Dr. Paul was received like a rock star at the 2014 Conferência De Escola Austríaca in Sao Paulo, with more than 400 people attending his keynote speech.  Thanks to Helio Beltrao of Mises Brazil for hosting Ron and putting on a fantastic event. More photos here, and Ron’s report here.

A senior economist at Goldman Sachs has weighed in on the upcoming Scottish independence vote, and it’s not pretty:

The Free Market 31, no. 11 (November 2013)

Marc Abela talks with us about the state of Austrian economics and the freedom philosophy in Japan. Abela, a Canadian by birth, has lived in Japan for almost 20 years and has organized the Mises Meeting in recent years, at which Japanese scholars in the Austrian tradition gather to discuss their scholarship. He also organized the recent birthday celebration for Toshio Murata, who introduced Austrian economics to Japan.

The Free Market 31, no. 11 (November 2013)

The Free Market 31, no. 12 (December 2013)

Mary Sennholz, wife of Austrian economist Hans Sennholz and friend of Margit and Ludwig von Mises, recently spoke with Senior Fellow Jeffrey Herbener and Associated Scholar Shawn Ritenour about her long career as a writer and editor, and as a friend and colleague of many other giants of the Austrian School. The interview was recorded as part of the Mises Institute’s Oral History Project for release in 2014.

The Free Market 31, no. 12 (December 2013)

Mises Institute Senior Fellow Thomas Woods in October launched The Tom Woods Show, which quickly became a top-rated podcast on iTunes. Woods recently interviewed Mises Institute Chairman Lew Rockwell on the show, and toward the end of the interview, Woods asked Lew about his vision for the future of the Institute. The following is adapted from the interview:

Thomas Woods: What would you like to see the Institute doing that it isn’t doing today?

In the latest episode in the global War on Cash, Uruguay will ban all cash transactions for more than US$5,000.  The law is set to take effect May 2015 and also mandates that all taxes, no matter how small the sum owed, must be paid electronically. HT to Nick G

Soon you will no longer be able to purchase Switzerland’s finest watches for cash.  One of the last  bastions of financial privacy, a fundamental prerequisite of individual liberty, has succumbed to the global war on cash.  The Swiss Federal government is proposing to ban cash payments of more than 100,000 francs ($107, 500 at the current exchange rate) including on watches and real estate.

Jeff Deist, president of the Mises Institute, recently spoke with The Free Market about his introduction to the Austrian School and his work with Ron Paul.

The Free Market: How did you become interested in Austrian economics?

How large a problem is moral hazard caused by the Fed helping out troubled bank during financial crises? Pretty large, at least according to Jeffrey Lacker, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.