Ben Atkinson, PhD
@benatkinsonphd.bsky.social
PhD Economics with 25+ years experience in public, private, and academic sectors. Expertise in International Economics and Industrial Organization, including transportation and retail gasoline pricing. Proud Calgarian and life-long lover of rock n' roll.
Timothy Taylor: “I went looking for some other perspectives on how Charles Dickens perceived capitalism that were not embedded in a fictional setting. In particular, I checked the weekly journal Household Words, which Dickens edited from 1850 to 1859.” conversableeconomist.com/2025/12/26/c...
Charles Dickens on Management and Labor - Conversable Economist
There's a sort of parlor game that the economically-minded sometimes play around the Christmas holiday, related to A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens. Was Dickens writing his story as an attack on ...
conversableeconomist.com
December 26, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Timothy Taylor: “I went looking for some other perspectives on how Charles Dickens perceived capitalism that were not embedded in a fictional setting. In particular, I checked the weekly journal Household Words, which Dickens edited from 1850 to 1859.” conversableeconomist.com/2025/12/26/c...
While listening to Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” on the radio, I realized I needed to turn up the volume, not because it is a particular favourite off mine, but because whenever they sang “We're up all night to get lucky”, I heard “We’re up for Mexican wrestling”.
December 26, 2025 at 11:44 AM
While listening to Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” on the radio, I realized I needed to turn up the volume, not because it is a particular favourite off mine, but because whenever they sang “We're up all night to get lucky”, I heard “We’re up for Mexican wrestling”.
Timothy Taylor: “Here’s a piece by Dickens written for the weekly journal Household Words that he edited from 1850 to 1859. It’s from the issue of January 26, 1856, with his first-person reporting on “A Nightly Scene in London.”“ conversableeconomist.com/2025/12/25/c...
Charles Dickens on Seeing Poverty - Conversable Economist
Charles Dickens wrote what has become one of the iconic stories of Christmas day and Christmas spirit in A Christmas Carol. But of course, the experiences of Ebenezer Scrooge are a story, not a piece ...
conversableeconomist.com
December 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Timothy Taylor: “Here’s a piece by Dickens written for the weekly journal Household Words that he edited from 1850 to 1859. It’s from the issue of January 26, 1856, with his first-person reporting on “A Nightly Scene in London.”“ conversableeconomist.com/2025/12/25/c...
Adrian Smith: "You know, if it works out like that, I wouldn't be opposed to playing bigger places. But the music business is quite different now. It doesn't seem to be any middle ground. You're either doing the clubs, or you've got big bands doing big tours." www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general...
'The Music Business Is Quite Different Now': Iron Maiden's Adrian Smith Explains Why There 'Doesn't Seem to Be Any Middle Ground' for Musicians Anymore
'My whole life was centered around music, and if it wasn't going well, I was depressed.'
www.ultimate-guitar.com
December 25, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Adrian Smith: "You know, if it works out like that, I wouldn't be opposed to playing bigger places. But the music business is quite different now. It doesn't seem to be any middle ground. You're either doing the clubs, or you've got big bands doing big tours." www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general...
"'Many of Us Do It. Many of Us Are Not as Honest About It': Alex Skolnick on Taylor Swift Controversy and How Metallica and Nirvana 'Borrowed' From Others" www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general...
'Many of Us Do It. Many of Us Are Not as Honest About It': Alex Skolnick on Taylor Swift Controversy and How Metallica and Nirvana 'Borrowed' From Others
'It's so common that sometimes it happens in surprising ways.'
www.ultimate-guitar.com
December 25, 2025 at 12:11 PM
"'Many of Us Do It. Many of Us Are Not as Honest About It': Alex Skolnick on Taylor Swift Controversy and How Metallica and Nirvana 'Borrowed' From Others" www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general...
“...isn't the first time Lamb Of God have been mistakenly linked to religious events. Back in 2014, the band's logo was used without permission on promotional materials for an Easter-themed event held annually in Salem, VA, prompting a similar round of confusion.” metalinjection.net/news/lamb-of...
LAMB OF GOD Fans Accidentally End Up At Christian Christmas Concert After StubHub Mix-Up - Metal Injection
A StubHub listing error led some Lamb Of God fans to attend a Christian Christmas concert instead of a metal show in South Carolina.
metalinjection.net
December 25, 2025 at 12:05 PM
“...isn't the first time Lamb Of God have been mistakenly linked to religious events. Back in 2014, the band's logo was used without permission on promotional materials for an Easter-themed event held annually in Salem, VA, prompting a similar round of confusion.” metalinjection.net/news/lamb-of...
“According to the province’s respiratory virus dashboard, 1,635 Albertans have been admitted to hospital with influenza since the flu season began in the fall, with 116 requiring treatment in intensive care units. Forty-seven people in the province have died of the flu.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Calgary ERs face 'extreme overcapacity,' internal hospital memo says | CBC News
Hospitals are tightening policies to prevent patient bottlenecks, even if beds aren't available, according to a memo obtained by CBC News.
www.cbc.ca
December 25, 2025 at 11:40 AM
“According to the province’s respiratory virus dashboard, 1,635 Albertans have been admitted to hospital with influenza since the flu season began in the fall, with 116 requiring treatment in intensive care units. Forty-seven people in the province have died of the flu.” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Bill Kaufmann: "The city department said the move to remove 19 shuttle buses was made as a precaution following a blaze of a still unknown cause charred one of the vehicles in the city’s northwest on Dec. 12." calgaryherald.com/news/calgary...
Calgary Transit pulls 19 shuttle buses from service after fire
Calgary Transit has pulled 19 shuttle buses out of service following a fire that destroyed one of them in the city's northwest.
calgaryherald.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Bill Kaufmann: "The city department said the move to remove 19 shuttle buses was made as a precaution following a blaze of a still unknown cause charred one of the vehicles in the city’s northwest on Dec. 12." calgaryherald.com/news/calgary...
Speaking of paying crazy amounts of money for former Kiss member’s music, this makes more sense: “Digital purchases are discouraged”. So if you pay $1,000 for download instead of $14.98 for CD (which comes with download code), or $9.99 to iTunes, that's your problem. blabbermouth.net/news/peter-c...
PETER CRISS Shoots Down Reports He Is Asking Fans To Pay $1,000 For Digital Download Of His New Solo Album
Peter Criss has shot down reports that he is asking fans to pay $1,000 for a digital download of his new solo album. The original KISS drummer's Bandcamp page is offering Peter's self-titled effort on...
blabbermouth.net
December 23, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Speaking of paying crazy amounts of money for former Kiss member’s music, this makes more sense: “Digital purchases are discouraged”. So if you pay $1,000 for download instead of $14.98 for CD (which comes with download code), or $9.99 to iTunes, that's your problem. blabbermouth.net/news/peter-c...
Vinnie Vincent apparently will not release any songs from his new album unless 1,000 people agree to pay U.S.$200 for each individual song. Compares his music to “caviar or fine art”. Anyone apart from diehard Kiss fans respond, “Vinnie who?” ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vince...
'Stay With Your Kiss Records' - Vinnie Vincent Issues Lengthy Statement to Critics of His Steep Song Prices
The former Kiss guitarist just announced the release of a new single — but not everybody took the news well.
ultimateclassicrock.com
December 23, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Vinnie Vincent apparently will not release any songs from his new album unless 1,000 people agree to pay U.S.$200 for each individual song. Compares his music to “caviar or fine art”. Anyone apart from diehard Kiss fans respond, “Vinnie who?” ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vince...
Sara Harowitz: “We’re throwing away perfectly good food while people are simultaneously going hungry: the math doesn’t add up. Solving our food-waste problem, therefore, requires big thinking that looks at the industry from all angles.” www.nationalobserver.com/2025/12/23/a...
How Canadian startups are fighting food waste and emissions
Canadians throw away a lot of food and that waste generates 26 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. Solving the food-waste problem isn’t just a moral issue — it’s also good business, reports Sar...
www.nationalobserver.com
December 23, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Sara Harowitz: “We’re throwing away perfectly good food while people are simultaneously going hungry: the math doesn’t add up. Solving our food-waste problem, therefore, requires big thinking that looks at the industry from all angles.” www.nationalobserver.com/2025/12/23/a...
Bill Kaufmann: “A nice Christmas present for the city’s homeless would be homes in some of the vacant downtown office buildings and for him, a gift card to purchase hygiene products, said Smith.” calgaryherald.com/news/local-n...
As temperatures plummet, city's homeless ponder how they'll spend Christmas
Calgary's homeless population ponders how they'll spend Christmas, even as they fend off dangerously frigid temperatures.
calgaryherald.com
December 23, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Bill Kaufmann: “A nice Christmas present for the city’s homeless would be homes in some of the vacant downtown office buildings and for him, a gift card to purchase hygiene products, said Smith.” calgaryherald.com/news/local-n...
Great comparative advantage comic! www.smbc-comics.com/comic/compar...
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - Comparative
Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - Comparative
www.smbc-comics.com
December 23, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Great comparative advantage comic! www.smbc-comics.com/comic/compar...
"Is He the Grinch or Just a Gen-X Man at Christmas?" www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/is-...
Is He the Grinch or Just a Gen-X Man at Christmas?
“Why, for fifty-three years, I’ve put up with it now! I MUST stop this Christmas from coming! But HOW?” — Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas...
www.mcsweeneys.net
December 21, 2025 at 1:06 PM
"Is He the Grinch or Just a Gen-X Man at Christmas?" www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/is-...
Canada will get back to wasting time on formal talks with U.S. in January on review of free trade deal. In related news, the U.S. government is demanding Canada make all kinds of additional concessions in return for absolutely nothing. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/12/19/n...
Canada will begin formal talks with US in January on review of free trade deal
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will enter into formal discussions with the United States in January to review their free trade agreement.
www.nationalobserver.com
December 20, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Canada will get back to wasting time on formal talks with U.S. in January on review of free trade deal. In related news, the U.S. government is demanding Canada make all kinds of additional concessions in return for absolutely nothing. www.nationalobserver.com/2025/12/19/n...
Maura Forrest: “The high-speed rail project would slash current travel times and could take passengers from Montreal to Toronto in just three hours.” www.nationalobserver.com/2025/12/19/n...
Toronto—Quebec City high-speed rail project could see dozens of daily trains: documents
A planned high-speed rail project between Toronto and Quebec City could dramatically increase the number of trains that travel along the corridor each day, according to internal documents.
www.nationalobserver.com
December 20, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Maura Forrest: “The high-speed rail project would slash current travel times and could take passengers from Montreal to Toronto in just three hours.” www.nationalobserver.com/2025/12/19/n...
Keith Gerein: “The agency has always filled an important gap in needed services, particularly for Indigenous clients, who, we must remember, comprise 60 to 70 per cent of Edmonton’s homeless population.” edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
Keith Gerein: Edmonton's effort against homelessness has a vital new venue, but why was it so difficult?
Boyle Street Community Services has opened the King Thunderbird Centre after a four-year journey that didn't need to be so challenging
edmontonjournal.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Keith Gerein: “The agency has always filled an important gap in needed services, particularly for Indigenous clients, who, we must remember, comprise 60 to 70 per cent of Edmonton’s homeless population.” edmontonjournal.com/opinion/colu...
Reposted by Ben Atkinson, PhD
Why do we need unique apps for every service though?
Why can't we just pay with... Interac... like when we buy things at a store? You can still use your phone, people do.
But why is transit, parking, etc., etc. all a custom and unique app? Why isn't a universal payment system available to all?
Why can't we just pay with... Interac... like when we buy things at a store? You can still use your phone, people do.
But why is transit, parking, etc., etc. all a custom and unique app? Why isn't a universal payment system available to all?
A new "Ride On" article from both me and @michaellemagnum.bsky.social on using smartphones to pay for public transit. rideon.substack.com/p/using-smar...
Using Smartphones to Pay for Public Transit
Although human error or technological mishaps do happen on rare occasions, using a smartphone to pay for public transit generally works well.
rideon.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Why do we need unique apps for every service though?
Why can't we just pay with... Interac... like when we buy things at a store? You can still use your phone, people do.
But why is transit, parking, etc., etc. all a custom and unique app? Why isn't a universal payment system available to all?
Why can't we just pay with... Interac... like when we buy things at a store? You can still use your phone, people do.
But why is transit, parking, etc., etc. all a custom and unique app? Why isn't a universal payment system available to all?
Alberta Next Panel — which is almost entirely comprised of UCP MLAs and donors — recommends referendums on leaving Canada Pension Plan, immigration. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
Alberta Next Panel recommends referendums on leaving Canada Pension Plan, immigration
Danielle Smith’s government says it won’t adopt any suggestions until the UCP caucus reviews them
www.theglobeandmail.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Alberta Next Panel — which is almost entirely comprised of UCP MLAs and donors — recommends referendums on leaving Canada Pension Plan, immigration. www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alber...
A new "Ride On" article from both me and @michaellemagnum.bsky.social on using smartphones to pay for public transit. rideon.substack.com/p/using-smar...
Using Smartphones to Pay for Public Transit
Although human error or technological mishaps do happen on rare occasions, using a smartphone to pay for public transit generally works well.
rideon.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:23 PM
A new "Ride On" article from both me and @michaellemagnum.bsky.social on using smartphones to pay for public transit. rideon.substack.com/p/using-smar...
"Concert tickets are expensive as hell these days, but why? Business Insider just dropped a full-on 30 minute look into why concert tickets are so insanely expensive in 2025, which I've broken down into each section below." metalinjection.net/video/heres-...
Here's Why Concert Tickets Are So Expensive - Metal Injection
Concert tickets are expensive these days, but why? Business Insider just dropped a 30 minute look into why tickets are so expensive in 2025.
metalinjection.net
December 19, 2025 at 12:19 PM
"Concert tickets are expensive as hell these days, but why? Business Insider just dropped a full-on 30 minute look into why concert tickets are so insanely expensive in 2025, which I've broken down into each section below." metalinjection.net/video/heres-...
“...Conservatives...could propose legislation to restrict or ban the practice of floor-crossing. But Poilievre was among those Conservative MPs who voted against an NDP MP's bill in 2012 that would have forced floor-crossers to run in a byelection before switching parties” www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
ANALYSIS | Is there a wrong way to gain a parliamentary majority? | CBC News
Pierre Poilievre says Mark Carney is "trying to manipulate his way through backroom deals" to get a majority. Mark Carney says he's "comfortable commanding the confidence of the House of Commons." The...
www.cbc.ca
December 19, 2025 at 11:47 AM
“...Conservatives...could propose legislation to restrict or ban the practice of floor-crossing. But Poilievre was among those Conservative MPs who voted against an NDP MP's bill in 2012 that would have forced floor-crossers to run in a byelection before switching parties” www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
My latest on the 2025 Canadian budget, this time focusing on competition policy and fair business practices. wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/fighting-m...
Fighting MAGA with Increased Competition and Fairer Business Practices
The fourth part in my series on the 2025 Canadian Budget
wallsandbridges.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:26 PM
My latest on the 2025 Canadian budget, this time focusing on competition policy and fair business practices. wallsandbridges.substack.com/p/fighting-m...
“You can be a doctor, a lawyer, a pilot, but you can never be Ace Frehley.” www.guitarworld.com/artists/guit...
“I heard someone playing deep, fiery guitar in the room next door. I thought, ‘Boy, I wish that guy was in the band!’ I looked over the balcony… It was Ace”: The otherworldly life and times of Kiss gu...
The Spaceman leaves a legacy of millions of fans rocked, countless players inspired, and a rock guitar scene that will never be the same again
www.guitarworld.com
December 18, 2025 at 1:38 PM
“You can be a doctor, a lawyer, a pilot, but you can never be Ace Frehley.” www.guitarworld.com/artists/guit...
