tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post4700844327187708790..comments2024-03-28T09:22:36.967+13:00Comments on Offsetting Behaviour: Don't start by assuming stupidityEric Cramptonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15831696523324469713noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-43472281005051057852013-02-05T09:53:40.563+13:002013-02-05T09:53:40.563+13:00In the short to medium term, global warming is goo...In the short to medium term, global warming is good for the places I care most about: Manitoba and New Zealand. I do have a house by the beach, though, and it would be decidedly damp with a 3m sea rise. Agree that we shouldn't presume that mitigation via carbon tax is better than mitigation by "everybody moves a mile inland"; cost-benefit analysis remains necessary.Eric Cramptonhttp://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-594451710284104702013-02-05T09:51:53.204+13:002013-02-05T09:51:53.204+13:00It depends what your goal is - the policies really...It depends what your goal is - the policies really don't seem to be substitutes for each other. If people aren't stupid and they like travel, you'll get fewer emissions per kilometer but more kilometers so the whole thing almost washes out, but at pretty high cost.<br /><br /><br />Different regulations could have different results. Imagine some new catalytic converter that took the CO2 and produced O2 and a brick of carbon. That would likely be expensive (maybe impossible, I'm no chemist) and it would reduce CO2 emissions, without the kind of offsetting "let's drive more because it's cheaper" effect.Eric Cramptonhttp://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-61629830879894020182013-02-04T08:47:54.277+13:002013-02-04T08:47:54.277+13:00Carbon taxation is a transfer tax from industry to...Carbon taxation is a transfer tax from industry to consumers; nothing more or less but politicians get a bigger slice for blessing the bogusityHell is optionalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-27977088204522072162013-02-03T11:52:15.382+13:002013-02-03T11:52:15.382+13:00"Suppose that you want to reduce petrol usage..."Suppose that you want to reduce petrol usage because of global warming."<br /><br />That's the initial stupidity. It presumes that global warming is a negative that needs ameliorating, and that reducing gasoline usage will make a difference. Neither are based on facts in evidence.Gary Turnernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-85622642206392840752013-02-03T07:17:31.803+13:002013-02-03T07:17:31.803+13:00What about the issue that voters will reject a tax...What about the issue that voters will reject a tax increase, whereas they applaud regulation, because the price impact of regulation is not transparent? Here in the US I think raising the gasoline tax would be political suicide, but Obama passed increased CAFE standards without incident.Paul Mineironoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-62139574432058813342013-02-02T22:19:40.381+13:002013-02-02T22:19:40.381+13:00no, it is not starting an assumption of consumer s...no, it is not starting an assumption of consumer stupidity,<br /><br />It is the other people are stupid fallacy: not me or you or present company,<br />how rude to suggest, but the nameless them over there: competent to vote and<br />drive cars but not able to basic buying decisions on cell phones to carsJim Rosenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-62529563031211373172013-02-01T11:38:08.366+13:002013-02-01T11:38:08.366+13:00Love the title.
I thought this was all worked ou...Love the title.<br /><br /><br />I thought this was all worked out in the 1970s with the oil shocks. Higher gas prices led to fleet changes in the US. Nice to have some numbers, though, and the discount rate stuff look interesting.Billhttp://gropingtobethlehem.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-35935803854610458502013-02-01T11:31:34.093+13:002013-02-01T11:31:34.093+13:00A lot of people seem to be willing to pay an awful...A lot of people seem to be willing to pay an awful lot to avoid marginal cost pricing, or thinking about that doing something costs them something.Eric Cramptonhttp://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-6371331765931581302013-02-01T11:07:59.373+13:002013-02-01T11:07:59.373+13:00The no contract business model exists in the US bu...The no contract business model exists in the US but for a long-time was confined to small carriers using the Sprint network to serve customers with bad credit. Contracts remain very popular but in recent years the no contract model has been expanding up-market and one of the big four carriers (T-Mobile) is transitioning to it. I myself use Ting, one of the small no contract carriers and my total cost over two years is probably less than half what I'd be paying on a major carrier w a subsidized phone and a contract locking in a high monthly rate for two years.Gabriel Rossmanhttp://twitter.com/GabrielRossmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-29640991154464345772013-02-01T09:25:56.172+13:002013-02-01T09:25:56.172+13:00Read Scott Adams on Confusopoly.
I love that he...Read Scott Adams on Confusopoly. <br /><br /><br />I love that here in NZ, I pay $20 per month for a cell bundle that gives me a bit of voice, a few hundred texts, and enough data to get me through. Clear pricing plans for pay as you go service.Eric Cramptonhttp://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-17893218984957338352013-02-01T09:24:46.247+13:002013-02-01T09:24:46.247+13:00The Animal House tag line only occurred to me when...The Animal House tag line only occurred to me when I tweeted the post; could have titled it that instead. L'esprit d'escalier...<br /><br /><br />Nice op-ed that. Thanks!Eric Cramptonhttp://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-46885806910478224252013-02-01T09:22:42.989+13:002013-02-01T09:22:42.989+13:00Very interesting and pleased to hear it. Not what ...Very interesting and pleased to hear it. Not what I would have expected based on how, for instance, cellphone contracts work (at least in the USA).Gabriel Rossmanhttp://twitter.com/GabrielRossmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-71587205732800291532013-02-01T09:14:54.270+13:002013-02-01T09:14:54.270+13:00"Don't start by assuming stupidity"
..."Don't start by assuming stupidity"<br /><br />That is a good way to put it. I could've used that when i wrote an oped in December: http://www.fraserinstitute.org/research-news/news/display.aspx?id=19106Joel Wnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2830084253401570472.post-48692677261676848452013-02-01T07:29:33.080+13:002013-02-01T07:29:33.080+13:00"Don't start by assuming stupidity"
..."Don't start by assuming stupidity"<br /><br /><br />Amen!Matt Nolanhttp://tvhe.co.nz/noreply@blogger.com