I don’t like to leave loose ends untied. But I always come across articles that I want to write about, but never get around to it. These posts are the perfect way to share a bunch of articles I want to write about, but never had the time.
Five Myths About The Deficit (Washington Post): The headline is pretty self explanatory, but the content here is good. As we enter 2011 with an ever ballooning deficit, we should go into it with an open mind and prepared for thoughtful dialog.
Tax Consequences of Oprah’s Latest Giveaway (Tax Prof Blog): Oprah’s viewers likely aren’t thinking about taxes when they receive iPads, jewelry, and cars on her show. But years ago when Oprah gave away a bunch of Pontiacs, her viewers had to learn the hard way what happens when you win awesome stuff.
Locksmiths and the Misplaced Value of Time (Dan Ariely): We often place poor values on time and skill. Someone that is able to do a project quickly and easily, may not be able to command as much value because the person paying may not see the skills and appropriately value all the effort that went into learning that skill. Ariely uses locksmiths as an example, but I’ll bet you can think of a lot more.
TEDx: Temptations and Self Control (Dan Ariely): In this video Ariely talks about self-control. Basically, we don’t have any so we need to design a reward system that helps us do the right thing.
Behind the Jobs Number: A Messy Reality (BusinessWeek): This is an article that covers a topic dear to all of us: employment. The material is really nothing that I haven’t talked about before on Weakonomics, but it’s always good to see it rewritten by a professional. The article breaks down the unemployment report, and explains what makes the headline percentage go up and down.
The Real Truth About Debt And Taxes (BusinessWeek): Like the deficit article, this article makes you think about a subject we like to talk about, but don’t know a lot about: the relationship between taxes, government, and the economy.
Mental Accounting On Wall Street (Nudge Blog): Not that you care that Wall Street employees are not getting hefty bonuses this year, but what is interesting is the psychological aspect of the bonus vs an equal increase in salary.
2010, The Year In Mistakes (Wrongologist via Boston Globe): Kathryn Schulz is the author of a book about being wrong. It’s on my reading list but I’m waiting for the paperback. At the Boston Globe she wrote up her list of the biggest mistakes that were made this year. Posts and articles like this are always somewhat cheesy, but I love them.
Thanks for reading this year everyone. Catch you on the flip side.
 By The Weakonomist |
The Weakonomist is the founder of Weakonomics. Clicking the picture of the puppy will tell you more about him. If you like what you're reading consider subscribing to the blog, following him on Twitter, and checking out the related posts below. Please consider a donation if you really enjoy Weakonomics. Also keep in mind that nothing I say can be construed as financial advice. |
