Behold, one of the greatest things on the internet: the “This Charming Charlie” Tumblr, where artist Lauren LoPrete has put lyrics from Smiths and Morrissey songs into the conversation bubbles in “Peanuts” strips. I’m a little late to the party here as this is a few years old, but one of the neatest things about […]
Corporate Power
I suspect you’re not reading this on your Zune. Why not? Because the Zune failed. That the Zune failed in spite of backing by one of the world’s most powerful companies should give us pause when we think about “corporate power.” Products succeed and fail, ultimately, because consumers vote for them or against them with […]
So what is Uber a Substitute *For*?
There was a lot of hubbub about Uber’s entry into Birmingham, and a lot of people in a lot of places worry about what Uber means for “safety” and “good jobs.” There’s a lot of substitution from taxi cabs to Uber—I don’t plan to take a cab ever again, especially after Uber cut prices in […]
Inequality of Serenity
“God, grant me the courage to change what I can, the serenity to accept the things I can’t, and the wisdom to know the difference.” The serenity prayer. It’s a useful mantra of sorts because there really is no point to lamenting that which we can’t change. And yet serenity is distributed unequally, perhaps as […]
Summer Reading (or Listening!) for Educators
As I teach my summer class and prepare for Fall semester, I’ll be incorporating lessons from these books: A Mind for Numbers, by Barbara Oakley How We Learn, by Benedict Carey Make it Stick, by Peter C. Brown and Henry L. Roediger III How to Read a Book, by Charles van Doren and Mortimer J. […]
Why Not Capitalism?
“Capitalism lacks romantic appeal. It does not set the pulse racing in the way that opposing ideologies like socialism, fascism, or environmentalism can. It does not stir the blood, for it identifies no dragons to slay. It offers no grand vision for the future, for in an open market system, the future is shaped not […]
House of Cards is “Politics Without Romance”
I’m late to this party: I just recently started watching “House of Cards” on Netflix. As an economist who studies and teaches the economics of political decision making, I find it absolutely captivating. It’s a spectacular example of the public choice tradition, which the Nobel laureate James Buchanan defined as “politics without romance.” After watching […]
Living The Hobbesian Nightmare: The Walking Dead
Life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. This is nowhere more clearly in evidence than in the AMC hit The Walking Dead. How well will we do after the zombie apocalypse? Not well, I think—we’re a species that burns cars when a football team loses. If anything, watching The Walking Dead has made me wonder how […]
Traveling With Ease
TRAVELING WITH EASE I took my new backpack and new suitcase on speaking trips to McKendree University and Hampden-Sydney College. I was surprised at how much easier flying is with a four-wheeled suitcase that rolls in all four directions, and the “TSA Friendly” laptop sleeve made airport security less of a hassle.
“The Force Awakens” Suggests That The Sequel Trilogy Will Be Excellent (SPOILERS)
There are spoilers below. I’m trying to minimize them. You’ve been warned. Remember that many Bothans died to protect you from this information, so if you haven’t seen the movie yet and don’t want it spoiled, please stop reading. The $238 million domestic and $517 million worldwide box office for Star Wars: The Force Awakens […]