Supply and demand in action in the brewing industry

This article from the WSJ is a great example of supply and demand in action.

• It shows that the price of hops increases as the demand for them increase.
• It shows that the increase in the price of hops reduces the supply of hoppy beers and increases the supply of session beers.

Put on your fortune teller hat: What do you predict will happen to the number of acres of land farmers use for hops? What do you predict will happen to the price of hops in a few years?

Is college worth the cost?

This report says that the answer is a qualified yes, with a 2-year degree being a better bet than a 4-year degree for many people, and majors that stress analytical and quantitative skill (cough, economics) being better bets than majors that do not: 

Entry and profits in the "gaming" industry

This article from the WSJ is a good example of the effect of entry on the profits earned by incumbent firms.

Internet Providers and Switching Costs

This story from Planet Money discusses why customers in the US have less options from which to choose for Internet than consumers in other countries.

Mixed economies

This story from Planet Money is a good example of government intervention in markets. It reports the difficulty automobile manufacturers have in making a car that satisfies government regulations across countries.

Do entrepreneurs deliver humanitarian aid efficiently?

This story from planet money explores the question. It is a nice launching point for a discussion of the proper roles of government and markets.

Is a carbon tax the fix for global warming?

This story from planet money says yes.

A cure for moral hazard?

This story from Planet Money describes new punishments for banks that do bad things Some options mentioned are forbidding the bank from using the dollar or engaging in activities in the US, requiring that the bank firm "bad" people, and prison time for the "bad" people.

Who owns the air?

This clip from Planet Money is a good introduction to property rights.

Is Net Neutrality Efficient?

This article from the WSJ is an opinion that Internet service would improve if customers paid according to how much and when they use the service. It is a good introduction to subsidies, price discrimination, and congestion pricing.

A Proposal for Student Loans

This article from the WSJ reports a proposal to make repayment of student loans a percentage of the student's income after graduation. The percentage and number of years during which payment occurs would vary depending upon the school, major, and perhaps characteristics of the student.

The article is a good introduction to signaling. Students might learn more about the earning potential of various majors when they see that one major requires 10% of their salary for 5 years while another major requires 20% for 15 years.

The article is also a good introduction to adverse selection and moral hazard. Who is more likely to choose this plan over a traditional fixed-repayment loan, someone who plans to work hard to earn high income or someone who prefers to enjoy life and wants to work enough to "get by". How does the requirement to pay a percentage of income to the lender affect the incentive to work?

The Effects of the Increase in the Demand for Protein

This article in the WSJ is a good example of supply and demand in action. It shows how the increase in the demand for protein is affecting the market for beef, pork, soybeans, and corn. An interesting question is whether prices are rising despite the increase in production, as stated in the subtitle, or if production is rising because price are rising. 

Tyson wins an auction

This article from the WSJ is a great example of auctions and, possibly, the winner's curse.

Supply and Demand in Action

This article reports that ticket prices for the US Open have fallen because Tiger Woods is not playing.

Pricing Restaurant Reservations

This article from the WSJ is a good example price discrimination, peak-load pricing, and the effects of information asymmetries and who bears risk.

Seattle Raises Minimum Wage

This article reports that Seattle raised the minimum wage there to $15 / hour. Who gains and who loses?