I’ve always been skeptical of people who seem a smidgen too happy, exuberant, or optimistic, who see the glass not as half-full but brimming, who flatter everyone with a pulse. I think of the English teacher who responds with affirmation no matter how preposterous or inane the student’s interpretation is; what do we learn from [...]
Posts Tagged ‘the economy’
Crack Addicts & Gas Pumps
Posted in Economics, Environment, Politics, tagged addiction, Arming the Donkeys, behavioral economics, climate change, crack, Dan Ariely, Daniel Kahnemann, Economics, gas, global warming, NYtimes, oil, Politics, Predictably Irrational, the economy, the environment, Thomas Friedman on September 23, 2008 | 1 Comment »
I don’t mind the high price of gas these days, not because I don’t drive–I do–but because I think gas ought to be priced this high, and probably even higher. These high prices should reduce the demand for gasoline, and the sooner this happens, the better; the continued unmitigated consumption of cheap fossil fuels could [...]
A Lack of Sympathy
Posted in Economics, tagged Bear Sterns, Chapter 11, Economics, investment banking, Lehman Brothers, NYtimes, pathos, subprime crisis, sympathy, the economy, Wall Street on September 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I don’t think I’m capable of mustering much sympathy for the employees of Lehman Brothers. I know most of its employees aren’t responsible for its disappearance. But when many Americans are losing their homes, their dreams dissipating in Ch. 11 courts, the travails of the now unemployed denizens of Wall Street, no matter how innocent [...]
No Wonder Detroit is Dead
Posted in Economics, Science, tagged automotive, Bob Lutz, carbon, Chevy, climate change, Detroit, Economics, Environment, executives, global warming, Made in America, Stephen Colbert, the economy, Volt on September 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Just finished watching yesterday’s Colbert. His interview with Bob Lutz was Colbert at his absolute best. Lutz was flummoxed for a solid half-minute when asked about global warming. Apparently, even though Chevy is about to release the Volt, their new electric car, which if popular could further reduce both our reliance on fossil fuels and [...]
