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Category Archives: Uncategorized
The Malboro Man has died
Fox News is reporting that Eric Lawson, an actor who portrayed the Malboro Man in cigarette ads, has died from smoking-related diseases. He was 72.
A modest (NFL) proposal
Last week, the commissioner of the National Football League, Roger Goodell, proposed an interesting idea–abolishing the extra point after a touchdown. (As an aside, check out Aaron Gordon’s excellent behavioral analysis of this proposal.) But if we’re going to reform the rules … Continue reading
A relationship in 300 seconds
Are you currently “in a relationship”? If so, what minute or second are you in?
What’s wrong with this map?
That is, what’s wrong with an “upside down” or reverse map of the world? After all, there is no up or down from outer space.
Another application of the Coase Theorem?
The Coase Theorem is the idea that voluntary transactions are an economically efficient way of solving the problem of harmful effects (or “negative externalities” in the patois of professional economics jargon) and that the outcome of such private bargaining is … Continue reading
Leaking the leakers
Would you feel any differently about the actions of Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, or Julian Assange if you knew what they really thought? Sean Wilentz, a historian at Princeton University, poses this intriguing question in this exposé in the latest issue of the … Continue reading
What is the probability that a bill in Congress will become law?
Yes, it’s less than 0.01. Hat tip to Ezra Klein, editor of Wonkblog.
What common law rule or general legal principle would you retire?
Res ipsa loquitur? The rule against perpetuities? Sovereign immunity? Also, what criteria or decision rule would you use in determining which legal rule or principle is ready for retirement? FYI, these questions are inspired by this year’s Annual Question at … Continue reading
Small Sample Size?
Are babies capable of engaging in deception? This study on “fake crying” in babies addresses a fascinating research question–the strategic use of deception by babies to get attention. From the abstract: Two infants were observed longitudinally. In total, 102 crying episodes … Continue reading
Every airline flight around the world during a single 24-hour day
Hat tips: Max Fisher; AirTraffic LIVE (Zurcher Hochschule school of Engineering).
