Tuesday's Assorted Links
Nontraditional students, Netflix, commute times, New Year's resolutions, and NYC congestion pricing
Hi y’all! Here are five stories from this week that contained some neat applications of economic principles or are related to teaching:
Workers in their 40s are going back to school [The Wall Street Journal]
Can Netflix help save the American mall? [Bloomberg]
A growing body of research shows how longer travel times affect moms’ ability to work [The Atlantic]
What are Americans’ New Year’s resolutions for 2026? [YouGov]
Five charts that show how New York’s controversial congestion pricing is playing out [Bloomberg | Archive]
I was invited to join Marketplace last week to talk about the data behind holiday bonuses. A random thought while watching Christmas Vacation turned into a national radio segment. I haven’t listened to it, but that’s mostly because I can’t stand hearing my own voice. I’m told it sounds fine.
Here’s a look back on the posts and ideas that defined Monday Morning Economist over the past year, along with a handful of books that stuck with me. I’m thankful for all the people who helped keep this project going, even if I don’t always know where we’re headed. Thank you!
A Few of My Favorite Things This Year
It’s the last Monday of the year, and I want to spend it reflecting on the past twelve months with you by sharing a few of my favorite things, including some of my favorite posts and a handful of favorite books I read this year.
Are you an educator looking for ways to introduce this week’s newsletter into your classroom? Sign up for the Classroom Edition of Monday Morning Economist to get assessments and lesson plans delivered straight to your inbox every week.






