Need some spending money? How about selling your soul?

What's the going price for a person's soul? We know what Robert Johnson's alleged price was. But what's the market like today? 

The guys at "Freakonomics" have again waded into provocative territory by asking just how far moral limits extend when it comes to markets. And to its extreme, the market for one's soul. 

Regular readers know I like "Freakonomics" and how Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt often push us into uncomfortable territory. This recent episode titled "Soul Possession" may top the list, documenting one man's odd quest to own another's soul. He buys it -- at least on paper -- for $50, but a simple transaction is filled with all kinds of complex layers on both sides of the deal.

It's a fascinating topic, regardless of your faith.  

Why shouldn't we rank our pundits like athletes?

Wouldn't it be great if we measured the performance of political pundits like we do our sports stars? Why shouldn't we know ahead of time that the screaming political "expert" on cable or radio talk shows has been right only 10% of the time? 

Our friends at the always insightful "Freakonomics" radio show raise that very question in examining society's long history in predicting -- make that attempting to predict -- the future. 

Not to spoil the punch line, but odds are those "experts" will miss the mark, and often are no more accurate than a simple guess. 

The power of poop

I can't make this stuff up. 

Freakonomics -- the books, the blog, the podcast -- is often the source of enlightenment for me but this "Power of Poop" episode hit a new high for me. The topic: fecal transplants, and how they can be used to fight diseases like multiple sclerosis. 

I usually don't give these kinds of medical-miracle stories much credence and this topic is certainly high on the gross factor, but being close to someone with MS can make you set that skepticism aside. And the Freakonomics guys do a nice job of addressing the expected listener reaction with a nice dose of humor.

There's still no rigorous research that proves without a doubt this crazy medical treatment works, but given Dr. Thomas Borod's success in treating a variety of patients and ailments, the effectiveness of fecal transplants are certainly worth more research.

Brody has experienced backlash from fellow doctors for his work, but he takes it in stride, saying skeptics decried the research that led to the pasteurization of milk and treatment of smallpox.

" ... even now my colleagues would avoid talking about this or meeting me at conferences, although this is changing, "Borod told Freakonimics. "I’ve just had an invitation to speak at an international conference about fecal transplantation, that’s state of the art. So I think we might be turning a new leaf, and I think we should, with poo especially."