Tuesday's Assorted Links

French fries, surveillance, slander, and a more...

Here are some of the most interesting topics from the past week that I wanted to share with all of you. I’ve tried to include a bit of context for why they’re interesting from an economics standpoint as well!

1. S. Korean McDonalds is offering cheese sticks or chicken nuggets instead of fries because Asian potatoes & American potatoes aren’t good substitutes.

2. As work from home continues for many, companies increase surveillance to cut down on potential shirking issues.

3. College students in California are enrolling in school but finding no place to live. Should the universities guarantee housing for students they admit?

4. The slander industry is a really interesting application of supply and demand.

5. Starbucks baristas in Buffalo, NY are on the verge of unionizing, which could have big implications for the fast-food industry.

If you’re looking for a second helping of yesterday’s post, you can read it again here:

A quick look at the economics around Thanksgiving 🦃

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With Black Friday approaching, you may be searching for the perfect holiday gifts for your friends and family. Might I recommend a really fun book that teaches economics using references from Parks & Rec? You can buy it directly from the publisher or on Amazon. I wrote an article last summer about what the process was like as well.