2013 November 01 « Dr Alf's Blog

English: Keep Calm and Carry On UK government poster (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What scientists call “Overweight” changes with our knowledge of human health (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This article from the BBC is a MUST READ in my view.

BBC News – Sugary drinks tax would have ‘modest’ effect on obesity.

Personally, I was disgusted at the weak position taken by the BBC in this article; it merely cites different self-interest groups and one biased piece of research.

The real context is that obesity is a growing crisis for the UK, with the Government’s response being far too little too late. One wonders if the food and drinks’ companies are behind the UK Government‘s complacency, with their robust lobbying?

Surely, it’s time for the UK Government to take a strategic look at obesity and consider significantly higher taxes, across the board, for the whole food and drink sector where there is a link to obesity?

Any thoughts?

Chart of economic growth; from spreadsheet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is an excellent MUST READ article from the Economist. Check it out!

via Workers’ share of national income: Labour pains | The Economist.

The Economist article presents similar conclusions to well-known, macro-economist, Gavyn Davies writing in his FT blog. Let me pick up my thread from my earlier blog as it’s still valid.

I particularly liked Gavin Davies’ the focus on four fundamental economic trends, namely:

Decline in unionisation in the major developed economies
Rise of “financialisation”, which has increased the incentives on management to maximize the return on capital for themselves and shareholders
Technology revolution, and
Globalization.

These four pivotal trends devalue the importance of labor, so that jobs have become increasingly commoditized; this is the thrust of the Economist’s argument too.

This leads me again to some important open questions:

Given the four economic trends in major business namely, declining unionization, rising financialization, technology revolution and globalization, how should Western Governments respond to:

Take a strategic approach to economic growth, building upon strengths and cutting out public sector waste?
Ensure effective taxation of profits?
Increase the skill-base of the nation?
Deploy the adult population effectively?
Deploy Scandanavian style social policies?

Any thoughts?