by reader ilsm GAO Testimony 09-969T, On Cost and Performance of the V-22 Osprey. “Availability challenges also impacted the MV-22. In Iraq, the V-22’s mission capability (MC) and full-mission capability (FMC) rates fell significantly below required levels as well as rates achieved by legacy helicopters.6 The V-22 MC minimum requirement is 82 percent, with an […]
rdan The Economist reminds us of a common notion, but not explored a lot in the news. Decline in demand overall, and finance, is a major concern for trade partners, but is complicated because products often travel from country to country in stages of completion to finished product. Economists believe that an additional reason for […]
rdan American Economic Alert points us to a lack in who has a voice in manufacturing. The Economic Recovery Advisory Board was set up in 2008: ERAB’s makeup is a case in point. Headed by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, the panel contains members from many perspectives beyond what Mr. Obama calls the Washington […]
rdan UNU Conversation Series As the think-tank for the United Nations and its member states, the United Nations University brings some of the most important intellectual and policy voices from around the globe, including Olivier Blanchard, Janos Bogardi, Francois Bourguignon, Noam Chomsky, Richard Cooper, Evsey Gurvich, Thomas Hoenig, Robert Johnson, Jomo Kwame Sundaram, Wim Naude, […]
by cactus Inflation or Deflation, That is the Question These days some smart people are expecting inflation, other smart people are expecting deflation, and there’s another big batch of smart people who are either expecting both or don’t know. I figured – why should smart people have all the fun? So I came up with […]
rdan I have been chasing information on the budget deficits and potential impacts, the US trade deficit, and the cap and trade arguments linked to HR 2454 Waxman-Markey bill of hundreds of pages. Mostly it was figuring out how assumptions in data and baselines (such as the CBO reports) made a difference in the shrillness […]
by reader ilsm The good and the bad (not ugly) analysis of the radically restructured US Army Future Combat System (FCS) if offered by GAO 09-793T: The testimony covers the lessons from the “restructure” of the US Army’s Boeing (Lead System Integrator, LSI, Bush administration non-ovation) FCS. The report lists “Good” things to do again, […]
by Cactus Iran and American Conservatives In Iran, protesters – a mostly young, college educated intellectual urban crowd – are getting their heads bashed in by the regime. Conservatives in the US are championing them and criticizing the administration for doing nothing. I’m curious – over the past few decades, how have conservatives in the […]
by cactus I was going through some old posts of mine looking for something I had written when I stumbled on a gem I had completely forgotten. A few years ago, I had a post that quoted a piece in the American Spectator. Sadly, it seems for some reason they’ve seen fit to take it […]
by reader Sammy Waxman-Markey: Intense Pain, No Environmental Gain I know you guys won’t like the source…. but try to deal with the issue. From this Editorial: If the pending Waxman-Markey energy and climate bill (HR 2454) becomes law, utility bills will soar. Farm and business energy costs will skyrocket — and be passed on […]