
In 1900, when most U.S. women baked their own bread and did the laundry by hand, maintaining a home was a full-time job.
07 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economic history, gender, labour economics, labour supply, occupational choice Tags: The Great Enrichment

The NZ Treasury’s Lack of Imagination Threatens our Future. It has no faith in Economic Magic (Einstein did).
07 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, health economics, labour economics, labour supply, poverty and inequality, public economics, welfare reform Tags: retirement savings
Our Treasury is at it again. Telling Kiwis a bleak future awaits them, especially in retirement. Its latest report about how NZ Demographic Change will affect the Country’s Finances is enough make the PM’s eyes glaze over, Finance Minister Willis fall asleep, NZ First leader Peters to press Delete on his laptop & everyone else…
The NZ Treasury’s Lack of Imagination Threatens our Future. It has no faith in Economic Magic (Einstein did).
On the price of Ozempic
07 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, economics of regulation, health economics, industrial organisation
That is the topic of my latest Bloomberg column, here is one excerpt: As for consumer prices for the current obesity drugs, they are not as high as is often reported, once the various ways to get a discount are taken into account. Despite reports that the drugs cost $1,000 per month, the reality is more favorable. […]
On the price of Ozempic
What’s going on with Biden and Israel? (and a coda about Trump’s possible mental problems)
06 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in defence economics, politics - USA, war and peace Tags: 2024 presidential election, Gaza Strip, Middle-East politics, regressive left, war against terror

Although Biden (and now Harris) have proclaimed an ironclad commitment to Israel’s well-being, they’re acting very wonky about Israel’s behavior. First they withheld 2000-pound bombs from Israel (you know, the kind that were used on the targeted strike that killed the leader of Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah), though the U.S. rations some of […]
What’s going on with Biden and Israel? (and a coda about Trump’s possible mental problems)
“Schencking” Free Speech: Walz Makes the Case for the Most Anti-Free Speech Ticket in History
06 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, Age of Enlightenment, free speech, political correctness, regressive left

Below is my column in USA Today on the most chilling moment from the Vance-Walz debate when the Democratic nominee showed why he is part of the dream ticket for the anti-free speech movement. Here is the column: In the vice presidential debate Tuesday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz pulled the fire alarm. His opponent, Sen.…
“Schencking” Free Speech: Walz Makes the Case for the Most Anti-Free Speech Ticket in History
Māori academics finally admit that their way of knowing is not science, but asserts that it is better than science because the truth is “both factual and ethically value-laden”
05 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of education, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: Age of Enlightenment, conjecture and refutation, free speech, philosophy of science, political correctness, regressive left

The “Listener letter” appeared in 2021, signed by 7 professors at the University of Auckland (see it here) in New Zealand. It was a response to the drive (still going on) to teach indigenous “ways of knowing”, Mātauranga Māori (MM), as coequal with science in science classes. The letter argued that while MM was of […]
Māori academics finally admit that their way of knowing is not science, but asserts that it is better than science because the truth is “both factual and ethically value-laden”
Sabotage In The Desert – Battle of Broodseinde I THE GREAT WAR Week 167
05 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in defence economics, war and peace Tags: World War I
Rockonomics Highlights
05 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in labour economics, labour supply, Music, occupational choice

I missed Alan Kreuger’s 2019 book on the economics of popular music when it first came out, but picked it up recently when preparing for a talk on Taylor Swift. It turns out to be a well-written mix of economic theory, data, and interviews with well-known musicians, by an author who clearly loves music. Some […]
Rockonomics Highlights
Germany
05 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in defence economics, International law, war and peace Tags: Germany, World War I, World War II
“Curbing” Free Speech: John Kerry Denounces the First Amendment as “a Major Block” for Censorship
04 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in constitutional political economy, law and economics, politics - USA Tags: 2024 presidential election, Age of Enlightenment, free speech, political correctness, regressive left

Below is my column in the New York Post on the recent remarks of former Secretary of State John Kerry to the World Economic Forum, the latest in an array of powerful American politicians warning about the dangers of free speech and calling for government controls. He joins his fellow former Democratic Presidential Nominee Hillary…
“Curbing” Free Speech: John Kerry Denounces the First Amendment as “a Major Block” for Censorship
Enhancing democracy – the case for a second chamber in New Zealand’s Parliament
04 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in comparative institutional analysis, constitutional political economy, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice, public economics
New Zealand did once have an upper house known as the Legislative Council. Is there are argument that it should be re-introduced? Philip Crump writes – New Zealand’s parliamentary system has long been admired for its democratic principles and progressive governance although it has increasingly come under strain and criticism over recent years. In […]
Enhancing democracy – the case for a second chamber in New Zealand’s Parliament
A lot
04 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of education, economics of media and culture Tags: economics of languages
Germany’s Nuclear Power Rejection Delivers Wind & Solar Driven Energy Calamity
04 Oct 2024 1 Comment
in economics of climate change, energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming Tags: celebrity technologies, Germany, solar power, wind power

Germany’s wind and solar obsessed energy policy has delivered a perfect power pricing and supply calamity. Not only did their green tinged lunatics squander billions on chaotically intermittent wind and solar, they deliberately destroyed one of Europe’s best run nuclear power generation fleets, in the bargain. Whenever calm, cloudy weather hits – aka ‘dunkelflaute’ – […]
Germany’s Nuclear Power Rejection Delivers Wind & Solar Driven Energy Calamity




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