Fellowship of the mailbag

PEPFAR, deposit insurance, literacy and more

This week was the first of four weeks during which I’m spending time in Chicago as a fellow at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics, mostly talking to undergrads but also doing some other university-related stuff as well as seeing some of what the city has to offer.

That includes hopefully meeting up with some Chicago-area readers at a happy hour — Wednesday, March 29, 5:30 p.m. at Radio Room, 400 North State Street.

Also: Some good news! Europe has gotten its shit together on a deal to send a bunch of ammunition to Ukraine, the U.S. is accelerating deliveries of Patriot missiles, and the training is going well. Hannah Ritchie lays out the case for climate optimism. People are pretty good at estimating their Social Security benefits but a bit too pessimistic. Electric cars are getting cheaper thanks to lithium abundance. Some healthcare providers are proving better than me at putting chatbots to practical use. And YIMBYs win in Arlington.

Let’s do some questions.

Tom Hit…