Brian Gongol
(2005.12.05)
Regulations on Nanoparticles May Be Coming
The problem is that regulation almost never keeps pace with fast-developing technology. Inappropriate regulations are at the heart of many needless fears about genetically-modified organisms -- fears that have led to real, measurable, and utterly needless human starvation. It should further be noted that over-regulation is often favored by firms that want to blame high-risk activities on the government rather than internalizing those risks themselves.
(2005.12.05)
Run, Don't Walk, Away from Internet Explorer
(2005.12.05)
December 5, 2005 Carnival of the Capitalists
(2005.12.05)
Political Disputes, Unprepared Leadership Made Katrina Disaster Worse
Story concludes: "[T]he lesson to states is that they must be ready to take care of themselves." Apart from the clear failure of leadership (from anyone, state or Federal) after Katrina, this is a much broader and more serious point: If we don't have 50 healthy, self-supporting states with 50 well-prepared governors, then we might as well write off the future of the country. Decades of overbearing intervention by the national government have done serious damage to the Federalist model -- damage that makes the country weak in the event of a serious terrorist attack on Washington, for instance.
(2005.12.05)
Louisiana Ag Losses from Hurricanes Around $1.6 Billion
Contamination by oil and chemicals, flooding by seawater, damage from loose animals all pile on top of the direct damage from the storms themselves
(2005.12.05)
China's Approach to Espionage
Less KGB-style cloak-and-dagger, more Google-style aggregation of lots and lots of data. Related: The CIA has some explaining to do over some questionable interrogations.