Sound Economics

The U.S is currently facing one of the worst drug shortages it has ever experienced. As of today, 267 medications are considered to be in a shortage. This includes cancer medications, antibiotics, cough and cold medications, and attention deficit medications such as Adderall. Supply chain failures are partially to blame, but much of the issue ultimately stems from the FDA’s recommended production amounts, which have failed to account for the increased demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Because these recommendations are enforced by the DEA, there is very little room for negotiation which leaves consumers holding the short straw if Continue reading Drug Shortages in the U.S.→

 American healthcare is distinctly different from most other western nations. Employer based healthcare makes healthcare unattainable to many and a constant expense to almost all Americans. How did we come to make healthcare and employment a package deal? In the early 1920’s the first iterations of health insurance came to be as hospitals and doctors formed groups to provide insurance. These insurances are still around today, they are Blue Cross and Blue Shield. These plans were made to make healthcare more accessible as hospitals began turning larger profits, however, these plans were almost exclusively purchased on an individuals personal basis. Continue reading How did we get here? Healthcare in America→

As most Puget Sound students are well aware universities, ours included, have been struggling post pandemic. Enrollment rates are down across the country, and so in turn many universities are struggling to make ends meet. Though undergraduate learning was declining pre pandemic, online learning has accelerated this decline. Nationwide undergraduate enrollment fell by 9.4% between 2020 and 2022. Financially, a little over 60% of colleges saw tuition revenue decline, though these losses are often associated with smaller schools, the big-name Ivy’s saw the same drops in tuition revenue. Colleges rely on tuition as their main source of funding, so these Continue reading A Brief Discussion about UPS and Other Colleges in Post-Pandemic Society→

Most people know about the underrepresentation of women within STEM fields, but most aren’t aware of inequality within the field of economics. Economics is dominated by men with little representation of women as well as racial and ethnic minority groups.  Roughly 25% of all economics faculty are women, with that percentage decreasing to just 15% for full professors. Only about 34% of undergrad economics majors are women. Those percentages have stayed roughly the same since the 90s. One reason for such a lack of representation within the major is that females tend to get discouraged and receive harsher criticism than Continue reading Women in Economics→

As I’m sure you’re all well aware, the U.S is currently facing a human welfare crisis as the number of houseless people continues to climb. The combination of the COVID-19 pandemic, the fentanyl epidemic, and a shortage of housing has proved to be a lethal combination that has very effectively displaced over half a million people according to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. This has led to widespread open air drug use, unsanitary public spaces, and mounting pressure on public services to cater to an already needy population. As a result, the financial resources required by municipalities Continue reading The Golden Ticket to Solving Homelessness→

Many people spend huge amounts of time and money trying to come up with that “perfect” gift, but is it worth it? Gifts are a way of connecting individuals to one another. Sentimental gifts given between close parties are highly beneficial as well. These gifts have oftentimes the most thought and care put into them. They may not have the most monetary value but they mean the most to the gifter and receiver. Another way gift-giving is highly beneficial is when a gift is given to a recipient who isn’t in a current position to afford said gift. For example, Continue reading Why Gift?→

When looking at the effects of Ukraine, we have had to as a society and a world face numerous and extraordinarily broad externalities. This coming all the way from exuberantly large gas prices to drops in business output and even the shortages in the supply chain which has caused many of the recurring and abundant resources and inputs we use as the United States to become less accessible, particularly in the timing or manner that which we require. However, when people in the United States were stating issues of goods that would be affected in the supply chain, they probably Continue reading Cerealnomics part 2:Ukraine and child cereal ethics→

Sneezes, coughs, sudden noises. Even working in a professional recording studio, voice actors cannot avoid these problems. If the finished film contains any unwanted sounds, this dubbing work is equivalent to a waste of time. However, any environmental or human-generated noises will not affect the AI voice. With the heated discussions on ChatGPT, recent news about AI is flooding everywhere, doubts, panic, excitement, and expectations. No negative emotional expressions will stop the advancement of this technology. So, if one day, not only static words and paintings, but also AI can perfectly reflect the emotions that need to be expressed during Continue reading Will Voice Actors be Replaced by AI?→

The U.S. is witnessing an unprecedented number of child labor law violations taking place all over the country. Automotive companies such as Hyundai, and Kia, as well as food packaging companies such as Packers Santitation Services LLC, which service companies like McDonald’s, Chipotle, and Dunkin Donuts have all recently been cited for violations. These are just a few of the most egregious offenders who have been accused of employing minors in dangerous, sometimes toxic working conditions. Many of the children involved are undocumented and are residing in the U.S. on the basis of asylum, staying with host families that have Continue reading Child Labor in the U.S. – An Epidemic of Exploitation→

In my past posts, I have discussed the important crossover between economic and climate issues. My posts have focused primarily on the problems of climate change and not on the movement to a solution. Economics is very intertwined with climate mitigation as it is expensive and impactful on every aspect of human life. To measure climate mitigation it is necessary to put climate costs in numeric values, one of the most important measurements is the social cost of carbon. The social cost of carbon is “an estimate of the cost, in dollars of the damage done by each additional ton Continue reading The Fluctuating Social Cost of Carbon→