Flashback: January 2009

(Before It's News)

Read aguanomics http://www.aguanomics.com/ for the world’s best analysis of the politics and economics of water Due to popular demand some helpful replies to this post, I am back with posts of interest (out of over 100 in one month. Damn, I was busy then… even THIS post took an hour to compile!)

I still agree with what I said here:

1. The Cost of Rationing businesses is MUCH greater than everyday, higher prices that reduce shortage risk
2. Why the Peripheral Canal Will Happen Politicians don’t listen to economists, and farmers are happy to get citizens to pay (A Word from the Farmers). You voted for the PC (Poll Results — Peripheral Canal), but I stand by my conclusion that “sustainable” requires an end to Delta exports.
3. Farmers Don’t Use Much Water and How Much Water Do Farmers Use? It’s complicated when you look deeper into “use”
4. Pigouvian Tax Fail? Maybe, but effectiveness depends on conditions and other instruments in use
5. Border Issues can really mess up water management (Trump and other nationalists are a danger)
6. ZanAqua‘s distiller doesn’t have a lot of potential. They seem to be gone/bankrupt now.
7. Missing the Point – Peter Gleick says “water awareness”, I say “water prices” since Shower Incentives hardly work, and Stupid Water Bills certainly don’t. OTOH, a strong community can result in Non-price Demand Destruction
8. British Climate Change Skeptics in favor of a carbon price. Today’s skeptics seem to be fewer and more entrenched in denying that CC is happening, let alone acting on it.
9. Ethics and Water – water managers cannot be trusted to be ethical, and Water and Lifestyle must match up
10. Water Markets [sic] – California didn’t and still doesn’t have them
11. Soda Taxes are a good idea (I’d just tax sugar tho’)
12. The Real Estate Market Index – is one of my better ideas on how to understand the MARKET (not prices). You can download it here [pdf]
13. Me on Bloomberg Radio – with a massive list of relevant posts
14. Your Government NOT at Work – The TVA spill inspired my “performance insurance for managers” idea [pdf]. More here: Fixing Monopolistic Utilities
15. Manned space programs are STILL Bad Science. Trump, sadly, seems to think that we need it
16. Fishes… and Seas – an excellent paper on how fishermen are destroying their own future
17. Peak Water? Nope.
18. Silver Linings – SD should reuse their wastewater. Now they are!
19. Central Planners, Big Mistakes (China)
20. Preventing the Tragedy of the Commons – Yay, Elinor Ostrom!
21. The Steady State Economy is a good (but non-implemented) idea
22. Too Small to Succeed (small water companies can’t afford to meet regulations)
23. Amending AB2882 – California law more or less prohibits pricing water for scarcity. Sad.
24. Quid pro Quo on Groundwater i.e., we let you sell if you monitor your use (also Managing Groundwater)
25. It’s Hard Being a Revolutionary as an economist. Clearly it is if you promise fantasy #MAGA
26. Who Cares about the Poor? First they need to care about themselves.
27. Arctic Ice Past Tipping Point – this is much worse now
28. Madoff’s Ethanol Accounting – yep. More at Ethanol Debated
29. The Economics of the USPS – monopolies are not that good at delivering value for money

On these posts, I’ve changed my mind (or been wrong):

1. Poll Results — Oil Prices hit $140/bbl b/c (poll votes) “spectators,” which I did not like, but I think that was probably the driving force, more than changes in physical S or D that could drive prices up so fast. (They had already dropped below $50/bbl by Jan 2009.)
2. Water Jobs Bleg We sure need a site. Luckily, Josh’s Water Jobs has stepped into the breach!
3. Fun Times Ahead – Obama will release lots of data. Whoops. That didn’t go so well
4. The End of the Western Population Boom? Nope. More people piling into risky places to live
5. Carbon Neutral Is a Fad – I was wrong here (it’s still around) but not when it comes to its (non) impact

• Chinese, Germans Bidding to Turn Abandoned Nuclear Wasteland of Chernobyl into Solar Farm
• All references to climate change have been deleted from the White House website – “Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan”
• Environmental activist assassinated in Mexico
• Scientists race to save U.S. government climate data from Trump
• Organic and Sustainable Agriculture History Research Grants
• Jessica Minhas Joins Nimonik
• Meriem Raach Joins Nimonik
• Friday party!
• Processed foods drive surge in obesity rates in Latin America and Caribbean
• Ecosocialist Terry Townsend Needs Our Help