Economic Thinkers

March 8, 2019

Why a Higher Minimum Wage is like a Google Map

Using a multi-disciplined lens, the University of Washington's most recent study of Seattle's $15 minimum wage conveyed considerable insight.

March 3, 2019

The Best Way To Measure Happiness

When we compare Bhutan's gross national happiness (GNH) to its gross domestic product (GDP, we could decide if happiness relates to economic growth.

February 5, 2019

How Boats and Cake Are Like Taxes

Whether deciding how to divide boats in Santa Barbara harbor, a cake, or tax revenue, fair distribution requires knowing what different people say is fair.

January 24, 2019

The Impact That Working Mothers Have on their Adult Daughters and Sons

Asked if they’re okay, adults with moms who worked said “Chill. We’re doing great.” Their response was similar to the answers in a survey that went to […]

January 23, 2019

When to Worry About Water

Approaching Day Zero, the people in Cape Town South Africa were conserving water by singing two minute shower songs and using 50 liters (13 gallons) a day.

January 20, 2019

When Pay-What-You-Want Does Not Quite Work Out

Unexpectedly, Panera's pay-what-you-want cafes couldn't bring together the normal lunch crowd and people who could not afford a meal.

January 18, 2019

Six Facts: What It’s Handy To Know About China

A look at U.S. China trade history reveals how the Chinese economy has changed and what a combination of command and the market can accomplish.

January 13, 2019

How an Art Heist Is like the Government Shutdown

Whether looking at an art heist, government shutdown negotiations or a soccer shootout, game theory can explain people's behavior.

December 28, 2018

How to Measure the Size of Our Cultural Divide

We can judge the size of our cultural divide by identifying the TV shows we watch, the magazines we read, and the movies we see.