Putting a human face on the need for public goods and services.

Perhaps Rick Perry will take the next step from asking for help and realise that being a country means more than just not paying taxes.

My Loyal Reader notes that the economic survival of Zimbabwe's current government is now largely dependent on sin taxes:

As he presented his revised 2009 budget to parliament, Finance Minister Tendai Biti noted that "indirect taxes made up of customs and excise duty have contributed 88 percent of government revenue, which means that the government has been literally sustained by beer and cigarettes."

Those who are planning to "go Galt" will need also to Sin No More.

In the past two minutes of checking out Coates's latest—well worth reading, otherwise—there have been banner and frame adverts for:

1. The Atlantic Business, edited by Megan McArdle, "Decoding the Mysteries of Today's Economic Order" or McMegan Explains Modern Business Models (a.k.a. "Built to Flip") All to You and
   
2. "Need Advice? Ask Jeffrey Goldberg"

Sorry, but from now on, I'll depend on Brad DeLong to do the heavy lifting.

Everyone should read Joe Wilcox's update, based on the release of more court docs, on the ongoing saga of Why Vista Sucked on Release. (Short version: because Intel asked.)

Teaser quote, which would look fine in Mankiw or Krugman's next Macro text:

Based on the available information, I come to an easy conclusion: One monopoly colluded with another for economic gain—and in this instance causing harm to Microsoft, its partners and customers. Matters were even worse than intended, because Microsoft delayed Vista:

1. Vista-inferior chip sets stayed in market longer than they otherwise should have.
   
2. More consumers bought PCs incapable of fully running Aero Glass.
   
3. Notebooks were disproportionately affected, because the state of the art was even lower than for desktops.

So if the guys at Compaq wonder why I will never buy one of their products again, they may have a legitimate argument that it wasn't all their fault. But it doesn't change the reality—or, if you prefer, the Externality.

Everyone should read Joe Wilcox's update, based on the release of more court docs, on the ongoing saga of Why Vista Sucked on Release. (Short version: because Intel asked.)

Teaser quote, which would look fine in Mankiw or Krugman's next Macro text:

Based on the available information, I come to an easy conclusion: One monopoly colluded with another for economic gain—and in this instance causing harm to Microsoft, its partners and customers. Matters were even worse than intended, because Microsoft delayed Vista:

1. Vista-inferior chip sets stayed in market longer than they otherwise should have.
   
2. More consumers bought PCs incapable of fully running Aero Glass.
   
3. Notebooks were disproportionately affected, because the state of the art was even lower than for desktops.

So if the guys at Compaq wonder why I will never buy one of their products again, they may have a legitimate argument that it wasn't all their fault. But it doesn't change the reality—or, if you prefer, the Externality.

I assume everyone heard about Starbucks offering a free cup of what they call coffee to anyone who went in on Tuesday and said they voted.

Via a young woman who would probably prefer I not name her, a store in NYC went one better. (And the offers were non-rival.)

I assume everyone heard about Starbucks offering a free cup of what they call coffee to anyone who went in on Tuesday and said they voted.

Via a young woman who would probably prefer I not name her, a store in NYC went one better. (And the offers were non-rival.)

Compare and contrast:

Philadelphia, after a first-time-in-25-years win:

The School District of Philadelphia - as if to prove you don't need miserable weather to rain on a parade - has no plans to close for a victory celebration, no matter how momentous the occasion might be.

"Our expectations are that students will report to school just like any other weekday - and report on time," said Fernando Gallard, spokesman for the school district, this morning.

An entire Georgia county, before a midseason football game:

Call it a case of the Red and Black flu.

Tired of struggling to find enough teachers to staff its classrooms on the Friday before the annual Georgia-Florida football game, the Clarke County (Ga.) School District -- which includes Athens, home of the University of Georgia -- decided to cancel school altogether.

As a Philadelphia native, I'm proud of the first decision (which was, undoubtedly, be honored in its breech). As an MBA from the University of Georgia, I'm embarrassed.

But not so much as the UGA fans probably are.

Compare and contrast:

Philadelphia, after a first-time-in-25-years win:

The School District of Philadelphia - as if to prove you don't need miserable weather to rain on a parade - has no plans to close for a victory celebration, no matter how momentous the occasion might be.

"Our expectations are that students will report to school just like any other weekday - and report on time," said Fernando Gallard, spokesman for the school district, this morning.

An entire Georgia county, before a midseason football game:

Call it a case of the Red and Black flu.

Tired of struggling to find enough teachers to staff its classrooms on the Friday before the annual Georgia-Florida football game, the Clarke County (Ga.) School District -- which includes Athens, home of the University of Georgia -- decided to cancel school altogether.

As a Philadelphia native, I'm proud of the first decision (which was, undoubtedly, be honored in its breech). As an MBA from the University of Georgia, I'm embarrassed.

But not so much as the UGA fans probably are.

by Tom Bozzo

This ran on AutoWeek's "But Wait, There's More..." page, under the heading "This week's sign the automotive apocalypse is nigh" (sorry, no link):

...[A]ccording to a General Motors study:

• 88 percent of women surveyed would rather chat up someone who owns the latest fuel-efficient car versus the latest sports car.

I suppose as long as automobile marketers have social-status anxiety to work with, they're still in business. This may also be among ways it's not bad at all to live in one of Those Neighborhoods where you can't throw a rock without hitting a Prius, so buying an econobox would increase social status.

by Tom Bozzo

This ran on AutoWeek's "But Wait, There's More..." page, under the heading "This week's sign the automotive apocalypse is nigh" (sorry, no link):

...[A]ccording to a General Motors study:

• 88 percent of women surveyed would rather chat up someone who owns the latest fuel-efficient car versus the latest sports car.

I suppose as long as automobile marketers have social-status anxiety to work with, they're still in business. This may also be among ways it's not bad at all to live in one of Those Neighborhoods where you can't throw a rock without hitting a Prius, so buying an econobox would increase social status.