Mike Norman Economics

 I loved this one![embedded content]

 This video is sometimes fairly critical of China, although it's not too harsh, but it does give you a different perspective. China is still a very poor country in the rural areas. [embedded content]

Today, we have a guest blogger in the guise of Professor Scott Baum from Griffith University who has been one of my regular research colleagues over a long period of time. He indicated that he would like to contribute occasionally and that provides some diversity of voice although the focus remains on advancing our understanding of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) and its applications. It also helps me a bit and at present I have several major writing deadlines approaching as well as a full...

The Gower Intitiative for Modern Money Studies Newsletter – January 2021

Worries about Georgia elections, Covid and more, but fiscal flows will sustain the move higher.

I've written about fasting and its effects on health before. Six years ago, a study showed that a 3-day fast can essentially reset the immune system, providing many potential benefits. These benefits include better cardiovascular health, better endurance, lower blood pressure, and reduced inflammation. Newer data, which I'll get to in a minute, shows that you might not have to fast nearly that long to get these benefits.Can Intermittent Fasting Reset Your Immune System? 

 Online bike parts retailer Dutch Bike Bits has announced that with the advent of Brexit, the UK will become the only country in the world to which it will not ship goods. The firm explained that this was because the UK is now asking overseas firms to apply and collect British taxes on behalf of the British government when selling to UK customers.It's become too much hassle dealing with the UK now, it's easier to deal with a whole continent which has the same trading rules.The point at which...

A recent controversy that erupted was the question as to whether transfer payments (such as the $2000 transfer that was debated in the United States) would cause the economy to overheat. There is an interesting issue: even if $2000 is not enough, what about larger amounts? I have severe doubts that anyone could give a useful answer to what appears to be a simple quantitative question, without a country pushing the envelope for the sake of an economic experiment....Bond EconomicsTransfers And...

A final grand distraction before the president is forced to relinquish his office is a real danger that deserves serious attention.Talk about pure evil! Donald Trump is intent on creating as much chaos as possible on his way out of the White House. Could that include saddling Joe Biden with another war in the Middle East?But a war with the mullahs—the devout wish of Iran hawks like Michael Flynn, who supported Trump from the start and who now has his ear as the White House melts down in...

 Fresh austerity risks a public backlash, says chief economist Laurence BooneThe economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic should transform governments’ attitude to public spending and debt, according to the chief economist of the OECD, who has warned that fresh austerity would risk a popular backlash.Laurence Boone, who has run the economics directorate at the Paris-based organisation since 2018, told the Financial Times that the public would revolt against renewed austerity or tax rises...