Review of Gene Epstein, Econospinning
Gene Epstein, Econospinning: How to Read Between the Lines When the Media Manipulate the Numbers. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2006
Liberty versus Democracy
Introduction by Jörg Guido Hülsmann
The war years had brought economic hardship to Mises, and if he ever had any illusions about the state of the American mind before he came to the United States in 1940, he had certainly lost them by the end of the war. American public opinion was already entirely under the sway of statism. And as a consequence the old American liberties were at an all-time low.
Is the Vitamin Cartel a Threat? A Case Study of Antitrust Failure
The EU antitrust law leaves many businessmen in a fog. It is difficult enough satisfying fickle consumers. On top of that, they have to devote a lot of time and resources into complying with regulations that in fact hamper competition in markets. The regulators are effectively saying that they know more efficient ways of organizing markets than those who actually buy and sell. As a person with no experience of running a restaurant, if I told a restaurant owner how much meat and vegetables to buy per day, how many bottles of lemonades to buy, how many waiters to hire and so on, it would be disastrous. Such knowledge can only be gained through experience and no super calculation can compete with that.
Global Warming Is Not a Threat but the Environmentalist Response to It Is (Full Version)
This article is the original, full version from which three previous articles that have appeared on this blog were excerpted. Those articles were “The Environmentalist Noose Is Tightening” (February 9, 2007, “Global Warming Is Not a Threat But the Environmentalist Response to It Is” (March 12, 2007), and “Global Warming: Environmentalism’s Threat of Hell on Earth” (March 16, 2007).
Global Warming Does Not Imply a Carbon Cap
Is the Stock Market Rising?
I rather like this chart from the New York Times showing the value of the S&P 500 Index in the dollar, three foreign currencies, gold, houses, oil and corn. While the index shows appreciation in currency values, it has been meandering sideways or even lagging when measured in terms of the physical assets.
Copyright Disney Style
Search For Liberty
In the past, I have mentioned the fact that one can donate to the Mises Institute by using GoodSearch.Com But, I have become aware of a new search engine that supports another great cause: SearchRonPaul.Com So, I suggest you spread your search queries around to fund the message of freedom.
Revolutionary Television Design Killed by Patents
Ah, gotta love the “innovation-stimulating” effect of the federal-legislation-created patent system: SED televisions delayed, again -- possibly forever:
Ask “what can I do for myself?”
May 29 marks John F. Kennedy’s 90th birthday. Given his iconic status, we will hear his most famous line — “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country,” more than a few times. But unfortunately, few will think carefully about it.
Supply and the State
On Friday and Saturday nights, the line to get a bottle of wine at the liquor store in this southern Utah town can stretch out the back door. The storage area of the town’s lone liquor store is often stacked so high and so wide with cases of alcohol it’s tough to walk or push a dolly through. But it doesn’t take long for the piles to shrink and for customers to start complaining the store is out of stock.
