In-depth piece from a few years ago. How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work (NYTimes) There are many choices that we have made about labor & competitiveness that have determined where we are today. Some sound like glib assertions, and…
Author: ruebeckc
Origins of the language
Quite the interesting read, where we learn that the Viking made the language ‘easier’ but left some pieces reminiscent of other languages in there, “hanging on like a dead bug on a windshield”. English is Not Normal (aeon) Also fun…
Sazerac
Who knew that New Orleans had an official cocktail? Those of us that hacked through Saturday’s crossword, at least.
Crossword advice from Shortz
The big one: Shortz says, “Go Ahead, You have Permission to Cheat.” He’s giving advice, too: How to Solve the New York Times Crossword Puzzle, and 5 Tips For A Razor Sharp Mind.
Economics a Science?
Some interesting thoughts from Robert J. Shiller On Whether He is a Scientist (Project Syndicate). Although I can agree that there should be a Nobel Prize (or Prizes) for engineering, I disagree on several counts with this statement. Nobody really cares much…
Seat license numbers
Interesting data here on seat license costs, as well as ticket prices. A variation on multi-part tariffs. The real Deflategate verdict? The NFL’s in trouble (MarketWatch)
Advice from the toddler to the intellectual
Fun advice, perhaps most helpful for those who don’t bring their kids into the world at the same time they’re doing a Ph.D. The Toddler’s Guide to Doing a PhD (The Thesis Whisperer) First, though, a word of disagreement: Be…
Krugman on Romer et al.
The thread begun (in the AER) by Paul Romer, as I’ve commented, is deep in links on his site and elsewhere. Here’s a brief take from Krugman, with more links. Trash Talk and the Macroeconomic Divide – lots of links Freshwater’s…
The Scientific Method and social equilibria
So much to think about here, and part of a much larger conversation. The characterization of social equilibria, and mistaken beliefs about the wider-occurring equilibria, are appealing. The freshwater sympathizers agreed, for example, that Lucas and Moll strategically refrained from…
Aspiring to whimsy
Most great economists are probably misunderstood as having a lack of whimsy. Those lesser economists may actually lack it. Let’s all aspire to maintaining it. Whimsy Just Doesn’t Show Up on a Spreadsheet What a fun article, noting that “in…