Why cheap wine, no-lose lotteries and selling your kidney make for great radio
Sunday, January 2, 2011 at 7:32 PM The guys behind the best-selling "Freakonomics" books have done an admirable job of branching into media extensions of that brand, including a periodic Freakonomics Radio podcast that I've found worthy of subscribing to via iTunes.
Case in point are three recent podcasts:
"In Vino Veritas, Sort Of," an examination into a mantra that has driven the wine industry for years" you get what you pay for. But do you? Freakonomics dives into Wine Spectator reviews, blind tastings and exhaustive studies. and determine that, yep, people are more likely to enjoy cheaper wine. Amen.
"The No-Lose Lottery," which examines whether a national lottery might be a great alternative to traditional retirement-savings plans. Interesting concept that has some success in other countries. I say, let's give it a try.
"The Year in Repugnant Ideas," which debates some eye-opening proposals to open up the kidney trade and rethink who gets transplants. I'm still squishy on the thought of allowing people to sell their spare kidney willy-nilly but I do agree that if you want to be eligible to receive an organ donation, you need to be an organ donor as well. I mean shouldn't that be the basic price of admission?
