Recession Reading
| Via Andrew Sullivan: romance novel sales are up — after generating $1.375 billion in revenue in 2007. Expect these numbers to rise, even as other areas of the entertainment industry suffer, because romance novels tend to do better in economic downturns. O.K., so if we’re spending the recession fighting off zombie banks, can we Read More »
Vasectomies Are Up, Lasik Is Down
I asked my ophthalmologist on Friday how his business was doing in the recession, and he said it was stable. He noted, however, that his colleagues who specialize in Lasik surgery had seen a 60 percent drop in business. Clearly, Lasik, which is not reimbursed by most insurance plans, is postponable in times when incomes Read More »
The Games We Teach Computers to Play
Computers are sophisticated enough to play a flawless game of checkers. They can beat the world’s greatest chess masters. But humans still put them to shame on the Go board. Read More »
Fear Begets Fear
| White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers recently summed up our economic trouble this way: “Greed gives way to fear. And this fear begets fear. That is the paradox at the heart of the financial crisis.” Daniel Gross sees the economy hunkering on a ledge, and he has one word of advice: “Jump!” [%comments] Read More »
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