Posts in Economics
Words Worth Noting - April 20, 2022

“human behaviour ultimately derives from human volition – tastes, attitudes, values, and so on – and these aspects of volition in turn are either formed entirely by choices or are the product of biological or social processes that we cannot or will not change.... The one thing we cannot easily do, if we can do it at all, is change, by plan and systematically, the minds of men.”

James Q. Wilson Thinking About Crime

Words Worth Noting - April 13, 2022

“More than seven decades after being founded based on socialist ideals, an Israeli kibbutz is producing the most capitalist of foods. Caviar fetching $4000 for a two-pound jar is being shipped more than 5,600 miles away to be served at some of New York's finest restaurants…. Yigal Ben Zvi is a member of Kibbutz Dan who decided to take matters into his own hands. With the help of eight workers, he now produces some of the best farmed caviar in the world…. However, Ben Zvi can’t speak from personal experience. Kibbutz members can’t enjoy the caviar because it's not kosher.”

NBC August 10 2012 (I think - my notes indicate the story might have been from a few days earlier)

Words Worth Noting - April 6, 2022

“The NDP Boxing Day sale ends in just a few hours. But you must act now. Donate to Canada’s New Democrats before midnight tonight – and get up to 75% back on your 2011 taxes.”

Email from the federal NDP December 31, 2011. (The point being that even they know incentives matter... except when designing policy proposals.)