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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.
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TCV platform is curated by Jeff Hulett.
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Join our team - become a TCV contributor!
Learn about why you should join The Curiosity Vine.
TCV's ideas are used to provide seminars, write books, build businesses, and especially to help people.
So take a look around the site, feel free to ask or answer your own questions, and enjoy your own curiosity exploration!
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Featured Posts
Money, Math, and Mistakes: Training Sophisticated Neural Networks for the Realities of Banking
Introduction: Bridging the Gap at JMU This narrative is based on a program designed for undergraduate students in the James Madison University Business Analytics program. As you begin your journey into the world of data science, it is easy to focus entirely on the "how"—the code, the math, and the algorithms. However, in the world of banking, the "why" and the "where" are just as important. This session is intended to provide you with the professional context for how neural n
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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
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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
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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
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Treasury Rates Update: January 8, 2026
Entering the first full week of 2026, the Treasury market is exhibiting a steady, albeit cautious, temperament as it digests the transition into the new year. We are observing a yield curve that continues to pivot into a more positive position, characterized by softening at the very short end and a marginal drift higher in longer-dated maturities. The 10-year Treasury rate concluded the week up a nominal 1 basis point (bp), mirroring its cumulative 1bp increase over the past
Bill Knudson
6 days ago1 min read
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Treasury Rates Update: December 31st, 2025
As we close out the final week of 2025, the U.S. Treasury market has provided a clear signal of continued yield curve normalization. In what is typically a quiet holiday period, we observed a deliberate pivot in the curve toward a more positive position. This week’s activity was characterized by a modest rise in longer-term rates and a marginal decline in short-term yields, further easing the inversion that has dominated the landscape. The 10 Year Treasury rate concluded the
Bill Knudson
Jan 21 min read
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Treasury Rates Update: December 25th, 2025
The U.S. Treasury market showed resilience and a slight upward bias during the holiday week ending December 24th. Despite the typical seasonal lull, the market continued its gradual adjustment following the recent Federal Reserve rate decrease, with the yield curve showing further signs of normalization. The 10 Year Treasury rate finished the week up 3bp. This modest gain contributes to a cumulative two-week increase of 2bp. Daily volatility was contained, with the largest mo
Bill Knudson
Dec 26, 20251 min read
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Treasury Rates Update: December 18th, 2025
Following the flurry of activity surrounding the Federal Reserve's December 10th meeting, the Treasury market entered a period of relative calm this week. While we saw some volatility earlier in the month, the current environment suggests a market that is in digestion mode, weighing recent policy shifts against new economic data. Upcoming Key Economic Data Release:Â Â Next net new job release is January 9 Â Next inflation release January 13 Next Fed meeting is January 28Â Â Tr
Bill Knudson
Dec 19, 20251 min read
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Treasury Rates Update: December 11th, 2025
The US Treasury market experienced a notable week, heavily influenced by the Federal Reserve's rate decrease of 25 basis points on December 10th. This action immediately triggered a clear pivot in the yield curve, with short-term rates declining while longer-term maturities moved higher, reflecting the market's expectation of short-term easing but potentially persistent inflation concerns further out. Upcoming Key Economic Data Release:Â Â Next net new job release is Dec 16 fo
Bill Knudson
Dec 13, 20252 min read
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Treasury Rates Update: December 4th, 2025
The U.S. Treasury market made a strong directional move this past week, signaling a distinct anticipation of future policy changes ahead of the December 10th Fed meeting. We saw a clear pivot in the yield curve toward a more positive, or steepening, position. This dramatic shift involved a significant drop in the shortest-term rates alongside a broad rise in longer maturities, painting a picture of expected short-term easing coupled with persistent long-term inflation or grow
Bill Knudson
Dec 6, 20251 min read
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Treasury Rates Update: November 20th, 2025
The US Treasury market exhibited a calm demeanor this past week, largely maintaining the stability seen recently, though rates across the majority of the curve did tick slightly lower. This period of quiet movement follows the key economic data releases of jobs and CPI earlier in the month, leaving the market in a holding pattern ahead of the next Federal Reserve meeting. Upcoming Key Economic Data Release:Â Â Next net new job release is 11.7.25Â (10.3.25 Fed Govt shutdown, no
Bill Knudson
Nov 29, 20252 min read
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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
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