Academic etiquette, e-communism, onshoring and home run distributions
Links for June 18, 2009, including two attacks on economists and they way they work, one on communism, a discussion of onshoring and a correlation of the day! Read more
Future Focus, recession, Scotland and Cristiano Ronaldo
The slides and a video interview based on my presentation at the Future Focus event, chaired by James Bellini, in Edinburgh on June 11. Read more
A property tax in Ireland? Yes, we can!
With talk of an imminent property tax, people are trying to make the case that ‘Ireland is different’ – it’s possible elsewhere but not here. This post outlines some of the most common difficulties people raise, and how to overcome them. Read more
Property a shining example of ‘never a better time to save’
With CPI figures showing inflation at -5%, the real return on saving has climbed to a 16-year high. A property-specific real rate of interest can be calculated from the mid-1970s on. It shows that over the whole course of the Celtic Tiger period, real property interest rates were negative. The real cost of borrowing for property now, however, is 15% – higher than at any point for which we have the figures. Read more
Flu economics, climate change and Google Squared
Some interesting links on the potential economic effects of Mexican flu, the latest evidence on how climate change may lead to large-scale migration and yet another tool from Google for researchers. Read more
What role did the recession play in the Euro elections?
Following last weekend’s European elections, commentators have highlighted a general move to the right and the usual protest vote. An examination of country-level results reveals that the move to the right may be driven more by punishment of governing parties for economic failures than any idealogical shift. Read more
Sentiment, Google trends and long-run commodity markets
Some links for today, on the topics of consumer confidence, so key to underpinning everything from jobs to VAT receipts at the moment, Google trends as a source of data, and commodity market integration (particularly in times of deglobalization). Read more
Can we ignore higher corporate and property taxes?
S&P has downgraded Ireland’s debt rating – again – while latest Government figures show that Ireland faces a €12bn hole in its tax revenues this year, compared to 2007. This post outlines where the hole has come from and how it can be tackled. This will require an open debate, though, which will involve sacred cows such as Ireland’s corporate tax rate and a property tax. Read more
Rent or buy revisited – what’s most important?
Figures from this blog on the rent-or-buy decision featured in today’s Irish Independent and have started some discussion on the most important factors for current prospective first-time buyers. This post includes a poll asking for your input on the topic, which will inform future posts on the topic. Read more
Turning points, trade and overpaid bankers
Does GDI reflect a recesssion’s turning point better than GDP? When is best to liberalize trade? And has the finance sector been gobbling up society’s talent and wages? Some recommended reading from around the web and around the world Read more