West Michigan Diary: Swim at your own risk, adults
One thing I appreciate the most about Michigan is the fact that it really is the Great Lakes State. It touches on four of the five Great Lakes, though I have to say that my favorites are Superior and Michigan. When it comes to its beaches, Michigan treats adults like adults. The various parks may offer lifeguards at various times, but the rule (as far […]
West Michigan Diary: Badgering the Badger
The business of regulators is to regulate, even when it makes little sense. After all, there are jobs to protect. As a result, regulations often neglect the principle of diminishing marginal utility. (Here’s a quick illustration: The first doughnut you eat may be very enjoyable. The second, less so, and by the fourth, you may be sick.) Air and water quality in the United States […]
West Michigan Diary: A tale of two airports
I’ve flown into or through about 50 airports over the years, including the one in ultra-chic Aspen, Colorado. But I don’t think I have seen a terminal as beautiful as that possessed by the Cherry Capital Airport, in Traverse City. It helps that I’m a sucker for the design schools used in the building, but still, I’m impressed. Stained glass windows abound. Need to talk […]
West Michigan Diary: Standing at the bottle return
One thing that I have noticed during my recent trip back to Michigan is the bottle-deposit law. When the idea of requiring customers to pay extra money for their beer or pop was put before the voters in 1976, I thought it was a good idea. (Then again, I also would have voted for Jimmy Carter, had I been old enough.) In my defense, I […]
West Michigan Diary: Signs, signs, everywhere a sign
More in a continuing series of observations made during my recent trip to western Michigan. There’s a presidential election coming up this fall, one that will be the most important in our lifetime. At least that’s what I hear from my activist friends. But I’d never know it by driving around. There are no yard signs for Barack Obama or (as would be more likely […]
Institutions of society and the Penn State scandal
So the NCAA has brought the hammer down on the Penn State football program, and more generally, the university. Good for them. The scandal reminds us that there (and should be) various institutions in our lives, each with a different role to play. Prosecutors within government brought criminal penalties against Jerry Sandusky, who now awaits sentencing for his crimes. There may also be criminal penalties […]
West Michigan Diary: Why are Michiganaders Fat?
During my recent Michigan trip, I made several visits to Meijer. Going to the outfit that pioneered the superstore concept always takes me back to my childhood, and I was pleased to see that they still offer the kids penny rides on the mechanical horse. But I noticed something else in my shopping there: Michigan residents are fat. While pacing the aisles looking for coffee […]