Reading

Reason.com discusses commentator Dinesh D'Souza's characterization of libertarians as "conservatives who are either gay or druggies."

It seems like a Reddit page wasn't found. via Reddit

Mathematicians have created a model explaining how phantom traffic jams happen - finding that slowing down below a certain speed can trigger a chain reaction potentially stopping traffic far behind.

via The source of this content is Economist's View.

Mike Birbiglia joked that Rudy Giuliani seems to think of 9/11 as his birthday because of how he acts on the anniversary. via kottke.org

The Economist argues against a proposal by Herbert A. Allen to redistribute money from wealthy colleges and universities to poorer ones. via The Economist.

Radley Balko, writing for *Reason*, recaps absurd law enforcement and legislative overreaches in 2007 and predicts that we'll see more in 2008. via Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets

A recent article suggests teenagers can accurately assess the risks of dangerous behavior but value the perceived benefits more than adults.

Tyler Cowen disagrees with Ron Paul's support for a commodity-based system, arguing that it leads to an unstable money supply during economic downturns. via Marginal REVOLUTION

Steve Chapman's article, "2007: The Year in Thugs," argues that after a rise in democratic nations during the 1990s, the world has seen a resurgence of authoritarianism in the 21st century.

via Reason.com

The New York Times Magazine published a new feature about online craftsters and Etsy, highlighting the difficulties of succeeding in the face of intense competition on the platform. via kottke.org

This article from *Reason* analyzes the Republican presidential candidates in 2007, including frontrunners and dark horse candidates. via Reason.com

A Minneapolis family was terrorized when a SWAT team mistakenly raided their home, leading to gunfire and raising questions about "knock-and-announce" procedures. via Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets.