Comments sunsetbeachguy has made

  • puhleeze

    If economists are so brilliant and effective why didn't many speak out on the tech bubble or the housing bubble?

    These were self-evident economic events and yet the number of economists that warned of these gross misallocations of society's resources number in the single digits.

    Paraphrasing Dean Baker, why are there so few competent economists?

    http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/beat_the_press_archive ...

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On What behavioral economics has to offer posted 1 year, 8 months ago 8 Responses

  • At least I got a good laugh

    The carbon neutral jet fuel line was just simply too much.

    I don't know whether Joe is really that much of a blind optimist or just not trying to scare the sheeple.

    The idea of mass affordable air travel was a nice little concept that lasted about 30 years.

    Carbon neutral (sequestered) jet fuel will ensure only the relatively elite fly, either an explicit or implicit carbon tax.

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Reducing your carbon footprint from travel posted 1 year, 8 months ago 41 Responses

  • Rev Billy & sustainability

    Rev Billy comes as close to true sustainability as any of the economic or engineering posts at Gristmill.

    We won't clever our way out of this mess.

    Social Norms are the only real way to affect long term sustainability.

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Rev. Billy at the auto show posted 1 year, 8 months ago 3 Responses

  • Don't wrestle pigs!

    In my personal life, I put the refuting of deniers/delayers into the category of avoiding wrestling with muddy pigs.

    Halfway through you realize that you are muddy and the pig is enjoying it.

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Does refuting deniers only strengthen and empower them? posted 1 year, 8 months ago 13 Responses

  • puhleeze, trot out another realtor line

    I rent walking distance to the beach in So Cal and my rental rate hasn't moved for 3 years.  BTW, the rent is about 30% of the cost to purchase it, including all the tax benefits.  

    If I cared to move to the rental next door I could save $400/mo for the same size house.

    Rents will deflate as we move through our housing induced recession.

    Rental rates will go up for the suckers.  Like those that got sucked into the bubble and are now having to look for rentals.

    The moral of this whole thread is don't let the economists make you into a sucker!

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On A few thoughts for environmentalists posted 1 year, 8 months ago 95 Responses

  • Legume Sam

    Renting is the rational choice when housing was undergoing its irrational bubble.

    Renting a SFH is a near perfect substitution for buying a bubble "asset".

    Ever heard of delayed gratification, that former hallmark of the middle class?

    I have sat out the bubble for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 but now the housing market is coming to me.

    2001 prices for all, if we don't overshoot.  No matter what Bernanke does.

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On A few thoughts for environmentalists posted 1 year, 8 months ago 95 Responses

  • Odograph - I agree

    It's the debt stupid.

    There are many, many, many debtpeople.

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On A few thoughts for environmentalists posted 1 year, 8 months ago 95 Responses

  • Jevons Paradox

    I haven't seen any studies of the latest greenbuilding (as opposed to sustainable buildings) that address Jevons Paradox or the rebound effect.

    If the process of designing and erecting new buildings becomes more efficient the prices of the commodities goes down which increases the total number of building.

    Without strong aggregate consumption limiting public policy, greenbuilding just enables the status quo, massive ecological devastation.

    Until someone builds a building as smart as a tree...

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Green building may be quickest path to decreased emissions posted 1 year, 8 months ago 8 Responses

  • GDP versus GPI

    I agree GDP is a poor proxy for measuring economic activity or hopefully growth.

    I think most of the culpability lies with the media's presentation of GDP.

    Hopefully, after the election Congress & the future President will require BLS to publish Redefining Progress' Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI).

    http://www.rprogress.org/sustainability_indicators/genuin ...

    To borrow from McDonough the question isn't growth/no growth it is what do you want to grow?

    Certainly not GDP...

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On RFK on GDP posted 1 year, 8 months ago 4 Responses

  • Beat the Press post

    Here is the post from Dean Baker advocating accountability for economists and business reporters.

    http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/beat_the_press_archive ...

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On A few thoughts for environmentalists posted 1 year, 8 months ago 95 Responses

  • Finally recovered my log in

    I missed one other general comment about the author.  The entire post seems like a fanboy love letter to the Chairman of the Fed.  The only Fed Chair deserving of such accolades is Volcker.

    One other economist that might be able to be trusted is Herman Daly but ecological economics would upset the apple cart WAY more than putting Dean Baker in charge.

    I must say I haven't yet agreed with Jason but he sure knows how to get multiple posts.

    If Ben Bernanke would take Dean Baker up on his accountability offer, then I might have some confidence in the Greenspan toady know as Bernanke.

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On A few thoughts for environmentalists posted 1 year, 8 months ago 95 Responses

  • Yeah, fruitarians

    No sarcasm, but strident positions should be internally consistent all the way to the end game.

    How many people worldwide could meet their nutritional needs from a fruitarian diet?

    I would bet a lot less than 6 billion.

    So which humans need to go?

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Pushing for 'fair food' on campus in the land of hog factories posted 1 year, 8 months ago 22 Responses

  • Carrots and Broccoli

    Plants also experience pain, why draw the line at meat?

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Pushing for 'fair food' on campus in the land of hog factories posted 1 year, 8 months ago 22 Responses

  • must not feed the nutjob troll

    Nice strawman, even better linked citations.

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Bush's refusal to consider clean technologies could be repeated by McCain posted 1 year, 8 months ago 7 Responses

  • Don't miss Barry Ritholtz 2 GHG posts

    http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2008/03/global-war ...

    The headline is:

    "Global Warming Denialists: We Suck at Math Also!"

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On A (sort of) cold January doesn't mean climate stopped warming posted 1 year, 8 months ago 10 Responses

  • Thanks for the hat tip.

    Now back to my one note criticism of Grist.

    Why aren't Grister's interested in the environmental and social destruction caused by the housing bubble?

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Climate change skeptics say we should note, not hype posted 1 year, 8 months ago 7 Responses

  • Barry Ritholtz delivers another smackdown

    Whoo boy!

    Barry Ritholtz at the Big Picture blog, posts another smackdown of the denialists.

    I am coming to the opinion that (as some other poster described) there is a boiler room inside the Beltway that has a bunch of H1B visa holders cranking out denialist dreck.

    http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2008/03/sciencerul ...

    Barry Ritholtz is a market trader and pretty much politically agnostic.

    Check it out.

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Climate skeptic tries to throw cold water on global warming, gets all wet posted 1 year, 9 months ago 23 Responses

  • FSM - Pirate hypothesis

    I am partial to the FSM - Pirate hypothesis.

    It is just as sensical as the denialist claptrap.

    Check out the posts over at the Big Picture.

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Climate skeptic tries to throw cold water on global warming, gets all wet posted 1 year, 9 months ago 23 Responses

  • Speaking of Climate Denialist smackdowns

    I know there are a few posters that crossover from Gristmill to Financial & Housing Bubble blogs.

    Hi Odograph!

    Here is a link to Barry Ritholtz of The Big Picture Blog giving the agnostic smackdown to the climate deniers.

    That includes the resident Gristmill climate denier.

    http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2008/03/global-war ...

    Sunsetbeachguy

    On Climate skeptic tries to throw cold water on global warming, gets all wet posted 1 year, 9 months ago 23 Responses