Thank goodness for the San Diego City Council, which has taken a stand against convenience and inexpensive groceries. No Wal-Mart Supercenter will be allowed to open in San Diego.

Supreme Court Hears Arguments in KSR summarizes the oral arguments for KSR International v. Teleflex, an important patent case pending before the Supreme Court. The question involves whether it should be more difficult to obtain a patent for a claimed invention in a patent application.

At some point in the days following the November election, it became conventional wisdom that the Republicans lost control of the House because of the war. That is also said to be the reason that President Bush’s poll numbers have sunk lower than Clinton’s ever were, and are tending towards Nixon-level depths.

Let’s say a City Council set out to improve the community. Does banning Wal-Mart supercenters, as San Diego has done, contribute to the goal? After all, if the community opposed such stores, they would go out of business. If the community supports them, they would thrive.

I spoke at a conference this week where we started with some climate change fanatic from the IEA then followed up with a busybody from the egregious WWF — so, of course, in my bit on commodities (the ostensible purpose of the event!), I couldn’t resist saying that inhibitions to supply included:

“...anthrophobic, anticapitalist environmentalism, whether in the form of cuddly panda pressure groups or the compulsory purchase of the Green indulgences which masquerade as carbon permits...”

and added something about,

At the root of the dazzling revolutionary implosion and collapse of socialism and central planning in the “socialist bloc” is what everyone concedes to be a disastrous economic failure. The peoples and the intellectuals of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union are crying out not only for free speech, democratic assembly, and glasnost, but also for private property and free markets.

Early this year, ethics reform topped Congress’ agenda. Eventually, the House and Senate passed different versions, but their differences were never reconciled. As a result, both bills will disappear at the end of the current session, leaving only a legacy of hot air about members’ desire for reform.

The Journal of Libertarian Studies continues to bring you exciting cutting-edge scholarship in libertarian theory. Here’s what you’ll find in issue 20.3:

Jeff Saut Presents: The Emerald City argues that The Wizard of Oz was