Today I learnt that Australia imposes a tariff on imported handkerchiefs. This is one of many “nuisance tariffs” our Productivity Commission recommends be abolished. Seems reasonable to me.
I’ve re-embraced Day One in a significant way. I’ve never actually stopped using it, but at the moment I’m using the heck out of it. It has to be in my pantheon of great apps, alongside OmniFocus at this point. I’ve got 2,864 entries dating back to November 2011. That’s 14 years of app usage!
Finished reading: Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal 📚 A fascinating look at how to best structure modern workforces with engaging battlefield—and other—examples. I would have liked a bit more detail on how to actually implement these ideas, though.
Trump has determined the US to enter a war without Congressional approval. Irrespective of the decision itself, it’s another rule not followed, another step closer to dictatorship.
Gittins on Productivity
In my semi-regular series of posts in appreciation of Ross Gittins' role in reporting Australian economics, here is my latest.
This article by Gittins, If bulldusting about productivity was productive, we’d all be rich provides insight into the recent Fair Work Commission ruling to raise award rates by 3.5%. Award workers are typically some of the lowest paid workers in our economy, and industry groups are ‘concerned’ that this is a whole 1.1% above inflation. Oh no! Clutch your pearls!
Whereas keeping the lid on wages may seem profit-increasing for the individual firm, when all of them do it at the same time, it’s profit-reducing. Why? Because the economy is circular. Because wages are by far the greatest source of household income. So the more successful employers are in holding down their wage costs, the less their customers have to spend on whatever businesses are selling. If economic growth is weak – as it is – the first place to look for a reason is the strength of wages growth.
Money we earn is money we spend. More so for lower income earners, because a greater proportion of their income is spent, rather than saved, by virtue of the scale of fixed costs relative to their income levels. So let the people have some more money so that they can spend it.
the commission points out a little-recognised inaccuracy in the conventional way of measuring real wages. It says that, if you take into account that prices rise continuously but wages rise only once a year, award wage workers’ overall loss of earnings since July 2021 has been 14.4 per cent.
14.4%! So all those people who feel like the economy is more difficult now, that everything costs more, and there is little if nothing left over by the time the next payday rolls around… you are absolutely right.
What the lobbyist witch doctors have been doing is concealing the truth that the best explanation for our weak productivity performance is that employers have been seeking to increase their profits by holding down wage costs, rather than by investing in labour-saving technology.
This was a designed strategy by the previous Federal Liberal government and it’s in industry’s individualised (but not collective) self-interest to maintain this approach as long as they can. And they are trying to do exactly that.
After using Vivaldi for some months, I’m back to Firefox as my main browser.
Crucial Track for June 7, 2025
"Fantasy '82" by Azymuth
New album drop from Azymuth.
Get out in the world
“Often, the achievement of a grand life goal is dependent upon a serendipitous discovery—of the sort that cannot be unearthed while sitting in front of the television set. This is why consistent daily action is so essential. Because it is only by walking the path that new paths will emerge. If you remain stagnant and cease your forward movement down life’s winding road, then the adventures that lie beyond the next bend will never be revealed to you.” 📚
I did a 20km meandering cycle this morning and got home just before the rain arrived.
Komoot Enshittification Incoming
Jan-Lukas Else brought to my attention that Komoot, a cycling (and other sports) app I had been trialling recently after seeing good reviews, has been acquired and many staff have been laid off.
I was led to this article, Komoot Acquired: History Says This Won’t End Well
today, March 20th, the company has announced that it’s been acquired by Bending Spoons, which bills itself as a technology company (rather than a private equity or other investment apparatus). Though, in reality, history shows otherwise.
As soon as I saw Bending Spoons mentioned, I knew I was out. They have a history of buying and hollowing out companies; most notably Evernote.
Komoot is now deleted. Plenty of other app options out there. Sad though that such a good team was shown the door after doing all the hard work building a good app.
I’ve finished editing Episode 138 of Hemispheric Views podcast. That’s a lot of episodes!
The TRMNL device I ordered several months ago has arrived. Jury remains out on its long-term usefulness but for the moment I’m having fun playing with it.