Decomposing the Dynamics of Regional Earnings Disparities in Israel

The literature on regional growth convergence and economic disparities has tended to confound four interwoven measurement phenomena. i) mean reversion (so-called beta convergence) where richer regions move towards the average from above and poorer regions from below. ii) diminishing inequality (so called sigma convergence) where the horizontal or spatial distribution of income becomes more equal. iii) mobility, where the rank of a region in the overall distribution of income changes either upwards or downwards. iv) leveling, where the richer regions become poorer (leveling-down) or the poorer regions become richer (leveling-up). We use a new statistical methodology, which treats these four phenomena on an integrated basis. The methodology is applied to Israeli regional earnings and house price data. We find that whereas earnings are strongly sigma divergent during the 1990s, this trend is offset when regional cost of living differences are taken into consideration. In this event, regional housing markets induce convergence in similar measure to the divergence induced by regional labor earnings.

Regional Heterogenity and Conditional Convergence

This paper stresses the importance of accounting for regional heterogenity in the dynamic analysis of regional economic disparities. Studies of regional growth invariably presume regions are homogenous in that their socio-demographic composition is assumed to be broadly similar. We argue that any analysis of regional convergence needs to be tested conditionally, i.e. conditional upon the socio-demographic structure of the workers in the various regions. To this end, we estimate various measures of conditional regional earnings inequality using Israeli regional data for the period 1991-2002. Our results show that much of the regional earnings inequality may be accounted for by the conditioning variables. Both in measures of regional convergence and regional mobility, conditioning makes a large difference to the results accounting for up to half of the observed levels of inequality. Ignoring regional heterogeneity may therefore lead to serious over-estimation of the underlying level of regional inequality.

Nonparametric estimation of concave production technologies by entropic methods

An econometric methodology is developed for nonparametric estimation of concave production technologies. The methodology, bases on the priciple of maximum likelihood, uses entropic distance and concvex programming techniques to estimate production functions.convex programming, production functions, entropy

Parenting and Reproductive Stoppage in the Psychopathology for Recurrence Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder

During 1950 to 1975 autism was considered to be psychopathological in origin, brought on by ‘bad’ mothering in particular. Subsequently, research into the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been dominated by the neurodevelopmental paradigm according to which ASD is genetic or biological in origin. In the present paper population cohort data for Israel are used to show that recurrence risk of ASD (when more than one child has ASD) depends on three parent-related phenomena. First, it varies inversely with the ‘veil of ignorance’ defined as the period of time younger siblings were raised before their elder sibling was diagnosed. Second, it varies inversely with the ‘shadow of ASD’ defined as the period during which parents raised their child with ASD before younger siblings were born. Third, recurrence risk is greater if parents knew the ASD status of their child before conceiving their next child. These three effects, which are shown to be consistent with a behavioral theory of ASD, are inconsistent with neurodevelopmental theory. They suggest that what parents know or do not know about the ASD status of their child is salient for recurrence risk in their subsequent children

The Effects of American Policies – a new classical interpretaton

SUMMARY Patrick Minford argues that the major short?run cause of disturbance in the world economy in the 1980s has been US macro?economic policy. He suggests that the elimination of this source of distortion and instability from the world economy by reducing US budget deficits, coupled with other reforms to elimate market inefficiency, particularly labour market distortions, will provide the best hope for the regeneration of long?run growth through the market mechanism. In line with the New Classical economics, he concludes that government attempts to reduce unemployment through reflation will be selfdefeating. RESUMEN Los efectos de las políticas de los Estados Unidos, una interpretación neoclásica El autor argumenta que en el corto plazo, la causa más importante de las perturbaciones ocurridas en la economía mundial en la década de 1980, ha sido la política macroeconómica de Estados Unidos. Sugiere que la eliminación de esta fuente de distorsión e inestabilidad sobre la economía mundial, mediante la reducción del déficit presupuestario de Estados Unidos junto con otras reformas para eliminar las ineficiencias del mercado, especialmente las distorsiones del mercado del trabajo, proporcionarán la mejor posibilidad para la regeneración del crecimiento en el largo plazo através de los mecanismos del mercado. De acuerdo con la economía neoclásica, concluye que cualquier intento gubernamental para reducir el desempleo mediante reflación será auto?derrotado. RESUME Les conséquences de la politique américaine — une interprétation de l'école ‘New Classical’ Patrick Minford soutient que la cause principale à court?terme de troubles dans l'économie mondiale des années '80 a été la politique macro?économique des Etats Unis. Il suggère que l'élimination de cette source de distortion et d'instabilité de l'économie mondiale par la réduction du déficit budgétaire, de pair avec d'autres réformes pour éliminer l'inefficacité du marché, en particulier les distortions du marché du travail, fourniront le meilleur espoir pour la régénération de la croissance à long terme par l'intermédiaire du mécanisme du marché. Du même avis que les études économiques de l'école ‘New Classical’ il conclut que les essais du gouvernement pour réduire le chômage par l'intermédiaire d'une nouvelle inflation ne mèneront à rien

Polynomial cointegration tests of anthropogenic impact on global warming

We use statistical methods for nonstationary time series to test the anthropogenic interpretation of global warming (AGW), according to which an increase in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations raised global temperature in the 20th century. Specifically, the methodology of polynomial cointegration is used to test AGW since during the observation period (1880–2007) global temperature and solar irradiance are stationary in 1st differences, whereas greenhouse gas and aerosol forcings are stationary in 2nd differences. We show that although these anthropogenic forcings share a common stochastic trend, this trend is empirically independent of the stochastic trend in temperature and solar irradiance. Therefore, greenhouse gas forcing, aerosols, solar irradiance and global temperature are not polynomially cointegrated, and the perceived relationship between these variables is a spurious regression phenomenon. On the other hand, we find that greenhouse gas forcings might have had a temporary effect on global temperature

Good for the planet and good for our health: the evidence for whole-food plant-based diets

There is growing interest in the health and environmental benefits of whole-food plant-based (WFPB) diets. The current global food system is harmful to our planet and is a key driver of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. A transition to WFPB diets will mitigate against these impacts and potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%. Emerging evidence suggests that such diets also have significant physical and mental health benefits and can be useful in preventing and treating a range of conditions. Psychiatrists therefore have an important role to play in promoting WFPB diets among patients

Migration, human capital and social capital: lessons for the EU neighbouring countries

The European Union (EU) and its European neighbourhood are mutually dependent. In the next decades, the EU will need to import foreign labour in response to different challenges. The geographical proximity, economic, cultural and historical links with EU Neighbouring countries make them an important potential source of labour force and, moreover, they are the main countries of origin and transit of legal and illegal migration towards Europe. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of different EU policies on future migration flows, and to evaluate the current effect of immigration from neighbouring countries on EU labour market

Capacity retirement in the dry bulk market: A vessel based logit model

The paper investigates the effect of vessel specific and market variables on the probability of scrapping dry bulk ships of different sizes. Using a 2012-2015 dataset, we find that, the probability of scrapping increases with age, but that the relation between vessels size and scrapping probability varies across the different segments. That is, the scrapping probability is lower for larger vessels in size segments where there is a trend towards building larger vessels. In addition, while the relation between earnings and probability of scrapping ships is negative, bunker prices seem to only affect the scrapping rate of smaller tonnage

Major risk factors for sexual minority young people's mental and physical health:findings from a county-wide school-based health needs assessment

Background: Childhood health is an important adult health predictor. Sexual orientation is increasingly recognized as influential on children and young people's (CYP) mental and physical health. Methods: Data came from a cross-sectional survey of year 9 children attending schools in two local authorities in the north-west of England, including mental and physical health indicators, and demographic characteristics including sexual orientation. The sample of 8058 represented 67.8% of the eligible population. Data were analysed by sexual orientation, sexual majority or sexual minority. Results: Children reporting their sexual orientation as sexual minority reported worse mental and physical health outcomes and behaviours than sexual majority peers; had higher odds of being lonely (odds ratios (OR) = 8.24, 95% C.I.: 6.56-10.37), having self-harmed (OR = 7.28, 95% C.I.: 5.78-9.15), being bullied (OR = 4.76, 95% C.I.: 3.74-6.05) or perceiving themselves as overweight (OR = 2.40, 95% C.I.: 1.89-3.06). Conclusions: It is important to identify and support children in a sexual minority. Research is required to understand differences between children within sexual minorities and the impact on outcomes and rights. Health and social policy and services, should respond to the vulnerabilities of sexual minority CYP