John S. Wolfe

Whereas Santiago, Chile resembles a European city – with interesting architecture, tree-lined streets and various forms of mass transit – Lima, Peru is more what one might expect in South America: Crowded, urban, noisy and dusty. Instead of buses and subways, Peruvians travel across the city in taxis or, more likely, stuffed private minivans painted [...]

One of my favorite classes at ASU was Managerial Economics, taught by the incredible Bill Boyes. A self-proclaimed libertarian, Professor Boyes projects a “free market” paradigm on every issue, asking students to consider “what if” the usual “solutions” — i.e. government involvement — weren’t in place. One can list items like national defense, environmental protection, [...]

The news out of Chile suggests incredible devastation in Concepcion and the villages along the coast. Tidal waves created by the earthquake’s epicenter in the Pacific Ocean hit Chile with great force, lifting vehicles into buildings and swamping low-lying areas. More than 230 Chileans lost their lives. A contact in Santiago reports some damage to [...]