Comments on: Their Moon Shot and Ours https://www.isegoria.net/2010/09/their-moon-shot-and-ours/ From the ancient Greek for equality in freedom of speech; an eclectic mix of thoughts, large and small Fri, 01 May 2026 09:53:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: David Foster https://www.isegoria.net/2010/09/their-moon-shot-and-ours/comment-page-1/#comment-25137 David Foster Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:26:14 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=22007#comment-25137 People like Friedman always focus on snazzy-looking passenger trains rather than on the workaday freight trains that are so vital to every industrial economy. Chinese railroad expert Zhao Jian (quoted in Financial Times) argues that the country would do better to focus on conventional rail and passenger equipment operable thereon. “The government just wants to have the biggest and fastest number one train set in the world.”

When I was in Spain several years ago, I picked up a history book which said the entire shape of the Spanish rail network had been heavily distorted by political considerations, and that the northern part of the country was still paying the price for this awkward configuration.

I doubt if Friedman has made any serious study of either passenger or freight railroading, but this of course doesn’t stop him from opining about the wonderfulness of China’s strategy.

]]> By: Borepatch https://www.isegoria.net/2010/09/their-moon-shot-and-ours/comment-page-1/#comment-25124 Borepatch Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:05:56 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=22007#comment-25124 HAHAHAHAHA

A guy as smart as Friedman, you’d think he’d have heard of John Chambers, and letting the market pick your winners.

]]>