Many jurisdictions have begun installing LED traffic lights. LEDs use less electricity, require less maintenance, and last longer than conventional bulbs. But as the NYT reports, there’s also a catch for colder parts of the country. LEDs generate less heat, and are more prone to collecting ice and snow, which can block the signal. According […]
Author Archive | Jonathan H. Adler
Welcome (Back) Jan Crawford
Jan Crawford (fka Jan Crawford Greenburg), author of Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court, has returned to the legal blogosphere with “Crossroads,” a new legal blog at CBSNews.com. Crawford left ABC News several months ago to join CBS News as their new Chief Legal Correspondent, […]
Our Embattled TSA Nominee
The attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack on a commercial airliner has brought attention to the Senate’s failure to confirm President Obama’s nominee to head the Transportationa Security Administration, Erroll Southers. The Senate Homeland Security Committee approved his nomination in November, but he has yet to come to a vote, in part due to Republican Senator […]
Bay Area Air Rule Could Backfire
The NYT reports on a potential environmental backlash against proposed greenhouse gas regulations designed to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings in the San Francisco Bay area. some environmentalists and city planners fear that the new set of guidelines being considered by the region’s air quality regulators could have an unintended consequence, making it more […]
Cardiologists Challenge Medicare Cost Controls
USA Today reports the American College of Cardiology has filed suit against the Department of Health and Human Services challenging proposed Medicare fee cuts for various medical office procedures, including nuclear stress tests and echocardiograms. More info here.
“I Remind Myself of West Berlin”
Sunday’s NYT magazine will feature this interview with John Yoo on his new book, Crisis and Command: A History of Executive Power from George Washington to George W. Bush, why teaching at Berkeley makes him feel like West Berlin, and other topics.
A Marijuana Tipping Point?
The AP reports on an increase in efforts to decriminalize marijuana possession or use at the state level. Legalization bills were introduced in California and Massachusetts earlier this year, and this month, New Hampshire and Washington state prefiled bills in advance of their legislative sessions that begin in January. Marijuana is illegal under federal law, […]
The Perils of Technology Predictions
L. Gordon Crovitz warns against trying to predict technology trends and gives his list of the ten worst technology predictions of all time. My favorite: “Television won’t be able to hold on to any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night,” […]
Enhanced Security or Just Increased Annoyance?
The NYT reports on new security measures adopted in the wake of the attempted Christmas Day terrorist attack on a Northwest flight. The government was vague about the steps it was taking, saying that it wanted the security experience to be “unpredictable” and that passengers would not find the same measures at every airport — […]
Sunday Song Lyric
What was the worst hit song of 2009? For me it’s not even close: “Fireflies” by Owl City. Sure it’s catchy — in a cloying way. It topped the charts and was the most downloaded song on iTunes, but I think it’s absolutely awful. You would not believe your eyes If ten million fireflies Light […]
Mining for Green Power
The NYT reports on how the push for environmentally friendly power soruces has driven up demand for rare-earth elements, which can have environmentally unfriendly consequences. There are 17 rare-earth elements — some of which, despite the name, are not particularly rare — but two heavy rare earths, dysprosium and terbium, are in especially short supply, […]
Save the Brussel Sprouts!
Natalie Angier has an interesting article on the secret lives of plants.
Left and Right vs. Rahm
Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake and Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform don’t agree on much, but they’re both calling for an investigation and the resignation of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel for his role in Freddie Mac. I don’t know whether to credit their allegations, but the Hamsher-Norquist alliance is interesting nonetheless.
Christmas for Drug Companies, Coal for OTC Consumers
Both the House and Senate health care bills contain an unwelcome surprise for those whose current health care plans allow “flexible savings accounts” for out-of-pocket medical expenditures. FSAs enable people to spend pre-tax dollars on medical expenditures, including doctor visit co-pays and drug costs. Money is deducted from an employee’s paycheck, pre-tax, and placed in […]
The Constitutionality of an Individual Mandate — A Reply to Sen. Baucus
By Jonathan H. Adler on December 23, 2009 3:28 pm in Commerce Clause, Congress, Constitutional Theory, Health Care
Yesterday, on the Senate floor, Senator Max Baucus quoted my August 22 VC post on the constitutionality of an individual mandate. Specifically, he quoted the following passage: In this case, the overall scheme would involve the regulation of “commerce” as the Supreme Court has defined it for several decades, as it would involve the regulation […]