Newmark's Door

I'm not sure teaching economics in high school is the answer. I always preferred to teach intro econ to students who had earned a paycheck and got a glance at the net being less than the gross. (The motivation to learn why was, I found, quite powerful.) I think freshman or sophomore year in college, for those students who attend, is probably ideal. But then, of course, students could avoid taking economics much more easily than if it were required in high school.

And I'm not sure students need a full 15 weeks. I felt I could do a lot in 8 weeks or even 6 weeks. But, needless to say, I feel some basic economics would benefit almost everyone. And I agree with the headline of this piece that it doesn't have to be complicated.

Senator Biden of the 70s and 80s versus President Biden today: one marker of how far the Democratic Party has moved.

Lengthy review examining whether tanks are obsolete or not.

Book review:

Seven Deadly Economic Sins is a must read for the general public, policymakers, and students of economics who wish to gain an understanding, at a philosophical level, of the economic fallacies that continue to circulate in common thought and among certain policymakers, along with a convincing rebuttal of each, placed in the context of why getting it right matters for human progress.

"If you're planning on visiting San Francisco please for the love of God do not leave ANYTHING of even a vague resemblance of value in your car, or your windows will get smashed and you'll lose it."

Vicious gossip, fodder for schadenfreude, of just plain fun: you decide.

More on the cause of the baby formula shortage.

This is one of the most solemn promises the federal government has made: to take of us in our old age with decent Social Security benefits. What will happen when people find out that their benefits--one way or the other--are probably going to be cut again?

Arnold Kling: 

If you are an economics major, then you have already taken too many economics courses for your lifetime. Stop taking econ, and think in terms of alternatives to going for an advanced degree.

I am not sure I agree, but it is thought-provoking.

I can't be sure until I read the rebuttal, if any, from the other side, but it sure seems as though Kevin Williamson has righteously smacked down a chaired professor.

We need honest journalists and honest academics. The Paul and Diane Guenther Chair in American History at Fordham University is not one of them.