Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Steve Lokness who wrote (125226)	11/20/2009 6:22:38 PM
From: Mary Cluney	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 543748

<<<Yes, but why not go one step further - and provide incentives for tomorrows new technology and industries? >>> I sort of agree but getting it right is a big crap shoot. You have to be like an early stage venture capitalist. You put money into a lot of sectors hoping for a few winners. Betting on Boeing is like betting on technology that is not only cutting edge but it is proven technology.

To: Steve Lokness who wrote (125226)	11/20/2009 10:57:35 PM
From: slacker711	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 543748

and provide incentives for tomorrows new technology and industries? The reason is that the government so often gets it wrong when it comes to picking winners and has a huge amount of difficulty shifting course. There is a difference between subsidizing steel or auto production and trying to figure out what next gen tech is going to take over the world. The Japanese were subsidizing things like robotics in the late 80's and early 90's....just about when the internet was ready to revamp the world. and yes, I know that the internet came out of DARPA. However, there is a big difference between subsidizing basic research and subsidizing industries. I gave the example before, but both Japan and China have thrown tens of billions down the drain because they chose the wrong mobile standards to support. China may end up spending a hundred billion on wind farms only to find out that solar power was the better solution (or something completely out of left field). Slacker