Happy Valentine’s Day: Economist Edition
You might think that the dismal science has very little to offer on matters of the heart. But I disagree. And so does Elisabeth Fosslien. She’s a brilliant young analyst interested in design, math, and economics. Yes, she’s the sort of person who dressed up as a bear market for Halloween. All this makes her the perfect person for economics-themed data visualization. And so when #FedValentines lit up Twitter last week, she decided to go a step further, and provide the perfect valentine for the economist in your life. Make your selection, below: Read More »
It’s the Economy, Honey
Yesterday’s NY Times contained a very flattering (and quite personal!) profile of Betsey Stevenson and me. For me, it was all worth it just to get a great family portrait. (Have you ever tried to get a dog and a toddler to look at the camera at the same time?)
I don’t really have a lot to add, other than to say that I thought the author, Motoko Rich, did a fabulous job. Hopefully it gives folks outside the ivory tower some sense of just what it is that animates the lives of economists. And yes, I admit that reading it, you’ll quickly conclude both that we are passionate about economics, and that we fit the usual stereotypes about academics. And if the article makes it sound like we are crazy about our kid, that’s because we are. Read More »
What Does Your Fed Valentine Say?
One of the most wonderful things about Twitter is the spontaneous conversations that start around almost anything. And so, inspired by the hilarious #HealthPolicyValentines, I began a new hashtag on Twitter this morning: #FedValentines. Folks are tweeting all sorts of Fed-themed valentine’s wishes. As I write, it’s the second-top trending hashtag in the U.S.
Given that it’s Friday, I figured it worth sharing the fun. Here’s what I came up with: Read More »
The Politics of Political Prediction Markets
For years, I have argued that the best way to track what really matters through election season is to follow the political prediction markets. The one difficulty is that these markets aren’t really available to the general public. Sure, the University of Iowa runs a market, but because it’s for research purposes, the maximum bet is set at only $500. And while I track InTrade closely, they’re based in Ireland, and are frowned upon by American regulators. Likewise, Betfair won’t deal with American customers. But all that may be about to change. Read More »
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