"Professional" Minster of Economics wants to control prices

Министерство экономики Украины требует от областных управлений Госценинспекций усилить контроль за ценами, delo.ua

The current Minister of Economics used to be Minister of Interior Affairs in 2007. It seems that he wants to apply his previous experience to Economics. That is really unprofessional as many suspected.

Why have developing-country data on real incomes been revised so much? | vox - Research-based policy analysis and commentary from leading economists

Why have developing-country data on real incomes been revised so much? | vox - Research-based policy analysis and commentary from leading economists: "Why have developing-country data on real incomes been revised so much?"

Martin Ravallion explains why GDP per capita of China in 2005 was revised downward

Capital inflows to Ukraine is picking up again

НБУ обяжет иностранных инвесторов замораживать 30% средств на счетах в банках - delo.ua


This measure aims to cool down the demand for the Ukrainian government short-term debt

Op-Ed Columnist - A Tea Party Without Nuts - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - A Tea Party Without Nuts - NYTimes.com: "Alternative voting allows you to rank the independent candidate your No. 1 choice, and the Democrat or Republican No. 2. Therefore, if the independent does not win, your vote is immediately transferred to your second choice, say, the Democrat."

I really like the idea

Ukranian News - EU Foreign Relations Council Eyes Approval Of Plan For Introduction Of Visa-Free Regime With Ukraine

Ukranian News
- EU Foreign Relations Council Eyes Approval Of Plan For Introduction Of Visa-Free Regime With Ukraine: "EU Foreign Relations Council Eyes Approval Of Plan For Introduction Of Visa-Free Regime With Ukraine"

I can't believe it is happening. Just a nice illustration that only the credible threat of joining Russian-centered economic union makes European bureaucrats act.

Europe and Central Asia - Migration and Development: Europe and Central Asia (ECA)

Europe and Central Asia - Migration and Development: Europe and Central Asia (ECA): "Migration and Development: Europe and Central Asia (ECA)"

The World Bank has launched a new webpage on migration in ECA region. There are only two countries with positive population growth and positive net migration inflows. Ukraine is located in the third quadrant - negative population growth and net outflows.

Tigipko as a scapegoat for Azarov

Азаров возложил на Тигипко ответственность за стабилизацию цен - ЛІГА.Новости

Tigipko will not last even three months in this government. Azarov already asked him to improve trade balance. Now he asks Tigipko to stop price increase. Both tasks are impossible and Azarov surely knows this.

Long Swings in Global Growth Drivers | A forward looking analysis of the global economy.

Long Swings in Global Growth Drivers | A forward looking analysis of the global economy.: "Growth in the first half of the 21st century is likely to be driven by the inexorable rise of new growth poles in the emerging economies of the world; countries such as China and India, and other emerging economic powerhouses."

Interpipe to supply pipes for terminal at Ukraine's Boryspil airport

Interpipe to supply pipes for terminal at Ukraine's Boryspil airport: "Interpipe to supply pipes for terminal at Ukraine's Boryspil airport"

Example of Keynesian type of economic stimulus, so rare in Ukraine.

Kyiv Post. Independence. Community. Trust - Ukraine - SBU head calls for decriminalization of contraband trade

Kyiv Post. Independence. Community. Trust - Ukraine - SBU head calls for decriminalization of contraband trade: "SBU head calls for decriminalization of contraband trade"

There are similar news on fighting shadow economy and tax evasions which points that the government has chosen repressive mechanisms as economic policy tools. I do not mind being tough on criminal activities, but giving them a priority as a policy instrument would be a big mistake. Instead of deregulating the tax system, no match to any other system in the world in its intentional rigidity and extreme cumbersomeness, which was created by Azarov, the government have chosen the Putin style PR campaign of playing tough without really reforming the economy and taking unpopular steps.

Spatial distribution of fast food

Spatial clusters of fast food restaurants on the map

Tarantino will win best picture, if history can be believed. - By Grady Hendrix - Slate Magazine

Tarantino will win best picture, if history can be believed. - By Grady Hendrix - Slate Magazine: "Want to win an Oscar for best picture? Easy. Just release an R-rated period musical about a dead military figure that's based on a book and make sure it runs for two hours and 10 minutes."

I have not seen Inglourious Basterds, but I would vote for Avatar. It is a revolutionary movie in many dimensions.  I am not sure about the best movie, but I bet Avatar will get the most Oscars in all nominations.

Ukraine parliament votes out PM Tymoshenko's government | Reuters

Ukraine parliament votes out PM Tymoshenko's government
| Reuters: "Ukraine parliament votes out PM Tymoshenko's government
Wed Mar 3, 2010 6:42am EST
KIEV, March 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine's parliament voted out on Wednesday the government of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko as her newly elected rival, President Viktor Yanukovich, tries to consolidate power in the assembly."

Timoshenko left, leaving the new president and his team to fight the economic crisis. It looks as a good outcome for Ukraine because it will give an opportunity for a new government to concentrate on economic reforms. Still, the problems can be too big to handle and recovery can be slow, giving Timoshenko the chance to come back.

Крым попросил Медведева помочь с туристами - ЛІГА.Новости

Крым попросил Медведева помочь с туристами - ЛІГА.Новости: "Крым попросил Медведева помочь с туристами... в документе говорится о целесообразности направлять россиян на оздоровление и отдых в Крым за счет фонда социального страхования России."

Those people think that the main problem of Crimea resorts is lack of advertisement and lack of good publicity. Why don't they go to Turkey to learn how this business should be run.

State-owned enterprises in China: How profitable are they? | Making development work for all

State-owned enterprises in China: How profitable are they? | Making development work for all: "State-owned enterprises in China: How profitable are they?"

As it turns out that they are not as profitable as privately owned companies. Here is the figure

Минюст подсчитал количество сделок на рынке жилья - Новости BIZ.liga.net

Минюст подсчитал количество сделок на рынке жилья - Новости BIZ.liga.net: "В течение прошлого 2009 нотариусы Украины заверили почти 246,5 тыс. договоров купли-продажи жилой недвижимости, что на 27% ниже, чем показатели 2008г."

One of the indicators of economic activity in the housing market available for analysis.

Why ‘Avatar’ Is Not the Top-Grossing Film - Economix Blog - NYTimes.com

Why ‘Avatar’ Is Not the Top-Grossing Film - Economix Blog - NYTimes.com: "Before World War II, the average American went to the movies about once a week. Today — when people can entertain themselves with cable television, rented movies, the Web and so much more — the average American goes to the movies less than once a month."

How the Men Reacted as the Titanic and Lusitania Went Under - NYTimes.com

How the Men Reacted as the Titanic and Lusitania Went Under - NYTimes.com: "On one boat, it seems, the men thought only of themselves; on the other, they were more likely to help women and children. This occurred for one key reason, researchers said: time. The Lusitania sank in about 18 minutes, while the Titanic took nearly three hours. Women and children fared much better on the Titanic."

Chilean Quake Likely Shifted Earth’s Axis, NASA Scientist Says - Bloomberg.com

Chilean Quake Likely Shifted Earth’s Axis, NASA Scientist Says - Bloomberg.com: The earthquake that killed more than 700 people in Chile on Feb. 27 probably shifted the Earth’s axis and shortened the day, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist said. "“It’s what we call the ice-skater effect,” David Kerridge, head of Earth hazards and systems at the British Geological Survey in Edinburgh, said today in a telephone interview. “As the ice skater puts when she’s going around in a circle, and she pulls her arms in, she gets faster and faster. It’s the same idea with the Earth going around if you change the distribution of mass, the rotation rate changes.”

The magnitude 9.1 Sumatran in 2004 that generated an Indian Ocean tsunami shortened the day by 6.8 microseconds and shifted the axis by about 2.3 milliarcseconds, Gross said."

Technology Review: Putting the Web in a Spreadsheet

Technology Review: Putting the Web in a Spreadsheet: "Putting the Web in a Spreadsheet
A new tool can be used to collect, analyze, and visualize large quantities of data."

IBM hopes that a new tool, called BigSheets, will help users analyze Web data more easily. The company has developed a test version of the software for the British Library.

FT.com / Columnists / Martin Wolf - The eurozone’s next decade will be tough

FT.com / Columnists / Martin Wolf - The eurozone’s next decade will be tough: "The eurozone’s next decade will be tough
By Martin Wolf"

The crisis in the eurozone’s periphery is not an accident: it is inherent in the system. The weaker members have to find an escape from the trap they are in. They will receive little help: the zone has no willing spender of last resort; and theeuro itself is also very strong. But they must succeed. When the eurozone was created, a huge literature emerged on whether it was an optimal currency union. We know now it was not. We are about to find out whether this matters.

There is an obvious incompatibility problem: it is hard to have an independent fiscal policy and open capital flows, when there is no monetary policy independence.