Republican Sadism

There can only be one explanation for why Republicans are so intent on tearing up the safety net. It can be nothing but cruelty and the desire to hurt the unfortunate. If I were a Republican, I would be so ashamed. But then, I would be a Republican and basic morality would be an alien concept to me.

Negative Power Prices

Sometimes you can get paid for using power. This has happened in Germany because high wind generation combined with low demand produces power that has no where to go. So power users are paid for the power they use rather than the other way around. Fossil and nuclear generators can not be ramped down fast enough to reduce the surplus.

Bogus Patents

Sometimes our patent system is a real mess. The three main causes have been identified, bad incentives, abusive filers, and excessive workloads.

• The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is funded by fees—and the agency gets more fees if it approves an application.

• Unlimited opportunities to refile rejected applications means sometimes granting a patent is the only way to get rid of a persistent applicant.

• Patent examiners are given less time to review patent applications as they gain seniority, leading to less thorough reviews.

It doesn't help true innovation when there's so much wrong with the system that's supposed to help it.