The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design. – F.A. Hayek
Posted in Central Planning, Environment, Special Privilege on Apr 6th, 2013
When I first began studying the economics and ecology of wind about 4 years ago, I very much thought the fears of wind-alarmists were, pardon the pun, very much overblown. I don’t mean that wind is the solution to our energy problems (it cannot be, it’s simply not energy dense enough) but rather that fears [...]
Posted in Special Privilege on Apr 4th, 2013
Or maybe not, you may want to sequester yourself for a while. Here are a few of this week’s treats: But one thing I thought was funny was this bit illustrating pre-sequester government staffing prioritization: NPR’s David Greene brings on Yvette Aehle, director of the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport in Albany, Georgia, to talk [...]
Posted in Politics, Special Privilege, Taxation, Unintended Consequences on Mar 15th, 2013
Assume our preference for redistribution is fixed and that there is an inherent and unchanging desire in the population to equalize incomes, for whatever reason you wish to believe we have that feeling. I for one do not share this belief, nor am I rich. In any case, I believe that one reason folks like [...]
Posted in Economists, Methodology, Special Privilege on Nov 18th, 2012
Do you know why economists are likely to be in favor of Washington and Colorado legalizing marijuana use? Not because they care much about freedom or even that they think it is welfare improving. No, not at all. Remember, “we” economists are self-interested creatures. And this change in the law will be a very useful [...]
Posted in Economic Illiteracy, Education, Environment, Special Privilege on Oct 26th, 2012
My alma mater is much in the news lately, and I will post on that if I can figure out the right way to articulate my view on the unfortunate events. But they still can’t help sending their alumni triumphal emails about how awesome they are. In the latest e-mail they are celebrating the Chevy [...]
Posted in Central Planning, Environment, Government Gone Wild, Special Privilege on Aug 10th, 2012
Students of mine have seen these pictures several times from me: Beginning with the Soviet Union and now continuing with the Uzbeks, government officials have long made it a priority to make the desert bloom like a rose. For years they have made massive surface diversions of water from what was once the world’s 4th [...]
Posted in Entrepreneurs, ethical foundations, Government Thuggery, Special Privilege on May 30th, 2012
I may just turn this blog into a news feed. It all speaks for itself. I wonder if its because companies have to beg for government permission, and then pay a hefty bribe, to get permission to hire more employees: The city council in Menlo Park, Calif., is set to approve a deal that will let [...]
Posted in Special Privilege on May 10th, 2012
You’d think folks would be embarrassed? Take the response of the director of a barbering school in Michigan to a different proposal by a state legislator (not included in Mr. Snyder’s proposal) to repeal barber licenses: “I’m not saying we are as important as doctors, but we are the closest you can get. We are [...]
Posted in Central Planning, Special Privilege on Feb 22nd, 2012
I really should just dedicate this site to illustrating the insanity that I “rant” about from time to time. Here is Warren Meyer (who’ll be visiting us in Rochester next month) on quite possibly the Worst American Rail Project Ever: The Rail Runner collects about $3.2 million a year in fares and has an annual operating [...]
Posted in Environment, If I Really Hated the Poor ..., Special Privilege, You Can't Have it Both Ways on Dec 20th, 2011
Organic farming is not good for the environment. Even if one assumes that yields on organic farms are identical to the yields achieved on conventional farms, organic farms have a distinct biological disadvantage when compared to others – they need to get fertilizer from organic sources. The organic code rejects fixing nitrogen from the air [...]
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