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EclectEcon

I have "delusions of adequacy."

Interests: economics, policy, theatre, music, hiking, geocaching

Recent Activity

I just returned from checking on the duck that has nested under a spruce tree along Dundas Street in downtown London, Ontario (for previous postings about the duck and eggs, see the links below). The two eggs that were on the outer edge of the pot and readily visible have now disappeared. The mother duck has changed position several times.... Continue reading

Posted 1 hour ago at EclectEcon

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Ring the Bells Loud and Clear: Anti-semitism Is Gone sarcasm from Howard Jacobson

According to too many people, it isn't anti-semitism to hate Israel to the point of hypocritical, illogical, and inconsistent boycotts, etc. I'm skeptical of this position, quite obviously. British novelist makes the point so well here. An excerpt: To those who ask why Israel alone of all offending countries is to be boycotted, the answer comes back loud and clear... Continue reading

Posted 13 hours ago at EclectEcon

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Rocky Mountain Economic Summit, 002

The Economic Summit I will be attending will be held in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, July 11-13. It is their 5th annual such get-together. Details are here at their website. It appears I will be there with the expectation that I write about and report about what transpires. Well, of course! As much as I love to consume economics, I also... Continue reading

Posted yesterday at EclectEcon

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Sponsorship at the Ballpark

Sponsorship in professional sports is big money, even at the minor league level. I recently had a Facebook exchange with some local friends about sponsorship at the local ballpark back in the days when I was Doc Palmer, doing play-by-play of the London Werewolves. Here is a summary I wrote for some friends. Following some discussion on FB yesterday about... Continue reading

Posted 2 days ago at EclectEcon

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Rocky Mountain Economic Summit, 001

I have been invited to attend the Rocky Mountain Economic Summit in Jackson Hole in mid-July. This is not THE big Jackson Hole monetary economics conference (that one is scheduled for August), but it will have a number of well-known, well-informed, bright people whose brains I am looking forward to picking (see below). Fortunately several sources, including the Department of... Continue reading

Posted 3 days ago at EclectEcon

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The Great Emu War of 1932

I had never heard of this until a few days ago: The Great Emu War of 1932. [h/t Rebekah]. It is a classic example of how private citizens, responding to incentives, outperformed gubmnt employees. From Wikipaedia, Following World War I, large numbers of ex-soldiers from Australia, along with a number of British veterans, took up farming within Western Australia, often... Continue reading

Posted May 11, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Will Graphene Really Change Desalination?

Desalination (and other processes to derive potable water) are expensive and use a great deal of energy. If the process of using graphene can be perfected, the cost of producing potable water will plummet. People will be better off, especially those who live in areas where fresh water is both scarce and under-priced and salt water is plentiful. Here is... Continue reading

Posted May 10, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Last week I posted about a duck and her eggs in downtown London. I am happy to report that all seems well so far. I have walked by the nesting place nearly every day since then, and the mother duck is still alive, quiet, alert, and nesting. One of the eggs that was outside the nest seems to have disappeared,... Continue reading

Posted May 9, 2013 at EclectEcon

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McDonald's: You're Back on My List

Over five years ago, I posted that McDonald's was no longer my favourite restaurant: Over the years, though, I find that I go to McDonald's less and less. Partly that is because I just cannot eat the way I used to. But my past two visits to two different outlets were more than disappointing. Both times, the burgers were far... Continue reading

Posted May 8, 2013 at EclectEcon

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From the Prez of University of Regina

In my email today, I received a message stating that the University of Regina will [hallelujah!] a have balanced budget this year. In part the message said, The 2013-14 Saskatchewan provincial budget provided a base operating grant increase to our University of 1.9 per cent plus funding for the third year of the Nursing program. Even with this investment, the... Continue reading

Posted May 7, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Scarcity and Death Panels: the economics of medical care

We absolute must face the reality that because of scarcity, we will not all receive "the best medical care possible". There simply is not enough to go around. Jonathan Kay nails it: Even the wealthiest societies, no matter what the funding model for their health systems, have finite resources available to treat the human body’s potentially infinite medical needs. Someone,... Continue reading

Posted May 6, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Would I Look Younger with Dark Hair? (as if it matters)

People who have seen me with dark hair tell me it takes years off my appearance. Here is one example: So maybe there's hope? From Gabriel, "For generations, numerous remedies have been concocted to hide gray hair," said Dr. Gerald Weissmann, the editor-in-chief of The FASEB Journal, "but now, for the first time, an actual treatment that gets to the... Continue reading

Posted May 6, 2013 at EclectEcon

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The Best Teapot Ever!

Some years ago, on the recommendation of Bill Sjostrom who was then an active blogger, Ms. Eclectic and I bought a round, clear-glass teapot that held a stainless-steel basket as an infuser. We bought a cheap one (perhaps something like this one only smaller and probably not as good), but it worked just fine until last week when we discovered... Continue reading

Posted May 5, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Where IS This Place?

I have never been there, and it is already my favourite restaurant. Continue reading

Posted May 4, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Will Graphene Really Change Desalination?

Desalination (and other processes to derive potable water) are expensive and use a great deal of energy. If the process of using graphene can be perfected, the cost of producing potable water will plummet. People will be better off, especially those who live in areas where fresh water is both scarce and under-priced and salt water is plentiful. Here is... Continue reading

Posted May 4, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Never Again! this frightening nonsense needs to be countered constantly

A blatantly anti-semitic rally took place in Hungary [h/t Tom Palmer]. Several hundred supporters took part, despite attempts by the government to prevent it going ahead. Jobbik said the rally was a protest against what it said was a Jewish attempt to buy up Hungary. The party, which says it aims to protect Hungarian values and interests, is the third... Continue reading

Posted May 4, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Facebook and Friends

A long-time friend and former student asked me the other day about Facebook [he is not on FB...yet]. Here is my reply: I think I have over 600 FB friends. Here is a VERY rough guess of the breakdown of where they come from (the numbers won't add up, it's rough): Theatre and music: 120 Huron County (where we lived... Continue reading

Posted May 4, 2013 at EclectEcon

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A Serious Request: What Is the Most Convenient Way to Cook Bacon?

Ms. Eclectic and I often have bacon and eggs for breakfast. We don't much like frying the bacon first in the frying pan, so I've taken to microwaving it while I'm cooking the eggs. I put two sheets of paper towel on a plate, then the bacon, then one more sheet of paper towel over it to control the spatter.... Continue reading

Posted May 3, 2013 at EclectEcon

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UWO Economics PhD Named Governor of the Bank of Canada

But it isn't Tiff Macklem. It's Steve Poloz. I knew them both when they were at UWO as grad students and actually spent time talking with them both at different times in the past ten years. Continue reading

Posted May 2, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Ducks and Natural Selection

The first summer I taught at Herstmonceux Castle (2006), there were three different mother ducks who made nests and laid eggs in the courtyard. The first batch to hatch included 13 ducklings, 11 of whom survived the summer being well-fed by profs, staff, and students, and somehow avoiding attacks from the jackdaws. The second batch was smaller. I'm not sure... Continue reading

Posted May 2, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Toronto's Honda Player of the Month for April?

I just received the following announcement: TORONTO BLUE JAYS 1B EDWIN ENCARNACION has been named the HONDA PLAYER OF THE MONTH for April by the TORONTO CHAPTER of the BBWAA. ... ENCARNACION, 30, earned his third consecutive award dating back to last season and fourth since the beginning of 2012. The right-handed hitter batted .238 with a team leading nine... Continue reading

Posted May 1, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Converting "Too Big to Fail" into "Too Small to Save"

The cronyism in the financial sector that led to "too big to fail" must be dealt with. The Dallas Fed recommends (and I agree) that banks must instead be "too small to save". If commercial banking and investment banking could be kept separate within the same corporate shell, that would probably be okay. But when risk-taking in investment banking is... Continue reading

Posted May 1, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Austerity and Growth

One of the best summaries of the current argument raging in the economics profession is here. This table is pretty compelling: The debt-to-GDP levels are given in the left-hand column. The next two columns show the annual economic growth rates estimated by Reinhart and Rogoff and then by the challenging economists from the University of Massachusetts. (They are Thomas Herndon,... Continue reading

Posted Apr 26, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Facebook: I'm an Anomaly

I am on Facebook quite a bit. I love having been able to stay connected (and get reconnected) with childhood friends, former co-workers and colleagues, and with current and former students. I also love getting to know current acquaintances better, especially friends from the theatre and music. But I think I'm an outlier (according to this piece in the NYTimes).... Continue reading

Posted Apr 26, 2013 at EclectEcon

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Subsidized Prices Lead to Shortages. Whoda Thunk It?

From The Washington Post via Daily Alert: Egypt Running Out of Money for Subsidies - Abigail Hauslohner Mini-tankers of illegal diesel fuel have become ubiquitous in Egypt. Egypt's rapidly expanding black market for fuel, foodstuffs, and other commodities may be the most tangible illustration of just how badly its economy is failing. The prices of basic goods, like fuel and... Continue reading

Posted Apr 25, 2013 at EclectEcon

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