Dec 30 Why Republicans should thank Obama for opening up Cuba By George C. Lodge George Cabot Lodge asks why Republicans want to deny the Cuban people the better life that he predicts will come with U.S. investment in their country and deny American business new opportunities. Continue reading
Dec 30 Think you know how oil prices work? By Simone Pathe A new working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research remodels the relationship between oil prices and production, suggesting that the actual pressure inside the wells dictates the pace of extraction more than price swings. Continue reading
Dec 26 Why did some Indonesian women bear more children after the 2004 tsunami? By Simone Pathe Years after the Indian Ocean tsunami that struck Indonesia on Dec. 26, 2004, researchers noted a higher than expected fertility rate, particularly among the communities that had experienced the most mortality. They took a closer look to see who was… Continue reading
Dec 25 What are your Christmas gifts worth to you? By Simone Pathe Those gifts you opened this morning -- they're worth less to you than the gift-giver paid for them, no doubt. That's the deadweight loss of Christmas for you. But plenty of economists are saying "bah, humbug" to economic rationality and… Continue reading
Dec 24 Can you go on and off Medicare? By Philip Moeller Is enrolling in Medicare a once-and-for-all decision? Not necessarily, explains Medicare Maven Phil Moeller. A retiree may want to drop Medicare Part B if he or she has the option of being covered under a new spouse's employer group health… Continue reading
Dec 23 What might capitalism look like in 2015? By Sallie Krawcheck As baby boomers leave the workforce and millennials, and increasingly women, move in to take their places, former Citigroup CFO Sallie Krawcheck predicts capitalism will become more inclusive, and consequently, more prosperous -- for everyone. Continue reading
Dec 22 The Indiana Jones of collapsed cultures: Our Western civilization itself is a bubble By Edward Fischer Bill Gates may think we're living in the greatest time in history. But the same elements of our society that have allowed Western civilization to succeed also spell its impending collapse. Anthropologist Ted Fischer interviews fellow Vanderbilt anthropologist Arthur Demarest… Continue reading
Dec 19 How economic theory can help stop sexual assault By Michael Chwe Economist Michael Chwe turns to game theory to explain how a new reporting technology and social norms marketing can help reduce the incidence of sexual assault. Continue reading
Dec 18 Watch 6:34 This holiday season, behavioral economics could be a gift that keeps giving By PBS News Hour Do you struggle with slouching, overeating or oversleeping? This holiday season, there’s a gift for that. Economics correspondent Paul Solman talks to Sendhil Mullainathan about consumer innovations that promise to improve your life through behavioral economics. Continue watching
Dec 18 Where to give your money this holiday season, according to behavioral economics By Paul Solman If you're fortunate enough to be able to donate money this holiday season, which organizations will be receiving your checks? Paul Solman speaks with Yale behavioral economist Dean Karlan about the causes that are using funds most efficiently. Continue reading