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Stay Curious.
Make the most of your college experience.
Jeff Hulett
Curator, The Curiosity Vine
Stay Curious.
The Curiosity Vine is an idea incubator.
Our contributors have experience and interest in a variety of high-impact topics, such as science, technology, conservation, mathematics, data science, public policy, economics, and others. Our objective is to promote early-stage ideas, enable idea collaboration, and test idea purchase.
TCV platform is curated by Jeff Hulett.
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TCV's ideas are used to provide seminars, write books, build businesses, and especially to help people.
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Featured Posts
Beyond the Resumé: Decoding the Biological Signals of Leadership Success and Burnout
This article explores my leadership story through the lens of neurobiology. At the time, I was a young leader in my 30s. I lacked the vocabulary to describe my own neurodiversity, but I was acutely aware of my "differentness." I was fortunate to navigate those internal challenges in a way that eventually empowered my amazing teams and fueled our collective success. I offer these insights to help you connect your own unique neurobiology to your work environment; we all possess
The Stability Premium: Navigating the Four Nevers of Banking Data
Banks and consumer platforms like Amazon share one significant asset: they both sit atop vast reservoirs of consumer data. However, this is where the comparison ends. The differences lie in the geometry of time, the weight of impact, and the persistence of uncertainty. Amazon’s feedback loop is near-instant; a "full cycle" from purchase to delivery is measured in days. In contrast, banking lives in the long-view. It may take years for credit card behavior to reveal its risk p
The Invisible Moat: Modern Zoning and the Persistence of the Feudal Mindset
In the Middle Ages, the architecture of exclusion was honest. If you were a feudal lord seeking to protect your status and wealth from the "unwashed masses," you built a castle. You surrounded that castle with a deep, water-filled moat and a drawbridge remaining resolutely upright. The message was unmistakable: We are in here; you are out there. Our safety depends on your exclusion. As we examine the modern American housing landscape, it is tempting to believe we have evolved
From Moral Philosophy to Choice Architecture: Closing the 'Unseen' Gap in Adam Smith's System
Adam Smith’s enduring legacy rests on two pillars: the moral philosophy detailed in The Theory of Moral Sentiments (TMS) and the economic framework of The Wealth of Nations (WN) . For decades, the intellectual divide between these works—dubbed the "Adam Smith Problem"—obscured a critical truth: the two books form a single, cohesive system. The key to unification lies in Smith’s four sources of moral approval from TMS. The first three sources (motives, consequences, and gener
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Mortgage Rates Update: November 13th, 2025
After several weeks of favorable declines, the housing market faced a slight headwind for the week ending November 13th, 2025, as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate experienced a notable increase. The rate rose by 7 basis points (bp), settling at 6.24%. This move defied expectations set by the Treasury market, where the 10-Year T-Note rate actually decreased by 1bp. Upcoming releases: Next new jobs Oct 3 (Fed Govt shutdown, no data released) Next CPI release is Nov 13 (F
Jeff Hulett
Nov 14, 20251 min read
Treasury Rates Update: November 13th, 2025
This past week in the U.S. Treasury market was characterized by a distinct lack of movement, indicating the market is taking a pause after the significant volatility spurred by the late October Fed rate decrease and the recent jobs data. Upcoming Key Economic Data Release: Next net new job release is 11.7.25 (10.3.25 Fed Govt shutdown, no data) Next inflation release 11.13.25 (10.15.25 Fed Govt shutdown, data delayed to 10.24.25. no release 11.13.25) Next Fed meeting is
Bill Knudson
Nov 14, 20251 min read
The Illusion of Affordability: Why the 50-Year Mortgage Will Make Housing Less Affordable
The American dream of homeownership has never felt further out of reach. With a severe housing supply shortage driving prices to astronomical levels, a new proposal has emerged: the 50-year fixed-rate mortgage. The pitch is simple—by spreading payments over five decades instead of three, the monthly cost of owning a home falls dramatically, putting the keys back into the hands of young buyers. As an economist and a real estate investor who has spent decades studying how money
Jeff Hulett
Nov 11, 20256 min read
Treasury Rates Update: October 30th, 2025
The financial markets reacted sharply this week to the Federal Reserve's policy decision on October 29th, where the Fed decreased rates by 0.25%. This move immediately translated into higher Treasury yields across most of the curve, representing a significant reversal of the downward trend observed in previous weeks. Upcoming Key Economic Data Release: Next new jobs Oct 3 (Fed Govt shutdown, no data released) Next CPI release is Nov 13 (Fed Govt shutdown, delayed bu
Bill Knudson
Nov 2, 20252 min read
Mortgage Rates Update: October 30th, 2025
The fixed mortgage market experienced a notable technical movement for the week ending October 30th, 2025, continuing its recent trend of borrower-friendly declines. The 30-year fixed rate decreased by a modest 2 basis points (bp) to 6.17%. This downward movement is particularly compelling given that the 10-Year Treasury rate actually increased by 10bp, strengthening our observation that the mortgage market is reacting to internal dynamics rather than solely benchmark shifts.
Bill Knudson
Nov 2, 20251 min read
Mortgage Rates Update: October 23rd, 2025
For the week ending October 23rd, 2025, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate continued its recent downward trajectory, falling by a notable 8 basis points (bp). This decline is particularly interesting as the 10-Year Treasury rate simultaneously increased by 2bp, a divergence that suggests idiosyncratic factors are impacting mortgage-backed security pricing, leading to a narrowing of the spread. For a $100,000 loan at 6.19%, the monthly payment decreased $5 to $612 Upcoming releas
Bill Knudson
Oct 24, 20251 min read
Treasury Rates Update: October 23rd, 2025
The narrative in the U.S. Treasury market has decidedly shifted this past week, with rates across the curve experiencing a notable decline, signaling potential market jitters or a flight to safety. This follows a period marked by government dysfunction, including the lack of CPI data this week and the earlier Federal Government shutdown. Upcoming Key Economic Data Release: Next net new job release is 11.7.25 (10.3.25 Fed Govt shutdown, no data) Next inflation release 11.13
Bill Knudson
Oct 24, 20251 min read
Treasury Rates Update: October 16th, 2025
The narrative in the U.S. Treasury market has decidedly shifted this past week, with rates across the curve experiencing a notable decline, signaling potential market jitters or a flight to safety. This follows a period marked by government dysfunction, including the lack of CPI data this week and the earlier Federal Government shutdown. Upcoming Key Economic Data Release: Next net new job release is 11.7.25 (10.3.25 Fed Govt shutdown, no data) Next inflation release 11.13
Bill Knudson
Oct 24, 20251 min read
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