About a quarter-century ago, fueled by a great deal of blather from the White House, this nation became aware of an economic concept known as the Laffer curve. This impressive-sounding concept became famous, though its usefulness turned out to be political, not practical. David Stockman, the White House budget director at the time, explained itContinue reading “Dangerous Curves”
Author Archives: Kit Stolz
The Business-as-Usual Scenario…for the UK
From "The Scotsman," a worst-case climate change scenario for the UK, in which most of the islands are under water. Of course, this scenario assumes we do nothing to slow the changing of the global climate, and that the Antarctic ice sheet melts. Probably we as a species will have enough sense to avoid thatContinue reading “The Business-as-Usual Scenario…for the UK”
Line of the Week
"Occupations always fail." …from Tim Robbins’ character in "War of the Worlds"…
The Green Alps Theory
A young Swiss scientist named Ulrich Joerin and his colleagues at Institute for Geological Science at the University of Bern have been making news in climate circles with an exciting new theory. (See the well-written article from Der Spiegel: highly recommended.) Essentially, the idea is that during the last few thousand years, glaciers have comeContinue reading “The Green Alps Theory”
On Thimerosal, Says The New York Times, We Can Trust Our Doctors
A flood of lawsuits from parents of autistic children and a potent piece by Robert F. Kennedy arguing that the recent upsurge in autism is linked to vaccines using a form of mercury called thimerosal (published in Salon last week, and referenced below here and in many other blogs) as a preservative has prompted aContinue reading “On Thimerosal, Says The New York Times, We Can Trust Our Doctors”
Battle of the Grandpas
Three of this country’s best-known grandfathers are at odds on the issue that may well turn out to be the biggest news story of our time. Here’s the perspective of Vice-President Dick Cheney. Sean Hannity of Fox News asked him about global warming at the end of a flattering conversation last week. (To call itContinue reading “Battle of the Grandpas”
Why Can’t We Believe Our Doctors?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last week posted an important story in Salon about the dangers of a common vaccine that included a form of mercury called thimerosal. It’s well-written and well-researched and anyone with kids — and especially anyone concerned about the astounding rise in autism and related disorders in recent years — should readContinue reading “Why Can’t We Believe Our Doctors?”
Global Warming “A Few Centuries Off,” Says Wall St. Journal
According to a editorial in The Wall Street Journal, global warming is a problem "a few centuries off." Developing…
White House Feels the Heat
In the current White House, giving lobbyists (such as Mark Rey, a former timber company official) responsibility for overseeing public lands is business as usual. But when Philip Cooney, a top official on the White House Council on Environmental Quality, was caught rewriting scientific reports on the threat of global warming and resigned, supposedly toContinue reading “White House Feels the Heat”
The “New” Policy — Forest Service Fees for 95% of Visitors
The Forest Service in Southern California has slightly modified its controversial Adventure Pass policy, no longer requiring the pass to be posted on cars parked at trailheads that have no facilities. "Fee opponents have some reason to celebrate. Their efforts have led to a number of back country trailheads being dropped from the fee program,"Continue reading “The “New” Policy — Forest Service Fees for 95% of Visitors”
Kit Stolz 