Results tagged “economics”

Reading about world economies is important, but it can also be dry and boring, which is why the latest Big Mac Index, published by the Economist, caught our eye. The annual Index, which measures "purchasing power parities" around the world, has been around since 1986, but UBS Wealth Management Research has helped shape the more current incarnations. Basically, it estimates how much time an average wage earner must work to make enough money to afford a Big Mac, taking into account local currencies and wages and weighted across fourteen professions and seventy-three international cities.

Most ads for restaurants tout the eatery's virtues (smart decor, well-prepared food) or highlight special offers. Less common, unless the restaurant has bought ongoing advertorial space, are spots where the owner takes a stance on burning issues of the day. Ads for Oliver's in community papers usually highlighted the menu, but today's pick tackles the economic problems of the early 1980s with the subtlety of a talk radio caller, though modern callers would not tack on an apology to those who enjoy statutory holidays.

On the lighter side of economics, the Boston Globe—via Marginal Revolution—highlights a new study arguing that winning sports teams actually increase the incomes of local residents and workers.

Photo by Carnotzet from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.