A Star Is Born

(1) Get a dog. (2) Barking at the mirror. (3) Fed officials perplexed that real rate is zero. (4) Gloria Swanson and r*. (5) Is there such a thing as the equilibrium, neutral, or natural interest rate? (6) What if it changes all the time? (7) Dudley tells Yellen and Brainard that the headwinds may not be transient. (8) Williams says low real rates here to stay. (9) Round up the usual suspects: Weak productivity, too much saving, old people, shortage of innovations, the financial crisis of 2008. (10) Maybe it’s just too much government and policy meddling. (11) Who’s afraid of the big bad woof?