Superfreakonomics undone; affirmative action works in India; China’s carbon; Africa is rich; good ideas with stupid names; three arguments for taxes and it’s raining polar bears: links I liked

Like a good academic assassination? Settle back and enjoy a quite brilliant filleting by the University of Chicago’s Raymond T. Pierrehumber of Superfreakonomics’ ‘analysis’ that expanding solar power would increase global warming.  [h/t Steve Jennings]

Affirmative action works for women in India, according to a research round-up by Chris Blattman

What is China doing about its carbon emissions? Sort out facts from abuse at this website run by the World Resources Institute [h/t John Magrath]

Africa is rich: Bill Easterly has a magic moment trekking in Ethiopia

Richard Gowan laments a good new idea with a rubbish name: the UN’s new ‘Network of Men Leaders’

‘“Windfall” support should be matched by windfall taxes. What the state gives, the state is entitled to take back.’ Martin Wolf in the FT makes the arguments for a tax on bonuses.

‘The IMF’s reaction to Brazil’s financial taxes reflects how ingrained finance fetishism has become’, Dani Rodrik is dismayed by the IMF’s old school hostility to Brazil’s 2% tax on short-term capital inflows to prevent a speculative bubble,

A happy tax story from Nigeria? Surely some mistake? Nope, but the tax dates from 1910 and has led to demonstrable improvements in health in the areas where it was introduced.

And finally, this is not for the squeamish, (the Guardian withdrew it after complaints) but Plane Stupid’s youtube on carbon emissions certainly makes its point