Category Archives: Uncategorized

What works: getting to the land of ‘how’: Part Three

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Nicholas Gruen

The final third part of this essay – cross-posted at The Mandarin, only here with footnotes. New ways of institutionalising know-how Given governments’ evident failure in rising to the challenges of the third way, it’s not surprising that there are … Continue reading →

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The corona cost-benefit analyses of Richard Holden, Bruce Preston and Neil Bailey: ooops!

Posted on May 18, 2020 by Paul Frijters

The economic and social damage of lock downs in Australia is starting to get noticed so much that even academic economists are paying attention. After months of resisting actual data, some Australian economists who previously refused to even contemplate the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 66 Comments

The Drew Pavlou case: business with China versus the American lobby

Posted on May 10, 2020 by Paul Frijters

In a week from now, UQ student leader Drew Pavlou will face an internal hearing at the University of Queensland to decide whether or not he will be expelled for having organised rallies against various pro-China organisations on campus and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cultural Critique, Democracy, Indigenous, Inequality, Journalism, Law, Libertarian Musings, Politics - national, Print media, Race and indigenous, Uncategorized | 8 Comments

How the Corona narrative will flip: two predictions.

Posted on April 16, 2020 by Paul Frijters

My first prediction is an easy one: many countries are going to ease their restrictions on social isolation in the coming weeks, including many countries with an ongoing corona problem. They simply have to if they want to have any … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Democracy, Economics and public policy, Politics - international, Politics - national, Science, Social Policy, Society, Uncategorized | 83 Comments

How many WELLBYs is the corona panic costing?

Posted on April 8, 2020 by Paul Frijters

How much unhappiness is created by the unemployment of millions of people in Western countries (mainly N-Am +Europe) caused by the corona panic? How much unhappiness has been created due to the vast expansion of loneliness and physical inactivity? And … Continue reading →

Posted in Coronavirus crisis, Death and taxes, Democracy, Education, Employment, Health, History, Politics - international, Science, Social, Social Policy, Uncategorized | 38 Comments

It is 1984. A message from London.

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Paul Frijters

People shuffling in the street, afraid to look others in the eye, get close, and be accused. Fear as a silent ghost hovering above the city, watching us, like drones. The panic in the eye of the mother as her … Continue reading →

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A lament for the corona panic victims.

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Paul Frijters

Spare a tear for millions of poor people around the world. They will no longer have good jobs, good health, or long life. Weep for the poor, the sick, and the old in our own societies. Their hopes, dignity, and … Continue reading →

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