The Bewilderness

Frugality is a virtue

This is an excellent example of crowdsourcing linked to frugal innovation. It would have been called 'string and sealing wax' in the Cavendish Laboratory of the 1930s where brilliant minds made do with limited resources to achieve worldbeating insights.

The Constellation budget at NASA was cut by 45% in 2005. Wishing to find a solution to the problem of predicting particle storms, NASA used open access platforms to invite contributions from the public. The answer was provided by a semi-retired engineer from New Hampshire. 

This may be a brash example, but it demonstrates that widening access to problems may unearth a potential solution. Now frugality has become an industry: leading to confusion between genuine savings and a developmental bandwagon. 

Innovation in emerging nations where simplicity, reduced costs and imaginative re-engineering or design, manufacturing and sales has decreased the price of products taken for granted in the West. Especially in medical devices and healthcare, innovation may soon provide the strongest challenge to state financed healthcare monopolies.

Just imagine, frugal innovation may counter the crisis of welfare statism in the West, providing for a slimmer state and better living standards. The free market again disrupts potential monopolies that have dragged down these countries.

Ever Closer F.U.

Forcing the Greek government to submit all of their government expenditure to an external official as a condition for further monies may seem prudent to German politicians; however, its infringement upon the national sovereignty of Greece was bound to trigger political rhetoric about the dignity of the nation. But why be sympathetic to the groans of the Greeks? After all, they just signed up to a new Fiscal Union treaty that demands adherence to budgetary standards inconceivable at this point in time. Of course, the same is true for Italy, Portugal, Spain and Ireland. Why would they not sign up to the Land of Make Believe in return for some of that magic mojo fiat currency that they pretend will keep them afloat.

How dare you tell us what to spend, says the Greek government, and promptly signs up to a treaty where the rest of the Eurozone can fine them for not adhering to budgetary standards. Although since this fudge is a heated up version of the Growth and Stability Pact, why would we treat this with any more seriousness than the last or the next summit. 

Tonight, we have the leftover rhetoric of an earlier age crystalllised in a treaty that makes no effort to deal with Europe's current problems. Cameron did not stand in the way of a Fiscal Union using the European Court of Justice (in return for secret and worthless concessions on financial industry directives?). Expect further fireworks. 

The parastatal charity: an example

The School Food Trust is a "national charity" and a "specialist food advisor" to the government. From its status as an organisation whose remit is decided by the Secretary of State for Education and enforces national standards in respect to children's nutrition. This is, presumably, a war on fat.

When one looks at their actual activity, one sees a cycle of dependence upon the state financed charity: plan meals, assure they meet the necessary standards, train the staff, assure they meet the necessary standards, who sets the standards, who trains the staff, etc. etc.  Looking at the income, the charity subsists on grants, lottery funding (another tax? ho ho ho) and the charges paid for training, products based on the charity's remit etc.

The detail of income is quite opaque and dificult to distinguish between state and non-state finance: but the charity does provide a good example of the parastatal organisation that would vanish if we were serious about cutting back the state.

Alternate Beatles: Bingo, Vinegar, Family and Prophet

I quite like this idea: a random ideas generator on a canvas with various symbols and surprise words. It is supposed to be a brainstorming tool. I am not entirely convinced that this works more than 20% of the time, but it does provide some amusing juxtapositions.

I picked it up from thsi innovation weblog. How would you relate bingo, vinegar, family and prophet? They just reminded me of the Beatles or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Recommending ...

I am a great fan of Alistair Reynolds, the science fiction author. His new novel, Blue Remembered Earth, is out. I recommend the trailer.

Decimal pointers

If you were to write an article on the ten most important advances in science and technology, what would you include and what would you exclude? I take this David DiSalvo article that I flagged last year and return after an interval of some months. The indications that seemed slightly irrelevant then retain that effect now. Why would desalination or plasma arc waste disposal count as disruptive technology?

Putting the discordant set of examples: radical innovations sitting side by side with existing capabilities, what interests me is DiSalvo's exclusions. Battery advances are cited twice alongside neuroscience, regenerative medicine, electronic paper and scanning technology. 3D printing, a whole swathe of biotechnology and advances in materials science are all left out.

This is not a criticism; since it is almost impossible to accommodate any number of choices. Already some of the developments appear restricted to laboratories for the foreseeable future. But stem cells and electronic paper are now strong contenders for making a radical impact this side of 2015.  

Silence and impotent

The new draft of the fiscal compact reverses all of the advantages that Great Britain was supposed to have gained in December. Any concessions over observer attendance were vetoed in the new draft which requires ratification before you can even have a seat at the table, by invitation. But you can attend one of two a year. Non-€ countries have some crumbs of discomfort. (George Osborne as a silent observer in the talks must have watched impassively whilst they deride his presence)

Of greater concern is the role of the European Court of Justice in this arrangement, acting as enforcer for economic governance. This serves two purposes: acting as a precursor to incorporation into the main treaty corpus of the EU; and, sending a message to Britain, that political will  from twenty-six overcomes any objection by one member. Politics trumps law.

The loneliness of the long-distance libertarian

Ron Paul came fourth in the South Carolina with 13 percent of the vote and has received some local endorsements. The comparison with 2008 is worth considering: from 3.8 to 13 percent. How much of this is due to the economic misery and political disillusionment with the mainstream? For now, Paul's activities within the GOP have thwarted the groundswell of any potential third party straddling social and economic liberalism.

Paul has already performed far above media and political expectations; on some criteria, he is the second most successful candidate after Romney in the primaries so far. A win for Paul in a state would completely alter perceptions. 

Can Paul win? This depends upon two factors: how far the GOP is willing to support Mitt Romney in a flawed quest for electability and, how far, conservatives would swing behind Paul in the event that Gingrich and Santorum fell away?

Surrey should say sorry

Surrey County Council have rejected the government's council tax freeze alongside the extra grant that comes with it. The press release is deliberately selective: identify gap and line it up with an item of expenditure. In this case: road maintenance.

The council’s cabinet is set to discuss rejecting the Government’s freeze because it would lead to a £70m financial shortfall over five years.

A council spokesman said that was equivalent to wiping out Surrey’s road maintenance budget for more than two years.

This shortfall is defined by the council as "long term pain", or by the taxpayer, as an opportunity to reduce waste. 

This is the same council that lets highway verges become flytip wastes and then persecutes those who try to clean up their neighbourhood, with fees and punitive administration. Surrey County Council may be run by Tories but there is not a conservative principle at play in its words or actions.

The Tax Payers Alliance notes that Surrey had, at least ten people (pdf file), earning over £100,000 for the year 2009-2010. Enough said.

Acceleration of integration

The draft compact on fiscal stability is dragging out and is designed to hold existing members hostage who are dependent on bail-outs. Only those who sign up to the compact will be eligible for monetary support from the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). This effectively sends a message to the Irish electorate: vote Yes or forfeit European support.

It has also divided the Czech polity, with Eurosceptic parties favouring a referendum and, no surprise here, Europhile parties preferring a parliamentary solution. The arguments echo former debates in the UK: an intergovernmental treaty does not confer powers to the European Union or the subject is too complex for the simple minded folk who actually voted them into office. This leads to a simple truism: European politicians with a charisma bypass prefer an electoral bypass.

The mischief makers, France and Germany, make life even hotter for the Eurosceptics with a new six point plan for the summit in late January. Get your veto ready, Cameron! They want a common corporate tax base, co-ordination on other taxes, Commission control over regional funds (so they can be redirected to the subsidy junkies on the periphery), a Tobin tax and the lowering of labour taxes. The crisis is accelerating the shift towards a two speed Europe and we are on the outside looking in. Such integration cannot be passed in this Parliament.