Reading

John Q argues in this blog post that it's time for the left to embrace a "politics of hope" and outlines ambitious goals like ending extreme poverty and reversing global warming. via Crooked Timber

Robert Wright argues that assassinating terrorist leaders is ineffective because it doesn't weaken their organizations; he compares it to trying to end the computer industry by killing Apple and Dell executives. via kottke.org

A photo from 1940 showing a man in what appears to be modern clothing has people wondering if we've caught a time traveler on film. via kottke.org

Henry Farrell of Crooked Timber discusses a blog post by Paul McAuley about the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, using it as a starting point to discuss humanity's vulnerability to nature's power. via The Forge of Vulcan — Crooked Timber

Bryan Caplan responds to Tyler Cowen's question about the causes of sustained high unemployment, suggesting it's more nuanced than just workers being "stubborn" about wage cuts. via Econlib.

A striking image captures lightning illuminating ash plumes from Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano, which caused widespread travel disruptions in 2010. via Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD).

This 2010 blog post from Overcoming Bias explores the possibility of airlines and travel websites using cookies to manipulate prices for customers.

Economist Steven Landsburg uses a science fiction novel about people who overselling shares of their future income and the example of Dean Martin to ponder if these contracts inherently invite fraud.

Marginal Revolution shares that John Cleese paid $5,100 for a Mercedes taxi from Oslo to Brussels after being stranded by the Icelandic volcano. via The source of this content is Marginal Revolution.

Robin Hanson explores the boundaries of sexism by questioning if agreeing with a claim that women prefer more medical interventions makes him sexist on his blog post "I Am Sexist." via Overcoming Bias.

Arnold Kling discusses Tyler Cowen's fiscal problems ideas, highlighting spending restraint in smaller countries while questioning the US ruling class's ability to address similar challenges. via Econlib.

Tyler Cowen examines Canada's successful government spending cuts in the 1990s, arguing that high social trust may have been key to their success. via The source of this content is Marginal Revolution.