Category Archives: Bureaucracy

Lenten Reflections: Forty Things I Really Like And… (Day 17)–Getting connected

Posted on March 4, 2013 by

Only connect. When I first went to work at the Bank of England, I had the good fortune to be managed by some very good managers–people who were technically very challenging and very thoughtful about how the people they led … Continue reading →

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Pause for reflection

Posted on April 14, 2012 by

What should you do if you see this sign? The correct answer is: Come to a complete stop, proceed when you have the right-of-way. So, children, when we cross the road, we need to look to our left and right … Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucracy, Children, Crime, Education, Family, Human relationships, Life styles, Parenting | Tagged , | 1 Comment

A bag full of it

Posted on March 26, 2012 by

In the spirit of intolerance, I have to draw this little piece of public policy to wider attention. Where I live, the local governments have imposed a bag tax: 5 cents for (paper and plastic) disposable bags, whether in supermarkets … Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucracy, Economics, Government, Health care, Life styles, Public policy | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Ganging up…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by

I spent an enjoyable morning and early afternoon at a symposium at American University on gangs and gang violence in the Caribbean. The audience was largely bureaucratic–representatives from academia, diplomatic missions, international organizations. I did not see any representatives from the topic … Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucracy, Caribbean, Crime, Economics, Family, Financial markets, Government, Human relationships, Language, Life styles, Public policy | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Whine up yourselves

Posted on February 4, 2012 by

Several weeks ago, Time Magazine announced that ‘The Protester’ was its person on the year 2011. The adage that if you do not ask, you will not get, resonates well with many people.  Protest is not new. It is simply … Continue reading →

Posted in Blogging, Bureaucracy, Government, Human relationships, Life styles, Media, News, Politics, Race and Ethnicity, Religion, Social Media, Technology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The half-life of goodwill

Posted on December 28, 2011 by

Christmas comes but once a year, and each year it comes with tidings of comfort and joy. Leading into the holiday season, the English-speaking world is full of the words of many of the well-known carols. “Joy to the world!” … Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucracy, Caribbean, Crime, Economics, Family, Government, Human relationships, Life styles, Media | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A little distraction

Posted on December 15, 2011 by

America is engaging in its latest great debate: whether it needs to ban cell phone use while driving. That is what the National Transport Safety Board has proposed. That would bring the USA broadly in line with a growing list … Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucracy, Digital age, Education, Government, Human relationships, Life styles, News, Public policy, Social Media, Technology, Travel, Urban life | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Why is the US Postal Service going bankrupt?

Posted on December 10, 2011 by

On a wintry Saturday morning, while I wait to have my breakfast, what else should be on my mind but the future of Saturday mail deliveries in the US? The economist part of my brain understands well enough that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucracy, Digital age, Economics, Human relationships, Internet, Life styles, Public policy, Service economy, Technology, Urban life, US economy | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Deal or no deal?

Posted on July 16, 2011 by

As the political theatre surrounding the discussions over the US’s debt limit reached new heights this week, I had to remind myself of a few things. One is that while real and substantial issues are being discussed, politicians are also … Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucracy, Economics, Financial markets, Government, Human relationships, News, Politics, Public policy, US economy, World economy | Leave a comment

Transports of delight?

Posted on June 30, 2011 by

Having spent a few days travelling to and from London, I could not help coming away yet again with a feeling that the use of technology is making travelling more complicated and that we are victims of so-called time-saving systems, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucracy, Digital age, Public transport, Service economy | 1 Comment