On the attempted cancellation of Jeffrey Sachs
I’m on the road this week on the way back from the European Forum in Alpbach, Austria, where I participated in a bitcoin panel — so excuse typos etc (writing on my phone). As it happens, American economist Jeffrey Sachs was also there. For those who don’t know, Sachs is a key figure in sustainable […]
Leaked Lunch Show Notes: Adrian Monck
Here are the show notes to this week’s Leaked Lunch podcast with WEF’s head of comms, Adrian Monck, recorded at La Finestra restaurant in Geneva on August 17. https://open.spotify.com/episode/3p9IIHDqWAwxlOwr6q2vJQ Show Notes: 2:05 – 7:45 Adrian introduces himself. Izzie and Adrian chat about local food options in Geneva and the WEF compound. 7:45 – 12:00 Adrian […]
Is Coinbase the Gold Miner or the Shovel Seller?
This is a guest post by “the Data Artist”, an author who hails from the fintech world and is a believer in beautiful rather than big data. What the Coinbase Results Reveal About the Nature of its Business There has been a great deal of analysis focused on falling crypto prices and trading volumes hurting […]
Leaked Lunch Show Notes: George Magnus
Here are the show notes to this week’s Leaked Lunch podcast with former UBS chief economist George Magnus. https://open.spotify.com/episode/7z1yHqZaYr7J1W1q6GUkBQ Show Notes: 0:00-4:40 Introduction / Chat about Chinese food. 4:40-9:50 George’s career; start in UBS, explains his career move and how he came to focus on China. 9:50-15:25 Starts on historic Chinese FX reform drive. 15:30-18:30 […]
Rise of the countercrypto influencers
A quick note to flag that I am moderating a panel with Ben McKenzie, the actor, and Jacob Silverman, the journalist, at the inaugural nocoiner conference, a.k.a the Crypto Policy Symposium, which is happening on Sept 5. I just did a short pre-interview with Ben and Jacob, so I’ve got the scoop on the fact […]
Gosplan watch: Why “targeted price controls” are rationing in everything but name
Economically, there is a big difference between using maximum price caps or price controls to stem inflation and the use of rationing policies. The former does little to rein in consumption while the latter actually does. That price caps don’t work has been known since at least the days of the late Imperial Roman period. […]
An occasional series: Why is Germany so darn dodgy?
If a state is captured by sinister or corrupt forces, and nobody in the general population realises it, how is the pursuit of truth in such a society likely to be affected? Chances are; very much the way FT journalist Dan McCrum’s investigation into Wirecard was. On 25 July 2022, Jan Marsalek was apparently spotted […]
The Kylie Jenner PJ indicator
They say if it floats, flies or [EXPLETIVE], don’t buy it: the expense of maintaining yachts and private jets can be far more expensive than buying the assets. Hence, ownership of such assets ends up a domain of not just the wealthy, but the ridiculously wealthy. And yet, the funny thing about yachts and private […]
Online grocery consolidation is coming
Online grocery shopping feels more efficient. It also looks easier to do. But is it? Is it really? True efficiency adds to productivity. In the classic textbook sense of productivity, that means for every x input you get ever more y output. For supermarket businesses, productivity translates into being able to achieve the exact same […]
A London credit whale update
*Update to the update at 1920 UK Time* Last week we brought you news of the possible return of a London whale in the European credit markets. As highlighted at the time this was based on unverified market talk. You could call it double-sourced gossip. Since then talk has widened. It’s hard to know at […]