Tim Liptrot

I often see comments that AI will increase the value of fixed-supply status-enhancing goods, like real estate in downtown Manhattan. I believe I have seen both Roko and Marginal Revolution make that claim. It also makes sense to think that many firms that specialize in providing automatable services stand to...

I welcome feedback on this piece! It's the first of a series on the subject and I want to gauge interest in it from the blogging world. I will probably improve it to subsequently move it to the policy community. If people really like it I could transition it to...

Lately I have been starting a ton of projects, but dropping them once I lose interest. I come up with a cool paper idea, but next week I have new idea I'm excited about. Almost every idea I have requires extensive commitment to see return, so the short projects are...

Thought this might be an interesting topic for you all. THE CAUSES OF VIOLENCE IN IRAQ Iraq has struggled with internal violence for most of its history post-independence. 4 coups occurred between independence and Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship, about 1 per decade. This unstable period ended not with a power-sharing agreement...

I hear the phrase "learn to code" around the rat and postrat communities occasionally. From context I get the main argument, the income is good, the work isn't too difficult. Has anyone written a fuller argument for learning to code? Or what is your favorite version of the argument? I'm...

Motivation I am a PhD in comparative politics at a top 20 US school. I enjoy research and teaching, and would stay in academia with a good offer. However, my university is in DC so my career-changing options are strong. I don't love research enough to devote 5 years to...

Thoughts on the Recent Haitian Assassination As many of you know, a few weeks ago the president of Haiti Jovenel Moise was assassinated. This fascinating case is like a real life sherlock homes mystery complete with faked evidence, dead ends, tons of data, and plenty of motives. I'll lay out...