Self-Driving Taxis, Tariff Effects, and Walmart's Mental Health Clinics

Weekend Reads: December 7, 2018

France’s Protesters are Part of a Global Backlash Against Climate-Change Taxes

Steven Mufson and James McAuley | The Washington Post | Shared by Tyler Cowen

Demonstrations in France caught the world’s attention and forced the Prime Minister of the country to say, “No tax is worth putting in danger the unity of the nation.”

The Pentagon Doesn’t Know Where Its Money Goes

Editorial Board | The New York Times | Tweeted by Christopher Coyne

After decades of trying to avoid the legal requirement, the Pentagon recently underwent a financial audit. The results are staggering.

The Economic and Distributional Impact of the Trump Administration’s Tariff Actions

Erica York | Tax Foundation | Tweeted by Christine McDaniel

Erica York of Tax Foundation finds that the Trump administration has increased taxes on Americans by nearly $42 billion in the form of tariff increases on imports.

Waymo One, the Groundbreaking Self-Driving Taxi Service, Explained

Timothy Lee | ArsTechnica | Tweeted by Jennifer Huddleston Skees

This week, “Waymo One,” a commercial self-driving taxi service, opened for business in the Phoenix metropolitan area. It will allow drivers to hail a car, climb into the backseat, and press buttons to start and stop rides.

Why Do We Keep Panicking Over Tech?

Jason Feifer | The Washington Post | Shared by Donald Boudreaux

Fears over the implementation of new technology stretch all the way back to the age of the phonograph, and these fears are rarely justified in time, argues Jason Feifer.

The US Military Says It Has a “Light Footprint” in Africa. These Documents Show a Vast Network of Bases.

Nick Turse | The Intercept | Retweeted by Christopher Coyne

Despite assertions that it only keeps a light footprint in Africa, new documents obtained from the US Africa Command via the Freedom of Information act show an extended network of outposts and undisclosed sites across the continent.

Walmart’s Mental Health Clinic Is Responding to the Market’s Needs

Chloe Anagnos | Amerian Institute for Economic Research | Shared by Donald Boudreaux

Walmart’s latest innovation in health care is trying to bridge the gap between mental health services and underserved communities in Texas that cannot typically find licensed professionals of this type in the area.

The Creepy Line

John Stossel | Townhall | Retweeted by Peter Boettke

How are companies like Google and Facebook structuring their algorithms to filter content they find to be unacceptable online?

Yes, the Octopus Is Smart as Heck. But Why?

Carl Zimmer | The New York Times | Shared by Tyler Cowen

The eight-armed cephalopods evolved to have impressive cognitive skills that help them survive. Researchers are trying to find out how.