Calling All Freakonometricians
| A challenge for our readers: the Fraser Institute is offering a $1,000 top prize for proposals on what economic or public policy issue it should try to measure. More information is here. Submit a brief essay or video with a clear thesis on what should be measured, why it should be measured, and how Read More »
What Is Altruism?
My 9-year-old granddaughter announced, “I feel very sorry for my friend Olivia.” “Why?” her father asked her. “Because I will be away and won’t be able to attend her birthday party,” she replied. This struck me as a typical child’s self-centered behavior. But another way of looking at it is that it’s the epitome of Read More »
Funny Math
| For admirers of Indexed, we bring you: New Math. On this site, Craig Damrauer offers up one new formula each Monday to describe our world. In case you were wondering: Carjacking = Can I borrow your car? – No, you can’t. [%comments] Read More »
Let’s Talk About Tax Cheating: A Freakonomics Quorum
Photo: hoggardb The Internal Revenue Service presumably never likes tax cheats, but when money is tight there is more pressure put on the I.R.S. to step up enforcement and collect more money. The most recent gambit, reported today, is an amnesty program designed to root out offshore tax havens. We once wrote of another I.R.S. Read More »
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