Sunday Funday: Economist Dating Advice

February 2, 2014 / Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, you may find yourself in need of sound dating/relationship advice. Where is the most logical place to turn? An economist. This edition of Sunday Funday features the Planet Money podcast and economist Tim Harford, who answered listeners love, relationship and dating questions.

Here is a description of the episode:

Last week, we solicited your questions about dating, sex and love. This one came from 17-year-old, Arthur, who lives in Pittsburgh:

I am a senior in high school and I have never been on a date. Should I be worried about this? When I do finally meet someone, will I be hurt by my inexperience?

On today’s show, economist and author, Tim Harford, applies economic theory to Arthur’s question. He also tackles polyamory and offers suggestions on how to change your spouse’s behavior.

Sunday Funday: Economist Dating Advice

February 2, 2014 / Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

Sunday Funday: Economist Dating Advice

Here is a description of the episode:

Last week, we solicited your questions about dating, sex and love. This one came from 17-year-old, Arthur, who lives in Pittsburgh:

I am a senior in high school and I have never been on a date. Should I be worried about this? When I do finally meet someone, will I be hurt by my inexperience?

On today’s show, economist and author, Tim Harford, applies economic theory to Arthur’s question. He also tackles polyamory and offers suggestions on how to change your spouse’s behavior.

Economics of Demographics

January 22, 2014 / Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

Economics of Demographics

Too often in recent years, economic debates in the United States have focused on (often self-created) short-term crises rather than the big picture. One such big picture issue is the economics of demographics. According to conventional wisdom, an aging population is a recipe for financial shortfall. However, Fareed Zakaria GPS recently discussed a study that found that Japan’s aging population may be beneficial for its fiscal health.

Here is how this “What In The World?” segment began:

We were struck by some startling data this past week. Last year saw Japan’s population fall by 244,000 people – the largest natural decline in that country’s history. It’s a trend that’s getting worse. By 2060, Japan projects that its population will have fallen by a third; 40 percent of Japanese will be retirees. It sounds like a recipe for disaster. Imagine a United States where half the population is over the age of 65: Social Security would collapse, health care costs will explode.

So, we were surprised to see a headline in the latest edition of The New Scientis claiming “Japan’s aging population could actually be good news.”

How on earth is that possible? After all, China relaxed its “one-child” policy last month precisely so it could avoid the fate of Japan. And that fate, if you go by conventional wisdom, seems to be slowing growth, and leading to unsustainable debt. Why? Because our entire system is based on having enough young workers to pay for pensions and government services.

Well, according to The New Scientist, perhaps we’ve been looking at the wrong data. . . .

“The Birth of the Minimum Wage”

January 21, 2014 / Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

“The Birth of the Minimum Wage”

To my mind, one of the best podcasts is NPR’s Planet Money podcast. Recently, the Planet Money team has been producing some great shows. The most recent episode discusses the creation of the minimum wage and seems to be the first in a series about the minimum wage.

Here is a description of the show:

For most of U.S. history, there was no minimum wage. A few times, politicians passed laws tiptoeing toward a minimum. But the Supreme Court struck those laws down.

On today’s show: how the U.S. finally got a minimum wage. It’s a story of exploding bakeries, a blue eagle, and a guy who may or may not have been drunk.

The Credit Card Black Market

January 18, 2014 / Matthew Clemente / Leave a comment

The Credit Card Black Market

Interested in where you can purchase your credit card number? Want to know how/where your credit card number can be attained? This Planet Money podcast discusses the stole credit card black market. Here is a description of the podcast:

If you know the right people — and if you can get other criminals to vouch for you — you can go online and buy huge bundles of stolen credit cards.

As it turns out, Planet Money knows the right people.

On today’s show, we sit in with Keith Mularski of the FBI. Mularski got so deep into this world that he wound up running a major criminal website.

He takes us to a giant online mall for stolen credit cards, where vendors offer discounts for repeat customers and banners advertise hacking and phishing tutorials.