Freakonomics Blog

"You Should Walk Home"?

Jul 1, 2010

There is a brief vignette in the uninspired movie Killers in which an inebriated guest is about to drive away after a wild party at the home of the film’s two leads. One of the film’s leads advises the departing guest to walk home. Readers of SuperFreakonomics will realize this is bad advice.

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The Problem With Food Aid

Jul 1, 2010

Planet Money and Frontline report on the distorting effects of foreign food aid on local food economies, particularly in Haiti. People don’t buy rice when they can get it for free.

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FREAK Shots: Creative Science

Jun 30, 2010

Religion and science coexisting.

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The Risk of Wasted Time

Jun 30, 2010

Does missing your flight now and then make sense?

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Fair Trade and the Food Movement

Jun 30, 2010

Can the Food Movement scale up?

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Calling All Liverpool-Area Pirates

Jun 30, 2010

A piracy gathering and world record attempt.

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Marijuananomics in California

Jun 29, 2010

Growing costs are on the rise.

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The Psychology of Touch

Jun 29, 2010

Weight, texture and hardness matter.

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If You Have to Be Wrong, How Can You Admit It More Easily?

Jun 29, 2010

Making admissions of error easier.

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100,000 Twitter Followers

Jun 29, 2010

Any Twitter suggestions?

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James Surowiecki on Financial Illiteracy

Jun 29, 2010

Financial education for all.

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The Millionaire Not Next Door

Jun 28, 2010

Asia’s millionaires.

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Would Cleveland Be Better Off With LeBron James or a New DaimlerChrysler Plant?

Jun 28, 2010

LeBron economics.

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Is Divorce Contagious?

Jun 28, 2010

Divorce spreads through social networks.

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Why Does England Lose?

Jun 28, 2010

Some explanations for England’s World Cup disappointments.

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FREAK Shots: A Cheap Parking Spot

Jun 25, 2010

A penny for parking.

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Bring Your Questions for the Street-Fighting Mathematician

Jun 25, 2010

Sanjoy Mahajan answers readers’ questions.

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You Too Can Fund a TV Show

Jun 25, 2010

Donor-backed TV.

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Quotes Uncovered: Forgiveness, Permission, and Awesomeness

Jun 24, 2010

Fred Shapiro traces the origins of popular quotes.

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Economics for (and by) 10th Graders

Jun 24, 2010

An economics primer written by 10th graders.

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The Classroom Still Matters

Jun 24, 2010

Classroom instruction beats the internet in a new paper.

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Tyler Cowen on Pay as You Wish Restaurants

Jun 23, 2010

Cowen thinks they’re a bad idea.

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The World South American Cup

Jun 23, 2010

A European bias in team rankings?

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How the Unemployed Spent Their Time in 2009

Jun 23, 2010

They weren’t doing the laundry.

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FREAK Shots: Would You Take Free Food?

Jun 22, 2010

The more you buy, the more you save.

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How Common Are Women's Shirts?

Jun 22, 2010

Why does it cost more to launder women’s shirts?

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Gary Becker: Immigrants Should Pay

Jun 22, 2010

Charging for green cards.

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Visualizing the Oil Spill

Jun 21, 2010

If the oil spill had happened in your town…

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The Price is Right?

Jun 21, 2010

Increasing alcohol taxes.

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Lucky Numbers in Tough Times

Jun 21, 2010

How much are you willing to pay for your superstitions?

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