Real Time Research on the 2008 Election

Andrew Gelman has posted a number of interesting bit from Red State, Blue State as well some analysis on the current election. Here is a post comparing the changes in state level voting patterns between 2004 and 2008.

Why Model?

A short interesting post on modeling from Andrew Gelman discussing an article by Joshua Epstein.

The Irrational Electorate

Not death, but perhaps disease? From Larry Bartels:

"In every case, the party that happened to be in power when the Depression eased went on to dominate politics for a decade or more thereafter.....voters simply— and simple- mindedly— rewarded whoever happened to be in power when things got better."

U.S. Intervention in Banking Industry Is Bold, but Has a Basis in History

Nancy Koehn: “Ideology is a luxury good in times of crisis.”

Clean and the Dirt on Clean

via Arts & Letters Daily. Hygiene as an externality or something more?

The *New* Economic Organization of Prisons

The always excellent blog Marginal Revolution has a timely link related to our readings this week. Alex Tabarrok posts (and links to a WSJ article) about how canned mackerel has started to facilitate exchange between prisoners.

We have a blog now.

Seems easier to post some things than email them.

Feel encouraged to post links to things on the web you think would enrich our learning.