"The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable"
–John Kenneth Galbraith
I love reading about economics but I sometimes struggle with the concepts (apparently I'm not alone, right, Mr. Greenspan??) and forget about some of the math (thank you very much Mr. Becker).
"The Economist" got me started on economics back in the 70's--presented such an interesting way to understand economics in the everyday world. I cancelled my subscription, though, when they came out for the Iraq war. I'm waiting for an apology…
UPDATE: The Economist endorses Obama. Not quite enough to make up for their horrendous judgement, but we're getting there.
So here are my recommendations--some books, some resources, some jokes. Check back, I have lots more to add:
O.M.G. Is Summers a supply-sider?
Never mind that, as Mark Ames notes in this The Nation article, that Summers was a protégé of his dissertation advisor Martin Feldstein, the supply-side economist, and served on Ronald Reagan's Council of Economic Advisors, but Some fifteen years after Summers's stint in the Reaganomics war room, he reappears as one of the key villains fighting to suppress the regulatory efforts of a top official, Brooksley Born, who was trying to call attention to ...Now Playing: Common Wealth by Jeffrey D. Sachs
Jeffrey D. Sachs is the director of the Earth Institute, Quetelet professor of sustainable development, and professor of health policy and management at Columbia University. I heard Jeffrey Sachs discussing this book in a radio interview. He speaks compellingly on how we can achieve the four key goals of our global society: environmental sustainability (including a solution to climate change), the stabilization of the world's popultion, the end of extreme poverty, and a new era ...Freakonomics
This book is a page-turner. I brought it to the beach and all four adults waited patiently for a turn to read it—not your usual beach book. I liked it because I juxtapose odd topics and don't always know where to take them. This book gave me a new perspective. Sample topics:
Information control as applied to the ...
Learn Macroeconomics from Paul Krugman
I admire The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel-winning Paul Krugman's work, especially since I heard him on 'Fresh Air' the other day agreeing with me that Alan Greenspan helped cause our current financial 'opportunities' by continuing the free market orgy and shutting down any attempts at regulation (I've got your invisible hand right HERE—and don't get me started on derivatives). I was looking around on my bookshelves yesterday (for ...
