Government Bulbs: Slightly More Efficient, Vastly More Expensive
Incandescent Bulbs Return to the Cutting Edge – NYTimes.com
…the incandescent bulb is turning into a case study of the way government mandates can spur innovation.
… The first bulbs to emerge from this push, Philips Lighting’s Halogena Energy Savers, are expensive compared with older incandescents. They sell for $5 apiece …
Its troubles are over, Guys
Test: Can you tell whether this cow was treated well or not?
How much histrionic handwringing about this beef recall do we have to endure? From The New York Times, presumably nicknamed ”The Gray Lady” because it’s gone senile, writes:
”A nauseating video of cows stumbling on their way to a California slaughterhouse has …
Quoted for truth
One of The Economist’s recent blog entries reminds me of why I like the magazine as much as I do, notwithstanding its faults. Can you see any mainstream American newspaper making this comparison?
”IMAGINE Nazi rule in Germany surviving for decades, with Hitler undefeated in war and succeeded on his death in the …
Why Did the Minnesota Bridge Collapse?
It turns out that the Minnesota Bridge didn’t collapse because stingy Republican legislatures refused to pay for maintenance. It collapsed because someone flubbed the design.
Sixteen fractured gusset plates in the center span on Interstate 35W were a main cause of the deadly bridge collapse in Minneapolis last August, the National Transportation Safety Board …
Fear Police Incompetence
How’s this for on the job competence?
According to the lawsuit, about 9 p.m. June 15, Vega came to Guardi’s and ordered pasta salad. When Mendez walked into the cooler to get the food, Vega asked Mendez’s wife if she wanted to see Vega scare her husband. She said ”no,” according to court documents. …
Busting Down the Wrong Door
The Wisconsin State Journal reports that two homes were invaded recently, by robbers looking for drugs.
”These guys kicked in the doors of people ’s residences who had nothing to do with the drug trade, ” said Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain. ”It was a terrible event for both couples. ”
…
I think you're missing the point, Guys (The IMF)
A new article posted on the website of my favorite news magazine, The Economist, wonders whether the International Monetary Fund’s new managing director, Mr. Strauss-Kahn, can save the organization from its slide into irrelevancy.
”The organisation’s legitimacy is under increasing attack. Fast-growing emerging economies feel under-represented in an institution where Europe and America still …
Flight Delays, Courtesy of Congress
Delays are caused by flight volumes that the FAA Administrator’s ineptly-managed Air Traffic Control system cannot handle. The skies are full, not because there’s no more room in the air, but because the flight controllers can’t keep up with any more flights.
What’s Congress’s solution to this problem? Why, funding a Peace Garden instead of updating …
Burn the CIA to the Ground
In From the Cold: Worth Saving?
The assessment, which was requested by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), has been sitting on the shelf for more than two years, and the agency vigorously fought to prevent its release. The current CIA Director, Air Force General Mike Hayden, claims that release of the report …
Of Bridges and Taxes
Should we raise taxes to pay for road and bridge repair? In the wake of the Minnesota bridge collaspse, many politicians are certainly saying that we should. But what have they done with the road money that they already have?
Of Bridges and Taxes
James Oberstar, the Minnesota Democrat who runs the House Transportation and …