James Surowiecki writes about one of this blog’s frequent topics of interest: financial illiteracy. Surowiecki includes insights from Annamaria Lusardi‘s research and Gary Rivlin‘s new book, Broke, USA. He proposes…
It’s a well-documented truth that many Americans are financially and economically illiterate – a handicap that some believe contributed to the recent financial crisis.? A 2008 paper by?Annamaria Lusardi, Olivia…
Broadway operates on a winner-take-most business model. A runaway hit like Stereophonic — which just won five Tony Awards — will create a few big winners. But even the stars…
…big electronic billboard to promote your nightly news and weather team. The billboard has nice big headshots of the three broadcasters: Greg Peterson, Kym Thurman, and Derek Beasley. And then,…
Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate, likes to say that most Americans are libertarians but don’t know it yet. So why can’t Libertarians (and other third parties) gain more…
The 166-year-old chain, which is fighting extinction, calls the parade its “gift to the nation.” With 30 million TV viewers, it’s also a big moneymaker. At least we think it…
Backers of a $15 federal wage say it’s a no-brainer if you want to fight poverty. Critics say it’s a blunt instrument that leads to job loss. Even the economists…
…City to Philadelphia and engulfing all of New Jersey. New Jersey could change the state motto to “The Overdevelopment State.” As we already have more cars per square mile than…
…newspaper blogs plagiarize?” It began: I regularly read at least two big blogs run by newspapers — Freakonomics at the NY Times and Ideas Market at WSJ. They find a…
…5 Milwaukee 1991-1992 1997-1998 7 Minnesota 2004-2005 2011-2012 8 Minnesota 1989-1990 1995-1996 7 New Jersey 1986-1987 1990-1991 5 New York 2004-2005 2009-2010 6 Philadelphia 1991-1992 1997-1998 7 Portland 2003-2004 2007-2008…
The U.S. is an outlier when it comes to policing, as evidenced by more than 1,000 fatal shootings by police each year. But we’re an outlier in other ways too:…
…players have been so adamant about not playing 18 games. Q. There has been a lot of talk about a salary structuring for rookies. Why would the NFL or the…
The comedian, actor — and now, author — answers our FREAK-quently Asked Questions.
What surprises lurk in our sewage? How did racist city planners end up saving Black lives? Why does Arizona grow hay for cows in Saudi Arabia? Three strange stories about…
What your disgust level says about your politics, how Napoleon influenced opera, why New York City’s subways may finally run on time, and more. Five compelling guests tell Stephen Dubner,…
Sixty percent of the jobs that Americans do today didn’t exist in 1940. What happens as our labor becomes more technical and less physical? And what kinds of jobs will…
The comedian, actor — and now, author — answers our FREAK-quently Asked Questions.
…diverse reaction — from rabid enthusiasm to scorn — and lots of questions: How will they meet their energy needs without nuclear power? Can new technologies, especially those associated with…
…think that’s a terrible idea. They say it helps a small (albeit noisy) group of renters, but keeps overall rents artificially high by disincentivizing new construction. So what happens next?…
It was a pretty good baseball season — especially if you’re a fan of the Yankees, Rays, Twins, Rangers, Reds, Braves, Phillies, or Giants, all of whom made the playoffs….
…were impressively constant. That made the large drop in 2009 particularly impressive, both for its magnitude and its direction. That obviously got us all thinking about what happened in 2009…
The U.S. president is often called the “leader of the free world.” But if you ask an economist or a Constitutional scholar how much the occupant of the Oval Office…
When you need a ride to the hospital, who should you call? Bapu talks with economist David Slusky about how ridesharing services are increasingly replacing ambulances. Plus, an unexpected reason…
Also: what is the most significant choice you will ever make?…
You know the saying: A winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says … Are you sure?…
You know the saying: a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says … Are you sure?…
You know the saying: a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says … Are you sure?…
In the final episode of our whale series, we learn about fecal plumes, shipping noise, and why Moby-Dick is still worth reading. (Part 3 of “Everything You Never Knew About…
After eight years and more than 300 episodes, it was time to either 1) quit, or 2) make the show bigger and better. We voted for number 2. Here’s a…
…with time to kill, here’s a list of Freakonomics “best of” links: The New York Times: Notable Most Blogged about (and a list of blog links) New York Magazine: Best…
