OMG, it’s finally Friday! Tomorrow marks the launch premiere of a new Econ-CS lab, and we have some exciting talks lined up: Jianwei Huang from CHUK-SZ, Xiaolei Wu from FDU, and Jirong Wen from Renming University will be giving three engaging presentations. I initially planned to attend a coffee festival in the morning, but given that they’re offering complimentary coffee and snacks during the tea break, and with many of my friends, my advisor, and the entire ITCS community attending, it seems like a great idea....

I got tired of reading papers after papers so today I went on all the profiles of the authors of the read papers so as to find something interesting. While browsing Professor Negin Golrezaei’s profile, I stumbled upon a series of captivating reports delving into the fierce competition that Amazon shops face. Two of the most fascinating ones are from BuzzFeed News: “Some Amazon Sellers Paying $10,000 Monthly to Game the Rankings” (Read Here) “Inside Amazon’s Fake Review Economy” (Read Here) It’s really sad but also hilarious....

Recently I’ve been really obsessed with the song MONOPOLY by Ariana Grande and Victoria Monét Treat like goals like property, collect them like monopoly. It barely has nothing to do with “monopoly” but also has everything to do with monopoly. The song is just as playful as several other Ariana’s “insignificant” singles: Work so fuckin’ much, need a twinny, twin, twin (Yeah) You’d be straight for life if I gave you my PIN (Yeah)...

Of the Market Mechanism Design class that I’m TAing, the first homework is dued on Oct. 8 23:59. 20 out of 27 students submitted exactly on Oct. 8. I’m curious though, what if we design an incentive mechansim that awards extra compensation scores for adequately early submission?

On with the discussion about the Guangdong/HK Tea Houses in Shanghai, with a focus on honest critique and analysis. Firstly, the landscape is fiercely competitive. However, the competition does not translate into commensurate quality but rather inflated prices. This does not align with the typical characteristics of Bertrand competition. A cursory search on Meituan for “Tea Houses” within a 3-kilometer radius yields approximately 30 results, all claiming to offer authentic Guangdong or Hong Kong flavors....

The so-called Tea Houses in Shanghai are such a disgrace. Now, I’m spending more on mediocre food and have no better alternatives in sight. This is how the market fails. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I’m currently quite hooked on Mariah Carey these days. For those not familiar with her, she’s the voice behind “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Mariah skyrocketed to fame in the early ’90s with her self-titled debut album, and her early career was defined by her extraordinary vocal prowess. Her runs, riffs, and live performances during that era set a standard that remains untouched, making it an almost impossible feat for young singers to surpass....

It turned out to be a delightful evening, a more meaningful and intellectually stimulating social experience compared to spending time with those unappreciative individuals over a dinner filled with superficial conversations.

I caught some intriguing facts during this morning’s breakfast broadcast, where they featured an episode with Claudia Goldin. One of the topics they covered was related to Goldin’s 2000 research paper, “Orchestrating Impartiality: The Impact of ‘Blind’ Auditions on Female Musicians.” Abstract A change in the audition procedures of symphony orchestras–adoption of “blind” auditions with a “screen” to conceal the candidate’s identity from the jury–provides a test for sex-biased hiring. Using data from actual auditions, in an individual fixed-effects framework, we find that the screen increases the probability a woman will be advanced and hired....

I’ve always been trying to understand Ariana Grande, her music, lyrics, and interviews. Seeking a piece of her philosophy. Yet her artistic choices baffle with inconsistency, lacking a clear cohesive logic. She intentionally obscures, distorts motif, and leaves gaps. I’ve immersed myself in her interviews and music, even the unreleased demos, piecing together her puzzle. Tonight, a new fragment from The Weeknd’s single “Escape from LA” from album After Hours adds to it....