An Affordable Truth

Why should you believe that cutting emissions is affordable? First, because financial incentives work. Action on climate, if it happens, will take the form of “cap and trade”: businesses won’t be told what to produce or how, but they will have to buy permits to cover their emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.… Continue reading An Affordable Truth

British Researcher Steps Down During E-Mail-Leak Inquiry

The head of the British research unit at the center of a controversy over the disclosure of thousands of e-mail messages among climate-change scientists has stepped down pending the outcome of an investigation. From British Researcher Steps Down During E-Mail-Leak Inquiry – NYTimes.com While embarrassing, this incident does nothing to change the physics of carbon… Continue reading British Researcher Steps Down During E-Mail-Leak Inquiry

Somali Pirates Open Up a “Stock Exchange”

‘Four months ago, during the monsoon rains, we decided to set up this stock exchange. We started with 15 “maritime companies” and now we are hosting 72. Ten of them have so far been successful at hijacking,’ Mohammed [a wealthy former pirate who took a Reuters reporter to the facility] said Somali Pirates Open Up… Continue reading Somali Pirates Open Up a “Stock Exchange”

The limits of good vs. evil thinking

Take Climategate.  One response is: 1. “These people behaved dishonorably.  I will lower my trust in their opinions.” Another response, not entirely out of the ballpark, is: 2. “These people behaved dishonorably.  They must have thought this issue was really important, worth risking their scientific reputations for.  I will revise upward my estimate of the… Continue reading The limits of good vs. evil thinking

The Nation of Futurity

The Chinese now have lavish faith in their scientific and technological potential. Newsweek and Intel just reported the results of their Global Innovation Survey. Only 22 percent of the Chinese believe their country is an innovation leader now, but 63 percent are confident that their country will be the global technology leader within 30 years.… Continue reading The Nation of Futurity

Treasury Invites Bloggers to Round Table

Mr. Geithner, the Treasury secretary, was among the senior officials who talked with bloggers at an outreach session on Nov. 2. The two-hour round table was held on background, meaning that the bloggers could describe the sessions, but not attribute quotes to specific officials. Lengthy posts about financial system reforms — and the bloggers’ disagreements… Continue reading Treasury Invites Bloggers to Round Table

Will You Go To Jail If You Don’t Buy Health Insurance?

Will You Go To Jail If You Don’t Buy Health Insurance? No. Section 501 of the House bill imposes a tax of 2.5 percent of adjusted gross income. You are exempted from the tax if you already have qualifying health insurance from your employer, if you receive benefits from Medicare or Medicaid, if you are… Continue reading Will You Go To Jail If You Don’t Buy Health Insurance?