The tragic and unexpected death of Kobe Bryant has caused a large spike in demand for his autographed and game-worn memorabilia. Some collectors are choosing to hold on to their merchandise, while others are cashing out now and even trying to buy more so they can sell it at a higher price in the near future. This article explores the personal and economic incentives for holding on to rare memorabilia in a case like this.
In early December 2019, media outlets across the US warned of a potential French fry shortage in 2020. These warnings came after the US Department of Agriculture estimated that the total US potato output in 2019 would be 6.1 percent lower than in 2018. The…
American agriculture has long depended on immigrant labor. Many of these workers are undocumented. In recent years, the US government has increased its immigration enforcement activity, identifying, arresting, and deporting large numbers of immigrant workers. As a result, many farmers and agriculture processors have faced…
Each year, millions of tons of discarded plastic makes its way into the world’s oceans. Approximately 80 percent of that waste was originally discarded on land, with the remaining 20 percent being discarded at sea1. Even more discarded plastic collects in freshwater bodies like lakes…
In December 2019 the CEO of Bumblebee Tuna was convicted of price-fixing in the packaged seafood market. With this conviction the CEO faces up to 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The conviction was the culmination of an investigation that began in…
In the 20 years between 1997 and 2017, US exports of Kentucky bourbon whiskey tripled to a value of $450 million. However, in the second half of 2018 exports of bourbon and other American whiskeys began to decline rapidly. The reason: tariffs. As part of…
Nearly 10,000 retail stores announced closures in 20191. Payless ShoeSource alone accounted for 2,500 closures as part of the company’s complete liquidation. Other large retailers, like J. C. Penney, are attempting to downsize and restructure under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Closures of large retail anchor…
The past ten years have seen widespread concern about the effect that artificial intelligence (AI) and sophisticated robotics might have on employment. The most pessimistic prognosticators assert that strong and agile robots will be able to perform all physical tasks at lower costs than human beings while computer systems driven by AI will be able to perform all mental tasks at lower costs than human beings.
