Monthly Archives: September 2014

Two films about the rotten core of capitalism ….

The first is The Jewel, an Italian movie based on the 2003 $20 billion Parmalat bankruptcy, still apparently Europe’s biggest bankruptcy. The second in Capital, a French movie by Costa-Gavras, loosely based on the shenanigans leading up to the 2008 … Continue reading

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Good and bad news from the dialogue opposition-CDP in Burkina Faso

The good news is that the talks are officially comprehensive.  The bad news is no date for next meeting.  How about tomorrow? « Premièrement, la question de la révision de l’article 37 de la Constitution, deuxièmement, la question de l’installation … Continue reading

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Did the New York Fed bail out Goldman Sachs via AIG?

The Starr case is starting tomorrow, and hopefully will extract and make public important testimony and evidence. Former Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, who orchestrated the bailout from his previous perch as New York Fed president, insists that extracting these … Continue reading

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What have I been reading…

Alexandra Williams, youth librarian in Alice Springs, Australia, recommended The Slap, by Christos Tsiolkas. Definitely for a mature young adult, it is an honest and searing portrait of Australian society… well, I am about halfway through. Told from multiple points … Continue reading

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Youth culture in West Africa… whatever… Kiff No Beat – Tu Es Dans Pain

The video has value as a “text” to read sociologically, maybe?  It’s so humorless, it’s almost funny.  The gang signs, the baseball shirts, the young women walking around as props… and at the same time the indelible West African milieu. … Continue reading

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Will the world ever run out of good-humored crime TV shows?

When I was growing up, Petrocelli, Magnum PI, Cannon and Kojak were once a week staples. Now my daughter, along with the entire 6th grade of my daughter’s school, is watching Psych. I had never heard of it. I bet … Continue reading

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Bénéwendé Sankara talks about the Sankarist parties in Burkina Faso

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Pretty deep psychology here… worth a read, and some thought

I think back to the tailgate: the man blowing cigar smoke in my face, the man who mockingly yelled, “Thanks for letting us use your name!”, the group who yelled at us to “go the fuck home,” the little waif … Continue reading

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Modeling the psychological costs of inflation… just talking about this in macro class!

People dislike inflation.  Shiller[1996] provides survey evidence that the public are greatly concerned about inflation and feel strong antipathy towards it. Inflation distresses people because they fear that rising prices will outpace wages. It also angers people because they feel … Continue reading

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Regulating banks… the capture of the Federal Reserve

This does not surprise me at all.  Too many institutions develop cultures of “do not ask embarrassing questions in public” and then define every opportunity to ask a question as a public occasion, and so no questions are ever asked. … Continue reading

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“Schooled”? I had somehow missed the blogosphere discussion of this study of cowpea varieties in Tanzania

The paper was published in AJAE earlier this year. Abstract of paper: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the social sciences are typically not double-blind, so participants know they are “treated” and will adjust their behavior accordingly. Such effort responses complicate … Continue reading

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Are Women Better Bankers to the Poor? Evidence from Rural Microfinance Institutions

In some ways pretty surprising that the gender of MFI CEOs would matter. So before repeating to colleagues, take the time to read paper (unlike me) and determine whether methods reasonable. Abstract: Microfinance Institutions MFIs provide financial services to the … Continue reading

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What is Chikungunya? Don Vlady explains, from El Salvador, where tens of thousands have gotten it

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Nice summary of recent exchange rate movements

Some of the dollar’s recent strength has come against the euro, following a series of statements made by the European Central Bank’s president, Mario Draghi, that were interpreted by currency traders to be supportive of a weak euro. Many European … Continue reading

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The big guys, for now, decide to sit around a table and talk about what to do

Annoncée en fin de semaine dernière dans un contexte marqué par des débats « houleux » sur l’article 37 et la mise en place du Sénat, la rencontre de ce jour qu’on peut qualifier de « premier pas », jette … Continue reading

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Investor rights and environmental rights in the OceanaGold case

An Australian-Canadian mining company, OceanaGold, is suing the Salvadoran government for refusing to grant it a gold-mining permit to its subsidiary, Pacific Rim. Manuel Pérez-Rocha, a researcher at the Institute for Policy Studies, explained the situation: “OceanaGold is demanding more … Continue reading

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The U.S. Employment Situation – August 2014

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 142,000 in August, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 6.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in professional and business services and in health care. In … Continue reading

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Federal funds rate remains at .1% per year….

http://www.newyorkfed.org/charts/ff/

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U.S. current account deficit continues apace

So $500 billion a year. With a population of 300 million, this is about $1500 per person per year. Unfortunately for me, as director of FAVL, that means sustained appreciation of dollar fairly unlikely. For the three months ending in … Continue reading

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Chikungunya has left the building….

Today, my eighth day, was the end.  I was feeling light-headed and sleepy almost all day.  My weird rash, where patches of skin feel like they are on fire, was diminished, but still there.  Then about 8pm this evening, I … Continue reading

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