Paul Anthony Samuelson (May 15, 1915 – December 13, 2009), first American Nobel Prize laureate (1970) has died, at the age of 94.

I was lucky to meet him at the M.I.T on the glorious day of November 9, 1989, the day of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the day that symbolized the end of the world system of the communist slavery.

We are all advised against speaking ill of the dead. I shall not. Paul Samuelson was a witty, humorous and very friendly and pleasant man. He was the only one I knew that rivaled Murray Rothbard in the elegance of wearing bow ties.

…is transforming “health care in India through a simple premise that works in other industries: economies of scale. By driving huge volumes, even of procedures as sophisticated, delicate and dangerous as heart surgery, Dr. Shetty has managed to drive down the cost of health care in his nation of one billion.” In the process, he and his doctors are making health care affordable to some of the poorest people in India.

Read the whole article HERE.

While driving my son to school one morning, I heard a National Public Radio interview with John Cassidy, author of the new book How Markets Fail. Fortunately, we got to the front of the line before Cassidy let out the zingers. A few minutes earlier, and my son would have seen Daddy lose his temper.

It’s one thing to criticize Paul Krugman for his views on Austrian economics, but only a brave soul would have the temerity to question Krugman’s discussion of the Keynesian approach to international trade, right? Since Krugman is the world’s most famous living Keynesian, and he won the Nobel (Memorial) Prize for his work on trade theory, accusing him of a basic error on this score would be akin to telling Madonna she knows nothing of pop music.

Another enticing sign along the road toward serfdom is “equality.” It is one of the most appealing enticements of all, and therefore holds great danger to liberty and freedom.

Last night CNBC premiered “The Bubble Decade” with host David Faber looking back at the three boom-and-bust episodes of the past 10 years–tech, real estate and private equity. It will replay Sunday and no doubt many more times in the coming weeks and months.

Leaving aside the analysis at the end, the program is quite good. No, the Austrian Business Cycle Theory is not considered, but John McAfee’s story, in particular, is extraordinary and gives one a peek into the entrepreneurial mind.