Crypto Riche

1.7 million new millionaires and 56 new billionaires emerged in America in 2020.Here’s a glimpse of the crypto class. Aparody Twitter account called @justsaysinmice flags clickbait health articles with headlines like, “Scientists Find Link Between Video Games and Sexual Prowess.” But researchers discovered that trend only in mice. The same nudge and wink apply to … Continued

Gambling to a 1,925% Return

A first-time gambler hits the road for one week of mobile wagering and a +37% return—annualized to 1,925% for this clickbait headline Working for a group of traders is sometimes like starring in your own version of a musical. Not that traders break out in choreographed dance moves or sing songs of yearning, but mostly … Continued

Black Mirror Bodega

Amazon Go stores combine the ambiance of the inside of a vending machine with mundane sandwiches  As consumers shift from conspicuous consumption to experiences, they’ll find a plethora of places to spend money. Want to be a ropin’, ridin’ cowboy? Go to a dude ranch. Want to throw a heater over home plate? Do a … Continued

Fame, Fortune & Finance

Starstruck by big-name athletes and entertainers, investors stock up on special-purpose acquisition company stocks We look to celebrities for lots of things: Which vitamins will give me lustrous hair, how to apologize and sound like you mean it, and how to make sex tapes for fun and profit. But should we be looking to them … Continued

Not the “Billions” Carl Sagan Was Referring To

Musk and Bezos square off in a lopsided showdown to determine who can build a bigger payload for phallic-shaped rockets Amazon sold another $100 billion worth of Scrub Daddies, fitted sheet straps and other goods essential to life in the 21st century, the company reported in its fourth-quarter earnings statement. But that wasn’t the big … Continued

There’s More Than One Way To Be Smart

Nature, nurture and emotional intelligence If you’re a hiring manager, talent scout or just a woman who’s dating well into her 30s, you know that sharing, interpreting and regulating emotions doesn’t always come naturally. Yes, this issue of Luckbox is all about the raw intellectual power of the human brain, but what’s the key factor … Continued

Seven Predictions for 2021

Here comes another year. But it can’t get much worse than 2020. Can it? Every November, after all the leftover turkey has been eaten, a group of Wall Street analysts gathers at a secret location to mete out predictions for the upcoming year. Trends are analyzed, forecasts are made and charts are backtested. Then, when … Continued

Ballot-Measure Mania

Believe it or not, you actually care about some of the referenda up for a vote on state ballots during the general election—like legalized weed and higher taxes Luckbox wanted a column on some of the nation’s most exciting ballot measures. Seriously, ballot measures? Well, here goes. Whether they’re voting by mail, taking advantage of … Continued

Daddy’s Home!

Barstool Sports’ Call Her Daddy changed the podcast industry forever and then disappeared in a soup of scandal. Now it’s back—sort of. Those who live for drama have come to depend upon reliable sources that include politics, reality shows, YouTube influencers—and now, podcasts? The formerly placid world of podcasts, once ruled by the dulcet-toned policy … Continued

Lockdown Economics

More than just food is at stake as the pandemic continues to menace America’s restaurants Let me tell you about my dad. He’s former military, in his 70s but still works, and he’s never met a cut of meat that he doesn’t like. He’s a foodie even though he hates the moniker. Traveling with my … Continued