Comments on: Wednesday’s Missing Link

By: Mal

Mal — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 08:54:21 +0000

Bit heavy on the Anonymous Lefty links this missing link thing. It would be easier just to read A-Lefty’s site rather than this

By: backroom girl

backroom girl — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 23:19:11 +0000

Andrew, you could be right on the possibility of a compositional effect in the AWE numbers. The ABS developed the Wage Price Index to try to eliminate such effects – it measures the increase in wages, holding the composition of employment constant. The WPI shows a 3.8% increase in wages between Sept 05 and Sept 06, compared with the 2.9% increase in AWOTE (or 3.1% if you use the trend estimate rather than the seasonally adjusted figure) over roughtly the same period.

By: Tony Healy

Tony Healy — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 05:45:45 +0000

FXH, the difference is that:

1. Ken didn’t contact you and request a lengthy article on a specific topic within a tight timeframe

2. Club Troppo doesn’t have people at the top making money from contributions such as your comment

3. Ken didn’t make a decision that contributors like you could be fobbed off with trinkets while he would insist on hard cash from people viewing Troppo

By: Andrew Norton

Andrew Norton — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 04:39:36 +0000

I just had a look at the ABS figures on wages to see if that figure was right. It doesn’t say which month, but presuming it is the latest it seems to be spinning things a bit. Full-time ordinary adult earnings were up 2.9% on the previous year, while the CPI was running at 3.9%. However the CPI minus ‘volatile’ items (petrol, fruit etc) was at 2.1%. Also, about 200,000 jobs have been created since WorkChoices began, compared to about 40,000 in the same time period before WorkChoices. It would not be surprising if we have a ‘compositional’ effect here; that a tight labour market is drawing in people who have lower levels of skill/experience and command lower wages, rather than there being any unusually slow wage growth among existing employees.

By: Ken Parish

Ken Parish — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:59:06 +0000

FX I’ve forwarded your comment to a number of Nigerians who often write to me looking for somewhere to park millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains. I’m sure they’ll be in touch with you soon, one way or the other.

By: Francis X Holden

Francis X Holden — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:49:26 +0000

Ken – I had always assumed that commenters on Troppo are not paid. I think I’ve been taken for a fool.

My ACN: 073 573 966
Bank BSB: 533-000
Account no: 77214987

Electronic transfer required within 14 days . (No cheques in the mail excuses)

Thank you

By: Sacha

Sacha — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 23:23:06 +0000

Hey Ken,

Since working in the private sector, I’ve become much more attuned to demanding payment for services rendered.

I asked Mark whether he was paid for his articles in Crikey, as he’s had quite a few published, and it would take quite some effort to have written them all, especially if he wasn’t paid for them.

By: Link

Link — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 21:48:33 +0000

But I’m not missing!

By: Droo

Droo — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 13:32:00 +0000

Actually Ken, the minimum wages graph was first highlighted at the Solidarity blog: http://solidarity.redrag.net/2006/11/21/wages/

Tim picked up on it, but it was Solidarity that first publicised it.

By: skepticlawyer

skepticlawyer — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 12:30:09 +0000

Really good, Ken. More proof that there’s masses of untapped talent in the blogosphere. Expect to be ‘Crikied’, and so join us at Catallaxy as Crikey irritants ;)

By: Tim Lambert

Tim Lambert — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 08:02:14 +0000

Way better than Crikey’s around the blogs thing. Maybe you could submit it to them?

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 06:41:41 +0000

Ah the age old conundrum of aesthetics and measurement, Ken :)

By: Nicholas Gruen

Nicholas Gruen — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 06:00:53 +0000

Thrilled that you’ll be doing this Ken. Great stuff. I don’t really agree with your reaction to Crikey – I think it’s good (and we got subscriptions for (I think) $40 per year from those who participated in a bulk buying initiative of mine.)

I don’t really agree with you about their morals even though I understand and sympathise with your point (Nicholas Gruen – even handedness that’s sure to annoy!)

I started writing a comment on your Crikey post and it became unwieldy. Perhaps there’s a post there. I might post on the award too. When I get the time. Ken if you want to remove it from our sayings please feel free – just go to ‘witty sayings’ plug in and improvise – I’m sure you’ll work it out.

By: Jacques Chester

Jacques Chester — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 05:34:30 +0000

Well ever since Nick rather foolishly gave me FTP access I’ve been in a position to do horrible things to the quotes file. So far I’ve restricted myself to fixing a typo, but say that word and it’ll be snipped.

By: Ken Parish

Ken Parish — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 05:05:15 +0000

I don’t know how to delete it and I’d have to consult Nicholas anyway, who was keen on promoting the award in the first place. If it was my call I would certainly delete all reference to it, not only because of my experience with Crikey but because I think awards in general for any creative pursuit are silly and worthless (because any such evaluation is irreducibly subjective and the works are incommensurable).

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 04:03:50 +0000

Gosh, I just went to the front page and it’s still there.

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 04:02:01 +0000

So, Ken, since you now think Crikey is rubbish and an unethical outfit, will you be removing the bit on Troppo that says you’re Crikey’s blog of the year for 2005? Since presumably this accolade is worthless in your eyes.

By: Jason Soon

Jason Soon — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 02:56:18 +0000

Good call, Ken. You used to do an excellent series on this.

By: Jacques Chester

Jacques Chester — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 02:11:18 +0000

Hell hath no fury like a professor scammed.