Tell us what you think as we seek feedback on our Of Interest Podcast

One topic I am interested in more depth on, is the re-acceleration of services inflation in the US.

I perceive an issue there, and so far interest. Co editors are following the main msm financial media on " inflation is reducing, or in line to reduce to target levels"

I don't think that much optimism is warranted just yet. Is there any commentator or Academic available for a fact based contrarian viewpoint?

I listen to most of your podcasts Gareth. You have had some great guests (better than any other econ focused podcast in NZ) and you give them the time to talk, which I much prefer. Your questioning is also well judged - posing challenges without confrontation. I wonder how many people in NZ know the pod exists though? 

https://surplusenergyeconomics.wordpress.com/

He'd be a good interviewee, methinks. But a thought; if that post contains 'the truth', how do we describe the vast majority of mainstream economic posits? Logic tells us it's something other than the truth - and there is where we need to be having the discussion. 

Perhaps have a look at:

The need for changing metrics in measuring inflation (things like the new "basket" for the CPI) and maybe enquiring in to how much of our inflation the government can control: how much is imported and beyond their reach?

The impact of AI, quantum computing and other new technologies on, say, financial system security, trading processes and the professions (example: will AI make accounting implode to a few big firms with niche AI systems? Or law - they are both just rule governed systems).

Look at alternatives to advertising revenue models for the web and the way it might fix things like our news media's slow demise. An example might be Jaron Lanier's ideas around bi-directional link-based micropayments for those who provide content - it disintermediates the need to have financial clearing houses like Google.

Explainers - I think interest.co.nz is good at divorcing opinion from fact, so actual explainers about things that influence finance, monetary policy and economics that don't promulgate particular ideologies. If you find someone knowledgeable and articulate in industry in each topic, it's likely to be simple to get a good interview as specialists like to talk about their speciality. Like:

• find a proper data scientist who isn't in thrall to any particular paradigm to explain the differences between data, information, knowledge and wisdom. Also; why they have a vital part in decision making and the consequences of not using them.
• freight transport - why not get someone practical from (say) Mainfreight to explain multi-modal transport and the profound effect different aspects of that can have
• the building industry - how things like incentive schemes influence material choices, the role regulatory costs actually play, the real financial performance of building once you factor in the waste...
• behavioural economics - how superficially irrational human choices can influence pretty much everything financial and economic, and how that seems to frequently be overlooked by theory.

A series of short episodes on the basics of finance and economics for noobies to investment, specific to the rather odd New Zealand environment. Made them funky and you could end up on TikTok.

An examination of our supply chain systems' relationship to why things cost so much here. After years of doing supply chain, I have my own opinions on the current "operational" organisation of NZ that tend to leave me head-in-hands. An external commentary might be enlightening.

A discussion of underperforming oligopolies. Rapaciousness or incompetence?

Interviews with people from outside NZ for new perspectives on ingrained or topical financial issues. The local wisdom tends to be drearily uniform and often unimaginative. Some new ideas might be both fun and useful.