Random links
- NYC mayor challenges apartment builders to think smaller
- How much space do you actually need? "Mayor Michael Bloomberg ... announced a competition for architects to submit designs for apartments measuring just 275 to 300 square feet (25.5 to 28 square meters) to address the shortage of homes suitable and affordable for the city's growing population of one- and two-person households. ... Under New York City's zoning regulations, the average apartment size in a new building must be at least 400 square feet (37 square meters), although there are exceptions to the rule." What fraction of New York apartment rental rates are explainable by rent control keeping many apartments off the market.
- Empirical Evidence, Sexual Harassment, and the Economic Way of Thinking
- "What the theory and the empirical results are saying is that people exposed to a higher risk of sexual harassment are paid more, just as people exposed to a higher risk of death are paid more. In the case of risk, however, the firm’s owners (shareholders) are paying higher wages but also getting the benefits of risky work. But in the case of sexual harassment the shareholders are paying higher wages but not getting the benefits of sexual harassment. In other words, from the firm’s point of view sexual harassment is a bit like employee theft – with the stealing being done by the harassers."
- Twilight of the Lecture
- This is one of these "active learning" articles. What I found most interesting were the parts on student resistance to much of this. One quote I particularly liked: "We have to train people to tackle situations they have not encountered before. Most instructors avoid this like the plague, because the students dislike it. Even at Harvard, we tend to keep students in their comfort zone. The first step in developing those skills is stepping into unknown territory."
- Meet Canada’s first full-badge quadriplegic police officer
- Working a desk job might still be doable as seems to have happened in this case. Reduced fitness standards for the riot police on the other hand seems likely to be counterproductive - even if the courts will fine the police service for not lowering them for women.