Tony Castelletto
@acastelletto.bsky.social
Former Rocket Scientist, Lexicographer Extraordinaire, Occasional Librarian, Hack Economist, Environmental Policy Expert, and so much more.
Jack of all trades, master of none, I've made a life and career of Plan B.
Jack of all trades, master of none, I've made a life and career of Plan B.
The theory behind discounting in economics is interesting, especially when you deal with public goods and the environment. In computing the discount rate of future benefits (and costs), you terms like 'pure impatience' and 'risk of extinction'. Pure impatience is just the desire to have it now.
November 26, 2025 at 7:22 PM
The theory behind discounting in economics is interesting, especially when you deal with public goods and the environment. In computing the discount rate of future benefits (and costs), you terms like 'pure impatience' and 'risk of extinction'. Pure impatience is just the desire to have it now.
So, I know this writer*wink!*, and he's just starting up on Blue Sky.
bsky.app/profile/acso...
bsky.app/profile/acso...
bsky.app
November 25, 2025 at 4:52 AM
So, I know this writer*wink!*, and he's just starting up on Blue Sky.
bsky.app/profile/acso...
bsky.app/profile/acso...
The irony of the US workplace. When I worked construction, I was never issued a hard hat. As an economist (sorta) who studies infrastructure, I'm issued a full set of safety gear on the off chance that I'll visit a facility in the field.
November 24, 2025 at 10:19 PM
The irony of the US workplace. When I worked construction, I was never issued a hard hat. As an economist (sorta) who studies infrastructure, I'm issued a full set of safety gear on the off chance that I'll visit a facility in the field.
It's a good day when you realize you should cite one of your own papers. I'm getting a lot of mileage out of my work on the economics of sea otters. In this case, it's a fun example of how to value things outside of markets.
November 21, 2025 at 11:48 PM
It's a good day when you realize you should cite one of your own papers. I'm getting a lot of mileage out of my work on the economics of sea otters. In this case, it's a fun example of how to value things outside of markets.
A career in Public Policy can be weird on the ego. Even if you're just rank and file. The news stories on TV and radio are often about you. No, you're not delusional or grandiose. You're just working on matters of concern to the public. Still jarring when you hear a news story like that.
November 21, 2025 at 12:22 AM
A career in Public Policy can be weird on the ego. Even if you're just rank and file. The news stories on TV and radio are often about you. No, you're not delusional or grandiose. You're just working on matters of concern to the public. Still jarring when you hear a news story like that.
One thing I like about my current profession is that I get to use things like the Kaldor Criterion. This sounds like it could be the title of a Star Trek or Stargate episode. But, really the Kaldor (-Hicks) Criterion (or Efficiency) is just a measure of policy effectiveness.
November 19, 2025 at 12:02 AM
One thing I like about my current profession is that I get to use things like the Kaldor Criterion. This sounds like it could be the title of a Star Trek or Stargate episode. But, really the Kaldor (-Hicks) Criterion (or Efficiency) is just a measure of policy effectiveness.
My previous post brings up the question of just what my wife and I riding when we go electric? My wife rides a Tern GSD.
www.ternbicycles.com/us/bikes/473...
www.ternbicycles.com/us/bikes/473...
GSD: Our Best Electric Cargo Bike for Families | Tern Bicycles
Meet the Tern GSD: Our Best Cargo eBike for Families
www.ternbicycles.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:27 AM
My previous post brings up the question of just what my wife and I riding when we go electric? My wife rides a Tern GSD.
www.ternbicycles.com/us/bikes/473...
www.ternbicycles.com/us/bikes/473...
globalnews.ca/news/1060652...
Could E-bikes give you a break financially? The answer is probably. Even in car dependent in LA our e-bikes come close to replacing the car. Living in a more compact city, the potential for e-bikes to replace cars is even greater.
Could E-bikes give you a break financially? The answer is probably. Even in car dependent in LA our e-bikes come close to replacing the car. Living in a more compact city, the potential for e-bikes to replace cars is even greater.
EVs could get more expensive in Canada. Are e-bikes the right fit for you? - National | Globalnews.ca
With surveys suggesting Canadians are feeling the strain from vehicle ownership, many will be looking for an alternative. For many, the answer may lie beyond the car.
globalnews.ca
November 11, 2025 at 9:10 PM
globalnews.ca/news/1060652...
Could E-bikes give you a break financially? The answer is probably. Even in car dependent in LA our e-bikes come close to replacing the car. Living in a more compact city, the potential for e-bikes to replace cars is even greater.
Could E-bikes give you a break financially? The answer is probably. Even in car dependent in LA our e-bikes come close to replacing the car. Living in a more compact city, the potential for e-bikes to replace cars is even greater.
Yeah, it's a Monday. Thank goodness it's a holiday tomorrow.
November 11, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Yeah, it's a Monday. Thank goodness it's a holiday tomorrow.
Amedeo is not bothered by the return to the standard time. He's still gonna get his sun.
November 5, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Amedeo is not bothered by the return to the standard time. He's still gonna get his sun.
Best title for an academic paper this week: "A Less Terrifying Universe? Mundanity as an Explanation for the Fermi Paradox" Read it here: arxiv.org/pdf/2509.22878
arxiv.org
October 23, 2025 at 5:04 AM
Best title for an academic paper this week: "A Less Terrifying Universe? Mundanity as an Explanation for the Fermi Paradox" Read it here: arxiv.org/pdf/2509.22878
Take a break from fighting fascism with Amedeo.
October 8, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Take a break from fighting fascism with Amedeo.
www.briefingbook.info/p/how-cuts-t...
Work from and old professor and his gang. They'll shiv you with a Difference-In-Difference in a in faculty lounge for sure. They bring an important aspect of health care subsidies that's often missed.
Work from and old professor and his gang. They'll shiv you with a Difference-In-Difference in a in faculty lounge for sure. They bring an important aspect of health care subsidies that's often missed.
How Cuts to the Insurance Marketplaces Will Harm Entrepreneurs
Small business owners and the self-employed rely on the marketplaces, and coverage is about to become less affordable
www.briefingbook.info
October 8, 2025 at 9:33 PM
www.briefingbook.info/p/how-cuts-t...
Work from and old professor and his gang. They'll shiv you with a Difference-In-Difference in a in faculty lounge for sure. They bring an important aspect of health care subsidies that's often missed.
Work from and old professor and his gang. They'll shiv you with a Difference-In-Difference in a in faculty lounge for sure. They bring an important aspect of health care subsidies that's often missed.
If you wind up with imaginary numbers in economics and policy, you are doing something very wrong. On the other hand, using fictitious numbers is just fine.
October 8, 2025 at 9:23 PM
If you wind up with imaginary numbers in economics and policy, you are doing something very wrong. On the other hand, using fictitious numbers is just fine.
Amedeo is hibernating in anticipation of another brutal LA Winter.
October 3, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Amedeo is hibernating in anticipation of another brutal LA Winter.
Jago wakes up, smells the coffee, and decides not to bother.
October 3, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Jago wakes up, smells the coffee, and decides not to bother.
Word of the day "Poka-Yoke". I gotta love a profession which has vocabulary like this. It's a Japanese term referring to safety design.
September 24, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Word of the day "Poka-Yoke". I gotta love a profession which has vocabulary like this. It's a Japanese term referring to safety design.
The world isn't all bad. Thanks to AI, cats can now take selfies.
September 12, 2025 at 3:54 PM
The world isn't all bad. Thanks to AI, cats can now take selfies.
The administration wants to change 401K rules to allow you to invest in private equity? Should you? The answer is that it depends. Private Equity (Hedge Funds) operate outside the reporting and enforcement rules of the SEC. That's not necessarily bad. But, it involves taking on more risk.
September 11, 2025 at 9:43 PM
The administration wants to change 401K rules to allow you to invest in private equity? Should you? The answer is that it depends. Private Equity (Hedge Funds) operate outside the reporting and enforcement rules of the SEC. That's not necessarily bad. But, it involves taking on more risk.
I'm a little sad today. I finally deleted my Facebook account. This is small amid the violence today and that which many are promising for the future. I'd been putting off deleting the account for a while. Truth is that I met some neat people through FB and renewed many a friendship.
September 11, 2025 at 12:54 AM
I'm a little sad today. I finally deleted my Facebook account. This is small amid the violence today and that which many are promising for the future. I'd been putting off deleting the account for a while. Truth is that I met some neat people through FB and renewed many a friendship.
Startling realization: Bowtie Diagrams are the Feynman Diagrams of the Risk and Safety world. It's the graphical representation of the Path Integral of Peril for any socio-technical system.
August 22, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Startling realization: Bowtie Diagrams are the Feynman Diagrams of the Risk and Safety world. It's the graphical representation of the Path Integral of Peril for any socio-technical system.
In other news, LA now has an "alien church". For reals! Alien Jesus & everything. I swear sometimes it's like living in "Transmetropolitan". Especially since the 2028 election will likely pit "The Beast" against "The Smiler".
August 22, 2025 at 9:30 PM
In other news, LA now has an "alien church". For reals! Alien Jesus & everything. I swear sometimes it's like living in "Transmetropolitan". Especially since the 2028 election will likely pit "The Beast" against "The Smiler".
One of the tough things about doing policy work is dealing with the Statistical Value of Human Life, aka Valuation of Statistical Life. This is part and parcel of any safety and risk analysis. It's pretty much the devil's work but the devil does get to weigh in here.
August 22, 2025 at 8:34 PM
One of the tough things about doing policy work is dealing with the Statistical Value of Human Life, aka Valuation of Statistical Life. This is part and parcel of any safety and risk analysis. It's pretty much the devil's work but the devil does get to weigh in here.