Twain on Congress

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twain-on-congress

Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.

Mark Twain

Little acts of social thuggery

4515

little-acts-of-social-thuggery

Does the right to bring a screaming child on a plane end where everyone elses ears begin?

Thanksgiving

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thanksgiving

As an American, I was obliged to celebrate one of our most time-honored holidays, Thanksgiving. As part of the tradition, many families across America take time before Thanksgiving dinner to express what they are thankful for in their lives. In the spirit of Thanksgiving I would like to talk a bit about a couple of the things I am thankful for.

As an American, I am thankful for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. In today’s world it is easy for government to enter into a slippery slope were rights can be reasoned away. This has never been more apparent than in Britain where we see government stepping into homes and telling more than adequate parents how to raise their children. Invasion of privacy is now perceived as something only criminals should fear, and anyone speaking out against big government is branded as ‘ignorant’ or ‘obtuse’. While things are far from perfect in America, it is comforting to know there is a document that draws a line somewhere; that we at least have a platform to stand on when arguing for personal liberties.

I am also thankful to be living in a socially and economically free country. While we still live in a free Britain, there are many politicians with good intentions that would seek to take that away. Limiting individual and business income with massively high marginal tax rates is what many government leaders believe to be the moral thing to do. Government intervention in the economy has cost thousands of individuals their jobs, and yet they still preach that the solution to the problem is more intrusive action. We are losing the ability to be economically independent of government.

In reality, there is a lot to be thankful for even if you sincerely believe that government is slowly changing that fact. But while we still have a chance we need to stop this wave of government expansion. It is imperative that we stop the massive amounts of public spending and curb the intrusion of government into our personal lives. We need to make the world a place where future generations will still have freedom to be thankful for.

Ketchup, glorious ketchup...

4507

ketchup-glorious-ketchup

Everything you ever wanted to know about ketchup.

Hobart lunch at IEA

4510

hobart-lunch-at-iea

I was privileged to attend what I'm told might be the last ever Hobart Lunch at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA). These monthly munch-ins have been going on regularly for decades, attracting a mix of academics, politicians, students and policy thinkers. Indeed, my first introduction to the free-market policy world was attending one as a student, and sitting cheek by jowl with some of the leading liberal ideas people of the day. Derek Scott, former economic adviser to Tony Blair, gave some remarks about the financial crisis and what to do about it. Sound money, of course, a less politicised civil service and a public expenditure bill heading more to 35% of GDP than its present 45% or more featured among his answers. The last word went to Esca Hayek, who congratulated the outgoing director, John Blundell on his long stewardship of the IEA in a way that her father-in-law, the great Nobel economist FA Hayek (who played a key role in its founding), would have heartily approved.

Alien environmentalists

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alien-environmentalists

And now even the aliens are not happy with the way we treat the environment.

George Miller-Kurakin

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george-miller-kurakin

As reported in yesterday’s Independent the Adam Smith Institute recently lost a great friend and a heroic fighter for freedom. George Miller-Kurakin was an anti-communist activist who during the 1980s was not only a close associate of the ASI but in orchestrating a wide range of direct actions behind the Iron curtain he inspired a generation of young freedom fighters during what turned out to be the latter decade of the cold war.

A larger than life character with a great sense of humour, George was thoughtful, generous and staunch. Strategic, visionary and an outstanding executioner of field-craft and tactics he always believed that Communism would eventually collapse under the weight of its own manifest contradictions. How right he was. Rest in peace.

Hope...

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hope

Superfreakeconomics

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superfreakeconomics

The follow up to Freakonomics, the successful debut by Levitt and Dubner, has been out for over a month now. Superfreakonomics - subtitled - "Global cooling, patriotic prostitutes and why suicide bombers should by life insurance" is another fantastic book on economics laid bare in simple terms for the layman to understand. You can pick this book up and open it wherever, and read about why it's more dangerous to walk home drunk than to drive home drunk or indeed why experiments with monkeys had to be ended due to their behavioural changes when money was introduced into their community.

Superfreakonomics shines a light on the subtleties that incentives have on human behaviour and explains why certain things occur. They uncover the truth surrounding the infamous, Genovesse murder in New York and the connection between TV and crime in India and the US. The chapter on cooling the globe is fascinating as it raises the question about what we as humans are prioritising and whether it is the correct approach, especially as there are plenty of cheaper alternatives.

This book is a fabulous, eyeopening and educational read. A superb follow up to their previous work which, again, is easy to absorb and understand and can be read in an afternoon.

Musing Heath

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musing-heath

Some interesting thoughts from the excellent Allister Heath in City A.M.