Thursday, July 17, 2025

Monopsony in Professional Labor Markets: Hospital System Concentration and Nurse Wage Growth

elle surprise! “Growing consolidation in localized hospital markets appears to restrict nurse wage growth.”

Links 1/20/2023

British NGO Index on Censorship Just Named Mexico’s President AMLO “Tyrant of the Year 2022”

AMLO may seem like a curious choice for “Tyrant of the Year,” especially given the fierce competition for the title. But once you see who leads and finances the NGO in question, it all makes a bit more sense. . 

Will Russia Opt to Continue the War into 2024?

It isn’t just that time is generally on Russia’s side. Russia likely needs to grind on and on to achieve its ultimate aim, security.

The Black Death May Not Have Been Spread by Rats After All

A supposedly settled fact, that rats played a huge role in the European bubonic plague outbreak called the Black Death, may be all wrong.

2:00PM Water Cooler 1/19/2023

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~

Spoils Of The Sanctions War – NATO Lion Meets Russian Tit For Tat

Western officials have talked up their Russian asset seizures. But Russia has reciporcated. It’s not clear which oligarchs are the winners.

Links 1/19/2023

Why China’s Shrinking Population Is a Big Deal – Counting the Social, Economic and Political Costs of an Aging, Smaller Society

Is the press unduly excited about the start of China’s expected demographic decline?

Twitter and Google Behaving Badly

Examples of Google becoming more obvious about manipulating search results.

Collapse Revisited: Climate Change and the Development of Middle-Income Countries

Middle income countries are unwilling to put groaf on hold to blunt climate change…and they do have a point given the lack of serious plans

2:00PM Water Cooler 1/18/2023

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~

Oil Prices Rally As Confidence In A Global Economic Rebound Grows

Oil prices have perked up and oil price moves can lead market rallies. Is this a false positive or an early sign?

Links 1/18/2023

Hannah Arendt, Isaiah Berlin, and the Tenor of Our Time

Hannah Arendt and Isaiah Berlin both struggled with the upheaval of the 20th century. Arendt’s The Human Condition wins the argument.