Monthly Archives: September 2011

Living Laffer

Tonight, I flew into New York for business. On the way to my hotel, I had a long, illuminating conversation with my taxi driver, who also happened to be a small business owner. It wasn’t long before John (not his … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Policy, Politics, Taxes | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Arab Spring Fallout: Egyptian Mob Overruns Israeli Embassy

In February, I predicted that Egypt’s democratic revolution would lead to a rise in regional instability, particularly between Egypt and Israel. Late last month, I argued that Egypt’s transition to democracy was entering an extremely unstable phase, after thousands of protestors … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Defense, Energy Security, International Security, Middle East, Policy, Politics, War | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

9/11 in Numbers (Part III): How Have Things Changed?

Since 9/11, the government and most individuals are in weaker financial health, government has aggressively expanded, and the United States appears to be in a weaker position as a global superpower. That said, the United States still remains unmatched militarily, and … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Business, China, Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Defense, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, Middle East, Nuclear Power, Peak Oil, Policy, Solar, Taxes, Technology, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

9/11 in Numbers (Part II): Climate and Energy

Since 9/11, climate data appears mixed, while energy consumption in the United States has undergone a notable amount of change. Climate Measures of climate change present a mixed picture for the United States. While the average global monthly concentration of carbon dioxide … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Energy Security, Middle East, Nuclear Power, Peak Oil, Policy, Solar, Wind | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

9/11 in Numbers (Part I): The U.S. Military

Since 9/11, the United States military has changed in several fundamental ways. Here are just a few of them: The Defense budget grew by 155% from FY2001 to FY2011 The number of active military personnel increased by 3.6% The Army and … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Central Asia, Defense, Energy Security, International Security, Middle East, Policy, Terrorism, War | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

President Obama’s Jobs Speech: Marxism Redux?

Scapegoating one group of people to convince the rest to follow your self-destructive policies blindly into oblivion is the way of demagogues. President Obama’s speech tonight teetered dangerously on the edge of this technique. I was hoping the President would … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Business, China, Leadership, Policy, Politics, Socialism, Unions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 46 Comments

Why Texas Governors Don’t Go to Prison

Rick Perry’s aide gave a beautifully roundabout answer to a recent question about the blatant quid pro quo that marked his reign as Governor.  The spokesman explained, “There’s never been any wrongdoing substantiated.” Nor will there be.  Remarkably, Perry’s probably … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Leadership, Policy, Politics, Texas | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Music During 9/11

People have a tendency to develop emotional memories after a particularly traumatic event. Sometimes they are able to repress these memories, only reminded of them after hearing a sound or a song that brings them back. While I was fortunately … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in California, Defense, Energy Security, International Security, Media, Middle East, Policy, Politics, Terrorism, War | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

In Libya, the Hits Just Keep on Coming

While I correctly predicted that a more democratic government in Muslim countries like Libya would result in increased Islamic radicalism, I could not have imagined it might spell the beginning of an Arab apartheid regime. Today, the New York Times reported … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Defense, Energy Security, International Security, Middle East, Nuclear proliferation, Policy, Politics, War | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Labor Day Tribute: Why Unions Suck

In the 1930’s, when workers in San Antonio forced by the Depression into degrading pay and conditions organized to improve their plight, they set in motion a series of unintended consequences.  Their labor union, organized by authentic Communists, aimed to … Continue reading

Rate this:

Posted in Business, Finance and Economics, Policy, Politics, Socialism, Taxes | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments