Stephen Smith at rationalitate picked up on a Wired article and posted Thomas Edison builds the first el: today is 125th anniversary of the debut of Thomas Edison's elevated electric railway demonstration in Chicago. The project was financed with $2 million in private funds, through the … [Read more...]
Over 200 Illegal Hotel Buildings in NYC
From AMNY: Report: 200 illegal hotels exist in the cityThere are more than 200 apartment buildings in the city that have been illegally converted to hotels, according to a report released Sunday, significantly reducing the number of rent-stabilized units available. ... Illegal hotel operators … [Read more...]
Mixed Incentives and the True Costs of Driving
From the Freakonomic Blog - Mixed Messages on Auto Use: We wrote not long ago about the various negative externalities produced by driving — congestion, pollution, accident risk, etc. — and how pay-as-you-drive insurance might help impose the true cost of driving on each driver. ...And here’s … [Read more...]
Market Incentives to Conserve Resources
The economics blog, Knowledge Problem on how prices effect individuals incentive to conserve: Conservation of resources: Prices change everything Steven Stoft, at the EU Energy Policy Blog, observes that market driven conservation is a slow process:Conservation is the main way consumers respond … [Read more...]
Rent Control Part 4: Conclusion and Solutions
Welcome to the final post in the series discussing the consequences of rent control. Thank you to the subscribers who have patiently awaited each new post. I hope everyone found it enlightening. If you haven't read the entire series, you can catch up with these links: Rent Control Part One: … [Read more...]
Market Urbanism Debuts at #196 on Economics Blog Ranking
26econ.com keeps a ranking of top Economics Blogs, and Market Urbanism debuts at 196/255. Not bad for one month online..... Here is the announcement of new additions to the rankings: New Economics BlogsThanks to loyal readers. Hopefully, Market Urbanism will move up the rankings quickly. … [Read more...]
Friday Humor: White People in Portland
Loyal reader, Bill tipped me off to this blog and I've subscribed to the feed ever since. Today's post was particularly relevant:White People in the News - May 30, 2008Isn't this photo classic?The comments on the blog are always fun to read too... … [Read more...]
Watch as “Expediters” Become Scapegoats of Corruption and Incompetence
It's easier to look at the symptom: corruption, than treat the disease: government over-regulation:Chicago Tribune: Role of expediters under scrutiny as federal probe targets City Hall corruptionThe unsung and highly specialized role these private individuals play in the workings of city … [Read more...]