Tax statements to be tailored to your idiotic, tribal prejudice

Nice piece from the Daily Mash on personal tax statements.

Chancellor George Osborne said he wants the public to know more about government spending and for them to use that information to become even more entrenched in their deliberate stupidity.

Back to the glory days of Northern Rock

I think it’s fair to say that Tim Harford is not a huge fan of the government’s plans for mortgages.

Is the alcohol message all wrong?

Excellent article from a cultural anthropologist on how our attitude to reducing alcohol consumption is entirely misguided: “Our beliefs about the effects of alcohol act as self-fulfilling prophecies - if you firmly believe and expect that booze will make you aggressive, then it will do exactly that. In fact, you will be able to get roaring drunk on a non-alcoholic placebo.”

Why the world envies Mr Osborne

Interesting, and persuasive perspective on the up sides, in difficult times, of the massive array of executive power we in the UK give to our elected officials.

"Punishment is the last and least effective instrument in the hands of the legislator for the prevention of crime."
– John Ruskin, Notes on the General Principles of Employment for the Destitute and Criminal Classes