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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.
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
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
The Mechanics of Emergence: Signal Integration in Neurons
What does Neuroscience have to do with Personal Finance? Everything! My journey into personal finance has led me to a crucial realization: the vast majority of our challenge to achieve long-term wealth begins not in spreadsheets or investment accounts, but within our own minds. The reasons we are either successful or fail are often rooted in the deep mechanics of how our brain operates and how that operation ultimately presents in our personal finance decision-making. This a
De-Moral Hazarding: The Strategic Use of Commitment Devices to Achieve Moral Benefit
I. Introduction: The Asymmetry of Risk and Incentive Distortion Despite the substantial welfare gains provided by risk-transfer mechanisms, the phenomenon of Moral Hazard (MH) represents a persistent challenge, contributing to systemic inefficiency and escalating costs. MH fundamentally describes the incentive distortion created when agents are insulated from the full financial consequences of their actions. Drawing from a long-established definition, Moral Hazard is understo
The Quiet Wealth of Parenting: 10 Practical Lessons for Raising Thriving Children
It's not about money or perfection; it's about presence, governing our seeking, and being a self-learner. Discover the 10 Practical Parenting Lessons from "The Quiet Wealth of Enough" that teach resilience, self-learning, and the true meaning of wealth for raising healthy, happy children. These lessons come from a deep understanding of the behavioral and cognitive sciences, financial education, teaching, and the practical experience of raising four confident, resilient, an
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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: Next net new job release is January 9 Next inflation release January 13 Next Fed meeting is January 28 Tr
Bill Knudson
18 hours ago1 min read
Mortgage Rates Update: December 18th, 2025
The mortgage market showed continued resilience for the week ending December 18, 2025, as 30-year fixed mortgage rates edged down slightly. The rate decreased by 1 basis point to 6.21 percent. This movement occurred as the 10 Year Treasury rate saw a more pronounced decline of 2 basis points. As an experienced economist, I observe that while both benchmarks are moving lower, the faster drop in Treasury yields resulted in a minor expansion of the market spread. This divergence
Bill Knudson
18 hours ago1 min read
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
Jeff Hulett
4 days ago7 min read
The Mechanics of Emergence: Signal Integration in Neurons
What does Neuroscience have to do with Personal Finance? Everything! My journey into personal finance has led me to a crucial realization: the vast majority of our challenge to achieve long-term wealth begins not in spreadsheets or investment accounts, but within our own minds. The reasons we are either successful or fail are often rooted in the deep mechanics of how our brain operates and how that operation ultimately presents in our personal finance decision-making. This a
Jeff Hulett
5 days ago7 min read
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: Next net new job release is Dec 16 fo
Bill Knudson
7 days ago2 min read
Mortgage Rates Update: December 11th, 2025
For the week ending December 11, 2025, the fixed mortgage market experienced a parallel movement with Treasury yields, indicating a return to correlation. The 30-year fixed rate increased by 3 basis points (bp), settling at 6.22%. This upward shift mirrored the 10-Year T-Note rate, which also rose by 3bp to 4.14%. As an experienced economist, I find this concurrent movement significant. When both rates move in tandem, the spread between them remains stable, suggesting the mar
Bill Knudson
7 days ago1 min read
De-Moral Hazarding: The Strategic Use of Commitment Devices to Achieve Moral Benefit
I. Introduction: The Asymmetry of Risk and Incentive Distortion Despite the substantial welfare gains provided by risk-transfer mechanisms, the phenomenon of Moral Hazard (MH) represents a persistent challenge, contributing to systemic inefficiency and escalating costs. MH fundamentally describes the incentive distortion created when agents are insulated from the full financial consequences of their actions. Drawing from a long-established definition, Moral Hazard is understo
Jeff Hulett
Dec 108 min read
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 61 min read
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