Following Tyler Cowen's post on incentives.

Online contests to pick an All-Star team or to pick the world's most beautiful people have always puzzled me. What incentive do the judges (that is, the general public) have in picking the best choice? None, really, which is how journeyman Rory Fitzpatrick was almost elected to an All-Star team (and and allegations have been made that the NHL rigged the numbers, ensuring that he did not make it.

Once again we have a contest where the general public has no incentive to make the best choice, so a bizarre pick is emerging. The CBC has an online contest to choose a new theme song for Hockey Night in Canada - the old theme song which is Canada's unofficial national anthem can no longer be used because of dispute. So what song is running away with the contest:

This

Yes, the new Hockey Night in Canada theme song features babies crying, gun fire and barnyard animal noises. Or at least it would be the new song, except the CBC is making the final song choice themselves, as they indicate near the bottom of their FAQ. I guess they do realize that the general public is lacking in the right incentives. Makes you wonder why they ask for their input at all?

The fitness results from my physical are in. In The Economics of Fitness - Final Results I discuss:

• How well this method works
• A possible new book!

Also I would once again like to thank the following blogs for helping me with my challenge:

• Market Movers by Felix Salmon
• Freakonomics
• Marginal Revolution
• Environmental Economics
• Greg Mankiw
• Eclectecon
• EconLog
• Economic Investigations
• orgtheory.net
• Curious Capitalist
• Reviving Economics
• Division of Labour