No Free Lunch, Even for Royalty

By Spartacus 

 

Stephen J. Dubner has a great post today on The New York Times‘ blog:

L. Gordon Crovitz writes in today’s Wall Street Journal about the dispute at the University of Chicago over whether to name its new institute after Milton Friedman. In making the point that the U. of C. strives to be resolutely apolitical, even in the awarding of honors, Crovitz includes this delicious anecdote:

 

The mayor of Chicago once asked the president of the university to give the visiting Queen of England an honorary degree. “We’re happy to consider it,” was the reputed reply. “Please send copies of her scholarly work.”