Things from my Google Reader: Dec-10 Edition

As Our Man has been running around interviewing, doing projects and lining up references in his quest for a day job, posting has continued to be light.  To fill the void, here are some of the things that Our Man has read recently, and found rather interesting.

As usual, I’ve put the finance ones at the top and the non-finance (more interesting?) ones at the bottom.

- Is QE printing money or not? (Video)
Who knows, not Fed Chair Ben Bernanke who thought it was 2-years ago but doesn’t think it is now.  It’s a little sad, that John Stewart not the “real” media was the one to call him out on it.

- Buy the Dip (Video)
Some fine ‘advice’ proffered to Our Man, by a good friend (and reader) after a recent post.

- What 311 Reveals about New York
If you’re a New Yorker then you’ve probably used 311.  Not only is it surprisingly helpful and efficient, they are actually trying to capture all of the data and find ways to use it productively! (Wired Magazine)

- Some Thoughts on Harry Potter
To Mrs. OM’s chagrin, Our Man decided not to venture to the cinema to see the latest in the Harry Potter films.  Instead he read this fine article by Joe Posnanski about his Harry Potter reading experience (both alone, and reading it with his young daughter).  Mr. Posnanski’s a sports writer, hence there’s also a nod towards the debatable scoring system in Qudditch. (Joe Posnanski Blog)

- Roads Gone Wild
Making driving seem more dangerous could make it safer.  So argues Hans Monderman, one of the leading traffic engineers in the world, and you do that you start by getting rid of traffic signs and then let human behavior (and the survival instinct) take over!  (Wired Magazine)

- Later
What does procrastination tell us about ourselves?  Even those who know about behavioural biases, and the downside to them, find themselves unable to escape their trap.  (New Yorker)

- You Get What You Pay For?
Healthcare has been prominently debated over the last few years, but Dr. Rob nails it when he says "your system is perfectly designed to yield the outcome you are currently getting"! (Musings of a Distractible Mind)

And finally,
- An Irrational Guide to Gifts
In a nod to the impending arrival of Christmas, here are a Behavioural Economics Professor’s suggestions on the best type of gifts. (Dan Ariely's Blog)