TED: Viktor Frankl

If you have never read Victor Frankl, then you should. This is an old clip by an extraordinary man.

Economics Gone Crazy: Poppy Scurge In Afghanistan

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/world/asia/13opium.html?hp

I loved reading this article from an economics point of view. In short, what is happening is that for some mysterious reason, poppy crops have been dying. They don't know why.

But, the farmers are blaming the US and Nato because they have been politically trying to disuade them from farming poppy overall.

However, the unintended consequence is that prices are skyrocketing for opium. So, in turn, it is likely that the farmers will want to keep growing the crops and will be encouraged to do so again next year.

So, potential policy take away? Grow massive amounts of poppy to drive prices down?

Happy Birthday: The Pill

The pill turns 50 today. I hope everyone who wants to be is getting a little, and not having babies - unless they want to. That's the whole darn point!

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/womens-health/articles/2010/05/07/birth-control-pill-turns-50-7-ways-it-changed-lives.html?PageNr=1

TED: How To Gage If Aid Works To Cure Poverty

As many of you know, I am passionate about international development. If you did not know this, then now you do. I love that this woman has thought of a way to test if aid has worked. She uses testing to test the null hypothesis and behavior. Amazing! And on top of it, she is able to come up with least expensive and effective programs.

TED: The Power Of Image

If you knew you were being photographed, how might you change your behavior? In this TED talk, the head of Getty images talks about the power of images. What struck me from listening was how clear some horrors are when they are in a photo. Do the people who do things know they are wrong before a photo catches them? It made me think about what if I saw my life as a series of pictures might I be kinder? Might I be more empathetic? Might I help more?