks of winter. It's a quirky and antiquated ritual that occurs in an obscure, little town. There appears to be no reason for its widespread recognition and popularity, until you realize the entire thing is a masterclass in marketing.
January 30, 2026
CAN AMTRAK BE PROFITABLE?
Last month we did a deep dive into the data behind freight and passenger rail traffic in the United States, noting that Amtrak has never had a single profitable year, and has lost $46 billion since its inception in 1971. For 2026, Amtrak requested a Congressional grant of $2.4 billion while promising to be operationally profitable by 2028. That is ambitious, to say the least, but according to international data, it might be downright impossible.
January 24, 2026
PAD THAI
According to a recent study, Thai cuisine is third most popular ethnic food in the United States, behind Chinese and Mexican. In 2023, there were approximately 340,000 people in the United States that identified as Thai. There were also over 10,000 Thai restaurants in the US, making Thai cuisine the highest population-to-restaurant ratio in the country. And the most iconic food on any Thai menu is pad thai. Yes, the dish is unique and appealing to consumers all over the world, but that's not an accident. The government of Thailand first marketed the dish to its own people, then successfully sold it to the whole world.
