Pollen allergies? Blame males (and economics)

I do not have pollen allergies, but I know now is the time that allergies start flaring up. The other day on twitter I heard a story about why pollen allergies are so bad, and it actually has to do with economics! (Of course) When female trees are pollinated, they bear fruit or seed pods. And when those fall, you need people to clean them up, which is expensive! Pollen from male trees, on the other hand, is swept away by the wind, which cuts cleaning costs. So we started planting male trees! There’s a fantastic ironic ending to the story, but I’ll let you read it for yourself.

Unemployment at 14.7%

You’ll be able to tell people you saw unemployment hit the highest level since the Great Depression! I’m optimistic that the unemployment rate will come down rapidly, and know that a lot of people on unemployment are receiving good benefits. But (a) it’s always hard to be unemployed and (b) there’s still a chance that things get worse. So let’s hope for the best and do what we can!

If you’re interested in the latest research on the economic effects of coronavirus, some of the top economists have been posting their research here.

Minors for Economics Majors

I often get asked what would be a good minor for economics students. So I made a list of 8 minors that would be good when combined with an economics major. I even offer a secret about economics majors and studying other subjects.