The mathematical and statistical complexity of economic research increased remarkably over the past century. While criticisms of the trend abound, the "wisdom of crowds" argument creates a presumption that the profession's acceptance of increasing mathematical sophistication is a net...

Many observers of the media argue that advertiser support of the news insulates business from critical scrutiny. News organizations know better than to bite the hand that feeds them. I examine several weaknesses in this corporate advertising bias argument. Most significantly, a favorable...