Just a few further thoughts, as yet completely unrefined, about the radio program today. The major discussion on the radio today was taxes. This is always an interesting topic because callers often provide multiple, and often contradictory, views of taxation. It is good that radio is not a visual medium (for many, many reasons) but the confused look on my face when listening to some of the callers would not be taken well I am sure.
Posting to resume shortly
I had some special assignments come up recently at UND that took up most of my time. I will be back to posting regularly ASAP.
The Economist | Subsidising professional sports: If you fund it, they may come
This is something that JT and I talk about quite often relating sports and economics. The public subsidies for sporting arenas are difficult to make up in the best of circumstances, and are equally (if not more difficult) to quantify. Our sports facility management class actually attempts to address some of these issues.
Continue reading The Economist | Subsidising professional sports: If you fund it, they may come
Updated labor force data
The Bureau of Labor Statistic released updated data for North Dakota today, and as promised I am posting an update to the data from last week. Not much changed really. The preliminary unemployment rate for December 2016 is 3.0% which is the same as the revised rate for November. The November value was originally 2.9%. We are not going to get upset by a .1% revision.
A little more labor, ND labor force and unemployment rate
I thought I would add another brief look at the data on North Dakota’s labor market before we close up the year with new data releases next week. Once again these data go through November of 2016, and start in the immediate aftermath of the problems in the oil industry.
Continue reading A little more labor, ND labor force and unemployment rate