The FREAKest Links: Radio Woes and Street Musician Edition

Driven by a question similar to Dubner’s theory on libraries, University of Texas economist Stan Liebowitz examines the effects of radio play on record sales, and finds that heavy radio rotation may actually hurt sales.

Reader Geoffrey Wiseman pointed us to an alternative explanation for violinist Joshua Bell‘s remarkable inability to draw a crowd during his impromptu concert in a D.C. metro station. Short answer: Bell might be a good musician, but he’s a lousy street musician.

Fulfilling at least one reader’s wish, Dallas Mavericks owner and friend of Freakonomics Mark Cuban has submitted an application to buy the Chicago Cubs.