When Ulysses faced temptations that he knew might wreck his ship, he prudently had his crew tie him to the mast. So bound, he heard the sirens’ beautiful song, but he, his ship and its crew stayed off the rocks.…
Central bank loses money? Don’t worry
During this dreary time of the year, it is nice to encounter news stories that make you giggle. That happened last week when I read a wire service story reporting, with much hand-wringing and tut-tutting, that the European Central Bank…
Are broadband Internet connections a “public good?”
That is what economists would ask when approaching an issue like the one that St. Paul’s City Council took on Wednesday. Economists also would want to know if private market forces are failing to produce broadband access in optimal quantities.…
Re-examining our bad ideas is a good idea
Reviewing the past can get tiresome. I am happy that the “here’s a look at the top stories of 2004” is over for another year. Retrospection can teach us valuable lessons, however. Perhaps that is why our nation seldom examines…