Blog Review 931

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Just a couple more on Draper, Guido and the emails. Should a physiothereapist be describing someone as nuts? And what does the professional body think of that? Ohters think it's all just part of the Westminster bubble.

Continuing with politicians: cap and trade is in theory more desirable than a cabon tax it's just that, well, politicians would have to be involved in designing cap and trade.

And of course there would be lobbyists too: perhaps the most lucrative investment known, paying politicians to write the law your way.

Where our (rather than the bribery) money goes: on layer after layer of bureacuracy.

And then there's the things where instead of taking our money they decide to take our time. The oxymoronic compulsory voluntary service. Which apparently won't apply in Gordon Brown's own (Scottish) constituency.

Given the technological choices being made it is now certain that the national ID card scheme will not be secure. So why bother to have it?

And finally, the present for the man who no longer has everything.

Enlightenment from Adam Smith

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Donald J. Boudreaux over at Cafe Hayek writes an interesting letter to The Times.

Blog Review 930

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How do you make people care for each other when they don't care for each other? Use markets of course!

A message for all those who would limit bankers' pay. It's not as easy to do as you might think.

This week's updates from the fake charities.

One of the problems with group and identity politics (based upon skin colour, sexuality and the like) is that it's archaic. Civilisation is the process of moving away from that very idea.

It turns out that the State isn't even very good at the basic research stuff either.

Backyard economics gets taken out into the backyard....behind the woodshed actually.

And finally, meet Captain Brownadder (and do read the subsequent episodes).

Gibbon and Waugh had it about right

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Decline and fall.

Blog Review 929

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Yes, the big story today, Guido. Didn't the boy do well? There's not a political blog in the country without a post on this subject so Netsmith will forbear from pointing to all of them.

But just what was Labour doing? Appointing a man with this sort of background to lead their online efforts?

He does seem to have, umm, varied interests, to be sure.

This isn't the only email scandal of course: although there is a certain joy at a columnist and leader writer on a major national newspaper complaining that a story isn't being covered by the, umm, major national newspapers.

An elegant and concise description of what is wrong with politics: politicians.

A few years back, income volatility amongst the poor was the polite thing to worry about. Now that income volaility amongst the rich has increased is it still polite to worry about income volatility?

And finally, when the internet comes for you.

The tax poem

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The Tax Poem

Tax his land, Tax his bed, Tax the table at which he's fed. 

Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes are the rule.

Tax his work, Tax his pay, He works for peanuts anyway!

Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat. Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think.

Tax his cigars, Tax his beers, If he cries tax his tears.

Tax his car, Tax his gas, Find other ways to tax his ass.

Tax all he has, Then let him know, That you won't be done till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers, Then tax him some more, Tax him till he's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in which he's laid.

Put these words Upon his tomb, 'Taxes drove me to my doom...'

When he's gone, Do not relax, Its time to apply the inheritance tax.

Blog Review 928

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Architects, their clients, politicians, the civil servants and us.

Yes, our public sector pension funds are in just as much of a mess as this. For the same reason: politicians can promise big pensions knowing that someone else will have to raise the taxes to pay them.

So who gains from deregulation? From supply side reforms? Yes, correct, the consumer.

Speaking of consumers, this might not be the best way to reduce press interest in your consumables.

The damage that the target culture creates.

It appears that tax dodging trusts are not exactly new.

And finally, another classic as if written on Twitter.

Nudge?

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Don't ever think you know what's right for the other person. He might start thinking he knows what's right for you.

Paul Williams, "Das Energi"

Blog Review 927

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The public sector has higher wages than the private. Better pensions....and they're getting better pay rises too. Something's not right here, surely?

Milton's four ways to spend money and when politicians are acting boldly.

Dealing with climate change and Ben Bernanke's PhD thesis. It's uncertainty that's the real problem.

And in dealing with climate change, we could have a complex system that politicians can game and a simple one that they can't. So guess which politicians have chosen?

It's true that newspapers face some difficult technological changes: but they also seem to have a death wish.

A note for drug war warriors. Even when you should be able to control drug production, in fact, even when you do, the effect is only short term.

And finally, this might explain Johann Hari.

Top Hayekians

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A piquant list of the top Hayekian public intellectuals in America. Junksmith would be intersted in seeing an equivalent list for the UK or Europe.