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Fairtrade may be hurting farmers outside of the system by depressing global commodity prices and limiting market access.

Kevin Kelly discusses how people decide to reject technology and how this will become increasingly important as technology advances. via kottke.org

Matt Yglesias questions the cost of the war in Afghanistan, suggesting cheaper alternatives and pondering the Taliban's training efficiency.

via Marginal REVOLUTION

Hundreds of travelers earned tons of frequent flyer miles by buying $1 coins with miles-offering credit cards and then depositing the coins to pay off the balance. One person who exploited this scheme earned enough miles for lifetime platinum-elite status.

via kottke.org

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is lobbying to require condom use in pornographic films, citing employee safety.

The "Page not found" page for the Marginal Revolution website features links to subscribe to various resources, alongside contact information for Alex Tabarrok and Tyler Cowen.

This blog post refutes the strategy of hoarding high-point letters in Scrabble, suggesting instead to focus on common letters and seven-letter words. via Marginal Revolution.

This blog post on Marginal Revolution compares President Roosevelt's attempt to boost retail sales by moving Thanksgiving to government interventions like "cash for clunkers." via The source of this content is Marginal Revolution.

John Stossel argues that politicians use accounting tricks to make health care reform seem cheaper, relying on unrealistic cuts that are unlikely to pass Congress.

via Reason.com

This blog post on Marginal Revolution analyzes Google search data to reveal how people search for Thanksgiving recipes at different times.

President Obama will propose a provisional emissions cut for the United States at the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen. via The Economist

Dubai World, the state-owned company behind ambitious projects like the Palm Jumeirah resort, has requested a six-month debt repayment delay.