How Much Does Happiness Matter?

Trying to choose among the best places to live, we wind up with disparate global rankings, depending on the criteria.

Jaywalking and the Tradeoff Between Order and Openness

Looking at activities that range from jaywalking to loading dishwashers, we can see how tight and loose social norms can shape behavior.

Breaking the First-Digit Law and Other Number Crimes

When the digits that appear frequently in national accounting figures, spreadsheets, and earnings reports are missing, then we can say we have suspicious numbers.

The Tax We Should Like

Among the least popular forms of taxation, property taxes are the most desirable because of their incentives, whom they target and their resilience.

When to Worry About Sovereign Debt

Comparing debt to GDP is like looking at a mortgage loan and household net worth. It can help us decide when a sovereign debt became too large.

Four Ways to Understand Greek Debt

An historical perspective and a look at what is owed, to whom and when provides insight about the culture and complexities of Greek sovereign debt.

How Tax Evasion Relates to Porsches

A big part of the shadow economy, the tax evasion in Greece that prevails among the self-employed substantially ups the deficit and distorts fiscal policy.

What Greek Markets are Saying to Us

Reflecting collective intelligence, markets in Greek CDSs and Greek bonds, and the dwindling deposits of Greek banks show if we’ll have a Greek default.

The Eurozone Sunk Cost Problem

People and nations might perpetuate a bad investment because they look back at their past sunk costs. Instead they should compare future cost and benefit.