Assorted links

Assorted links: 1. Ripple, or Bills of Exchange 2.0? And new Bitcoin paper (pdf). 2. The decline of Jewish de...

So, when a Republican president caused very notable air traffic delays, did anyone call it ‘political posturing’? After all, Reagan really showed how to disrupt an air traffic system, and for the good of the taxpayers, to boot – ‘This morning at 7 a.m. the union representing those who man America’s air traffic control facilities called a strike. This was the culmination of 7 months of negotiations between the Federal Aviation Administration and the union. At one point in these negotiations agreement was reached and signed by both sides, granting a $40 million increase in salaries and benefits. This is twice what other government employees can expect. It was granted in recognition of the difficulties inherent in the work these people perform. Now, however, the union demands are 17 times what had been agreed to — $681 million. This would impose a tax burden on their fellow c...

Full article: http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2013/02/...