Capitalism has found a way to work with human nature.
Socialism, on the other hand, can be implemented only by denying it, despite the fact that human nature unfortunately finds itself attracted to the concept.
Category Archives: Economics
Off To Fremont
I’ve been advertising the renewed Space Access Conference for a few weeks in the left sidebar. I’m heading off to it in the morning. Hope I’ll see some of my readers there.
More Lab-Grown Meat
It looks like these people are trying harder to match the nutritional value of meat. I don’t understand what she means about chicken tasting “gamey,” though. Game tastes gamey, but not chicken.
The New Moon Plan
How much will it cost? A conversation with Jim Bridenstine.
Malware
This was inevitable, given the little thought apparently given to security on the Internet of Things.
Plastic Bag Bans
…are garbage.
Yes, I’ve always thought this was stupid, since California implemented it. If you don’t wash the reusable bags regularly (and many probably don’t), they’re a public-health nightmare.
Stratolaunch
To cap off an exciting week in space, and particularly private space, the Roc flew for two hours in Mojave this morning.
I still don’t understand the business model for this airplane. I wonder if it will be another Spruce Goose (whose time in the air was vastly exceeded by this flight).
[Update a couple minutes later]
Doug Messier was there.
[Update early afternoon]
Here‘s Jeff Foust’s story.
Cannibal State
Yes, that is what California has become. Don’t know how much longer we’ll hold out.
Climate Science
Thoughts on its “noble corruption.”
NASA’s New Lunar Plans
An interesting article from Eric Berger. This stuck out to me:
Neither Bridenstine nor Pence said so explicitly, but these comments reflect their sense that NASA has become too bureaucratic, too tentative, too risk averse. During his town hall this week, Bridenstine had a telling response when asked why, by setting such an ambitious goal of a 2024 landing, was he not putting schedule over safety?
“I would not say it’s a return to schedule over safety, I would say it’s a return to schedule,” he said. “Safety is paramount for everybody at this agency, it always has been. But the number one mission is not safety. If it was, we would all just stay in the ready room and just watch CNN.”
I gave him a copy of my book after it came out, when he was a congressman. He later told me he’d read it.
[Update a while later]
This is the first that I’d heard Boeing was considering Starliner for cislunar missions. I thought they’d sized the TPS for entry from LEO. I wonder if that means they’d have to beef it up?