Collected links

1. A Fine Theorem:

   A good rule of thumb is that you will want to read any working paper Melissa Dell puts out. Her main interest is the long-run path-dependent effect of historical institutions, with rigorous quantitative investigation of the subtle conditionality of the past.

2. Andrew Batson cites Reinhard Bendix:

   Every idea taken from elsewhere can be both an asset to the development of a country and a reminder of its comparative backwardness–that is, both a model to be emulated and a threat to its national identity. What appears desirable from the standpoint of progress often appears dangerous to national independence.

3. Stop code pollution

4. Tetlock, Mellers and Scoblic: “Sacred versus Pseudo-Sacred Values: How People Cope with Taboo Trade-Offs”

5. John Cochrane (see the figure):

   Inflation targets are like constitutions – change them infrequently, and only for very good reasons.

6. NYT:

   “The key issue is going to be causation, of who actually caused the death,” […].

7. NYT college essays