Like 142.9+ million other U.S. consumers, my data was stolen from Equifax’s computers recently. Having been the (thankfully brief) victim of identify theft years ago, I can only hope that we all don’t suffer too much from Equifax’s carelessness with our data. As so many other commentators have noted, they have only one job to
In case you missed it, Arthur C. Brooks has a solid op-ed in the New York Time on academic intellectual freedom. Some highlights: These days, the news is full of sensational stories of violent campus mobs shutting down conservative speakers and freaked-out college administrators treating rioters with kid gloves. Such stories offer excellent fodder for critics who
In this week’s edition… the dream of nationless cities at sea…why Americans should learn the Chinese way… the lonely future of buying stuff…how science is unlocking the secrets of addiction…cinematography is finally capturing all shades…and more. Have a great weekend! Business & Economics Investors Prefer It When Corporations Are Specific about the Risk They
I have written in the past about the harmful disconnect between capitalism and ordinary individuals. On the same theme, there is an excellent essay by Fredrik Erixon and Björn Weigel in the new American Affairs that should not be missed. Some highlights: We do not have to go much further in order to understand the economics
There is an excellent analysis of Stanley Fischer’s departure from the Fed on ft.com. Some highlights: The early resignation of Stanley Fischer, the Federal Reserve board vice-chairman, is a reminder that the coming turnover in the Fed’s leadership is unprecedented in speed and scale. For all the attacks on the Fed since 2008 nothing has
In 2016, Chuck Klosterman published a book called, But What If We’re Wrong? The subtitle of the book is really what it’s about, however: Thinking About the Present As if It Were the Past. Klosterman’s book is a neat intellectual puzzle, in which he tries to find a way to think about our present world
Good MIT Tech Review post on VCs focused on immigrant founders. I know the CEO of one of the VCs mentioned and can attest not just to a solid vision but also a clear business focus. Some key points: These are tense times for foreigners who want to live and work in the U.S., due
In case you missed it, good post by Greg Ip on wsj.com on the and nature and role of economists in policy and society. Some highlights: In recent decades, the stature of economists has taken a beating from two critiques in particular. The first, popular especially on the left, argues that economists are slaves to
There is an interesting video/post on wired.com on what does it mean to call something a “robot”? Some highlights: “I would say that a robot is a physically embodied artificially intelligent agent that can take actions that have effects on the physical world,” says roboticist Anca Dragan of UC Berkeley. According to that definition, a
I came across an interesting post on LSE’s Business Review blog on what economists actually do. It’s a good intro for non-economists. Some highlights: One short answer is that economics is the social science focusing on people’s material well-being, the ‘business side’ of life. How do people earn a living? What do they buy with
