Tuesday's Assorted Links
Political support, public domain, American box office, fish auction, and big ideas
Hi y’all! Here are five stories from this week that contain neat applications of economic principles or are related to teaching:
Both political parties have turned their backs on traditional economic advice, but why? [Vox]
Betty Boop and Blondie are joining Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh in the public domain [Associated Press]
The North American box office totaled $8.9 billion in 2025, up by 2%, but still well below prepandemic levels [Screen Daily]
A 535-pound Bluefin tuna sold for a record $3.2 million at the first auction of the year for Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market [Associated Press]
A world map of human ideas that shaped civilization [Zudiay Studio]
America’s national parks are now more expensive for international visitors, and the change offers a clear real-world example of price discrimination. Economists use that term to describe charging different prices for identical goods based on willingness to pay, a strategy that shows up everywhere from airline tickets to student discounts.
America’s National Parks Just Got More Expensive For Some Visitors
Somewhere this week, a family will pull up to the entrance of Yosemite, Yellowstone, or the Grand Canyon. They’ll roll down the window, hear how much they owe, and then pause. In that moment, they’ll realize the price they’re being asked to pay is very different from the one they saw in guidebooks months ago when they first started planning the trip.
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The Vox one hits on a deeper level.