Lime Season Just Around Corner

Today in Auckland, Countdown St. Johns was selling limes for $42.99 per kilo. During the January and February months typically bring much higher prices because this time of year we have very few limes, and when there's not much around the prices jump, i.e. a supply and demand equilibrium.

I think the high prices can be expected to last a couple of weeks or so as in late March , much needed fresh Kiwi lime will be on the market.

 

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman -

This book is very interactive with the reader and some parts are a little condescending. For example, in the Introduction, the author poses a question to the reader asking whether or not a personality description means the person in question is a farmer or a librarian. Rather than assuming that the multitude of readers may come up with different responses, the author states “Did it occur to you that there are more than 20 male farmers.”

While I understand where the author was going with the question, the author presumed that the readers would only answer one way and this recurs throughout the book. Another example in Chapter 16 assumed that the reader came up with the wrong answer and even stated that the most common answer to this question is wrong, however, the author does not explain how to come up with the correct answer.

All in all, a good part of the book is intriguing. The author clearly has conducted extensive research throughout his career and was able to present much of it in this book in a form that would be comprehensible to non-economics and non-psychology persons.

Macroeconomic by Mankiw

My background is in the hard law and am reading various kinds of book for personal enrichment. Mankiw is a good writer as his book is unbiased and objective as a good economics book should be. He also frequently cites so we can easily read the source material if we want.

Economics is called the dismal science for a reason. Mankiw tries to motivate the study of macroeconomic models through the use of numerous 'case studies', examples from history which can be explained by the models. While the idea is commendable and perhaps pedagogically sound, the execution was rather confusing.

After spending more time with this book, I think this book feels more like a textbook on economic history rather than a book for intermediate macroeconomic theory. Hence it would be good to skip over all the case studies and just focus on the main frame.

Salmon Saga

Recently, we're experiencing the shortage of fresh Bluff salmon here in Auckland. Only Canadian fresh salmon fillest are viable at our neighbour supermarkets.

I think all this happening comes from the unusual high temperature of last summer and worldwide price hike of fresh salmon. Yeah right.

Free Fruits

They are always offering free fruit for children at Countdown. I think the fruit is intended for harried parents to offer to children to keep them occupied while shopping in the supermarkets. I think it would be good if some water or filtered coffee is viable for adults too.

Office Rule Saga

While ago, as an intern, I once needed a pen with a company logo. Prominently figured this was a reasonable ask then went to the supply closet on my floor, which was securely locked. So asked the floor's admin, was told to go to the main supply room in the basement. Down to the basement and briefly explained my situation of needing a logo pen. They told me all requests for supplies must be approved by my department head. Problem is, being new, I'd never met my department head. She also worked in Wellington (I worked in Auckland), so I needed to send an email both introducing myself, and asking her if I had permission to get a pen from the supply closet. I think it really was a overkill.

Salling Point

 

It really was a surprise that someone in Auckland kept a house for 11 years. I think real estate industry makes anything an selling point

What a Million Dollars Gets Us Around the World

They should've added the number of Bigmacs we could buy with that amount of money. Yeah right.

Mission Impossible

 Different country, same problem here as many Kiwis regards it as mission impossible too.

Old and good 1960's

Back in 1960 when pay inequality was pretty blatant. Yeah right.

Ultimate Sacrifice

            It seems a huge amount of personal sacrifice is obviously needed for this jobs.

Classless Top Off

I think the vendor thought this was a good way to advertise an elegant classy car, with a classless slogan in a crowded shopping mall.

Another Hero Who Saves World?

However they say they are helping women help other women simply by purchasing monthly tampons.

Bank Deposit Saga

While ago I was selling old law school textbooks on Trade Me. I happily set an $1 reserve auction to help a struggling student, with pick up only condition. However someone in Timaru bought it for $1 and asked me to ship it at their cost. Fine, whatever. A few days later the bank charged me a mysterious $3 "monthly charges" fee. A quick phone call revealed that someone deposited a sum of money ($5 including shipping) into my account by physically going into a branch instead of internet banking. Since I had an account the bank had the privilege to charge me $3 for a manual transaction. Days after I had already confirmed receipt of the money and sent the item. I wondered how's a third party able to go into a bank with my account number and authorise my account to be charged a fee based on their deposit?

Charging Saga

While they spend money at their business,this Cafe & Bar in Arthur's Pass bills customers $2.50 per half hour to charge their phone. I would suggest they are mercenary parasites and I would vote with my feet and go to another cafe. And they couldn't even be bothered to do any better than an ugly hand written sellotaped sign?

Bored out of one's tree

In a quiet cul-de-sac where it's lucky if six cars a day go in or out, a safety lollipop man is employed for many days to hold the stick while his mates repair a footpath. No wonder costs of council works are escalating. Yeah right.

Sunk Cost Effect

A study in Portugal enlisted 1000 subjects who were asked to imagine themselves in a loveless, 10-year marriage. Would they stick or split? They were divided into four groups. The first group were just told they were in an unhappy marriage. The second were told they'd been married for only one year. The third were told that they'd bought a house together. The final group were told they'd put a lot of emotional effort into trying to save their marriage.

The results found that 35 per cent of people who'd put money or effort into the marriage would stay. They called this the "sunk cost effect": which is basically if we feel we are going to waste effort or money we put in, we will hang around.

Wide Hallway?

 
I believe the real estate agent had forgotten to put on the wide angle lens when taking the photo of this hallway in the other direction. Yeah right.

Viral Marketing

Yesterday, I walked into a certain large, brightly coloured hardware store due to some gardening demand. A mother in front of me was leading a toddler by the hand. As the boy saw the logo at the entrance to the shop, he pointed and sang out, 'Bring on the weekend!' The company should know that the fortune they likely spend on advertising is well spent if it is instantly recognisable to a 2-year-old! The ad agency also gives themselves a pat on the back.

Slapstick Scenario

This morning I read an article that a 25-year-old British absurdist artist was one of 25 people stranded amid thousands of shipping containers on a 65,000-tonne ship then sitting off the coast of Japan with no destination. I think the situation was somewhat like an old cigarette pack bobbing aimlessly along in the current.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/stranded-artist-ends-her-adventure-on-hanjin-ship-1474228875