Reads for International Women's Day

In celebration of International Women’s Day, this special edition of Weekend Reads features articles and podcasts shared by some of the women at Mercatus. Want Weekend Reads delivered to your inbox every Friday afternoon? Click here to sign up.

'This Is Creepy': In LA, Scooters Become the Next Data Privacy Fight

Jeremy B. White | Politico | Tweeted by Jennifer Huddleston-Skees

A dispute is brewing in Los Angeles, where city officials want the granular location data of Uber-operated dockless scooters. Privacy advocates worry this data could be mishandled or used to track the movement of citizens.

The Phony Retirement Crisis

Andrew Biggs | The Wall Street Journal | Retweeted by Veronique de Rugy

Lawmakers are attempting to fix the “retirement crisis” by expanding social security benefits, but the data shows that people are better prepared for retirement now than ever before through private plans.

Our Culture of Contempt

Arthur C. Brooks | The New York Times | Tweeted by Christine McDaniel

People often diagnose America’s political problem as intolerance or incivility, but the real problem is contempt, which is a noxious brew of anger and disgust.

The Woman Inventor Behind “Monopoly”

Monica M. Smith | Smithsonian National Museum of American History | Tweeted by Emily Hamilton

A new book has brought to light the controversy surrounding the invention of the classic board game “Monopoly.” It is actually based on an earlier game, called The Landlord's Game, that Lizzie Magie invented to teach players about the benefits of a Georgist land value tax.

Jacob Vigdor on the Seattle Minimum Wage

Russ Roberts | EconTalk | Retweeted by Kayla Lahti

In recent years, Seattle’s minimum wage increases have led to some workers earning higher wages, but most of the gains were offset by reductions in hours worked and job creation.

The Navigable Waters

John Ross | Bound by Oath | Tweeted by Anne Philpot

In 1873, the Supreme Court ruled that the Privileges and Immunities Clause protects a right to “use the navigable waters of the United States,” but the Court has never examined what that right means in practice.

FDA Approves Ketamine-like Nasal Spray for Depression

Debra Goldschmidt | CNN | Retweeted by Elise Amez-Droz

In what could be a breakthrough for 30 to 40 percent of patients with treatment-resistant depression, the Food and Drug Administration approved Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Spravato.