Mike Norman Economics

Some environmental history and some numbers. Important since owing to its size, China is pivotal in producing global pollution, which is both a health concern and a factor in climate change. Hence, China is also pivotal in and ultimately controlling it. The downside: China still generates a majority of its energy with coal-fired plants. China has an abundant supply of coal, and coal has factored significantly in China growth. That led to steeply rising curve in the increase of pollution....

This letter is chiefly about reconciling "liberty, equality, and fraternity," as the basis for a liberal society that recognizes traditional views on this complex issue.While the pope does not mean it explicitly, the basis of his view is that "the world is a family," which is a quote from the Upanishads.While it largely about ethics and politics (political theory), economics is also prominent. 162. The biggest issue is employment. The truly “popular” thing – since it promotes the good of...

Some fine points on history of economics and economic history, as well a bit of speculation about the future.Global InequalityOn several Marxist themes in “Capitalism, Alone”: My reply to Romaric Godin’s reviewBranko Milanovic | Visiting Presidential Professor at City University of New York Graduate Center and senior scholar at the Stone Center on Socio-economic Inequality, senior scholar at the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS), and formerly lead economist in the World Bank's research...

 Ah, heaven![embedded content]

The European Central Bank (ECB) recently published a report that explores the idea of introducing a digital euro for use by the general public. This project is known as a central bank digital currency, or CBDC, and many other countries are exploring the same idea. John Kiff has a useful database here showing how far these projects have progressed. Will the ECB's new euros-for-all be relatively open and anonymous like cash? Or will they require ID and permission like a bank account? In...

Worries about the effects of rising interest rates on government finances is a standard feature of editorial pieces. However, a floating currency sovereign should not be analysed in the same way as a household or business. An individual should reasonably worry about the effect of rising interest rates on their finances; if they face financial failure, the side-effects are not enough to affect macro outcomes. This is not the case for a central government: interest rates reflect macro...

 "An energy-harvesting circuit based on graphene could be incorporated into a chip to provide clean, limitless, low-voltage power for small devices or sensors," said Paul Thibado, professor of physics and lead researcher in the discovery.[embedded content]Physicists build circuit that generates clean, limitless power from graphene

SCMP (much more than funding, also supplying technical equipment)US has been exposed for funding last year’s Hong Kong protestsThe Vineyard of the Saker (detailed backgrounder)What’s at stake in the Armenia-Azerbaijan chessboard The Saker Moon of AlabamaIs The War Over Nagorno-Karabakh Already At A Stalemate? RT (Levada is an independent polling company registered as a foreign agent in Russia)Only 11% of Russians fully believe opposition figure Navalny was poisoned, just 8% blame...

 China-U.S. trade deficit is the result of the U.S.' accounting model, not China's trading practices. China's growing confidence and its rapid development led the U.S. to make it the enemy to justify its large military spending, says Paul Craig Roberts, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy under Ronald Reagan.[embedded content]

Market selloff on news of Trump having Covid-19. New fiscal year already up to a strong start.