/* ============================================================
   The Debt Crisis — Carson's Corner
   White headlines + bright turquoise accent + light-gray body
   ============================================================ */
:root{
  /* original dark background, kept */
  --bg:#070b12;
  --bg-2:#0b111b;
  --panel:#101826;
  --panel-2:#14202f;
  --border:#1f2c3d;
  --white:#FFFFFF;        /* headlines */
  --ink:#E5E7EB;          /* body text */
  --muted:#A0A0A0;        /* secondary text */
  --muted-2:#7c8694;
  --amber:#00D4D4;        /* accent — bright turquoise (numbers, links, buttons, dividers) */
  --amber-2:#3DE0E0;      /* lighter turquoise (links) */
  --amber-d:#00B0B0;      /* darker turquoise (button hover) */
  --red:#ff5d73;          /* danger / negatives */
  --red-2:#ff8a99;
  --green:#5ad19a;
  --blue:#7aa2ff;
  --mono:"SFMono-Regular",ui-monospace,"JetBrains Mono","Menlo",Consolas,monospace;
  --sans:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,"Segoe UI",Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;
  --maxw:1080px;
}
*{box-sizing:border-box}
html{scroll-behavior:smooth}
body{
  margin:0;background:var(--bg);color:var(--ink);
  font-family:var(--sans);line-height:1.65;
  -webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;
  font-size:17px;
}
a{color:var(--amber-2);text-decoration:none}
a:hover{text-decoration:underline}
img{max-width:100%}

/* ---------- Top bar / nav ---------- */
.topbar{
  position:sticky;top:0;z-index:50;
  background:rgba(10,12,16,.92);backdrop-filter:blur(8px);
  border-bottom:1px solid var(--border);
}
.topbar .wrap{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:18px;padding:10px 20px;max-width:1280px;margin:0 auto}
.brand{font-family:var(--mono);font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.12em;font-size:15px;color:var(--ink);white-space:nowrap}
.brand b{color:var(--amber)}
.nav{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:4px 14px;font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12.5px;letter-spacing:.04em}
.nav a{color:var(--muted)}
.nav a:hover,.nav a[aria-current="page"]{color:var(--amber);text-decoration:none}

/* ---------- Layout ---------- */
.container{max-width:var(--maxw);margin:0 auto;padding:0 20px}
.section{padding:54px 0;border-bottom:1px solid var(--border)}
.hero{padding:70px 0 50px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--border);background:
  radial-gradient(1100px 380px at 50% -120px,rgba(46,230,197,.12),transparent 70%),
  radial-gradient(700px 300px at 85% 0,rgba(169,139,255,.08),transparent 70%),var(--bg)}
.eyebrow{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12px;letter-spacing:.28em;color:var(--amber);text-transform:uppercase;margin:0 0 14px}
h1{font-size:clamp(34px,6vw,60px);line-height:1.03;margin:.1em 0 .3em;letter-spacing:-.01em;font-weight:800;color:var(--white)}
h2{font-size:clamp(24px,3.4vw,34px);line-height:1.12;margin:1.6em 0 .5em;letter-spacing:-.01em;font-weight:750;color:var(--white)}
h3{font-size:19px;margin:1.4em 0 .4em;font-weight:700;color:var(--white)}
.lede{font-size:clamp(18px,2.3vw,22px);color:var(--muted);max-width:760px}
.chapter-tag{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12px;letter-spacing:.22em;color:var(--muted-2);text-transform:uppercase}
p{margin:.7em 0}
.muted{color:var(--muted)}
.small{font-size:14px}
.center{text-align:center}

/* ---------- TL;DR / answer box (AEO) ---------- */
.answer{
  background:linear-gradient(180deg,var(--panel-2),var(--panel));
  border:1px solid var(--border);border-left:3px solid var(--amber);
  border-radius:12px;padding:20px 22px;margin:26px 0;
}
.answer .label{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:11px;letter-spacing:.22em;color:var(--amber);text-transform:uppercase}
.answer p{margin:.4em 0 0;color:var(--ink)}

/* ---------- Stat cards ---------- */
.statbar{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:10px;margin:24px 0}
.stat{flex:1 1 160px;background:var(--panel);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:10px;padding:16px 18px}
.stat .n{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:30px;font-weight:700;color:var(--amber);line-height:1}
.stat .n.red{color:var(--red)}
.stat .n.green{color:var(--green)}
.stat .l{font-size:13px;color:var(--muted);margin-top:8px;letter-spacing:.02em}

.cards{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(220px,1fr));gap:14px;margin:22px 0}
.card{background:var(--panel);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:20px}
.card h3{margin-top:0}
.card .big{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:34px;font-weight:700;color:var(--amber);line-height:1}
.card .big.red{color:var(--red)}
.card .sub{font-size:13px;color:var(--muted);margin-top:6px}

/* ---------- Quote ---------- */
blockquote{
  margin:26px 0;padding:18px 22px;border-left:3px solid var(--red);
  background:var(--panel);border-radius:0 10px 10px 0;font-size:19px;color:var(--ink);font-style:italic
}
blockquote cite{display:block;margin-top:10px;font-size:14px;color:var(--muted);font-style:normal;font-family:var(--mono)}

/* ---------- Tables ---------- */
.tablewrap{overflow-x:auto;margin:22px 0;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px}
table{width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:14.5px;min-width:520px}
caption{caption-side:top;text-align:left;font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12px;letter-spacing:.12em;color:var(--muted);text-transform:uppercase;padding:14px 16px 0}
th,td{padding:11px 16px;text-align:left;border-bottom:1px solid var(--border)}
thead th{background:var(--panel-2);color:var(--amber);font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12px;letter-spacing:.06em;text-transform:uppercase;position:sticky;top:0}
tbody tr:hover{background:var(--panel)}
td.num,th.num{text-align:right;font-family:var(--mono)}
.tag-red{color:var(--red);font-family:var(--mono)}
.tag-green{color:var(--green);font-family:var(--mono)}

/* ---------- Steps / lists ---------- */
ol.steps{counter-reset:s;list-style:none;padding:0;margin:20px 0}
ol.steps li{position:relative;padding:14px 16px 14px 54px;background:var(--panel);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:10px;margin:8px 0}
ol.steps li::before{counter-increment:s;content:counter(s);position:absolute;left:14px;top:14px;width:26px;height:26px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--amber);color:#042019;font-family:var(--mono);font-weight:700;font-size:13px;display:grid;place-items:center}

/* ---------- CTA button ---------- */
.btn{display:inline-block;font-family:var(--mono);font-size:13px;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;
  background:var(--amber);color:#042019;padding:12px 20px;border-radius:8px;font-weight:700;margin:8px 0}
.btn:hover{background:var(--amber-2);text-decoration:none}
.btn.ghost{background:transparent;color:var(--amber);border:1px solid var(--amber)}

/* ---------- Explore grid ---------- */
.explore{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fit,minmax(230px,1fr));gap:12px;margin:22px 0}
.explore a{display:block;background:var(--panel);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;padding:18px;color:var(--ink)}
.explore a:hover{border-color:var(--amber);text-decoration:none}
.explore a .t{font-weight:700;font-family:var(--mono);font-size:15px;color:var(--amber)}
.explore a .d{font-size:13px;color:var(--muted);margin-top:6px}

/* ---------- FAQ (AEO) ---------- */
.faq details{background:var(--panel);border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:10px;margin:8px 0;padding:0 18px}
.faq summary{cursor:pointer;font-weight:650;padding:15px 0;list-style:none;color:var(--ink)}
.faq summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}
.faq summary::before{content:"+ ";color:var(--amber);font-family:var(--mono)}
.faq details[open] summary::before{content:"– "}
.faq details p{padding-bottom:15px;margin-top:0;color:var(--muted)}

/* ---------- Footer ---------- */
footer{background:var(--bg-2);padding:46px 0 60px}
footer .cols{display:grid;grid-template-columns:2fr 1fr 1fr;gap:30px}
footer h4{font-family:var(--mono);font-size:12px;letter-spacing:.18em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--amber);margin:0 0 12px}
footer a{display:block;color:var(--muted);font-size:14px;padding:3px 0}
footer .fine{margin-top:34px;padding-top:20px;border-top:1px solid var(--border);color:var(--muted-2);font-size:13px}
footer .brandblock p{color:var(--muted);font-size:14.5px;max-width:42ch}

/* ---------- Misc ---------- */
.divider{height:1px;background:var(--border);margin:28px 0;border:0}
.kicker-list{list-style:none;padding:0}
.kicker-list li{padding:8px 0 8px 22px;position:relative;border-bottom:1px solid var(--border)}
.kicker-list li::before{content:"▸";position:absolute;left:0;color:var(--amber)}
.src{font-size:12.5px;color:var(--muted-2);font-family:var(--mono);margin-top:18px}
.youarehere{color:var(--red);font-family:var(--mono);font-weight:700}

@media(max-width:720px){
  body{font-size:16px}
  footer .cols{grid-template-columns:1fr}
  .nav{display:none}
}

/* ============================================================
   Debt-crisis image background (all pages)
   Lighter veil = more of the image shows through
   ============================================================ */
body::before{                 /* the image layer, fixed behind everything */
  content:"";position:fixed;left:0;right:0;bottom:0;top:64px;z-index:-2;
  background:url("og-debt-crisis.jpg") center top / cover no-repeat;
}
body::after{                  /* very light global veil so text stays legible */
  content:"";position:fixed;inset:0;z-index:-1;
  background:linear-gradient(rgba(7,11,18,.22), rgba(7,11,18,.44));
}
.hero{                        /* image reads strongest behind the headline */
  background:linear-gradient(rgba(7,11,18,.02), rgba(7,11,18,.20));
}
.section{                     /* frosted glass: image clearly visible, text crisp */
  background:rgba(10,15,24,.30);
  backdrop-filter:blur(3px);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter:blur(3px);
}
.section:nth-of-type(even){background:rgba(8,12,20,.36)}
.topbar{background:rgba(7,11,18,.72)}
footer{background:rgba(8,12,18,.78)}
/* slightly stronger text shadow so headings stay crisp over the lighter image */
.hero h1,.hero .lede,.section h2,.section h3{text-shadow:0 1px 10px rgba(0,0,0,.55)}