Monthly Archives: October 2012

The research race and Cyclone Sandy

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Paul Frijters

In empirical economic research we live in the age of the randomistas where whole departments do nothing else but look for random events to give them some variation to identify a causal relation. Cyclone Sandy looks like providing a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments

Asian languages are essential because they are essential

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Richard Tsukamasa Green

The white paper Australia in the Asian Century was released this week. It is as exciting as you expect white papers to be. As expected it is full of sentences like this. Proficiency in more than one language is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 34 Comments

Lying politicians, part I: Why do they do it?

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Paul Frijters

An oft-heard complaint is that politicians lie to us. They promise us 100,000 jobs, lower taxes, more generous spending, an end to poverty and inequality, economic growth, better schools, world peace, nicer climate, and victory over all our enemies. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 23 Comments

Apologies

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Nicholas Gruen

Samuel Sewall (1652–1730) is the man with the bowed head in this picture. He has much to feel remorseful about. Amongst eight other judges, he’s sentenced nineteen innocent people to death for being witches in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. When January 14, was established … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Religion | 18 Comments

How much human capital does Australia get via visas?

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Paul Frijters

The Australian visa point-system is the envy of the world as it has ensured that Australia gets a large influx of well-educated, healthy, English-speaking migrants. How large is the free gift that comes walking into our doors this way? Conservatively, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments

Srebrenica: should the soldiers protecting the enclave have died?

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Paul Frijters

Radovan Karadzic is now on trial for his role in the massacre of Srebenica and general Mladic was already convicted before him for aiding and abetting this genocide as the military commander of the Serbs. The question I mainly want … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 31 Comments

The farm lobby panders to delusion

Posted on October 23, 2012 by David Walker

I’ve just finished listening to the ABC’s Waleed Aly interviewing Jock Laurie, president of the National Farmers’ Federation, on the newly-announced register of foreign investment in agricultural land. (You can listen to it too, here.) Laurie’s position was effectively: “We know … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics and public policy, Politics - national | 38 Comments