Collected links

1. Noah Smith (recommended):

   A whole lot of [economics] is about technocracy. […] Legendary economist Hal Varian summed it up when he said that “economics is a policy science.”

   What use at all is a policy science when the people who make policy don’t listen to the science?

   [...]

   So plenty of economists must be asking themselves: If no one with power is listening, what’s the use of writing papers?

   [...]

   By shifting their focus to state and local government, economists who study policy issues can ensure their continued relevance during the long winter of Trump’s populist reign.

2. FRED’s forecasting game (gdp, cpi, two labor market series)
3. George R. R. Martin: Would you prefer Donald Trump or Francis Underwood? (update)
4. \[\phantom{a}\]

   China used to be more equal than France, now approaching US inequality level.
   
   From our new WID paper at #ASSA2017 https://t.co/TXpBY2RATb pic.twitter.com/2gNUlRYKXf

   — Gabriel Zucman (@gabriel_zucman) January 7, 2017

5. buchrevier on “Leben ist keine Art mit einem Tier umzugehen ” (in German), by Emma Braslavsky.