Because it’s cheaper than this?

I'll take the W.

It's 2.50 at my local grocery store. That picture is from Grand Central Station, and is likely aimed at the billion or so tourists taking selfies.

🌍 Space is no longer a separate domain—it shapes economic growth, regional development, and global governance. Mija Aleksandraviciute, Michael Impink, and I argue for a strategic industrial policy to ensure inclusive, resilient growth.

Full article: www.brookings.edu/articles/ind...

📋 Industrial policy for space must move beyond deregulation. Priorities include:
-Foundational infrastructure investment
-Aligning incentives & regulatory frameworks
-Entrepreneurial ecosystem & workforce development
-Coordination across federal, state, & international actors

📑 Policy responses are emerging. In Aug 2025, Pres. Trump signed an executive order to accelerate commercial space: streamlined environmental reviews, updated launch regulations, and coordinated oversight of spaceport infrastructure.

www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/...

⚠️ Governance & infrastructure gaps:
-Orbital congestion & debris
-Liability and property rights in space
-Underinvestment in public goods (spaceports, test facilities, monitoring)

--> Private innovation accelerates, but common frameworks and infrastructure often lag.

💡 Economic impacts are twofold:
1️⃣ Direct gains—new firms, jobs, and services in space sectors
2️⃣ Spillovers—advances in sensors, materials, and disaster resilience on Earth

Read more in our @brookings.edu article

www.brookings.edu/articles/ind...

My take: AI is an easy scapegoat-- certainly easier to blame instead of economic and political uncertainty.

Moreover, most firms haven't adopted AI in any meaningful way (Census research puts adoption at about 9% of firms).

Like "Infrastructure week"

I have to admit I am now starting to notice a bit of an improvement. Perhaps my initial experiences were somewhat isolated.

I'd adjust your sentence to "people started seeing it wasn't the end of the world".

I've posted before about this: to the average new yorker, traffic seems just as bad as it always has been. You can show me all the charts you want, and I'll tell you: traffic here sucks.