While Wendover Productions, the maker of this video, believes in high-speed rail, it shows that the California project was poorly planned. Planners optimistically believed it could be built in the U.S. for the same costs that high-speed rail had been built in Europe. Among other things, they failed to account … Continue reading →
Why California High-Speed Rail Failed
Why California High-Speed Rail Failed
23 May 2026 Leave a comment
in transport economics, urban economics
Volkswagen Face $1.7 Billion Fine For Missing Emissions Targets
11 May 2026 Leave a comment
in economics of climate change, economics of regulation, energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming, transport economics Tags: electric cars, Germany
By Paul Homewood AOL also cover the story:
Volkswagen Face $1.7 Billion Fine For Missing Emissions Targets
Bet On It Book Club: For a New Liberty, Chapter 11
10 May 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, history of economic thought, libertarianism, Murray Rothbard, transport economics, urban economics
SummaryIn this chapter, Rothbard advocates the abolition of publicly-owned streets and roads:Abolition of the public sector means, of course, that all pieces of land, all land areas, including streets and roads, would be owned privately, by individuals, corporations, cooperatives, or any other voluntary group ings of individuals and capital.He begins by explaining that in a…
Bet On It Book Club: For a New Liberty, Chapter 11
A Hiccup in a Price War
08 May 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, entrepreneurship, industrial organisation, transport economics
Many antitrust economists are wary of the efficacy of predatory pricing, the strategy of pricing below costs to drive a competitor out of a market. The usual counter-argument is that, for it to work, the inevitable losses this will entail must be recouped after the rival has exited. Recoupment requires higher prices … that can…
A Hiccup in a Price War
Forthcoming – Cuban Infant Mortality and Longevity: Health Care or Repression?
05 May 2026 Leave a comment
in economic history, economics of regulation, health economics, Marxist economics, transport economics Tags: Cuba, life expectancies
I have received news that a short article submitted to Health Policy & Planning has been accepted for publication. In the article, I argue that the statistics regarding Cuba’s health care are distorted by the incentives generated by the target system under which physicians must operate (at the threat of penalties). To meet their targets, they re-categorize […]
Forthcoming – Cuban Infant Mortality and Longevity: Health Care or Repression?
Incentives matter, Mexican cartel edition
16 Apr 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, development economics, economics of crime, economics of regulation, law and economics, transport economics, urban economics Tags: Mexico
But the cartel’s interests may prove just as important to security as government efforts, according to a dozen local and state officials and security experts. The CJNG has much to gain from the regional economic boost of a successful tournament in Guadalajara — akin to its administrative headquarters — and much to lose from drawing…
Incentives matter, Mexican cartel edition
The superpower that could unlock billions for KiwiRail – or another railway company
15 Apr 2026 Leave a comment
in economics of regulation, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights, transport economics, urban economics Tags: land supply, zoning
Imagine waking up and discovering that, overnight, you had been granted superpowers. With a touch of your finger, you could cause new housing to emerge in places with housing shortages. It would cost you next to nothing. You could just do it.
The superpower that could unlock billions for KiwiRail – or another railway company
Professional Hagglers (creative destruction and how the economy just keeps creating new types of occupations & professions)
31 Mar 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, entrepreneurship, labour economics, occupational choice, transport economics
See He Earns $1,000 a Job—and He’s a Car Dealer’s Worst Nightmare: With car prices soaring, one man deploys dealer speak to talk down the sticker price on behalf of buyers by Imani Moise of The WSJ.What if you don’t like haggling over the price of a car? Would you hire someone to do the haggling…
Professional Hagglers (creative destruction and how the economy just keeps creating new types of occupations & professions)
Labour’s fuel crisis policy is silence
27 Mar 2026 Leave a comment
in defence economics, energy economics, politics - New Zealand, transport economics, war and peace Tags: Iran
The Herald reports: Labour leader Chris Hipkins isn’t providing an alternative plan of action to help struggling New Zealanders facing pain at the pump and the threat of rising prices elsewhere. Asked repeatedly what alternatives Labour could suggest, Hipkins said the onus to present ideas was on the current Government. He gave some principles, such…
Labour’s fuel crisis policy is silence
Electric Car Mandates Start To Bite
22 Mar 2026 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmentalism, transport economics Tags: electric cars
By Paul Homewood Car manufacturers must ensure that electric cars make up at least 33% of their total registrations this year or face swingeing government fines of £12000 for every car they are short. So far, they are struggling at below 22%, which is even less than at the same stage last year. They […]
Electric Car Mandates Start To Bite
Some simple spatial analytics of Cape Town
21 Mar 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, development economics, economics of regulation, growth disasters, transport economics, urban economics Tags: South Africa
Rio de Janeiro let its hillsides be filled in with lower-cost dwellings. The result was a significant increase in the crime rate. On the more positive side of the ledger, upward mobility increased too. If you live in a decent favela, you can get to a downtown job with not too much difficulty, albeit with…
Some simple spatial analytics of Cape Town
Must be getting crowded up there
11 Mar 2026 Leave a comment
in international economic law, International law, transport economics Tags: space
When Rubber Was the Critical Imported Good
05 Mar 2026 Leave a comment
in defence economics, economic history, transport economics, war and peace Tags: World War II
At the start of World War II, the US economy relied almost exclusively on imported rubber as the key material for making, among other things, tires for cars and airplanes. The dependency was well-known, but in April 1942, when Japan cut off the foreign supply, the US was unprepared. Synthetic rubber ended up being part…
When Rubber Was the Critical Imported Good
Lawfare Begins Against Repealing Endangerment Finding–Legalities Outlook
24 Feb 2026 Leave a comment
in economics of climate change, economics of regulation, energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming, law and economics, politics - USA, Public Choice, transport economics, urban economics Tags: constitutional law
The expected blowback from invested climatists is underway, as reported by legacy media whose bias is with the alarmists. Examples: EPA faces lawsuit over scrapping the ‘endangerment finding,’ a pillar of climate regulation, Scientific American E.P.A. Faces First Lawsuit Over Its Killing of Major Climate Rule, NY Times Lawsuit: EPA revoking greenhouse gas finding risks […]
Lawfare Begins Against Repealing Endangerment Finding–Legalities Outlook
Even auto giants know it: the electric car boom is out of charge
19 Feb 2026 Leave a comment
in economics of bureaucracy, economics of climate change, energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming, income redistribution, Public Choice, rentseeking, transport economics Tags: electric cars
By Paul Homewood h/t Ian Magness From the Telegraph: “I think the customer has spoken. That’s the punchline,” said Jim Farley, the chief executive of Ford. The American boss was speaking last week as his company unveiled a $5bn (£3.7bn) annual loss, barely two months after it had booked a shock $19.5bn write-down. The […]
Even auto giants know it: the electric car boom is out of charge
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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