Loudoun County, Bob Marshall, and the handful of other defendants have won the court fight against regional taxation authority. The decision stated that it was an unconstitutional delegation of taxing power to an entity which is not a local government, and therefore all taxes imposed by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) are null and void. Opinion (22 pages) available at the Virginia Supreme Court website.
And there was much rejoicing.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Clinton ad
Hillary is running an ad calling on her "experience" theme.
I think it really does beg the question, though, as to whether, when
that call comes, you really want her to be the one taking that call.
Even if you grant that a few years as a senator and some surrogate
terms as spouse-of-executive count as experience, do you really trust
the answer she would give when she picked up the phone for whatever
domestic or international emergency was going on?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Global weather trauma
Although the BBC is a news outlet, not a peer-reviewed journal, and even though they are not particularly known for the quality of their scientific analysis, and even though I know that they label their articles to catch people's attention, I was still surprised by the adreneline-filled headline Climate Set for Sudden Shifts. The article goes on to mention that there are a number of changes that may occur on earth, some of which "could occur this century." Ok, so not exactly something to stay glued to your radio waiting for the announcement. I have no incentive for any sudden, unstudied solution. For instance, sudden loss of ice in Greenland and Antarctica aren't supposed to come up for another 300 years. Plenty of time to fill sandbags around New York City or come up with another idea.
The article claims to be summarizing the information in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. One problem right off the bat for this article is that the solution recommended involves using computer models as an early warning system. Presumably, this also means that their results came from such a computer model. In other words, someone should take their ideas of how the data trends work together and create a system that shows these ideas. Which sounds an awful lot like a self-fulfilling prophesy. Models are inherently simplified. (See without further amplification Models Key to Climate Forecast, and ask yourself (1) if these are just the things they think they have to account for, how much are they missing? and (2) how do they select which approximations to allow?)
For instance, see Ocean Thermostat Can Save Coral. In this article, we are informed that the ocean regulates itself in such a way that surface temperature variations are absorbed and dissipated before long term damage can be done to tropical corals except in very localized situations, essentially meaning that coral bleaching is not a threat.
In closing and for further recommended reading, I finished recently Michael Crichton's State of Fear. While sometimes Crichton's works border on the silly, this book took a serious look at climate change. Stylistically, the book seemed more modeled on ancient Greek dialogs than the modern novel (although Crichton certainly did include enough plot to keep it moving). Through the course of the characters' interactions, he developed a decent skeptical argument regarding how little we know, how little we can prove, and how arrogant it is to assume that a few government regulations can fix things, and how that assumption is key to understanding why a political generation with no Soviet Union to fear need a new problem that only the government can solve.
The article claims to be summarizing the information in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. One problem right off the bat for this article is that the solution recommended involves using computer models as an early warning system. Presumably, this also means that their results came from such a computer model. In other words, someone should take their ideas of how the data trends work together and create a system that shows these ideas. Which sounds an awful lot like a self-fulfilling prophesy. Models are inherently simplified. (See without further amplification Models Key to Climate Forecast, and ask yourself (1) if these are just the things they think they have to account for, how much are they missing? and (2) how do they select which approximations to allow?)
For instance, see Ocean Thermostat Can Save Coral. In this article, we are informed that the ocean regulates itself in such a way that surface temperature variations are absorbed and dissipated before long term damage can be done to tropical corals except in very localized situations, essentially meaning that coral bleaching is not a threat.
In closing and for further recommended reading, I finished recently Michael Crichton's State of Fear. While sometimes Crichton's works border on the silly, this book took a serious look at climate change. Stylistically, the book seemed more modeled on ancient Greek dialogs than the modern novel (although Crichton certainly did include enough plot to keep it moving). Through the course of the characters' interactions, he developed a decent skeptical argument regarding how little we know, how little we can prove, and how arrogant it is to assume that a few government regulations can fix things, and how that assumption is key to understanding why a political generation with no Soviet Union to fear need a new problem that only the government can solve.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Pivo 2
Sometimes something is so innovative and intriguing that I can't help forwarding it. Such is the case with the following car, which, although lacking muscle, ground clearance, carrying capacity, or any of the other things I normally comment favorably on, is too odd and innovative to let pass. Without further, ado, the
Pivo 2
Pivo 2 represents the other end of Nissan’s passion for cars, which can be characterised as friendly, innovative and design-led. It represents a commitment to finding new, innovative and bold solutions for future generations of motorists.
Pivo 2 is a zero-emissions vehicle propelled by four small 3D disc motors in each wheel and powered by advanced Super-Thin Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) batteries. The driver can always face the direction of travel as the cabin rotates 360 degrees and each wheel has 90 degrees of movement, meaning parking manoeuvres can be executed easily.
Entrance to the cabin is via a single, front-mounted door which also houses the major controls. Operation is made possible thanks to “X by Wire” technology, meaning that the steering and other mechanical linkages are replaced by electronic signals to operate Pivo 2’s drive systems.
(From Car Scoop.)Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Why I won't support Mitt Romney
The Boston Globe: Romney Retreats on Gun Control
Although less talked about than his about-faces on abortion and gay rights, Romney's gun record is yet another example of convenient timing for changing views right before running for President.
Ask yourself, "what does it take for a Republican to get elected governor in Massachusetts?" For comparison, there are Democratic supermajorities in the legislature (137-19 House, 35-5 Senate)...
Although less talked about than his about-faces on abortion and gay rights, Romney's gun record is yet another example of convenient timing for changing views right before running for President.
Ask yourself, "what does it take for a Republican to get elected governor in Massachusetts?" For comparison, there are Democratic supermajorities in the legislature (137-19 House, 35-5 Senate)...
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