My inner Economics fangirl is happy

OMMMMIIIIIGODDDDD!

I shaked hands with Thomas Schelling today.

I had to beg and beg to go to his lecture because it conflicted with Taipei Zoo's 20th anniversary. In the end I got up at six in the morning to take the train to Chungli to catch his lecture before dashing back to the zoo in the afternoon to cover that. When I got to the university, they told me that because I didn't register, the auditorium was already full. But somehow I brazened my way in there.

Now that I've gotten that sad display of starstruck dizzyness out of the way, onto Schelling's actual speech. He was speaking on the issue of global warming, something which he had been working on for more than 25 years. In Schelling's view, developing countries need to go full steam ahead on development since in his view higher levels of development (better sanitation, GM crops, irrigation technology) cushions one from the impact of global warming. On the other hand, developed nations ought to show their sincerity about dealing with the problem by cutting emissions and putting a lot more money in R+D for technological advancements like carbon sequestering.

He also dismisses the Kyoto quota-based approach in favor for a Marshall plan approach. I really wish I asked him what he meant exactly by that and how it relates to his research on game theory. But I've already asked two questions at the Q and A, one of which he answered to my satisfaction and one he did not.

Maybe I'll put the audio up later, so you can hear my stammering awkwardness in all its glory.