1. Difference Engine: meet the meth drinkers (Babbage)
Businesses surrounding the oil industry are failing to react to the spike in petrol prices, writes Babbage.
2. M&A lawyers lob stones at Goldman from glass house (Reuters)
Banking conflicts are front and center in deal land right now. If they’re not careful, though, the lawyers could soon find themselves the topic of conversation, writes Reynolds Holding.
3. The pros and cons of ditching cash for electronic currency (Washington Post)
In his cashless society, people can text money – but there are disadvantages, writes Michelle Singletary.
4. Just let housing regulator DeMarco do his job. (Reuters)
The knives are coming out for Edward DeMarco, writes Agnes Crane.
5. Slaves to the smartphone (Schumpeter)
Schumpeter writes about the horrors of hyperconnectivity—and how to restore a degree of freedom.