What's In a Name?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

Juliet tells Romeo that a name is nothing more than an artificial and meaningless convention. Was Shakespeare way off? Do names really dictate things like economic success? The folks over at the Freakonomics blog have put together some interesting studies. Check out the links below and leave a comment. Do you agree with with the findings? Why or why not?

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/02/09/people-with-easy-to-pronounce-names-more-likely-to-succeed/?icid=maing-grid10|htmlws-main-bb|dl15|sec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D135234

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/the_dismal_science/2005/04/a_roshanda_by_any_other_name.single.html

http://www.freakonomics.com/2009/10/22/kevin-is-not-a-name-its-a-diagnosis/

http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090918-22019.html

The end of Money?

Is a moneyless society in our future? Has money become nothing more than an abstract idea as useful as the human appendix? David Wolman certainly thinks so. Where do you stand on the issue? Read the following interview with David Wolman and answer the questions that follow.

http://gizmodo.com/5882836/lets-kill-cash-qa-with-author-david-wolman-on-our-moneyless-future

1) Can society function without using a tangible money? What are the benefits/dangers with such a society?
2) What are David Wolman's best arguments? Explain.
3) What points does David Wolman make that you disagree with? Explain.