A symposium, in San Diego. It looks interesting — I may go. Could be an opportunity for book sales and signings.
Category Archives: Technology and Society
Germany’s Green Fail
They may have to start using shale to remain competitive with the U.S.
They worry that the country’s ambitious environmental goals are far less meaningful if the economy withers in achieving them.
You don’t say.
It would be a shame if they decided to start being economically sane.
[Update a while later]
More bad news for the warm-mongering econuts — scientists say that fracking is safe. And of course, they’ll believe it, because as they always tell us, we must follow the science.
Synesthesia
When three plus green equals four.
Actually, I think that this would explain a lot of the administration’s environmental and energy policy.
Big Bangers
Steve Hayward wonders if there could be a sitcom about think tankers.
Actually, it would be amusing to see the interactions between denizens of, say, AEI and Brookings. And imagine the snark from Cato, CEI and Reason. I’d cast Katherine Mangu-Ward as herself. But Kate Micucci might be able to do the job, too. And then there’s Jonah.
Someone needs to work up a treatment, stat.
Crony Socialism
The White House knew that Fisker was headed for a fall, and gave them our money anyway.
Hey, got to keep those campaign donations coming in.
Ender’s Game Weightless Effects
I wouldn’t call these “insane lengths.” Insane lengths would have been building their own large-volume sound stage in orbit.
Bombs In Iraq
How they saved lives in Boston.
As the old expression goes, it’s an ill wind that blows no good.
Mad Men
Ed Driscoll has some thoughts on 1968, the Year That Sucked, at least until almost the end. I remember waking up to my clock radio, announcing the assassination of Robert Kennedy.
And yes, for those who watched, last night’s episode was (predictably?) depressing.
Earth Day
German taxpayers have poured $130 billion into subsidizing solar panels, but ultimately by the end of the century, this will postpone global warming by a trivial 37 hours. The electric car is even less efficient. Its production consumes a vast amount of fossil fuels, and mostly it utilizes fossil fuel electricity to be recharged. Even if the U.S. did reach the lofty goal of 1 million electric cars by 2015 — costing taxpayers more than $7.5 billion — global warming would be postponed by only 60 minutes.
These beguiling policies cost a fortune but make little difference to the environment because the technologies are still not ready. That’s why we need to invest more in long-term research and development for green innovation. This would be much cheaper than current environmental policies and would end up doing more good for the climate.
But it wouldn’t pay off political cronies.
As he notes, it’s time to start having sensible, not economically stupid environmental policies.
[Update late morning]
The EU carbon market continues to collapse.
Good.
The FAA ATC Furloughs
It’s another Washington Monument attempt.
I think it’s a great opportunity to renew discussion of privatizing ATC. It works fine in other places, no reason it wouldn’t here.