http://www.ft.com/arts/columnists/timharfordhttp://www.ft.com/rss/comment/columnists/timharfordFT.com - Tim Harforden© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2009. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. See http://www.ft.com/servicestools/help/terms#legal1 for the terms and conditions of reuse.client.support@ft.com (Client Support)Fri, 6 Nov 2009 23:31:38 +0000Sun, 8 Nov 2009 17:43:08 +0000Newspapers15http://news.ft.com/cms/d1f3ce1a-6bbe-11da-bb53-0000779e2340.gifhttp://www.ft.com/arts/columnists/timharford(PICS-1.1 "http://www.classify.org/safesurf/" L gen true for "http://www.ft.com/" r (SS~~000 1))http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/38aae2e4-c8e3-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/38aae2e4-c8e3-11de-8f9d-00144feabdc0.htmlAs VAT returns to 17.5%, some retailers say that the increase will have a negative impact. This doesn't sound logical, but is it true?Fri, 6 Nov 2009 23:31:38 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/30fa0972-c81a-11de-8ba8-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/30fa0972-c81a-11de-8ba8-00144feab49a.htmlJamie Oliver's 'school dinners' campaign has been successful, but Tim Harford wonders why it had to take a TV company to carry out a proper policy experimentFri, 6 Nov 2009 23:23:43 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/ca3c1e38-c20a-11de-be3a-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/ca3c1e38-c20a-11de-be3a-00144feab49a.htmlA comment-free environment is not conducive to learning new skills, but then again, honest appraisal can be confusing or demoralising, writes Tim Harford Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:44:03 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/22f340c0-c20a-11de-be3a-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/22f340c0-c20a-11de-be3a-00144feab49a.htmlDo waiters in mid-priced restaurants work less than those at high-end ones? If not, shouldn't their tips be the same?Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:44:03 +0000http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/3149ef56-bd1a-11de-a7ec-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/3149ef56-bd1a-11de-a7ec-00144feab49a.htmlOnly a wild optimist would expect agencies to adopt a market-style focus on value for money, so economists suggest a different approach, writes Tim Harford Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:49:59 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/4a962ace-beaa-11de-b4ab-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/4a962ace-beaa-11de-b4ab-00144feab49a.htmlIs it possible for the cost (the grief from the imminent passing of my pet rat) to outweigh the benefit (the joy gained through time spent with him)?Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:49:59 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/77030692-b92b-11de-98ee-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/77030692-b92b-11de-98ee-00144feab49a.htmlI drink too much wine and am unable to convince myself that doing so is unhealthy. How can I keep my habit under control?Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:42:29 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/d9370b98-b79a-11de-9812-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/d9370b98-b79a-11de-9812-00144feab49a.htmlNot only is it colossally wasteful to outsource medical decisions to bureaucrats, it is also infantilising for us as independent human beings, writes Tim Harford Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:42:29 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/1c1d0386-b9e4-11de-a747-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/1c1d0386-b9e4-11de-a747-00144feab49a.htmlThis sequel to the pop-economics bestseller reveals more gripping scientific research and answers why a pimp has greater impact than a realtor, writes Tim Harford Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:37:36 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/7423c56a-b3a9-11de-ae8d-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/7423c56a-b3a9-11de-ae8d-00144feab49a.htmlShould the football authorities put a cap on the total value of players, based on their transfer cost, that can play for a Premier League team in any given match?Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:59:36 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/3138a3fc-b3a8-11de-ae8d-00144feab49a.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/3138a3fc-b3a8-11de-ae8d-00144feab49a.htmlJohn List's attention to the nuts and bolts of experimental method has demolished some of the most cherished results in behavioural economics, writes Tim Harford Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:59:36 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/a9fc41c2-ad5e-11de-9caf-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/a9fc41c2-ad5e-11de-9caf-00144feabdc0.htmlI recently met an artist whom I find extremely hot! How much information should I divulge to him and what would be the benefit of opening up before we hit a home run?Fri, 2 Oct 2009 22:54:47 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/a44c87fe-ad5f-11de-9caf-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/a44c87fe-ad5f-11de-9caf-00144feabdc0.htmlThe unprecedented price war over the novelist's latest book, 'The Lost Symbol', makes real an old joke: losing money on every sale, but making it up on volumeFri, 2 Oct 2009 22:54:47 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/6dd2b20c-a71a-11de-bd14-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/6dd2b20c-a71a-11de-bd14-00144feabdc0.htmlWhen it comes to climate change, few people are talking about time inconsistency. Why should we believe that words today will mean action tomorrow, asks Tim Harford Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:37:36 +0100http://traxfer.ft.com/cms/s/2/fd3ff4fa-a719-11de-bd14-00144feabdc0.html?o=%2Frss%2Fcomment%2Fcolumnists%2Ftimharfordhttp://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/fd3ff4fa-a719-11de-bd14-00144feabdc0.htmlI thought that a grim punishment strategy would maintain a system of alternate cleaners, but my housemates do not see it as credible. What should I do?Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:37:36 +0100