One of the perks of being a Stanford student is that I get to try out all the new and upcoming startups in Silicon Valley before they gain widespread appeal. Part of this is because some of the startups are founded on campus, but even companies that do not have direct ties to the university love … More Islands of Memory, Seas of Forgetfulness
When did you first learn about supply and demand? If the answer is “never”, then maybe it’s time that you learn. For the next generation, however, some basic training in Economics is happening as early as middle school, educating students in a very useful and intriguing lens into how the world works. A Wall Street … More Econ in the News: Educating the next Generation
It’s February 29th, 2016, which means that some of my friends are turning 5, women can propose to men, and anyone who’s working today is working for free. In reality, the first point is true (Happy Birthday David and Geoff!), the second plausible (but no longer restricted to one day every four years in our society), … More Leap Day Payday
In Saratoga, CA, two neighboring families are fighting over a historic Italian stone pine. From an economic point of view, this example is a beautiful depiction of both positive externalities and the work that won Coase the Nobel Prize. In short, the family who has the pine tree on their property wants to get rid … More Econ in the News: Pining for a tree
Education continues to be a major hot-button topic in the United States. People lament the low PISA score placement relative to other countries, embarrassingly low considering that the US is among the most developed nations on this planet. There are arguments about the results of No Child Left Behind, the Common Core, closing socioeconomic and … More Gifted Kids Left Behind
America is in a fervor over the paucity of Powerball jackpots, which has resulted in a record $1.5 billion prize at stake. Even those who know the astronomical odds of winning have begun to join in the craze. The statistics behind winning any of the nine Powerball payouts are fairly simple, with the least likely … More Powerball Pandemonium
One of my major responsibilities as Vice President of the Stanford Symphony Orchestra Committee is managing marketing efforts. Through the SSO website and Facebook page, I present fun facts, sneak peeks, and reminders about upcoming concerts to cultivate a positive image of the SSO. This quarter, I decided to end the year with a video montage of … More Social Media and the Stanford Symphony Orchestra
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
Andrew Jabara 