This is a problem that has been concerning me for some time. We have a lot of people who plain don’t understand how things work, from cars to economies and businesses.
Category Archives: Business
Space Interview Tonight
Alan Boyle of MSNBC will be interviewing me in Second Life tonight on Virtually Speaking Science at 6 PM SL time (PDT). Here’s the SLURL for SLers: http://slurl.com/secondlife/StellaNova/228/226/38
This is the promo:
Alan Boyle talks with Rand Simberg
As MSNBC.com’s science editor, Alan runs a virtual curiosity shop of the physical sciences and space exploration, paleontology, archaeology and other ologies that strike his fancy. Alan is the author of “The Case for Pluto,” a contributor to “A Field Guide for Science Writers,” and the blogger behind Cosmic Log, the 2008 recipient of the National Academies
Communication Award.Rand Simberg describes himself as ‘just a recovering aerospace engineer.’ The Competitive Enterprise Institute describes him as ‘an expert on space technology and policy, particularly with regard to NASA and commercial human spaceflight.’ He writes widely about the politics and economics of space exploration. Read him in Popular Mechanics and Transterrestrial Musings – Biting Commentary about Infinity and Beyond! Watch him on YouTube. | Listen live and later on BTR
And yes, it will probably conflict with the Republican debate.
NASA’s Costly Risk Aversion
I have some further thoughts on the ISS situation today over at Open Market.
Will NASA Abandon Ship?
My latest space policy piece is up at Pajamas Media.
Mike Griffin’s Credibility
Will McLean wonders why he has any.
Obama Will Get A Recovery
…when demand curves slope upwards:
Card and Krueger proudly announced the repeal of the most fundamental law of economics: “Our empirical findings challenge the prediction that a rise in the minimum reduces employment. Relative to stores in Pennsylvania, fast food restaurants increased employment by 13 percent.” Except they didn’t. Their data, gathered by telephone survey, turned out to be “so bad that no credible conclusions can be drawn,” another study concluded. Other economists used actual payroll data instead of a phone survey and found just the opposite: the state-mandated pay hike reduced employment.
“Let’s hope that labor economist Alan Krueger, as he assumes his new position as Chief Economist to the President, remembers that demand curves really do slope downward,” Perry concludes.
Once again, it appears that Obama has hired the best incompetence that money can buy.
When it comes to economics, it’s the Democrats that are anti-science. Especially on the dismal one.
The Line Between Fascism And Fabian Socialism
…is very thin:
In Argentina, everyone acknowledges that fascism, state capitalism, corporatism – whatever – reflects very leftwing ideology. Eva Peron remains a liberal icon. President Obama’s Fabian policies (Keynesian economics) promise similar ends. His proposed infrastructure bank is just the latest gyration of corporatism. Why then are fascists consistently portrayed as conservatives?
Because the Left are always historical revisionists. They have to be to sucker the next generation of rubes.
Opening The Texas Kimono
There was some buzz in the space blogosphere a few days ago when there was an FAA notice issued that Blue Origin would be doing a test flight, and then we heard nothing else. Well, here’s what happened, apparently. It’s nice to see them being a little more open (actually, a lot more — this is almost Armadillo-like in their letting it hang out). Hope we’ll get more details on what went wrong.
Obama’s Enron?
Why isn’t it? I think we know the answer to that.
This Is What Petty Tyranny Looks Like
You ought to be able to sell stuff without a permit. What’s amazing is that this was published in The Atlantic. Have they gone all Ayn Rand on us?
Selling stuff to people — bad. Forcing people to buy stuff — good, as long as the government does it.
And people wonder why there are no jobs? Only economically clueless people.