Category Archives: Geeky Musings

Thinking aloud about all manner of voodoo and geekery from resident Club Troppo geeks.

A dash for the deserts? What the solar revolution could lead to.

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Paul Frijters

One of the best pieces of scientific news the last decades has been the spectacular improvements in solar energy generation. The current world price was set in 2017 when the Dubai government bought a large future solar contract for 7.3 … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Climate Change, Environment, Geeky Musings, Innovation, Miscellaneous, Politics - international, Science | Leave a comment

Is Trump getting Funnier? On Brexit and May.

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Paul Frijters

The Donald is visiting the UK and has had me in stitches a whole day. He’s clearly been having a chat with Nigel Farage about how to handle the Conservatives and has shown them up in spectacular fashion. Theresa May, … Continue reading →

Posted in bubble, Bullshit, Geeky Musings, Humour, Politics - international, Politics - national, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

The Rise of China and dealing with American grief.

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Paul Frijters

Like the world today, Europe in the 19th century witnessed major shifts in the balance of power, with new technologies changing how life was lived. Otto von Bismarck, a Prussian, saw opportunities in that chaos. He unified the warring German … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Critique, Democracy, Economics and public policy, Geeky Musings, History, Life, Political theory, Politics - international, Social Policy, Society | 25 Comments

Could Obamacare have lead to lower fertility?

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Paul Frijters

[just a thought] US total fertility rates were bobbing along very placidly around 2.05 live births per woman from 1990 to 2010, when suddenly there was a clear drop to 1.8 in 2010-2017. That drop has even continued to 1.76 … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Employment, Geeky Musings, Gender, Health, History, Medical, Science, Social Policy | 8 Comments

Thought of the day: could there be an equilibrium of personality types?

Posted on April 19, 2018 by Paul Frijters

Suppose you buy the idea popular in psychology that there are stable personality types largely formed in childhood and that the population has relatively stable proportions of these personality types. The Big5 personality types are agreeableness, extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness and … Continue reading →

Posted in bubble, Geeky Musings, Miscellaneous, Parenting | 19 Comments

Brexit Scenarios and some Advice for Brexiteers

Posted on March 2, 2018 by Paul Frijters

Brexit is the main political issue in the UK, competing with sex for the attention of the public. It is a daily gamble whether the news headline is about some politician fondling a knee 55 years ago or a row … Continue reading →

Posted in bubble, Cultural Critique, Democracy, Geeky Musings, Humour, Political theory, Politics - international, Social, Society | 11 Comments

Anglo-Saxon histories (US, UK, AUS)

Posted on January 30, 2018 by Paul Frijters

Anglo-Saxon countries are often heaped together as having a single culture. When it comes to migration, attitudes to sex, teenage-pregnancy, inequality, language, and bellicosity, that seems about right. At least, the UK, the US, and Australia are pretty close on … Continue reading →

Posted in bubble, Bullshit, Cultural Critique, Ethics, Geeky Musings, History, Humour, Indigenous, Libertarian Musings, Politics - international, Politics - national | 30 Comments