The spread of refrigeration in China has positive and negative externalities that relate to household diets, greenhouse gases and transport and home waste.
Demand, Supply, and Markets
Argentina's (Long) Default History
With Argentina again defaulting on her sovereign debt, she is violating the sanctity of contracts and lessened her borrowing ability at home and globally.
Three "Tear-Water" Graphs
The U.S. has had an economic recovery from the Great Recession with sluggish GDP growth, a worrisome output gap and slowly diminishing unemployment.
John Stuart Mill on Affordable Health Care
A child prodigy, 19th century economist John Stuart Mill said in his Autobiography that, “I have no remembrance of the time when I began Greek; I have been told that it was when I was three years old. My earliest…
Adam Smith and Traffic Lights
Located 30 miles from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the island of Nantucket has no traffic lights. Instead, drivers respond to stop signs, rotaries, and courtesy. More often than not, if a pedestrian, a walker, or a biker needs to cross the…
Chart of the Week: To Which Job Will Your College Major Take You?
Our Sunday chart of the week Just some human capital facts today… Showing the proportion of people from a college major that go to a certain kind of job, the following graphics connect college majors with employment groups. The original interactive graphics…
The Difference Between India's Stories and Statistics
There is a village in Southern India called Kadapakkam. It had been a home to farmers and fishermen whose thatched huts had no running water and no electrical appliances. At traditional tea shops located at the side of the local, narrow and potholed road, you could meet a friend. One 62…
Celebrating Economic Independence
Yes, the United States declared independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776 and won the American Revolutionary War. But still, we were not truly independent. George Washington’s Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton knew that true independence required a vibrant economy. He had…
How Big is the Leisure Gap Between Men and Women?
Our Monday gender issue focus Married or single, weekends and weekdays, men have more leisure time than women. Imagine a typical weekend. Yes, mom might spend a bit less time watching the kids and dad does do more housework. However, when it…
Prius Purchases and Conspicuous Conservation
Our Wednesday Environment Focus Reporting that Prius was the top selling car in California, Bloomberg said the reason was tough emissions standards. I wonder… In a 2011 paper, economists Alison and Steven Sexton compared voting patterns and Prius ownership in Colorado and Washington…