Today is the sixtieth anniversary. I wrote this on the fortieth anniversary, and it holds up pretty well, I think. “Because it is hard” is a dumb reason to do something.
Category Archives: Economics
The Covid Fascists
Despite the Democrats’ desires, never forget them, or what they did, especially to the children.
Particularly, remember when you vote in a few weeks.
The Fall Of Los Angeles
A grim assessment. I was particularly amused by the LAT’s complaint that Caruso doesn’t have a “climate plan.” Because, you know, climate is at the tippy top of southern California’s problems.
We’re not in LA, but California itself is headed downhill as well.
Thoughts On Artemis 1
…from Joe Pappalardo:
It may be unfair to compare SpaceX and NASA, but SpaceX is built to be fast-but-risky whereas NASA is built to be slow-but-reliable. We’re now seeing that the fast-but-risky approach is actually leading to not only faster but more reliable results. Artemis is this giant U.S. government program that leaks money—as the Apollo program was—and that seems antiquated, but lots of members of Congress could get behind its traditional approach, which made use of languishing NASA facilities and had a supply chain stretching into lots of different communities. There are real benefits to NASA doing work across these communities, of course, but this approach can get in the way of doing things quickly, being able to change direction when engineers learn something new, or being free to adopt new technology and machinery. There’s less flexibility. And the Space Launch System isn’t reusable, either, meaning it’s a costly rocket that can only be used once. It would be foolish to stop this program now, but it would be grossly irresponsible to replicate it in the future.
He doesn’t explain why it would be “foolish to stop this program now.” I can only think that it’s the sunk-cost fallacy, but I think that what is foolish is to continue to throw good money after bad.
Thoughts On Human Progress
Yes, Malthus was always wrong.
Bob doesn’t say it, but the principle applies throughout the solar system. Humans will continue to take raw materials and create new resources.
The Situation In Europe
…is much worse than many understand.
Can’t hurt to pick up a big bag of pintos and rice at Costco.
The Space Cultural War
There is one, but it is not Moon versus Mars.
In Biden’s America
…those who do the right thing are punished.
Plus, thoughts from Pennsylvanians and Mike Rowe.
How The Middle Class Views Their Current Rulers
…with well-earned disdain.
[Update a few minutes later]
This would seem related.
I don’t think this is going to help the Democrats in November.
The Space Industrial Base
The report is out from DIU.
I’ve only read the summary so far, but this may be the most forward-looking document on space that I’ve ever seen come from the federal government. It explicitly states that the national goal should be the development and settlement of space (it was edited by Pete Garretson). And note what doesn’t appear in the report: SLS. 😄
I’m cited in the report twice, and I may be doing some consulting for General Butow in the fall. DIU is expected to get a nice budget boost in October (unless there’s a CR), because they impressed the brass in Ukraine.