Price differences for the USA and Canada: Alcohol

Having lived in the US for over a decade there are quite a few cost of living differences I notice when I return to visit Canada. One of the more obvious differences between the two counties is the treatment of alcohol. The first and most obvious difference is how one purchases liquor or beer. In …

Content providers still haven’t figured out physical vs digital pricing

iTunes and Amazon MP3 have been dominating music sales for years now, but there is plenty of evidence that providers have wildly different strategies when it comes to pricing. This is made all the more absurd by Amazon’s AutoRip functionality, where the lines between a digital & physical purchase are even more blurry. Exhibit A …

The shocking increase in federal disability payments

This American Life in coordination with Planet Money created a show which dives deep into structural issues related to employment which have been dogging the US (and frankly other wealthy western nations) for decades. As usual they do an excellent job crafting a riveting story about what can be a very dry subject. The number …

The trickle-down comeback

I think some people have amnesia. I’ve heard several times over the last few months that several politicians (namely Ryan & crew) are espousing a return – or more accurately an acceleration – of supply-side policies while claiming it will increase economic growth. This is the equivalent of arguing who will win the 1991 World …