Monthly Archives: November 2007

New Economy? What New Economy?

An old (May 1998) Wired magazine interview with Paul Krugman… * * * * * New Economy? What New Economy? By Kevin Kelly Dismal scientist Paul Krugman tells the blue-sky crowd to take a cold shower. MIT economist Paul Krugman … Continue reading

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Joyce Park on Internet entrepreneurship

Joyce Park (aka Troutgirl) writes: One of the ways I know that we’re in a bubble is the frequency with which I am now meeting intelligent young men who sincerely and with every appearance of unselfconsciousness tell me that they … Continue reading

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What would the Pope say to Martin Luther?

A question from Yahoo! Answers: What would the pope say yo matin luther? Why “would”? The Pope DID say a few things to Martin Luther, and in writing, too… On June 15, 1520, Pope Leo X signed a bull (the … Continue reading

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On space shuttle…

A question from Yahoo! Answers: Why was the flying shuttle important? What evironmental impact did it have? If you’re talking about the space shuttle, it’s not important and never was. For starters, it’s a manned vehicle, which means it’s inferior … Continue reading

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Jonathan Cohn on universal healthcare

Creative Destruction by Jonathan Cohn From The New Republic More than a decade ago, Michael Kinsley, the journalist and former editor of this magazine, developed Parkinson’s disease–a degenerative condition that impairs motor and speech control, producing tremors, rigidity, and eventually … Continue reading

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Healthcare cost and outcome

Brad DeLong points out: In 2003 the U.S. spent $5711 per capita on health care, while Canada spent $2998 (see OECD Health Data); it’s not just that the U.S. has worse health status outcomes than Canada; it’s that we proportionally … Continue reading

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Brad DeLong: thinking like an economist

Brad DeLong is trying to figure out whose logic, Robert Rubin’s or Paul Krugman’s, he likes better: I think that Rubin is implicitly working in a different model than the NIPA-based monetarist workhorse that Krugman (and I!) instinctively reach for … Continue reading

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McKinsey on U.S. healthcare costs

McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) weighs in on the debate: The United States spends more of its income on health care than other developed countries and that share is rising. It is an arresting statistic that the U.S. now spends more … Continue reading

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Corruption: law enforcement vs. cultural norms

Cultures of Corruption: Evidence from Diplomatic Parking Tickets Ray Fisman, Edward Miguel Abstract: Corruption is believed to be a major factor impeding economic development, but the importance of legal enforcement versus cultural norms in controlling corruption is poorly understood.   … Continue reading

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Developing an investment policy

A question asked privately: How is investment policy developed?  Are there any standards? There are indeed standards.  In the old days, investment policy was developed based on the goal picked by the investor from a five-item menu: Capital preservation Income … Continue reading

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