Congratulations to Sophie, the runaway winner of the economic haiku contest, for this beautiful composition:
Haiku writers know
The opportunity cost
Of a syllable.
Sophie not only wins Freakonomics schwag, but also the right to post haikus on the Freakonomics blog whenever she pleases.
As is often the case when the prize is so great, this contest was rife with controversy.
A number of readers complained that it was unfair that the order of the six finalists in the contest was held constant; had the haikus been randomized, each reader would have seen them in a different order.
The New York Times web people tell me that feature will be available on our blog in the year 2074.
and 
. You can also watch it on 
The reason the mouse haiku evokes such emotion is because it identifies a universal feeling- the idea that if not for this or that everything would be perfect. (And yes, mentions scarcity)
The winning haiku only applies to, well, the people voting on this blog. Just goes to show, pandering to an audience is always the smart move. (It got me!)
I can post haikus.
Ha! See? I’m doing it now!
I envy the schwag.
The haiku contest
Sophie benefited from
recency effect
Congratulations Sophie!
Neither orderly
Nor seasonally adjusted.
Joy undiminished!
Sophie-
Pay no attention
To the tears of the losers
Congratulations
#3
“Nor seasonally adjusted.” is eight syllables.
HOORAY FOR SOPHIE!
As a card-carrying economist, I’m thrilled to see a friend win.