Futility Function

Thoughts on Testing

Feb 1, 2023 · 2 min read · Janna Lu Exams ChatGPT ·

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Long-form essays, especially popularized by COVID, can no longer truly reflect a student’s degree of knowledge...

Yapese Rai Stones

Jan 20, 2023 · 4 min read · Sam Branthoover Research Governance Signaling ·

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The Yapese are an island culture in the pacific (Micronesia); they’ve inhabited the same islands for, at least, two thousand years. They appear to use giant stones, weighing upwards of a ton, as a money.

What if Learning Cannot be Truly Measured?

Oct 31, 2022 · 2 min read · Janna Lu Signaling PhD ·

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What if Learning Cannot be Truly Measured?

What is a reliable signal of understanding or comprehension of how much a student has learned? Tests attempt to show the teacher who knows the subject, but subjects are heterogeneous...

Market for Government Control?

Sep 15, 2022 · 3 min read · Sam Branthoover Governance Public Choice ·

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Which is preferable: democracy, or monarchy? In the debate between monarchy and democracy, the winner depends on the ideology and the crowd.

Law of Demand and Diets

Aug 24, 2022 · 2 min read · Janna Lu Food Cost Demand ·

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Conventional diets often tell you to keep food in the pantry, instead of your room. According to the third law of demand, you might actually end up eating more.

Acholi Anarchy

Jul 30, 2022 · 4 min read · Sam Branthoover Research Acholi Signaling ·

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I’ve been researching the Acholi people of Uganda and South Sudan for a year, specifically their marital norms to explain polygamous behavior.

The Bureaucracy of Campaigns

Jul 22, 2022 · 4 min read · Sam Branthoover Economic calculation Elections Public choice ·

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Hollywood media like “House of Cards” and “Veep” make campaign work seem like the stuff left to pros.