University of Calgary

public economics

Voting (or lack thereof) in May election.

Submitted by admin on Tue, 07/05/2011 - 07:57.
Voting (or lack thereof) in May election.
As recent article by Statscan suggests that 7.5 million people didn't vote in the May federal election.The reasons are summarized by the following graphic:
-By rob on 2011-07-05

The First Step Towards Taxing Religion?

Submitted by admin on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 07:23.
The First Step Towards Taxing Religion?
I'm a little late to the table on learning about this, but Romania has introduced a new tax, adding "witch" to the existing list of labor codes:

Those charging clients for tarot readings, curses, and blessings must now pay a 16 percent income tax and make contributions to health and pension programs.-By rob on 2011-06-20

The "Heart of Economics"

Submitted by admin on Wed, 01/26/2011 - 08:55.
The "Heart of Economics"
I'm currently teaching a course on "the economics of social problems." It can be a tricky course because I need to communicate to students that, for example, poverty is about more than low income. Its also about opportunities, happiness or well-being, cognitive adaptations (i.e., beliefs) and more.

With this in mind, I found today's piece in the NY Times by Ed Glaeser interesting. He writes:-By rob on 2011-06-20

Elinor Ostrom presents her analysis of the commons

Submitted by admin on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 07:20.
Elinor Ostrom presents her analysis of the commons
Elinor Ostrom won the Nobel prize in economics yesterday (along with Oliver Williamson). Here is a video by Prof. Ostrom explaining her take on the commons.

-By rob on 2009-12-15

Zombie Economics (John Quiggin)

Submitted by admin on Tue, 10/06/2009 - 07:35.
Zombie Economics (John Quiggin)
-By rob on 2009-12-15

An Interview With Paul Samuelson

Submitted by admin on Wed, 06/17/2009 - 13:54.
An Interview With Paul Samuelson
A few days ago I wrote about Paul Samuelson's view about the economic recovery and the strength of the U.S. dollar. Today, a new interview with Professor Samuelson has been published in the Atlancis.-By rob on 2009-12-15

Minimum Wage Increases

Submitted by admin on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 08:00.
Minimum Wage Increases
The U.S.'s federal minimum wage is set to rise in a few days. This is part of a three step increase passed in 2007. A new editorial by David Neumark in the Wall Street Journal provides some analysis of the minimum age with particular attention to raising it at this time:-By rob on 2009-06-13

Upcoming Fund Raiser in Calgary

Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/01/2009 - 15:53.
Upcoming Fund Raiser in Calgary
I've been doing some research on charitable giving, not looking at the motives as much as the mechanisms organizations use to raise funds. So its in this respect that I'm posting the following regarding an upcoming event in Calgary to raise funds for Janus Academy, a school specializing in the education of children with autism:
-By rob on 2009-06-13

Measuring "Outputs" in Determining Funding for Universities

Submitted by admin on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 11:01.
Measuring "Outputs" in Determining Funding for Universities
-By rob on 2009-06-13

Amartya Sen on Adam Smith and the current economic crisis

Submitted by admin on Tue, 03/10/2009 - 22:27.
Amartya Sen on Adam Smith and the current economic crisis
Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen has a new article in the Financial Times. In it he discusses how Adam Smith did not imagine markets as the neoclassical models currently place them. In particular, markets (in Adam Smith's view, as discussed by Sen) exist within a structure of institutions. I find the following excepts particularly interesting:

-By rob on 2009-05-20
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