The economics of piracy, CEO pay vs. Corporate Taxes, Obama is good for guns, etc...

1. Just read an interesting article in the September issue of Harpers...basically talks about how the piracy of goods can benefit society by allowing the masses access to goods that are only generally accessible to those who can afford them. Makes a good example using Shakespeare and cell phones. Harpers doesn't provide its content online, so if you want to read the article, you'll have to check it out at the library, or pick up the September issue at the newsstand.
2. Also, The Atlantic published an article this week about how several ginormo chief executives make more (waaaaay more) than what their entire companies pay in corporate taxes. Something is wrong here folks...way, way wrong. The article includes a chart that is darn near shocking (look at all the negative numbers on the y-axis...er, tax-axis)...
3. Lastly, an article in Bloomberg BusinessWeek highlights the fact that Obama has been a boon to the gun industry...sort of. Investors in Sturm Ruger have made boatloads of money since Obama was elected - speculatively because worried gun owners are "stocking up" before Obama has a chance to ban them! Haha