In Australia, every Federal election, the major political parties promise housing and jobs, without fail. With the exception of the globally-weird post-pandemic situation of low unemployment, these are perpetual promises that go nowhere. Housing affordability… Read More »The Fear of Housing Oversupply
Manhattan now has the worst income inequality of any county in the US. Normally we talk about the top 1% or top 0.1% when talking about such things, but New York is next level. The… Read More »NYC Inequality Widens
There is a mathematical model and theory called the yard-sale theory that proposes that any system like capitalism that gives an early-mover advantage, ends up with gross inequality eventually. Scientific American discusses it, and starts… Read More »Inequality is Inevitable? Yard-Sale Theory
Aside from the obvious – a pint of beer costs a poor person a greater percentage of their income than a rich person – maybe inequality is causing a visit to the pub to become… Read More »Beer and Inequality
It is happening all around the world… tourist locations are struggling to have enough accomodation for their local residents, particularly low-paid workers. It will work itself out in the long-term, because tourism needs workers, and… Read More »Short-term rentals and Inequality
I read a lot of inequality literature and news articles. The words that pop up the most are rent and rentier. While it is only one part of the problem, the frequent mentions make sense… Read More »Rent and Rentiers
In the USA, median incomes have barely moved in decades, and we are seeing the same in Australia. Between 2012 and 2018 median household incomes dropped from $81,413 to $81,310. That’s not a big drop,… Read More »Australia: Declining Incomes
It is clear that during COVID the people who are managing to keep their jobs are either essential (police, medical etc) or are able to work from home. We are also seeing that the suburbs… Read More »WFH and Bullshit Jobs
We all know what stock options are. That’s when Elon Musk forgoes a large salary in exchange for getting shares in Tesla every time the company reaches certain milestones, like a certain level of capitalisation.… Read More »Stock Options
I am not a Christian (or part of any organised religion), but the latest Pope appears to do and say good things. In 2015 he wrote his Laudato Si, a letter of sorts that spoke… Read More »Pope Francis and Inequality