The Failed State Index 2008

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4350

The World's Top 20 Public Intellectuals

The List...

1. Fethullah Gulen
2. Muhammad Yunus
3. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
4. Orhan Pamuk
5. Aitzaz Ahsan
6. Amr Khaled
7. Abdolkarim Soroush
8. Tariq Ramadan
9. Mahmood Mamdani
10. Shirin Ebadi
11. Noam Chomsky
12. Al Gore
13. Bernard Lewis
14. Umberto Eco
15. Ayaan Hirsi Ali
16. Amartya Sen
17. Fareed Zakaria
18. Garry Kasparov
19. Richard Dawkins
20. Mario Vargas Llosa

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4349

Question of the Day: Persian Club Scene

Why are so many Persians involved in the club scene?

Why Do We Touch Our Mouths So Much?

http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/06/19/why-do-we-touch-our-mouths-so-much-continued/

The 10 Foreign Cities Americans Get Arrested

http://www.propeller.com/viewstory/2008/06/21/the-10-most-common-foreign-cities-americans-get-arrested/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thetravelerszone.com%2Ftravel-destinations%2Fthe-10-most-common-foreign-cities-americans-get-arrested%2F&frame=true

On Wine Pricing

http://wine-econ.org/2008/06/12/the-welfare-gains-of-wine-market-globalization.aspx

The Laws and Economics of Surfing

http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/journals/DeakinLRev/2004/29.html

Most Interesting Statement of the Week

"He is too intelligent and well educated to have any fixed principles."

-From the comments section on the Marginal Revolution blog

The Power of "Because"

http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2008/06/the-power-of-be.html

Why You Should Throw Books Out

From Cowen...

http://us.penguingroup.com/static/html/blogs/why-you-should-throw-books-out-tyler-cowen

Pics: Rare Clouds

It is amazing how scary some clouds can be...

http://www.collthings.co.uk/2008/06/10-very-rare-clouds.html

Why are Brazilians so Hot?

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Why are Italians so Hot?

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Map: The Internet's Undersea World

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Technology/Pix/pictures/2008/02/01/SeaCableHi.jpg

How Much Oil Is There?

"Oil is a strategic resource bought and sold internationally. Many countries, either by indifference or design, simply don't provide reliable information."

Barrel Fever
by Yves Smith
http://www.slate.com/id/2193825/

Fact of the Day: Cocunuts & Mail

"In the US, one can write an address on the outside of a coconut, slap on the correct postage and drop the whole thing in the mail. They have to be presented in a dry condition and not oozing fruit juice."

-From 6/24/08 WPost

Economics of Durians

A Stinky, Pricey Delicacy
by Stan Sesser
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB121399917835493023-lMyQjAxMDI4MTIzMTkyOTE5Wj.html

Top 10 Horniest Countries

Again, not too scientific...

10. Mexico
9. Switzerland
8. Spain
7. Malaysia
6. Italy
5. Poland
4. China
3. Russia
2. Brazil
1. Greece

http://www.askmen.com/fashion/travel_top_ten_200/237_travel_top_ten.html

What Inflation?

"Inflation may be climbing faster than the humidity level, but there are still some things that actually cost less than they did a year ago."

What costs less? The answer:

*Electronics such as LCD flat-panel TVs, plasma TVs, DVRs, desktop computers, and cell phones *Women's clothing
*Hotel Rooms
*Theme Parks
*Toys
*Dinnerware

http://biz.yahoo.com/cnbc/080613/25141477.html?.v=1&.pf=banking-budgeting

Mixed Poll Averages: Accurate?

It seems to me that a larger sample would mean as more accurate picture, as long as the polls are from reputable organizations and done within close time frames using the exact same or similar question.

Election Handicappers are Using Risky Tool: Mixed Poll Averages
by Carl Bialik
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120303346890469991.html

42 (More) Amazing Business Cards

http://reencoded.com/2008/06/15/fourty-two-more-creative-business-card-designs/

Who Are the Aggressive Drivers?

"Drivers of cars with bumper stickers, window decals, personalized license plates and other 'territorial markers' not only get mad when someone cuts in their lane or is slow to respond to a changed traffic light, but they are far more likely than those who do not personalize their cars to use their vehicles to express rage -- by honking, tailgating and other aggressive behavior."

http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2008/06/who-are-the-agg.html

Video: "Hypermiling"

This guy is intense...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGeCL2RSuHs

Paying Employees to Quit

Great idea...I guess you just want to make sure that people don't get hired just to immediately quit and get the $1,500.

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2912059/8343198

What Does Gay Look Like?

By casual observation, I can often tell is someone is gay. Dress is one hint, but physical traits appear to also help determine this...Scientists probably have trouble pinpointing an exact characteristic because there are always deviations.

What Does Gay Look Like? Science Keeps Trying to Figure That Out.
by Regina Nuzzo
http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-sex16-2008jun16,0,5424540.story?track=rss

Who Pays the Speeding Ticket?

Interesting question (and answer)...It also answers the question about parking tickets...

http://www.slatev.com/player.html?id=1606786071

How We Read Online

This article brings up some interesting points...

"We're active participants on the Web, looking for information and diversion. It's natural that people prefer short articles."

Here's one to ponder:

"Blog postings are good for generating controversy and short-term traffic, and they're definitely easier to write. But they don't build sustainable value."

Lazy Bastards
by Michael Agger
http://www.slate.com/id/2193552/

The Future of Autos

Nasty water-fueled car video...you can even add tea to it...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080613/video/vwl-water-fuel-car-unveiled-in-japan-d7f4ae7.html

BMW's hydrogen car cleans the air as you drive...
http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/06/03/bmw-hydrogen-car-cleans-the-air/

Why Straight Women Want Women

"What really matters to women, Dr. Chivers said, at least in the somewhat artificial setting of watching movies while intimately hooked up to a device called a photoplethysmograph, is not the gender of the actor, but the degree of sensuality. Even more than the naked exercisers, they were aroused by videos of masturbation, and more still by graphic videos of couples making love. Women with women, men with men, men with women: it did not seem to matter much to her female subjects, Dr. Chivers said."

What Women Want (Maybe)
by Andy Newman
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/fashion/12bisex.html?_r=2&ref=fashion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Map: World Prison Population

The US either has lots of criminals, a good police system, or a broken judicial branch...

http://www.libertyforlife.com/images/prisonstudies-org.jpg

Willing to Pay Anything for Gas

It will always be the case that some people will pay anything for gas. If the cost goes to $10/gallon or more, there still will be plenty of people willing to pay.

"Thirty-eight percent of respondents from our study noted that basically they would pay anything for gas."

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=30&sid=1419626

US Military vs. The World

"Since 1985, military spending has dropped from 5.2 percent of world GDP to 2.5 percent; the world's armies, navies, and air forces likewise accounted for one in 75 workers in 1985 and now are below one in 100. In this age of e-mail and virtual reality, steady streams of immigration, container shipping and air cargo, does the warrior still have a place?"

World military personnel (2005; exluding reserves):

World: 30.9 million
China: 3.8 million
India: 3.1 million
EU members: 2.4 million
Russia: 1.5 million
United States: 1.4 million
Pakistan: 0.9 million
All other: 17.8 million

http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=108&subsecID=900003&contentID=254647

Euro Catching Up to the Dollar?

Percent of total foreign reserves in 2007:

Dollar: 65%
Euro: 26%
U.K. Pound: 4.4%
Other: 10%

http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=108&subsecID=900003&contentID=254661

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Fascinating interview with Nassim on randomness, his philosophy, etc...

Nassim Nicholas Taleb: The Prophet of Boom and Doom
by Bryan Appleyard
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article4022091.ece?print=yes&randnum=1212475411171

The Genius of DOD

Why is the Defense Department so successful in growing its budget? It is able to benefit from an innate human trait called fear. Long-term thinking folks may fear children not getting a good education (Education Dept.) or good roads not being build (Transportation Dept.) - but a more immediate and visual fear of death can be taken advantage of via defense. It is easy and convenient to say that another country (or terrorist organization) is our enemy (i.e., an immediate threat) and that lots of money should be used to alleviate that threat. After all, it is in the best interest of human nature to survive (i.e., avoid threats). But in reality, is any country an immediate and significant threat to the stability and livelihood of the US? I can't think of any.

Top Tourist Spots Americans Can't Visit

I'm sure one day Americans will be able to visit all of these places. It would be fun to place bets on when through some type of trading platform, like Intrade.

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4328

US Gas Temperature Map

Excellent map, broken down in counties, that shows how much each one pays for gas on average...

http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

The debate continues, but this is the latest thinking:

"Studies show that people who sleep between 6.5 hours and 7.5 hours a night, as they report, live the longest. And people who sleep 8 hours or more, or less than 6.5 hours, they don't live quite as long."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20080610/hl_time/howmuchsleepdoyoureallyneed

The Carbon Footprint of Food

"In other words, when it comes to food the greenest things you can do, if that is your standard, is to eat less meat and have fewer kids."

http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2008/06/the-carbon-foot.html

Cowen on Globalization

"By 2010, China will have more Ph.D. scientists and engineers than the United States. These professionals are not fundamentally a threat. To the contrary, they are creators, whose ideas are likely to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, not just the business elites. The more access the Chinese have to American and other markets, the more they can afford higher education and the greater their incentive to innovate."

This Global Show Must Go On
by Tyler Cowen
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/business/08view.html?ex=1370577600&en=cb2502f9a4cb69be&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

How Long Should You Wait For an Elevator?

"In my view standing and waiting isn't so bad, provided you have something to do or think about. So my advice is this: once you start waiting for an elevator, begin to think through some interesting problem you face. The ideal is that when the elevator arrives, you will be disappointed and of course that means you have hedged your risk in the first place. The question that people screw up is not how long they should wait but what they should do in the meantime."

http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2008/06/how-long-should.html

Craniotomy - Awake During Brain Surgery?

"When the surgery is on your brain, you need to be there, because the feedback that will tell your doctors where to cut or not to cut isn't strictly physical. It's mental."

http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/humannature/archive/2008/06/10/wake-up-and-smell-the-craniotomy.aspx

On the Bilderberg Group

"About this much the Bilderberg critics are right: The mainstream media ignored Bilderberg 2008."

The Bilderberg "Blackout"
by Jack Shafer
http://www.slate.com/id/2193220/

List of 2008 Bilderberg Participants
http://www.infowars.com/?p=2564

Why Does Missouri Have Cheap Gas?

"In Missouri, geography helps keep prices low...Because of its proximity to Texas, Oklahoma, and the Gulf Coast states, Missouri is crisscrossed by some of the nation's larger pipelines. Oil barges also pass through the state on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Proximity to producers reduces transportation costs a little, but it also makes Missouri less susceptible to price spikes when individual refineries run into problems. In Missouri, many pumps are at big-box stores or stations attached to convenience stores—which take in significant income from secondary sales. At these locations, retail gas prices tend to be closer to wholesale prices."

Cheap Gas in Missouri
by Jacob Leibenluft
http://www.slate.com/id/2193222/?y=1

Why Has Diesel Become More Expensive Than Gasoline?

"The price of diesel fuel has been generally higher than the price of regular gasoline since September 2004 and is now more expensive than premium. International demand is the main reason that diesel prices are high today. Growing demand in China, Europe, and the US is putting pressure on strained global refining capacity. The move in the US to ultra-low-sulfur diesel during the last two years has also led to increases in the cost of diesel production and distribution. The federal excise tax of diesel fuel is six cents hight per gallen (24.4 cents per gallon) thatn the tax on gasoline."

-From 6/4/08 WSJ's "Me & My Car" by Jonathan Welsh

On West Virginia's Imbreeding Reputation

"How'd West Virginia get a reputation for inbreeding? Exaggeration-prone outsiders. In the 1880s and 1890s, writers such as Mary Noailles Murfree and John Fox Jr. traveled across Appalachia, looking for 'local color,' and overstated the degree to which mountain populations lived in isolation."

West Virginia, Incest Virginia?
by Juliet Lapidos
http://www.slate.com/id/2192830/

Most Expensive Real Estate Markets in the World

Most expensive real estate by square footage:

1. London: $6,191/sq. ft.
2. Monaco: 5,888/sq. ft.
3. St. Jean Cap Ferrat (France): 5,853/sq. ft.
4. Courchevevel (France): 4,710/sq. ft.
5. Hong Kong: $4,507/sq. ft.
6. Manhattan: $4,320/sq. ft.
7. Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy): $3,028/sq. ft.
8. Portofino (Italy): $2,692/sq. ft.
9. Singapore: $2,423/sq. ft.
10. Tokyo: $2,334/sq. ft.
11. Verbier (Switzerland): $2,325/sq. ft.
12. Moscow: $2,235/sq. ft.
13. St. Tropez (France): $2,106/sq. ft.
14. St. Petersburg: $1,937/sq. ft.
15. Sydney: $1,926/sq. ft.
16. Paris: $1,872/sq. ft.
17. Rome: $1,758/sq. ft.
18. Gstaad (Switzerland): $1,622/sq. ft.
19. Venice: $1,541/sq. ft.
20. Valais (Switzerland): $1,373/sq. ft.

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/article/105172/The-Most-Expensive-Real-Estate-Markets-in-the-World

Is "Green" the New Sex Symbol?

I still think there is something about a sexy red Ferrari that attracts the opposite sex...

"Nearly 9 in 10 women (88 percent) say they'd rather chat up someone who owns the latest fuel-efficient car versus the latest sports car."

EcoGeeks Get All the Girls
by Hank Green
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecogeek/539/ecogeeks-get-all-the-girls.html

Top 10 Cities For Billionaires

Number of Billionaires:

1. Moscow, Russia - 74
2. New York, NY - 71
3. London, UK - 36
4. Istanbul, Turkey - 34
5. Hong Kong - 30
6. Los Angeles, CA - 24
7. Mumbai, India - 20
8. San Francisco, CA - 19
9. Dallas, Texas - 15
10. Tokyo, Japan - 15

http://www.forbes.com/businessbillionaires/2008/04/30/billionaires-london-moscow-biz-billies-cz_cv_0430billiecities_slide_2.html?thisSpeed=30000

Billionaires' Alma Maters

"Harvard students are more likely to become billionaires than graduates of any other college. Of the 469 Americans on Forbes' most recent list of the world's billionaires, 50 received at least one degree from Harvard. The school has produced 20 more current American billionaires than No. 2 on our list, Stanford University."

Number of Billionaire Graduates:

1. Harvard - 50
2. Stanford - 30
3. U. of Penn - 27
4. Yale - 19
5. Columbia - 15
6. Princeton - 13
7. NYU - 10 (tie)
7. U. of Chicago - 10

http://finance.yahoo.com/college-education/article/105175/The-Billionaire-Universities

How Many Sex Partners?

"Most men and women don't intentionally misrepresent their sexual histories. Instead, studies show that male-female differences in the methods used to estimate the number of partners one has had is the major reason for the discrepancy...Women are likely to use enumeration and men are twice as likely to use rough approximation."

http://www.ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=117