Freakonomics to some, from first look, would be considered another boring economics book. But in reality it is far from it. It is an innovative look on how economists view the world.. I learned so much in relation to the way the world works. I enjoyed the readings because they offered insights the "merit pay debate" for public school teachers, an area I was not too familiar with. Regardless of

Freakonomics (2005), the authors write, "Economics is, at root, the study of incentives: how people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing." In the midst of the global economic recession, an understanding of incentives is critical to how sport marketers sell their product to the public. Today, sports economics are inextricably tied to the fate of deep-pocketed corporations. Many sports

But what about Bush v. Gore? Can this case be considered as anything more than a national embarrassment and one that, on its own, created a precedent for the alleged electioneering abused four years later? Bartley contends that Bush v. Gore was a hard case and that respectable constitutional arguments can be found on both sides. If one is thinking about the case strictly in terms of 'hanging chads' and those

He also says that it is common to exaggerate information in anything from house ads to resumes. Why do Drug Dealers Still Live With Their Moms? This chapter deals with conventional wisdom and when to question it, such as the idea that all drug dealers are wealthy, when if fact, many still live at home. The premise of this chapter is on how to find the right data to prove or

For example, many people suffer from what psychologists call a "present-bias," where a person will choose an inferior option over a superior option because it brings more immediate gratification. Presentation of concepts in an understandable fashion The very aim of the book is to apply economic theory to real-life problems, problems which economists do not typically deal with. Levitt is successful in doing so without using a lot of economic jargon. Antidotes

Image Copyright Intellectual property laws are the subject of much debate. Indeed, some people feel as if the ability to use another person's photo or likeness without payment or other remuneration should be allowed and free while the law itself basically bans such a practice unless such uninhibited usage is granted in advance. As with most things, there is a middle ground between the two that could and should be sought