Alec Stapp

@alecstapp.bsky.social

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Co-founder IFP

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Contender for favorite chart of all time: Predictions vs. Reality for solar energy.

We need to make it easier to build transmission lines

"Yes in God's Backyard" is such a fun pro-housing idea

This might be the best explanation I’ve seen for the divergence between consumer sentiment and economic data

One way to solve the “shortage” of environmental review experts: Don’t require >4,000-page environmental reviews for things like congestion pricing.

New research finds the COVID vaccines saved 2.4 million lives

Love when a bill has a name like this rather than some contrived acronym

In a high interest rate, high inflation environment, protectionist measures like the Jones Act hurt even more. Need to repeal these inefficient polices ASAP so we can build.

Good news of the day: Verdict in major class action lawsuit finds that the National Association of Realtors conspired to maintain 6% commissions in violation of US antitrust laws.

But I was told the app was setting all-time records…

Occasional reminder:

I think about this list from Eli Dourado a lot. Progress is a policy choice.

Fixed-price contracts have much better incentives than cost-plus contracts. If Boeing can't make money on fixed-price contracts, then that's a Boeing problem, not a government contracting problem.

many such cases

Spot on from Benedict Evans

Drivers used to just mow down kids, look at these numbers

"Foreign nationals make up more than 60% of advanced STEM degree students at US universities in the technical fields for chip industry jobs. The US trains foreigners in its world-class education system, but immigration policies make it difficult for US companies to hire them."

Good incremental reform: Letting immigrants renew their visas in the US (rather than forcing them to leave the country to wait in backlogs at foreign consulates)

Good news of the day: TurboTax and other tax prep industry lobbyists have failed to stop the IRS from offering free tax filing

TIL the record for fastest train speed in the US — 295 kmph — was achieved by mounting two jet engines from a B-36 bomber to a normal diesel railcar. www.construction-physics.com/p/the-long-s...

Good news: The US military is investing in advanced geothermal, a clean and reliable source of energy

The leadership of Operation Warp Speed made a lot of personal sacrifices to deliver a safe and effective vaccine in record time. And they get almost no credit. www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/10...

“Deaths of Despair” was such a powerful meme that almost no one stopped to question if it was true. “Overdoses from Opioids” is actually the correct explanation.

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Alec Stapp

Yeah, this is the first big global news event in a decade that I haven’t tracked on Twitter or been able to. I have lists where I can track US political responses but the actual news is overwhelmed by bluecheck frauds and scammers, sharing videos from 2021 to get engagement/cash.

Spot on from @caseynewton.bsky.social

Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of the DC metro system (and postwar subway construction more generally): www.construction-physics.com/p/how-washin...

How Washington DC Got Its Metrowww.construction-physics.com There have been two main periods of subway (or “metro”) building in the US. The first was during the late 19th century and early 20th century, when Boston, New York, and Philadelphia all built sub...

The backstory to how GPS became freely available for civilian use 🤯

Take a wild guess which year the National Maximum Speed Limit of 55 miles per hour went into effect

Loved this story www.wsj.com/world/uk/gra...

Gray-Z: The 66-Year-Old Retired Teacher Taking Britain’s Battle-Rap Scene by Stormwww.wsj.com Joy France trades rhymes with Spider J. ’It showed me how I shouldn’t judge other people, just as they shouldn’t judge me.’

Huge milestone for our metascience team at IFP! The leadership at NSF is committed to using experiments to improve how the agency funds research and innovation. We’re honored to support their work.