Nothing to do with economics, but...

So I was on YouTube and I found this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qsz1gykZBI
It's a flash mob doing a dance routine! I was actually there that day.

Jeffrey Sachs on decreasing extreme poverty and deprivation in Africa

In this youtube video, Columbia University economist Jeffrey Sachs, one of the world's foremost scholars on poverty reduction, offers his insights on reducing the pervasiveness of extreme poverty, especially in Africa, within the next decade.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEJCWQZvTCM

One interesting claim he makes is that the use of mobile phones helps, at least to a certain extent, to eliminate such widespread poverty. I agree with him on this matter, and the veracity of this claim will be verified as the events of the next decade unfold.

Smoking a Toke May Be Legalized and Regulated Soon Enough

In a recent issue of The Economist magazine, there was an article describing the the results of a poll in regards to people's news about marijuana.
The question was:
Marijuana should be legalised, taxed and regulated.
The responses were as follows:
Agree
Disagree
Don't Know

When excluding the people who responded with "Don't Know," the great majority-roughly two-thirds of the entire surveyed population-said they agreed.

For one of my presentations for a class, I argued that the war on drugs has not been successful, and that policy makers should focus on being more proactive rather than reactive. This means that instead of severely punishing people indicted for drug use, policies should focus more on prevention.

People who do not agree might believe that when drugs like marijuana are legalized, havoc will be brought upon society and tearing apart the fabric that holds society together. I ask, what is so different between smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, and smoking marijuana?

As someone who does not smoke marijuana, I truly believe that the illegality of marijuana does more harm than good. Cigarettes are severely taxed, raising revenue for other projects such as public works, and because cigarette consumption is more elastic for younger populations, heavy taxation on tobacco products has deterred many young people from smoking.

The same policies could be implemented should marijuana be decriminalized. I also believe that the legal drinking age should be lowered, but that is a topic for another time.

Check out this article:
http://economics.about.com/od/incometaxestaxcuts/a/legalize_pot.htm

For a compelling case by Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman of the University of Chicago, check out the following video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLsCC0LZxkY&feature=related
The most interesting quote I believe from this video is:
"Crack would never have existed...if we had not had drug prohibition."
Non-economists might question the veracity of this claim, but should it prove to be true, then the drug prohibition was counterproductive on this front as well: Crack cocaine is considered one of the single most damaging products introduced to American society, especially amongst African Americans. Thus, the drug prohibition had devastating effects that extended well beyond the simple use of marijuana.
For more information about the damage of crack cocaine on society, check out this article by  

The Ban on FourLoko: What is Seen and What is not Seen

     In French economist Frédéric Bastiat's commentary on economic sophisms, Bastiat emphasizes his assertion that the only difference between a good economist and a bad one is that the good one is able to foresee consequences that are not immediately visible. While it may be a stretch to say this is the only difference, Bastiat does make an important point: Oftentimes, policy makers enact policies that have results extending far beyond what was originally intended. These unforeseen consequences should be taken into account when making policies.
     Therefore, I ask that we carefully reconsider the ban on the FourLoko drink.
     Fourloko, invented by three Ohio State University graduates in 2006, is an alcoholic drink with a twist: It is also an energy drink. The dangers of mixing alcohol and caffeine are immediately visible. For example, one University of Florida study found that people who mixed caffeine (a stimulant) and alcohol (a depressant) together thought they were capable of operating motor vehicles more often than those who only drank alcohol.
      While at first the ban looks like a great idea, federal and state legislation need to carefully reconsider the effects of their actions. Thus, I have the following questions to ask to legislators:
     1) Do many college students drink underage already?
     2) When Fourloko is banned, do you believe that students will find substitutes for attaining the same level of euphoria or enjoyment from this caffeinated alcoholic drink? Possible substitutes include other forms of hard alcohol, mixing their own drinks made from alcohol and caffeine, prescription drugs, and hard drugs.
     3) Economists believe that people are rational. While I agree that when intoxicated, people are not exactly in a completely rational state, the purchase of the fourloko occurs before any consumption. Why, if Fourloko is so bad, do the students still select to drink it?

     I believe that we should focus on prevention rather than punishment (this is the same argument I made for an essay I wrote on why the war on drug is failing, but that is beyond the scope of this post). Policy makers should have the option of this beverage available to college students and others, but they should encourage these young consumers to select other, healthier choices. I therefore believe the ban on Fourloko is actually counterproductive, and having more options available will only make the general underage drinking population safer.

     For further insights, check out this youtube video: Fourloko Ban. Though it is a rather humorous video, it does indeed highlight many good points.

Frederic Bastiat Legacy Essay Contest

http://beforeitsnews.com/story/363/415/Bastiats_Legacy_Essay_Contest_Winners.html

http://studentsforliberty.org/news/bastiats-legacy-essay-contest-winners/

These are the winners for the contest. The essays are downloadable and viewable straight from these websites.

Also, check out this article written by a former economics professor of mine, Mr. Allen Sanderson. His article is about the same topic and shares similar sentiments as the winning essay for the aforementioned contest.

http://www.chicagolife.net/content/politics/JOBS_JOBS_JOBS

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and Its Impact on North American Society

This is an essay I wrote, focusing primarily on the economic impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and Its Impact on North American Society