Thank Fathom it's Friday Archives - Page 39 of 45

We need to talk about Kevin

Kevin Loane6 October 2017|

"A person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Dale Carnegie The name Kevin was made famous by a fifth-century Irishman, later canonised in 1903. It gained popularity through the twentieth century, peaking in the UK and US during the 1950s and 1960s, but has been in secular decline ever since. In an increasingly globalised world, that may have something to do with its poor reputation elsewhere. In France, the name is associated

Uber, the gig economy and a precarious house of cards

Oliver White29 September 2017|

At last, something for black-cab drivers to be happy about! Keen users of controversial ride-hailing app Uber were dealt a substantial blow as Transport for London rejected Uber's application to renew its licence to operate in London. The precariousness of the gig economy has come into focus yet again. But what exactly is the 'gig' economy? The term gig is borrowed from the world of music, where (typically) a band or musician is paid in weak beer to play a

The folly of chasing tails

Joanna Davies22 September 2017|

Ever watched a dog chase its own tail? It’s a thankless task for the dog, but can be amusing for the observer. An exercise in futility always has comedy value, provided it’s carried out by someone else. We shake our heads and smile at the dog’s foolishness. Next time, though, perhaps we should look in the mirror for a laugh — particularly those among us who make or comment on monetary policy. In chasing its tail, the dog goes in

German students should head to the Med and learn how to spend

Florian Baier15 September 2017|

This author happens to be German and an economist. There are some perks associated with being German. For example, the summer months of every second year, when major football tournaments take place, are something to look forward to. We tend not to drop out in the early stages of the tournament against smaller football nations, such as Iceland. In contrast, being a German economist can be as frustrating as supporting the English national team (or so I imagine). Germans have

The unknown unknowns

Jess Baker8 September 2017|

“There are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say, we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns. The ones we don't know we don't know.” Donald Rumsfeld, 12 February 2002 At the time, Rumsfeld’s quote, made in response to a reporter’s question about evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, was seen as a gaffe or else a

The everlasting bank of mum and dad

Ellie Henderson1 September 2017|

Around 2 million students are studying at UK universities in the hope of developing their knowledge, gaining life experience and broadening their horizons, while, perhaps, partaking of one or two alcoholic beverages along the way. Many parents wish this for their children, the idea being that if they invest in their child’s future now, there will be substantial gains in the longer term. The majority of parents, depending on their income threshold, have to support their children financially throughout these

‘Booze Britain’ no more!

Andrew Brigden25 August 2017|

It is customary, late on a Friday afternoon, for Fathom to offer its staff a complimentary alcoholic beverage from the company fridge. Collectively, we have a taste for imported wine and beer, as indeed do many people across the UK. Unfortunately, such luxuries have risen substantially in price over the past few months. Fathom's management, in a textbook case, has responded to the price change accordingly. During the three months to August, the total amount spent on alcohol by the

Premier League lessons for the UK economy

Kevin Loane18 August 2017|

What is the primary challenge facing UK PLC at present? If you thought Brexit, think again. The correct answer, as regular readers will be aware, is the economy's dismal productivity performance. Data released earlier this week showed that output per hour fell in the second quarter, and is now back below its pre-crisis peak. That is an unprecedented postwar decade of near-zero productivity growth. But there is one shining beacon of hope. The Premier League (PL), celebrating its 25th birthday

If that’s what’s normal now, I don’t want to know

Erik Britton11 August 2017|

One member of Fathom’s staff yesterday found his journey into work delayed by a swan. The offending fowl had found its way onto the train track and, in the high-and-mighty, supercilious manner of swans the world over, refused to move. With apologies to Her Majesty, it’s enough to make one reconsider the relative merits of roast swan, compared to turkey or chicken, or other more ‘normal’ poultry options. This being the tenth anniversary of the start of the great financial

You may dislike economists, but how about politicians?

Erik Britton4 August 2017|

Economists, and this author is one, regularly score well below average on surveys of public opinion in relation to their trustworthiness – below both lawyers and pollsters in one recent survey in the UK, for example. This is humbling, and causes us to consider how we can do our jobs better. And it reflects, I think, a view of economists that all we care about is money. As the saying goes, we know the price of everything but the value