Category Archives: topical stuff

Homophobia and sexism across Europe

Posted on May 21, 2013 by

Homophobia is very much in the news these days as the movement to allow gay marriage gathers pace in Europe and America. In Britain, conservatives grandees like Norman Tebbit are worried about a lesbian queen producing an artificially inseminated heir … Continue reading →

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Are economists different?

Posted on May 21, 2013 by

For many people, the answer to this question is a pithy “Yes”, possibly augmented by some expletives. It is an interesting and potentially important question. After all, if economists’ attitudes and values are very different from the general population then … Continue reading →

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Skirting with the truth: the coutureometrics of women’s hemlines

Posted on September 11, 2012 by

Unaccustomed as I am to studying women’s clothing, I am aware (as many of you are I am sure) of the idea that women’s hemlines tracks the macro-economy, specifically that rising hems means the economy is on the way up … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour, research, topical stuff | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The real Olympics medal table : weighted averages rock

Posted on August 7, 2012 by

It has probably not escaped your attention that the Olympic Games are happening in London. A lot of people, myself included, study the medal table to compare countries. The table, as shown in British media is a curious phenomenon in … Continue reading →

Posted in Maths, physics, nerdy stuff, topical stuff | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Has trust in politicians collapsed?

Posted on August 3, 2012 by

From reading popular media as well as casual empiricism (that means talking to your friends), one might think that people have a very low opinion of politicians in Ireland and that the current economic crisis has caused this. Is there … Continue reading →

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Michael Sandel on market values: some random (but skeptical) thoughts

Posted on May 27, 2012 by

The Irish Times yesterday had an article from their regular columnist Breda O’Brien on the role of markets in education. Based on the column’s headline and past reading,  I wasn’t expecting to agree with much of what she said but … Continue reading →

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Handedness in art: Moonrise Kingdom’s lefty scissors.

Posted on May 27, 2012 by

Readers of this blog will know that I have an interest in handedness , or to give its proper scientific name, laterality since it is not just about hands. And no I am not left-handed: being an economist is sinister … Continue reading →

Posted in Brain/Psychology, topical stuff | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pregnant teenagers, love, school admissions and all that

Posted on May 1, 2012 by

I heard the news today, oh boy, about the distressing case of a girl denied access to a school in Ireland because she was pregnant and subsequently a single mother. This story will, I hope, run and run and raises … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, topical stuff | 3 Comments

The Ombudsman for Children’s investigation into a complaint about admissions’ policies

Posted on April 30, 2012 by

It emerged today that the office of the Ombudsman for Children has investigated a complaint against a secondary school by a girl and her mother that she (the girl) had been unfairly treated because she was pregnant and subsequently a … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, topical stuff | 1 Comment

The President, inequality and The Spirit Level.

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

The President is at it again: warning us about the evils of inequality: “Where there are those who believe that inequality is inevitable, or even beneficial, there is now concrete evidence to the contrary,” he said at a St Patrick’s … Continue reading →

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