In August of 2008 Russia invaded Georgia. Russia had de facto control of Abkhazia and South Ossetia since 1991, but the 2008 war reinforced this already existing reality on the ground. Russia officially recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent. There was significant deterrence still from the United States since we were involved in two …
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Progressive Taxes and MarioKart
This is brilliant. Bullets are the equivalent of food stamps and rent assistance. It allows people to improve quickly, but simply getting a bullet does not mean you will win, especially in the third lap. Blue shells are the equivalent of tax rates of 40-50%, which we used to have. You are thrown back a …
The US military found Hamas
This video from over a month ago shows us exactly where Hamas is. The American and Israeli governments know their precise addresses. They haven’t moved in 12 years; they are a short drive from a major US military base, and everybody knows it. The entire Gaza War has as much to do with “eliminating Hamas” …
Potentially surprising geography distance facts
The northern tip of Brazil is closer to every country in the Americas than the southernmost point of Brazil. The eastern tip of Brazil is closer to Portugal than the Pacific Ocean. Brazil is HUGE. Key West is closer to every other country in the Americas than it is to Nuvuk (Point Barrow), Alaska. Attu …
Continue reading “Potentially surprising geography distance facts”
Stroads forever!
Stroads and urban highways are great because it means you can have more bus lanes, meaning no need for rail, with fast moving buses all throughout your city connecting your neighborhoods which will never have rail because rail is too expensive while highways are cheap. We should build more of this transit oriented infrastructure because …
Washington State Universal Health Care Resolution
In response to https://captainstack.medium.com/washington-legislature-kills-universal-healthcare-bill-2ae7b804da34 “SJM.8006 is not a long bill. It is not complicated. It costs no money. It has no risk of legal challenge.” In other words, it was not a universal health care bill. So whether it passed or failed, everything would stay the same. They need to try again with a bill …
Continue reading “Washington State Universal Health Care Resolution”
The ISIS attack on Moscow
Relationships There are several major players in this convoluted mess, and each of them has a complex relationship with the other: ISIS Hamas Palestinian Authority Russia Israel Ukraine United States the rest of NATO ISIS Russia Israel Ukraine United States NATO Hamas Palestinian Authority Syria (Assad) ISIS hostile hostile hostile hostile hostile complicated At …
The whole bus vs train debate
It’s exhausting. On a per-vehicle basis, buses are cheaper to run than trains. On a passenger km basis, if both vehicles are full, the train is cheaper to run than the bus, keeping capacity constant. Buses are great for low-demand routes. Great transit systems use buses extensively for local routes, solving that last mile problem …
The Gaza War is bad for American security
It is obvious to anyone with a passive interest in foreign relations at this point that the Gaza war is a massive humanitarian crisis given how Israel is killing civilians and denying food to enter the region. That by itself should be enough for every democracy to stop providing aid to that rogue nation. But …
Continue reading “The Gaza War is bad for American security”
How to connect North and South Station
I-93 will now start in Woburn. The I-93 tunnel will be turned into a rail tunnel connecting the North and South stations. The rest of I-93 south of Woburn will be reclaimed urban space. Problem solved.