Comments on: 2008 Errata

By: Pieter van W

Pieter van W — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 13:27:21 +0000

These corrections will not change the way in which I still adore the list of comics. Not silica gel but dead moths, sometimes.

By: Mumblix Grumph

Mumblix Grumph — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:28:42 +0000

I love eating at the airport. The romance of travel…the smell of jet fuel mixed with the delightful stench of feet freed from their potentially explosive loafers The lively SNAP of the elbow-length latex gloves being donned for your body cavity inspection…The good humor of the assembled crowd who laugh jovially when a TSA screener realizes that the x-ray machine has been unplugged for the last three days and everybody gets to start all over again!

Nothing brings a smile to my face like watching some comedian get tasered for singing La BOMBA just a little too loud.

Ah, the jet age.

By: David Malki !

David Malki ! — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:42:50 +0000

Hmm, not any airport I’ve ever eaten at! Certainly not LAX.

By: Elisabeth

Elisabeth — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:33:12 +0000

Actually, many airports require concessions to charge the same prices inside the airport as they do outside.
But there’s no excuse for the stadium hot dogs.

By: James Shearhart

James Shearhart — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:37:49 +0000

You suck. Keep trying. You can only get better….

Also: who does your crosshatching? They suck too….

By: David Malki !

David Malki ! — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:57:54 +0000

got-dangit; fixed

By: Adam

Adam — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:55:21 +0000

Is it true irony or Alanis Morissette irony that the errata itself contains errors? Which strip is it in which the children suffer?

By: Eric Crampton

Eric Crampton — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:19:47 +0000

That, of course, refers to #449….

By: Eric Crampton

Eric Crampton — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:19:19 +0000

Actually, the rents in the airports only are so high BECAUSE the food outlets can charge that much for their food. Economists call this “rent capitalization”, where “rent” means an excess profit. In short, in a situation where a firm can earn an excess profit, either you’ll have entry such that profits are eroded or, if entry is limited, the factor that’s in short supply will accrue the rent. Here the factor in short supply is spaces within the airport for restaurants, and so that is bid up until the stall holders are only earning normal rates of return on their investment.

For more on this phenomenon, see Gordon Tullock’s seminal 1976 piece, “The Transitional Gains Trap”.