Anorak

Tim Worstall

Tim Worstall - Author Archive

So Murdoch’s not fit to run a media company then? Why then is that company so popular?

RUPERT Murdoch is not fit to run a media company. So says a committee of MPs:
Rupert Murdoch is “not fit” to run a multinational corporation after demonstrating “wilful blindness” in … (read more)

Posted: 2nd, May 2012 | In: Money | Comment (1)

Lefty economist spouts bollocks about regulation

HA-JOON Chang is writing in the Guardian about red-tape and competition. He is utterly wrong. Sigh.
Would-be red tape cutters believe that the more regulations there are, the less investment there will … (read more)

Posted: 2nd, May 2012 | In: Money | Comments (3)

Wind farms create climate change and make it hotter

THIS really is the most glorious story. We’re told that we have to put up bat slicers all over the country in order to beat climate change. When, in fact, … (read more)

Posted: 30th, April 2012 | In: Reviews | Comments (2)

What’s caused the London Olympics security bill rise?

SO. Why has the security bil for the London Olympics rocketed? It’s yet another example of how the costs for the Olympics keep spiralling upwards. Sadly it’s too late to … (read more)

Posted: 27th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment

Why should Apple pay US taxes?

APPLE’S results are out and they’ve had another giganticly stonking quarter. But there’s something I do wonder about. There’s a campaign in the US to make companies pay US corporation … (read more)

Posted: 25th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment (1)

Idiot Newspaper Headline of the Day

THE worst headline of the day. From the New York Times:
With Venezuelan Food Shortages, Some Blame Price Controls
“Some”?

It’s one of the most basic concepts in economics. Cut the price of … (read more)

Posted: 24th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment (1)

Smuggling iPhones into China – the airtime plan piracy

THIS is a slightly weird case. A woman found smuggling Apple’s iPhones into China. When, erm, all iPhones are actually made in China:
A Chinese woman has been stopped at the … (read more)

Posted: 23rd, April 2012 | In: Technology | Comment (1)

Even the CBI doesn’t understand corporate taxation

THE CBI does not understand corporate taxation:
The business group dismissed accusations that large companies enjoy a cosy relationship with HM Revenue & Customs, and said public anger over tax avoidance … (read more)

Posted: 20th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment

Some people have strange ideas about free speech – ban advertising in Bristol?

FREE Speech? Compass wants to ban outdoor advertising in Bristol:
In an increasingly commercialised world people should have the freedom to choose when they are exposed to advertising. In public spaces … (read more)

Posted: 19th, April 2012 | In: The Consumer | Comment

Fracking idiots come to the fore

THERE are indeed reasons not to like fracking for shale gas. Yes, those earthquakes but they’ll only be happening in Lancashire so who gives a crap? They’re also small, about … (read more)

Posted: 18th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comments (2)

Yet more Argie stupidity over the Falklands – stealing Repsol

THE Argentinian Government has just decided to nationalise steal a Spanish oil company.
The Argentine government has been tightening the noose on Repsol over recent months, withdrawing operating licences and accusing … (read more)

Posted: 17th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comments (2)

Facebook, Google, Apple, Amazon, eBay: are all tax dodging scumbags

FACEBOOK, Google, Apple, Amazon and eBay are all tax dodging scumbags. At least this is what the Daily Mail would have you believe, that the big five internet firms, Facebook, … (read more)

Posted: 16th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment (1)

Brussels spouts more nonsense on bankers’ pay

THE latest nonsense coming out of Brussels is this, on bankers’ pay:
Austrian centre-right MEP Othmar Karas has called for an end to massive bankers’ bonuses, which in some cases amount … (read more)

Posted: 13th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment

Turf the poor out of central London

FOR some reason I don’t understand there’s a number of people arguing that we shouldn’t be trying to get the poor people to move out of central London.

That is indeed … (read more)

Posted: 12th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comments (5)

So how will Greece leave the Eurozone? Answer: painfully (photos)

HOW will Greece leave the Eurozone? Painfully it seems.

There’s a general agreement among realist economists (ie, not those drunk on some nonsensical dreams of European unity) that the euro as … (read more)

Posted: 11th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment

Polly Toynbee’s tax transparency by not being tax transparent – fail

POLLY Toynbee has called for everyone’s tax returns to be public information. To help things along she’s decided to release her own income figures:
Personal statement, to get in early: I … (read more)

Posted: 10th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment

Lunatic economist of the day

IT’S always a little difficult going over and reading the dark side, the spouting of the ecoloons. For they’re so far from any connection with reality that it’s confusing trying … (read more)

Posted: 9th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment

Campus studs offer free booty to female students

AS we all know a rattling good shag helps clear the mind, reduce stress and generally makes everything better. Thus three lads at a German university have selflessly offered themselves … (read more)

Posted: 6th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment

Amazon doesn’t pay any tax schocker!

THE usual suspects have got all outraged at the fact that Amazon doesn’t seem to pay very much tax in the UK:
Amazon.co.uk, Britain’s biggest online retailer, generated sales of more … (read more)

Posted: 5th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment

Government spending our money to lobby Government: the swine

YOU may or may not be lucky enough to see posters around the place arguing that all cigarettes should be sold in plain packages. This, it is said, will reduce … (read more)

Posted: 4th, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment (1)

Japan to ban bananas

JAPAN is to ban bananas! This fuss over the radiation from the Japanese nuclear disaster is really getting just a touch out of hand. For they’ve just passed a law … (read more)

Posted: 2nd, April 2012 | In: Money | Comment

Apple’s Foxconn interns paid better than Lib Dem interns

SO there was this great big campaign, with petitions and plays and online sign ups and the usual ignorant outrage displayed on Twitter and Facebook about how appalling the working … (read more)

Posted: 30th, March 2012 | In: Key Posts, Money, Politicians, Technology | Comment

What’s really meant by Dynamic Scoring

GIVEN that The Guardian has already given us the screaming hysterics article about this dynamic scoring of tax changes perhaps it’s about time someone explained what is really going on?

OK, … (read more)

Posted: 29th, March 2012 | In: Money | Comments (3)

The Truth About the Pasty Tax: Yup, it’s the EU

MUCH fun and games as Georgie Osborne has to defend his pasty tax. As one wag has pointed out whether a pasty which has cooled to 21 oC needs to … (read more)

Posted: 28th, March 2012 | In: Money | Comment

The disappearing gender pay gWE’VEap

WE’VE been screamed at for years that there was this gender pay gap thing and told how appalling it was. Thing is, the gap seems to be disappearing:

Although overall the … (read more)

Posted: 27th, March 2012 | In: Money | Comment

Contact Us Writers