Welcome to Critical Mass

Welcome to my new blog. Critical Mass is intended to be a discussion forum for public policy and its impacts. As I'm based in Boston, much of the focus will be on the happenings in Massachusetts, but my interest does not stop at the state line. I'm greatly interested in the decisions we make as a people, and as a civilization, that affect both our present and our future. Much of my focus will be on local issues that are topical in other parts of the country, and the world.

My background is in real estate. Consequently, I can talk all day about land use policy and its relation to economic and social issues. There will be more than a few posts in that field. But economics is where my heart lies. I'm fascinated by the study of choices and I find that it explains a great many phenomena. It also is a useful tool for uncovering the real motivations for things that happen, whether those motives are conscious or not.

With those thoughts in mind, I hope to cover a variety of subjects, such as land use, government, finance, fiscal policy, monetary policy, sociology, even geopolitics. In a few areas I have some actual expertise ;) but overall I hope to bring a fresh perspective from a lay person's experience and point of view. Sometimes a fresh outside perspective can bring a dose of reality to a situation.

The posts themselves will be a combination of news articles, opinion, editorial, and humor, and I'll make every attempt to properly cite sources when possible. My hope is to contribute in the public discourse on the public matters that are discussed. I think this blog will also serve as an interesting summary and timeline of the issues we face. If you are reading this, I hope you enjoy this content, and I thank you for your time.

MM