Reading

Tyler Cowen discusses economics found in blogspam, including CAPTCHA arbitrage and the necessity of attracting human readers. via Marginal REVOLUTION

John Cassidy of The New Yorker discusses Ireland's economic struggles, arguing that austerity measures have worsened the recession.

via The source of this content is The New Yorker.

Tyler Cowen reviews Timur Kuran's book, which argues that Islamic law hindered economic development in the Middle East, while also suggesting that modern capitalism's institutions are compatible with Islam. via The source of this content is Marginal REVOLUTION.

Bruce Schneier discusses the public backlash against new TSA security measures, including backscatter X-ray scanners and enhanced pat-downs, in US airports.

Bruce Schneier's blog post links to a Salon.com article discussing the frequency of airplane terrorism, including hijackings and bombings, between 1985 and 1989. via Schneier on Security

WIRED offers the latest news and insights on technology, science, culture, and business. via WIRED

WIRED offers the latest news and insights on technology, science, culture, and business. via WIRED

This blog post argues that the federal deficit can be eliminated without raising taxes, and points to a New York Times article that allows readers to experiment with different ways to reduce the deficit. via The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics

This 2010 blog post profiles Irish economist Morgan Kelly, who predicted the decline of Irish property prices. via Marginal Revolution

Alan Prendergast's article "The Hit Man Nobody Knows" explores the possibility that Dandenis Muñoz Mosquera (aka "La Quica"), one of Pablo Escobar’s top hitmen currently incarcerated in Colorado, may be innocent of the crime that imprisoned him.

Michael Shnayerson's article "Oh! What a Lucrative War" investigates the system that led to Halliburton/KBR becoming a primary contractor in the Iraq War zone.

Al Jazeera's live news updates cover Hezbollah rocket attacks on Haifa and Israel's bombing of Lebanon. via The source of this content is Al Jazeera.