Is an energy efficient power supply (80 PLUS) worth it for my computer?
The other day I was customizing a new desktop computer, and one of the first options was about the power supply. I had to decide between the default option and an energy saving one rated as "up to 88 percent efficient" PSU (power supply units). The energy saving option costs $20 ...

Another way to explain the Prisoners’ Dilemma to high school students
The Prisoners' Dilemma is one of the most interesting problems in game theory. It demonstrates the idea of Nash equilibrium in a stark fashion, and the mathematical requirement is very minimal. Perhaps its only flaw, if there is one, is the subject matter of criminals and police, which is sexy but ...

Ads I over analyze: AT&T ski lift commercial
I usually skip over cell phone commercials, but this following one got me laughing, and thinking. The setup is two friends are on a ski lift, and one asks the other the tricky question, "Is it okay if I ask your ex-girlfriend out?" Watch the commercial to see how it turns out:

Negotiating with the mob – Game theory in the Dark Knight part 2
In my original post about Game theory in The Dark Knight, I discussed the opening bank robbery scene and compared it to the pirate game. I mentioned the film was full of strategic thought and a great way to illustrate game theory concepts. In light of recent Batman news, like Facebook ...

Moonwalking with Einstein – Book Review
In brief, this book is about how Joshua Foer, a journalist with average memory, went on to win the U.S. Memory Championship. Before I get into details, let me say Moonwalking with Einstein is a superbly written book and I highly recommend it. I hand it to Joshua Foer for turning ...

Mutual vs Common Knowledge in course difficulty
A little bit of knowledge can be a powerful thing. There is a useful distinction that comes up a lot in game theory about knowledge. The two concepts are: Mutual knowledge: all people in a group know about an event Common knowledge: all people in a group know about an event, they ...