I agree with Dim Post that the choice of countries to add to the choice of countries made in the Spirit Level is a bit arbitrary (although I think Not PC and Kiwiblog also have a point regarding how sensitive the regression results are to the choice of countries that aren’t strictly the largest outliers …
Category Archive: Health economics
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2010/08/18/spirit-level-a-more-fundamental-concern/
Aug
03
2010
Government fail(ure)
Seriously, why the hell did we ban pseudoephedrine in New Zealand? Has it had any impact on the “external costs of P”? I know it has had a serious impact on me during this years flu season – given that all the alternatives suck. And I know a lot of people who feel the same. …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2010/08/03/government-failure/
Jul
30
2010
Drink heavily tonight
Because it makes you smarter: (Source Marginal Revolution) Note: I am joking, this is not causality. For one we don’t have a quantity measure of drinking, and the impact of drinking on intelligence is no doubt non-linear. In fact, you could make the argument that “smarter” people know how control their own alcohol consumption, and …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2010/07/30/drink-heavily-tonight/
Apr
27
2010
Universal healthcare and superannuation, and the cost of thinking ahead
If doing actions that reward a future self is perceived as costly could we justify these actions. If thinking about our wealth, human capital, or ability to live in 10 years time is inconceivable, will me over consume now? In essence this sort of discussion is saying that we discount our future selves TOO steeply …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2010/04/27/universal-healthcare-and-superannuation-and-the-cost-of-thinking-ahead/
Apr
26
2010
GST and food. Why I’m against exempting the tax
Via Dim Post, No Right Turn mentions an article from Werewolf.co.nz by Gordon Campbell. The article supports the idea of exempting GST on food. There were a number of interesting facts, I definitely enjoyed the articles. However, even if all the premises are correct and even given significant social justice goals, I think we have …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2010/04/26/gst-and-food-why-im-against-exempting-the-tax/
Apr
26
2010
Fat is normal, but it still involves choice.
I was impressed by the title of a NZ Herald article today “Fat is normal“. I was like, yes it is perfectly rational for an individual to put on weight, contrary to what we are often told. I began to think that if policy wonks would treat the idea of putting on weight sensibly we …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2010/04/26/fat-is-normal-but-it-still-involves-choice/
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