Author name: Augusta Oakey

Augusta Oakey is an investigative economic researcher who specializes in dissecting the intricate and often obscured connections between market forces, policy decisions, and institutional power. Her work is characterized by a rigorous, evidence-based methodology that delves into complex financial data, corporate structures, and global supply chains to uncover systemic truths. She operates with a foundational belief that economic systems are not abstract concepts but powerful engines built on specific choices, and his analyses are dedicated to exposing the mechanisms, incentives, and real-world consequences of those choices for the public.

Economics

University Degrees: Economic Assets or Debt Traps?

/
Higher education has long been seen as a path to economic mobility, but in recent years the rising costs of college and soaring student loan balances have prompted questions: Are U.S. university degrees yielding lasting economic returns, or trapping graduates in debt? Nearly 43 million Americans now hold federal student loans (about one in six adults), and the federal loan portfolio exceeds $1.6 trillion. Including private loans, total U.S. student debt approaches $1.8 trillion.… Read more
Business and Technology, News

Tesla vs. BYD: Why Wall Street Still Bets on Musk Over the Numbers

/
Electric vehicles have become the battleground for the world’s biggest automakers, and two names loom largest: Tesla and China’s BYD. On the surface, the numbers paint an astonishing story. In 2024 BYD – backed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and riding surging demand at home – reported roughly 777 billion yuan (about $107 billion) in revenue, surpassing Tesla’s $97.7 billion for the year. BYD also built far more vehicles (over 4.3 million plug-in cars and hybrids versus Tesla’s ~1.79 million EVs).… Read more
Business and Technology, News

The Myth of Passive Income: Separating Realistic Investments from Get-Rich Quicks

/
“Passive income” has become a buzzphrase in financial media and self-help circles. It conjures up images of effortless wealth: money flowing into your account while you sleep or lounge by the beach. Yet behind this appeal lies a critical truth: nearly all so-called “passive” earnings require careful planning, capital, and risk management. True passive streams demand significant upfront work or investment, and often ongoing maintenance. In reality, sustainable income streams usually involve active effort in disguise.… Read more
Economics

Hunger in the Land of Plenty: The Hidden Crisis of Food Insecurity in America

/
In 2023 the U.S. was home to roughly 18 million food-insecure households – about 47.4 million people – struggling to get enough to eat. That startling figure captures a paradox: the wealthiest country on earth, with vast fields of abundant crops, still leaves millions of children, adults and seniors uncertain where their next meal will come from. As one anti-hunger advocate put it, these numbers show “we have plenty of poverty and hunger” in “the wealthiest, most powerful nation in world history”.… Read more
Economics

The American Dream or American Nightmare? Terrifying Truths Immigrants Must Know

/
The “American Dream” is a Hollywood mirage: one migrant blew tens of thousands of dollars before even touching U.S. soil, and 34 % of immigrant families still can’t cover basics like food or rent. Once inside, newcomers face a gantlet of poverty wages—60 % of workers earn too little to afford a modest two-bedroom home—while evictions and homelessness surge. Undocumented newcomers are barred from Medicaid, half have no insurance, and hospitals quietly “medically deport” about 100 uninsured patients a year.… Read more
Economics

The Poverty Penalty: How Being Poor in America is More Expensive

/
Being poor in America comes with a steep and often hidden price tag. It’s a cruel paradox: people with the least money frequently end up paying more for basic goods and services than those who are better off. From higher interest rates and fees in banking, to inflated prices at the corner store, to costly health and transportation hurdles, the poor face a “poverty penalty” at nearly every turn. These extra burdens act like a hidden tax on low-income families, siphoning away precious dollars and making it even harder to get ahead.… Read more
Economics

The New American Dream: Leaving America for Opportunity Abroad

/
For a growing number of Americans, the traditional story of the “American Dream” – a stable job, a house with a white picket fence and upward mobility – is being replaced by a very different vision. Instead of aspiring to stay rooted in the United States, some are packing up and heading overseas. In videos on TikTok and YouTube, Americans show off lives in places like Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, or Ho Chi Minh City, marveling at how far their dollars go.… Read more
Economics

Why So Many Britons Are Going Bankrupt and Underwater — And Who’s to Blame

/
Beneath the surface of Britain’s rising personal insolvencies — now hitting nearly 118,000 in 2024, a 14% surge from the year before — lies a quiet, grinding crisis: ordinary people, many of them employed, are being crushed not by reckless spending, but by the sheer arithmetic of survival. Soaring rents, mortgage payments up 40%, energy bills still punishing despite caps, and food prices that refuse to retreat have turned paychecks into ticking time bombs — 60% of those seeking debt relief through charities like StepChange are in paid work, yet their incomes can’t outrun costs, leaving 30% with monthly shortfalls averaging £532 even after budgeting.… Read more
Economics, News

KPop Demon Hunters : How Netflix’s Unlikely Hit Became a Global Phenomenon

/
KPop Demon Hunters didn’t just break records — it rewrote the rules of global entertainment, turning a neon-drenched, demon-slaying K-pop musical into Netflix’s most-watched title ever and an accidental box office champion, all while proving that catchy songs, cross-cultural swagger, and fandom-fueled virality can outmuscle billion-dollar franchises. What began as a risky Sony-Pictures-turned-Netflix gamble — a $125 million animated fever dream blending Korean idol culture with shamanic fantasy — exploded far beyond algorithms and streaming stats: its soundtrack dominated Billboard with four Top 10 hits (including a #1 anthem, “Golden”), its characters sparked global cosplay and TikTok dance riots, and its surprise sing-along theatrical run outgrossed Hollywood’s latest releases despite being “already on Netflix.”… Read more
Economics

Homes for Living or for Profit? Why Housing Is Treated as an Investment Instead of a Right

/
Housing is one of humanity’s most fundamental needs – a safe shelter from the elements, a stable space for family life, and a foundation for personal dignity. Yet in much of the world today, housing is not viewed purely as a basic human right or public good. Instead, it has been transformed into a commodity – a vehicle for profit, wealth accumulation, and speculative investment. Governments and financial markets increasingly treat homes like stocks or gold, fueling a global mindset that a house isn’t just a place to live, but a way to get rich.… Read more
Scroll to Top