I recently finished Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, by MIT behavioral economist Dan Ariely. The main premise is that while economists like to think that people behave rationally, we don’t, and Ariely’s book is full of examples and studies to prove it. I thought it was a pretty interesting read, especially [...]
Earlier this week, this was on the front page of CNN.com: Obviously the answer is no. God is way too busy creating floods, voting Republican, and making up crazy rules about shellfish and/or hooved animals to give a crap about sports. The best quote from the article was from Mariner DH Mike Sweeney: “If I’m [...]
Ever bought a new cell phone and been charged a ridiculous amount of sales tax? It’s a tax loophole known as “bundling.” Since your free or heavily discounted phone probably required you to enter into another service contract, the government thinks they’re entitled to collect sales tax as if you paid the full retail price. [...]
There’s a sign on Waste Management trucks that says, “Our landfills provide over 17,000 acres of wildlife habitat.” Since I didn’t realize a mountain of garbage could be considered a wildlife habitat, I thought it was a pretty bold claim. Would it be more accurate to say, “Our landfills provide over 17,000 acres of wildlife [...]
Continue reading about It Might Look Like a Dump, But It’s Home
This is the kind of thing I find entertaining. My package of Delta airplane peanuts was clearly labeled PEANUTS on the front and listed “Peanuts roasted in peanut and/or canola oil” as the first ingredient. Yet they felt it necessary to provide the following allergy warning statement: “Produced in a facility that processes peanuts and [...]
This weekend was a quick trip to NY for Charlie’s bachelor party. I was in the Big Apple for less than 48 hours but we definitely made the most of it. -Nick
