“thats awesome! What's the difference in the Expanded edition?”
“It is often said that gays spend more money than heterosexuals. Is this really true ? And then what happens to their capital once they die ?”
“I would be interested in the cost/benefit analysis of various responses to global warming (including ethanol, etc.) --- although that's probably beating a dead horse, and wouldn't fit the "fun" feel of the first book.”
“That was definitely thought-provoking -- all the more so because of the comparison to Romania under Ceaucescu(sp?). Violent crime has now been on the rise over the last couple of years. I wonder how that relates to the theory.”
“There is much discussion about the costs of obesity to society - direct ones incurred in treating co-morbidities and indirect ones such as early mortality, lower pay etc due to discrimination and bias etc. But this early mortality could also mean that they 'free' up resources for other sick people. Their contribution into state pension systems and in the UK, into the public healthcare system, are actually beneficial to others who continue to outlive them.I would like Levitt to demonstrate this is the case and obesity is not a burden but a blessing. (Of course that would lead my entire PhD thesis to collapse but hey I am beating him to it by early submission and defence and if my examiners like what i say, what does it matter what Levitt says?)”
“I also liked that chapter and one of the reasons is that it conflicted with Malcolm Gladwell's "Tipping Point" and his broken windows theory. They had an interesting back and forth via blogs about this.”
“However un-PC my favourite was the link between abortion and falling crime statistics. I research obesity and I wish I had a freakonomic explanation in such a simplistic way. ”
