In honor of the recent opening of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, I thought it would be fun to examine some of the economics behind the Galactic Empire from the original trilogy. First up is the question of building the Death Star, namely how the Death Star II could be built in so … More Econ in the News: Death Star Economics
For this holiday season, reports say that the glut of Christmas trees these past few years is now disappearing. Christmas trees are expected to be in shorter supply and run about 5% more expensive on average. After finishing advanced microeconomics this quarter, I now realize that this is a textbook case of short-run versus long-run supply. The reasons for why … More Econ in the News: Christmas Trees
A huge chunk of the world uses some aspect of Facebook, from the website that started it all to Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, or even Oculus. Indeed, the rise of social media overall has rapidly changed our world, whether that be through viral campaigns, connecting people across the world, or rapidly disseminating information. Certainly, the free speech enabled … More Facebook as a Force for Social Good
With the rise of MMORPGs (Massively multiplayer online role-playing games) in recent years, revenue models have shifted from one-time sale of physical games to in-game purchasing, either in addition to buying the game upfront or in a “freemium” model, which allows basic gameplay free of charge but unlocks items or additional gameplay in return for real money. This … More Econ in the News: Real Money, Virtual Economies
Earlier today, I was chatting with a friend about something we both found intriguing, and often frustrating; our millennial peers at Stanford just don’t carry much – if any – cash with them. This isn’t a local issue, but rather a national one. A 2014 survey by the ICBA found that 1 in 4 millennials carry less than … More Cash is (Still) King
When I couldn’t find an Indiana-Jones style leather jacket for this Halloween, I turned to a charitable champion of the secondhand economy: Goodwill. While I couldn’t find a leather jacket in a reasonable price and size range (the store may have been Goodwill, but it’s also located in posh Palo Alto), I did manage to come across a … More Goodwill Hunting and the Secondhand Economy
During one recent dinner conversation, I was chatting with a friend about the breadth of courses I wanted to take at Stanford. Although I’m planning on majoring in Economics, I enjoy getting to sample all that Stanford has to offer; beyond Econ, I have taken courses in Computer Science, Education, Music, Management Science & Engineering, and the Graduate … More The Fault in our Techies (and Fuzzies)
My friend GaHyun made a wonderful video highlighting the many parts of Lantana, my dorm at Stanford for the year. If you’re curious about what Stanford’s newest Creative Catalyst theme dorm looks like, then check out the video!
I decided to visit the Paly High Flea Market today with some of my friends, both to find cool things and to support local community. The Flea Market brings together people from all walks of life, from crafty salesmen to an old couple wanting to sell off some of their old treasures. It is also a big fundraiser … More Lessons from the Paly High Flea Market
After a lot of planning and a few snafus along the way, Orchestra Committee took new and returning members the Stanford Symphony Orchestra into the woods of Monte Toyon for a weekend of bonding. From rehearsing Sibelius’s 2nd Symphony and Indiana Jones to chatting and munching on S’mores by the light of a campfire, everyone was in high spirits. … More Orchestra Retreat 2015!
Andrew Jabara 