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| Title: A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell | |
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Nickel
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Date Posted：12/08/2018 11:07 PMCopy HTML Thomas Sowell Explains The Economics Of DiscriminationThe revered economist's latest book, 'Discrimination and Disparities,' takes a look at the high cost of misguided policies aimed at achieving social justice. What goes around, comes around.
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alaskaone
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#1
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：12/09/2018 8:22 PMCopy HTML "Society in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one; for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries BY A GOVERNMENT, which we might expect in a country WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer." Thomas Paine - Common Sense (1776) Come to the Dark Side.
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The advantage of insinuations over hard arguments is that they bypass critical thought. No one can respond precisely to a charge that is utterly vague or to accusers who will envelope any reply in a poisonous fog of further insinuations. ~ David Warren, The Guardian
There was a time when there was enough freedom that it hardly mattered which brand of crooks ran government. That has not been true for a long time and that captures an important point. The more powerful the government becomes, the more people are willing to do in order to seize the prize, and the more afraid they become when someone else has control. ~ Glenn Harlan Reynolds
“The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. Power is what all messiahs really seek: not the chance to serve.”
― H.L. Mencken
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Nickel
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#2
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：12/12/2018 1:45 AMCopy HTML Yes, we frequently are the makers of our own misery.....it’s upsetting.
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alaskaone
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#3
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：12/12/2018 5:38 AMCopy HTML Far more than upsetting. And far greater minds than ours have attempted to solve the problem, none have succeeded... that I'm aware of. Come to the Dark Side.
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The advantage of insinuations over hard arguments is that they bypass critical thought. No one can respond precisely to a charge that is utterly vague or to accusers who will envelope any reply in a poisonous fog of further insinuations. ~ David Warren, The Guardian
There was a time when there was enough freedom that it hardly mattered which brand of crooks ran government. That has not been true for a long time and that captures an important point. The more powerful the government becomes, the more people are willing to do in order to seize the prize, and the more afraid they become when someone else has control. ~ Glenn Harlan Reynolds
“The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. Power is what all messiahs really seek: not the chance to serve.”
― H.L. Mencken
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Nickel
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#4
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：12/12/2018 8:28 PMCopy HTML Be aware that our nation had great minds at its founding. Challenged us to keep it.
The numbers of people and the misinformation, disinformation, and no information work tirelessly at a cacophony difficult for any mind to sort, and then we’re told everything we learned in school about our history is wrong. That all comes down to why bother?
Sowell is a tall glass of clear thinking in the midst of all the heated arguments that seem to preoccupy us, media stirred.
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alaskaone
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#5
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：12/12/2018 11:34 PMCopy HTML That's why I like Economics. It offers a surer route to truth than the fabrications and self delustions of victors who wrote the history books. My first personal experience with seeing the US federal government lie, flat out lie, was in the person of ronald reagan who got on national TV and lied flat out about nicaragua buying french fighter/bombers and threatening the southern border states. How did I know he was lying? Because not more than a few days prior I had read in an aerospace industry magazing that nicaragua had, indeed, purchased aircraft from france... they were helicopters. It wasn't more than a few years later that his whole iran/contra debacle blew up in his face and a whole lot more lies exposed related to that. Economics... it's not really political. And it offers a window into what people actually do rather than what they say. Come to the Dark Side.
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The advantage of insinuations over hard arguments is that they bypass critical thought. No one can respond precisely to a charge that is utterly vague or to accusers who will envelope any reply in a poisonous fog of further insinuations. ~ David Warren, The Guardian
There was a time when there was enough freedom that it hardly mattered which brand of crooks ran government. That has not been true for a long time and that captures an important point. The more powerful the government becomes, the more people are willing to do in order to seize the prize, and the more afraid they become when someone else has control. ~ Glenn Harlan Reynolds
“The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. Power is what all messiahs really seek: not the chance to serve.”
― H.L. Mencken
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Nickel
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#6
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：02/28/2019 9:22 PMCopy HTML Maybe.
Economists don’t always agree.
Guess you have to look at who signs their checks as well.
I suffered through two semesters of Econ and it helped as little as the semesters of Child Psych required for my teaching degree. Nothing quite beats being a parent for an education......lol.
Sowell once said in response to compliments for his clarity of expression with economics that people would be amazed at how difficult it was for him to reach that ability. I’d take his class even though I’ve read a few of his books, and much as I love not the subject.
Still, you and Hayekian have over the years kept me pondering. My brother, the college Math major visits in October for Elk hunting season, and we have these outlandish debates over property taxes, city management, mayoral government......everyone just laughs and leaves us alone. Next morning over coffee and the newspaper, he starts with me again. I don’t like Math, either. I can do it, but I don’t like it. My husband did Math, always knew at the register how much the cart would cost, loved doing it.......but he would just shake his head at us.
Was it Milton Friedman who compared New Hampshire with Vermont, whoever it was really nailed it for me. My brother is from Vermont and every time I complained about an increase in property taxes, he would say how lucky I was not to have his......which he is content to pay!
Yikes! LOL.
Figures can lie and liars can figure....that’s his mantra.
My brother is who I went to when the IRS came after me with 15 letters each specifying a separate error, and accusing my husband of not paying. Two different offices were sending me ultimatums. I paid and then paid again, but never agreed, kept marking unagreed and explaining what little I knew.
All records when an attorney dies are shredded. Our tax stuff shouldn’t have been in his office, but they were not at home. Anyway, my brother reviewed everything for me and said I was right but not to worry because the IRS will catch it. I may have to remind them, but they’ll catch it eventually.......and they did. It’s a whole other story how they reconciled it, with checks the bank refused to deposit......WOW was that ever an educational few hours with a helpful bank manager.
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alaskaone
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#7
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：02/28/2019 10:22 PMCopy HTML People have committed suicide due to the abuses of the IRS. They are absolute bastards. Come to the Dark Side.
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The advantage of insinuations over hard arguments is that they bypass critical thought. No one can respond precisely to a charge that is utterly vague or to accusers who will envelope any reply in a poisonous fog of further insinuations. ~ David Warren, The Guardian
There was a time when there was enough freedom that it hardly mattered which brand of crooks ran government. That has not been true for a long time and that captures an important point. The more powerful the government becomes, the more people are willing to do in order to seize the prize, and the more afraid they become when someone else has control. ~ Glenn Harlan Reynolds
“The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. Power is what all messiahs really seek: not the chance to serve.”
― H.L. Mencken
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Nickel
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#8
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：03/02/2019 10:23 PMCopy HTML I tend to forget how new you people in Alaska are to the country......Lollipops.
The entity is better than the individuals fulfilling its goals. Humans!
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alaskaone
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#9
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：03/03/2019 6:21 PMCopy HTML Indeed. Not only is Alaska the second youngest state, we're the largest by far. Where the older states benefitted from seemingly endless federal dollars and 1/100th the restrictions on... well, everything. Less than 1% of the land in Alaska is privately owned and our economy reflects that; we're a banana republic for the US. Resources are siphoned off from us virtually unprocessed and sent to feed the insatiable and politically powerful entities in Washington state, mostly it appears. The very best thing that could happen to Alaska at this point is secession. Washington DC is too far, too corrupt and absolutely disinterested. Come to the Dark Side.
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The advantage of insinuations over hard arguments is that they bypass critical thought. No one can respond precisely to a charge that is utterly vague or to accusers who will envelope any reply in a poisonous fog of further insinuations. ~ David Warren, The Guardian
There was a time when there was enough freedom that it hardly mattered which brand of crooks ran government. That has not been true for a long time and that captures an important point. The more powerful the government becomes, the more people are willing to do in order to seize the prize, and the more afraid they become when someone else has control. ~ Glenn Harlan Reynolds
“The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. Power is what all messiahs really seek: not the chance to serve.”
― H.L. Mencken
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Nickel
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#10
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：03/07/2019 1:00 AMCopy HTML And, you don’t think Russia would make a move, if on the very slim chance Alaska secedes. Civil War wasn’t taught in your history class?
Seems once you’re in, there’s no polite way to get out.
Feds own much of Idaho, the State owns a chunk of what’s left, so very little private ownership remains. However, 95% of the cost of our roads is on them. Not much pollution, forest and wildlife and streams are all regulated in the best interests of the country. Abuses like over grazing, unauthorized cutting of trees, people like to blame feds, but the hidden agenda is they’d like to exploit the resources without so much interference.
Then again, there’s INEL and a plume of toxic substances that got away and currently on a 30 year journey here via the river. Governor Andrus fought with them about storage of nuclear substances and won, but he’s not here anymore so chances are the feds are doing as they please. We don’t have a population large enough to make a difference. Andrus had an inside track from being head of the Department of the Interior.
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alaskaone
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#11
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：03/11/2019 2:59 AMCopy HTML And, you don’t think Russia would make a move, if on the very slim chance Alaska secedes. Nope. Civil War wasn’t taught in your history class? A distorted, pro federal government version was taught, yes. I fully realize your representatives in Washington DC are enthusiastically willing to murder every last one of us should we tell them to buggar off. Seems once you’re in, there’s no polite way to get out. That is true. There is no other word for it but slavery. Feds own much of Idaho, the State owns a chunk of what’s left, so very little private ownership remains. However, 95% of the cost of our roads is on them. So... 'muh roads' makes up for the vastly increased costs of living? I'm not convinced. I'll even suggest that the resources siphoned off from the people of Idaho by the federal government for the purposes of corruption, endless wars and lining the pockets of the elderly... I suspect that would not only maintain your roads but also build new ones, should y'all so desire. Not much pollution, forest and wildlife and streams are all regulated in the best interests of the country. Ha! No. Well, maybe in Idaho. In Alaska, our forests and fish are managed for the benefit of politically connected industries based down south. Abuses like over grazing, unauthorized cutting of trees, people like to blame feds, but the hidden agenda is they’d like to exploit the resources without so much interference. Those are 'tragedy of the commons' issues. Then again, there’s INEL and a plume of toxic substances that got away and currently on a 30 year journey here via the river. Governor Andrus fought with them about storage of nuclear substances and won, but he’s not here anymore so chances are the feds are doing as they please. We don’t have a population large enough to make a difference. Andrus had an inside track from being head of the Department of the Interior. There are reactor designs that use the spent fuel... that nuclear waste you're talking about... as fuel. The DoE... and NIMBY's to be fair... actively prevent such reactors from being constructed. |
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Nickel
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#12
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：03/27/2019 9:13 PMCopy HTML Ah yes, use of spent fuel. Very popular in England. Produces an even more toxic waste that they dispose of deep in the 3 degree ocean off Ireland where beaches are for some mysterious reason are turning deadly and children are suffering odd illnesses, none of which can be connected to the safe disposal held in place by temperature.
Idaho roads are needed to transport the nuclear waste quietly since trains gave them away, threatened the river system. Roads also threatened rivers, truckers fall asleep so a law passed requiring they rest so many hours.
Every time a disaster strikes California, we get flooded with people amazed at the low cost of housing. They settle in and start making demands for paved roads and treated water and sewer systems, storm water drainage.....driving cost of living up. Eventually, they just get flat out bored by hunting and fishing and river rafting and move back or on to some other more exciting place. We’re left with higher taxes, but glad they’re gone.
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alaskaone
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#13
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：03/28/2019 1:05 AMCopy HTML Ah yes, use of spent fuel. Very popular in England. Produces an even more toxic waste that they dispose of deep in the 3 degree ocean off Ireland where beaches are for some mysterious reason are turning deadly and children are suffering odd illnesses, none of which can be connected to the safe disposal held in place by temperature. Yes, the byproducts of current generation reactors need to be treated seriously however the time required for them to become harmless is significantly less than that required for the old, obsolete reactors waste products. We are capable of safely storing the next gen reactors waste for the 500 or so years required... if I recall correctly. Hayekian and I discussed this long ago. Five hundred years plus or minus is well within our technological abilities. The crap produced by the old reactors is hazardous for much, much longer... Of particular concern in nuclear waste management are two long-lived fission products, Tc-99 (half-life 220,000 years) and I-129 (half-life 15.7 million years), which dominate spent fuel radioactivity after a few thousand years. ... that's just not within our capabilities to deal with at this time. |
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Nickel
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#14
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：03/29/2019 6:24 PMCopy HTML Yes, you and Hayekian were shockingly supportive of nuclear energy.
The incidents at Three Mile Island, Japan, and Russia have pretty much killed any new nuclear projects. Long term, they are not cost effective, if all the costs are calculated, so hopefully solar eventually fills the void.
Solar makes perfect sense though not currently available everywhere even though the sun shines everywhere. Tesla. Dow. The technology is ready but suppressed and the market has been flooded with merchants of doubt.
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alaskaone
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#15
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：03/30/2019 6:08 PMCopy HTML We are 'shockingly' supportive of modern reactors, yes. The incidents and facilities you describe are, essentially, 'Model T's'. Solar, and wind, are not economically viable which is why they are massively, absurdly, subsidized. Also, both are hell on birds and insects. Come to the Dark Side.
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The advantage of insinuations over hard arguments is that they bypass critical thought. No one can respond precisely to a charge that is utterly vague or to accusers who will envelope any reply in a poisonous fog of further insinuations. ~ David Warren, The Guardian
There was a time when there was enough freedom that it hardly mattered which brand of crooks ran government. That has not been true for a long time and that captures an important point. The more powerful the government becomes, the more people are willing to do in order to seize the prize, and the more afraid they become when someone else has control. ~ Glenn Harlan Reynolds
“The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. Power is what all messiahs really seek: not the chance to serve.”
― H.L. Mencken
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Nickel
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#16
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：04/03/2019 12:52 AMCopy HTML Well, the old solar is like a Model T, but not priced for everyone.
Just so you know, Audubon doesn’t agree that solar is hell for birds:
https://www.audubon.org/news/why-solar-power-good-birds
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alaskaone
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#17
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：04/04/2019 8:15 AMCopy HTML It's certainly possible that improvements in solar could come along however it doesn't appear to be like computers. In the end, solar energy is diffuse and intermittant and that's a problem along with batteries. Individual solar panels may be what they're talking about. The solar panel farms, however, appear to be quite a different subject. Come to the Dark Side.
We have cookies.
The advantage of insinuations over hard arguments is that they bypass critical thought. No one can respond precisely to a charge that is utterly vague or to accusers who will envelope any reply in a poisonous fog of further insinuations. ~ David Warren, The Guardian
There was a time when there was enough freedom that it hardly mattered which brand of crooks ran government. That has not been true for a long time and that captures an important point. The more powerful the government becomes, the more people are willing to do in order to seize the prize, and the more afraid they become when someone else has control. ~ Glenn Harlan Reynolds
“The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it. Power is what all messiahs really seek: not the chance to serve.”
― H.L. Mencken
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Nickel
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#18
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Re：A refreshing mind at work......Thomas Sowell Date Posted：04/05/2019 11:59 PMCopy HTML I have been opposed to grids since the historic blackout of the east coast because of a squirrel. Not because of the squirrel, my opposition comes from terrorist potential to shut us down. Secondly, the manipulation of California rates by profit motivated thieves made it clear that despite state requirements for rate increase approval, companies hold governments and the people served hostage until their demands are met. Third, competition is nearly nonexistent though many companies exist because collusion floats everybody’s yacht.
So, independence from any kind of grid wherever possible seems desirable and efficient. Sympathy for the jobs lost to such a shift is regrettable, but job obsolescence is why learning is a life long pursuit. Silicon Valley dispersed good minds across the country.....not a bad thing. One of those minds took our irrigation system from failing and on the verge of capitulating to the city’s water treatment to a stellar dual system, the envy of water districts all over the state. He was bitter about the lost dream job, but did a great job for us.
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