August-0807
Up one levelToo Much Money Chasing Too Few Goods
A weakening dollar may seem like trouble, but exchange rates don’t tell the whole story.
American Conversations: Tyler Cowen
Economics professor Tyler Cowen discusses his new book, blogging, and the application of economics in everyday life.
Backing 'Back to School'
Congressional subsidies for college tuition encourage students to over-consume.
Snacks that Slim – Starting with Your Pocketbook
Why your future self will appreciate those smaller, seemingly overpriced treats.
Subprime Bust Expands
To the students of history, the vicious cycle around the bust is all too familiar.
Private Sector Healthcare Can Also Be 'Universal'
Watch out for reforms that would put government in charge.
Trading Cubans for Corn
Lifting the embargo could help us move beyond the current regime of domestic agricultural subsidies.
Tonight’s Debate: A Labor of Love for Democratic Candidates
The Democratic field is unusually in tune with organized labor—but union leaders are playing hard to get.
Taxing Obesity: A Modest Proposal
Targeting foods is a needlessly indirect way of encouraging weight loss.
Sicko’s Box Office Numbers are Fuzzy, Too
You might be surprised which documentaries have actually earned the most…
‘Citizen Diplomacy’—A Very Democratic Idea
Corporate leaders and other private actors are doing their part to represent America abroad.
Bad Chemistry from California Regulators
You might be surprised to learn what is “known to the state of California”…
Poland’s Economy Outperforms Its Quarrelsome Leaders
Intra-European bickering may derail the country’s economic growth.
Agent Green
Activists opposed to herbicide use are fighting for a dangerous weed—and increasing forest fire risks.
Bonds’s Economic Home Run
Great athletics—and steroids—are part of the story, but so are supply and demand.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
This baseball season, an economist takes the field. . . In the ethanol industry, consolidation may be brewing. . . A dean stands accused in a college hazing death. But the prosecutor "could have obtained the indictment of a ham sandwich if he had asked". . . Promotional CDs raise an important legal question: Is software being 'sold' or 'licensed'? A cost-benefit analysis elaborates on why people stand still on escalators. . .
A Second Crisis in Radioactive Waste
The way things are going, low-level nuclear waste could end up in everyone’s backyard.
Give Health Courts a Fair Shake
Special tribunals could be the answer to our medical malpractice mess.
Why WiFi? City Governments Should Stay Out
Wireless Internet access is a good thing—which is exactly why cities shouldn’t provide it.
Don’t License This Argument—Buy It
Copyright holders want to redefine music and software sales as licensing agreements. Don’t let them.
Pro Se’s Outlandish Menu
Delusional plaintiffs with crazy suits are just a symptom of a larger problem.
Investing in Africa May Not Be the Bargain it Seems
Even with a bullish commodities market, the continent faces daunting challenges.
American Conversations: Sharon Sloane
WILL Interactive CEO Sharon Sloane talks about the "serious games" her company uses to train business leaders and military personnel.
Depends on Whose ‘Locusts’ they Are
Amidst misguided economic thinking, Germany's center-left and center-right swap roles on protectionism.
The Decline and Fall of Declinism
Some people don’t want to admit it, but America is in great shape.
Stanford’s Super-Sized Rhetoric
A new study on the marketing power of McDonald’s is not the alarming find its authors make it out to be.