Bitcoin and Bubbles

Article by Paul Krugman on bitcoin.

Inflation's return could shock a generation that's never seen it

CBC article on the return of inflation. Notes in impact of increased interest rates on people with debt but ignores the benefit that borrowers get from inflation.

Social and Emotional Learning

An interesting article about Social and Emotional Learning from a US Educational blogger

Economics and Mobility Pricing

Article about the Mobility Pricing debate here. This is all about Market Failure, Negative Externalities and Demerit Goods. A practical application of economic theory.

What Carillion tells us about public sector outsourcing

A post on Mainly Macro about private companies and government work. Focus on the failure of the construction giant Carillion. A balanced piece about this subject. It does look at risk and finance. Good background on public private partnerships.

The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford

The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford is a book I highly recommend to anyone. Good basic economics but written to be read by anyone.

"Rabbie" Burns Day Jan 25

Coming up next week January 25 "Rabbie" Burns day. One of the few poets that has a day celebrated around the world.

Robert Burns - wikipedia

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint-stoup!
and surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak' a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Robert Burns, 

A Biography with Selected Poems

by Behar, Sasha

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
sin' auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
sin' auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
and gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak' a right gude-willie waught,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

Bank of Canada raises interest rates

As expected the Bank of Canada raised interest rates today by a quarter point.
See articles here and here. Some interesting Macroeconomic points are raised here especially regarding Monetary Policy and the Natural Rate of Unemployment. Interesting to note that inflation (CPI) is still higher than the Bank of Canada's interest rate.

Bank of Canada site

Ontario's experiment with minimum wage could transform Canada's economy: Don Pittis

More about the Ontario Minimum Wage increase here.

Why Mickey Mouse’s 1998 copyright extension probably won’t happen again

Copyrights from the 1920s will start expiring next year if Congress doesn’t act.

Read the article here

How To Think, in eight easy steps

Taken from Tim Harford's Blog summary of Alan Jacobs How to Think

1. Take five minutes before responding. 
2. Walk around the block. 
3. Don’t argue to win, argue to learn. 
4. Avoid people who fan flames. 
5. Don’t feel you have to weigh in on every topic. 
6.  If your peers demand you weigh in, ponder your choice of peers. 
7.  Seek out thoughtful people who disagree with you. Listen. 
8. Examine your own emotional responses. Summarise your opponents’ arguments fairly and thoughtfully.

Factory Lives

A book containing personal stories of factory workers during the Industrial Revolution in Britain.

Factory lives : four nineteenth-century working-class autobiographies

Minimum Wage in Ontario

CBC article on minimum wage increase in Ontario.  Minimum wage hikes could cost Canada's economy 60,000 jobs by 2019. Note the word "could". 

Here is the Bank of Canada Report on Minimum Wages

Minimum Wages

Interesting article from the UK on minimum wages. Minimum Wages, Monopsony and Towns

Welcome

Welcome to the Blog for the Library at Garibaldi Secondary School