How to Fix the Jobs Problem - Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr. - Mises Institute

How to Fix the Jobs Problem - Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr. - Mises Institute: "All this talk of unemployment is preposterous. Think of it. We live in a world with lots of imperfections, things that need to be done. It has always been so and always will be so. That means that there is always work to be done, and therefore, always jobs. The problem of unemployment is a problem of disconnect between those who would work and those who would hire."


"The high minimum wage that knocks out the first several rungs from the bottom of the ladder

The high payroll tax that robs employees and employers of resources

The laws that threaten firms with lawsuits should the employee be fired

The laws that established myriad conditions for hiring beyond the market-based condition that matters: can he or she get the job done?

The unemployment subsidy in the form of phony insurance that pays people not to work

The high cost of business start-ups in the form of taxes and mandates

The mandated benefits that employers are forced to cough up for every new employee under certain conditions

The withholding tax that prevents employers and employees from making their own deals

The age restrictions that treat everyone under the age of 16 as useless

The social-security and income taxes that together devour nearly half of contract income

The labor-union laws that permit thugs to loot a firm and keep out workers who would love a chance to offer their wares for less"

Chat: What do you really want to know?

Clint: Do you know if LaMoine is working from home today?
Me: Yes.
Clint: Ok, thanks
Me: So do you want to know if he is remote or do you just want to know if I know if he is remote? :-)
Clint: lol
Clint: I should have known ... is he working from home
Me: He's standing about 10' from me right now. :-)

Book Review: Crazy Like a Fox | Andrew J. Coulson | Cato Institute: Commentary

Book Review: Crazy Like a Fox | Andrew J. Coulson | Cato Institute: Commentary: "AIPCS students are taught that they can't afford to give prospective colleges or employers any reason to doubt their skills or work ethic. And they learn this not merely by being told, but through the strictly enforced school rules to which all students must adhere, and their parents accept.

Students arriving late to school must sit on the floor. Chairs are a privilege, not an entitlement. Cell phones may not be used, or even seen, within the school. The same goes for jewelry. Violators see their property confiscated—not until the end of the school day, but the end of the school year. Families who want the property returned sooner have an option: withdraw their kids from AIPCS."

"Plenty of observers are appalled that Chavis embarrasses students to enforce school rules. He has no patience for such critics, whom he sees as lacking perspective. 'Some may call my use of public humiliation extreme; however, Oakland is an extreme city with a high homicide rate. I would rather embarrass them now than see my students get killed.'"

Obama's Faith-Based Boondoggle | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary

Obama's Faith-Based Boondoggle | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary: "No one denies that private charities, especially faith-based ones, can transform lives and help lift people out of poverty and despair. Indeed, private charities are more effective than government welfare programs in fulfilling those roles. It seems natural, therefore, to want to encourage these groups. However, mixing government and charity risks undermining the things that have made private charity effective."

"Government money never comes without strings."

"Besides, why should faith-based charities eschew proselytizing and strictly religious functions? There is a reason for the "faith" in "faith-based charities." These organizations believe that helping people requires more than food or a bed. It requires addressing deeper spiritual needs. From their perspective, it is about God. Yet, in the end, government involvement transforms private charities from institutions that change people's lives to providers of services - government programs in clerical collars."

" If the history of welfare proves anything, it is that government money is as addictive as any narcotic. Ironically, therefore, given that many private charities are dedicated to fighting welfare dependency, government funding may quickly become a source of dependency for the charities themselves."

"Government funding is antithetical to the nature of charity. After all, the essence of private charity is that it is voluntary. Tax money is based on coercion. There is neither compassion nor love behind a grant of money forcibly taken from taxpayers who may have no desire to support the charity in question."

Head Start: A Tragic Waste of Money | Andrew J. Coulson | Cato Institute: Commentary

Head Start: A Tragic Waste of Money | Andrew J. Coulson | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Head Start, the most sacrosanct federal education program, doesn't work.

That's the finding of a sophisticated study just released by President Obama's Department of Health and Human Services.

Created in 1965, the comprehensive preschool program for 3- and 4-year olds and their parents is meant to narrow the education gap between low-income students and their middle- and upper-income peers. Forty-five years and $166 billion later, it has been proven a failure."

"In fact, not a single one of the 114 tests administered to first graders — of academics, socio-emotional development, health care/health status and parenting practice — showed a reliable, statistically significant effect from participating in Head Start."

"Instead of throwing more dollars at this proven failure, President Obama might consider throwing his weight behind proven successes. A federal program that pays private-school tuition for poor DC families, for instance, has been shown to raise students' reading performance by more than two grade levels after just three years, compared to a control group of students who stayed in public schools. And it does so at about a quarter the cost to taxpayers of DC's public schools."

Campaign Finance Reform: A Libertarian Primer | Robert A. Levy | Cato Institute: Commentary

Campaign Finance Reform: A Libertarian Primer | Robert A. Levy | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The Court decided in McConnell that political expression was entitled to less First Amendment protection than Klan speech, pornography, and flag burning. Each of those is constitutionally protected; but if a corporation such as, say, Random House were to publish a book with the words 'Vote for Obama' anywhere in the text, the entire book could be banned. Ditto for any book distributed via Amazon's Kindle that simply named a candidate for federal office within 60 days of a general election or 30 days of a primary."

"Under the post-Citizens United rules, corporations and unions still cannot contribute directly to candidates; and they still have to disclose when they pay for an advertisement — so we will know who's footing the bill. But the ad itself, if it's independent and not coordinated with the candidate, can be broadcast without restriction. Further, corporations and unions will now be able to say 'Vote for [or against] Candidate X.' Before Citizens United, they had to say 'Call Candidate X and tell her you like [or don't like] her views' on a particular issue. Most of us would agree, that distinction makes little sense."

"The Court has been reluctant to grasp the notion that politics is essentially a bargain between candidates and the voters. When a candidate promises to pursue an agenda that a voter favors, it should not matter constitutionally whether the voter's return promise is to vote for the candidate, convince his friends to vote for the candidate, write letters to the editor in support of the candidate, pay for an ad that supports the candidate, or donate money to the candidate so he can pay for his own ad. Nor should it matter if the candidate's end of the bargain includes a commitment to meet with the voter, listen to his views or, to put it crassly, give him access and influence. Each of those acts has the same end in mind: getting the candidate elected. And each act operates through the same means: political speech. The exchange of speech for promises by the candidate is not corruption. It is democracy at work."

"Prohibiting less affluent individuals from pooling resources is a recipe for tilting the playing field in favor of the rich. Currently, there are no limits on how much George Soros or Michael Bloomberg can spend of their own money on political speech. Why shouldn't a few thousand others be able to match them by joining forces through an entity such as a corporation that expresses their policy preferences?"

"Notably, half of our states have minimal campaign finance limitations; yet there's no evidence that politics in those states is more corrupt. Indeed, the real reason for strict laws is not to prevent corruption, but to protect incumbent politicians who wish to be reelected. Restrict political expression and you restrict the ability of upstart challengers to defeat current officeholders.

The proper answer to large expenditures for speech is either more speech or, if the existing system proves unworkable, a constitutional amendment. As for money, it's just a symptom. We have a big money problem because we have a big government problem. By restraining the regulatory and redistributive powers of the state, we can minimize the influence of big money. Restoring the Framers' notion of enumerated, delegated, and limited federal powers will get government out of our lives and out of our wallets. That's the best way to end the campaign-finance racket, and root out corruption without jeopardizing political speech."

FOXNews.com - Tracking Your Taxes: Earmarks to Nowhere

FOXNews.com - Tracking Your Taxes: Earmarks to Nowhere: "There was the $50 million Congress handed out in 2004 for an indoor rainforest in Iowa at the behest of Republican Sen. Charles Grassley, a self-described fiscal conservative. As the local newspaper in Coralville joked, for that much money, 'we could send the whole town on a rainforest vacation.'"

"Another project that crashed and burned came out of San Diego, Calif., where an entrepreneur convinced another politician he had the idea of a lifetime: a Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) troop-carrying airplane. The military didn't want it, but Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., did. Year after year, Washington went along, appropriating more and more million-dollar earmarks. Finally, after 20 years and $63 million taxpayer dollars, the farthest the DP-2 Vectored Thrust Aircraft ever got was two feet off the ground."

"Another $70 million of taxpayer money was blown on a wind tunnel in Montana. The MARIAH project wasn't requested by the Pentagon or NASA, but Congress funded it for more than a decade, usually with a $7 million earmark requested by the Montana delegation.

'The Air Force, (the) leader in hypersonic testing and technology, lost interest in 2004, so appropriators moved the program to the Army,' said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.. 'The Army has no official requirement for this capability and published a report in 2005 stating their (lack of interest) in the program. To date, the Army has no plans to fund the MARIAH wind tunnel effort, as they have stated in their budget documents. That hasn't kept Congress from pouring more than $70 million into it, with no discernable return.'

If a project doesn't make economic sense, how does it survive year after year? The answer often lies in the power of the sponsor, and over the last 50 years there has been no more powerful appropriator than West Virginia Democrat Sen. Robert Byrd. By some accounts, Byrd himself has spent $3 billion dollars in taxpayer money. More than 40 projects in West Virginia that have been paid for with tax dollars are named after him."

"So far, taxpayers have invested almost $2 billion in the massive highway, which ends in a field. Virginia has no plans to ever actually connect a companion highway to West Virginia's 25-mile stretch of concrete, leaving the monster as yet another monument to waste, or one of the more expensive examples of how Congress works."

Baldwin Bulletin Baldwin Wisconsin: Ashley Furrer receives the Girl Scout Medal of Honor for Life Saving

Baldwin Bulletin Baldwin Wisconsin: Chamber hosts annual awards banquet: "Ashley is a 6 year old first grader at Greenfield Elementary. She is a Girl Scout in the Daisy Troop in Baldwin. On October 10, Ashley and her mom went to the neighbor’s to sell the Girl Scout fall product. While she was there it became apparent the neighbor was not doing well. They soon found out that Joni, her neighbor, was a diabetic and having a diabetic reaction. Ashley helped get her juice. Ashley’s mom called the ambulance and Ashley assisted in watching for the ambulance. She also stayed with Joni while her mom went to meet the ambulance."

FOXNews.com - Obama Calls for Partnership With Business

FOXNews.com - Obama Calls for Partnership With Business: "'As president of the United States, my interest is to reward or at least not disadvantage companies who are creating more jobs and doing more business within the borders of this country,' Obama said. 'That's not antibusiness, it's pro-America, and I don't apologize for it.'"

Then fix the corporate tax code. Taxing foreign profits disadvantages U.S. based companies.

Congressman Ron Kind : On the Road - Blog : Protecting Consumers: February 22, 2010

Congressman Ron Kind : On the Road - Blog : Protecting Consumers: February 22, 2010: "The law, which Congress passed last year, will end unfair industry practices often leading consumers to pay more than they reasonably expect."
Changing the rules usually just changes which practices are used.

A midday nap markedly boosts the brain's learning capacity

A midday nap markedly boosts the brain's learning capacity: "Those who remained awake throughout the day became worse at learning. In contrast, those who napped did markedly better and actually improved in their capacity to learn."

The Internet can make you smarter, experts say | Digital Media - CNET News

The Internet can make you smarter, experts say | Digital Media - CNET News: "'Google will make us stupid and intelligent at the same time,' wrote Dutch Futurist Marcel Bullinga. 'In the future, we will live in a transparent 3D mobile media cloud that surrounds us everywhere. In this cloud, we will use intelligent machines, to whom we delegate both simple and complex tasks. Therefore, we will lose the skills we needed in the old days...But we will gain the skill to make better choices...All in all, I think the gains outweigh the losses.'"

FOXNews.com - Ron Paul Wins Presidential Straw Poll at CPAC

FOXNews.com - Ron Paul Wins Presidential Straw Poll at CPAC: "Paul, a Republican congressman from Texas known for his libertarian views, ran for president in 2008 but was never a serious contender for the GOP nomination."

That's funny considering he got more delegates than Giuliani, who was considered a "serious contender" and didn't get any delegates.

Government’s Evil Education Monopoly � John Stossel

Government’s Evil Education Monopoly � John Stossel: "Since 1980, government spending on education, adjusted for inflation, has nearly doubled. Test scores have been flat for decades. Kids in other countries clean our clocks on international tests. The government monopoly is not working. They never do."

Hooray for Evan Bayh! � John Stossel

Hooray for Evan Bayh! � John Stossel: "How rare and refreshing when a politician voluntarily steps down. �How even more rare and refreshing for him to acknowledge that he can contribute more in the private sector.

The truth is, he certainly can. �If Bayh succeeds at business, he will enhance more lives and create more jobs than all of Congress ever does."

By the Way, Free Markets Are Free - George F. Smith - Mises Institute

By the Way, Free Markets Are Free - George F. Smith - Mises Institute: "A free economy is one that is — how to say this? — free. It is free of cronyism, favoritism, handout-ism, protectionism, or anything else that amounts to using the state as a means of living at the expense of others. If paupers or billionaires need help, they're required to get it without picking the pockets of others."

A Responsible Choice | Adam B. Schaeffer | Cato Institute: Commentary

A Responsible Choice | Adam B. Schaeffer | Cato Institute: Commentary: "In his State of the Union address, President Obama proposed spending another $4 billion annually on K–12 public education. He did not mention that state, local, and federal governments already spend well over twice what they did in 1980, or that there has been no discernible improvement in student achievement during that period."

"There is little evidence that increased spending, especially at the federal level, has any impact on long-term student outcomes. Indeed, a recent, rigorous, government-sponsored study of the federal Head Start program — the Holy Grail of public programs aimed at boosting long-term student achievement — discerned no positive effect on student outcomes past the first grade."

Iran's Sacrificial Bomb | Stanley Kober | Cato Institute: Commentary

Iran's Sacrificial Bomb | Stanley Kober | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Could the nuclear program be a sacrificial pawn, designed to provoke an attack, which Tehran hopes would then set in motion a series of events that would lead to its triumph?"

Tuning out the State of the Union | Gene Healy | Cato Institute: Commentary

Tuning out the State of the Union | Gene Healy | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The Constitution requires that the president 'from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union.' But it doesn't mandate the modern pageant of pomp, circumstance, and phony promises we suffer through every year.

In fact, for most of the Republic's first century, the SOTU was a modest, informational affair. Presidents sent the written address to Congress, to be read aloud by a clerk. That was thanks to President Jefferson, who thought delivering the speech before Congress assembled smacked too much of a king's 'Speech from the Throne.'"

It Still Won't Work | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary

It Still Won't Work | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Take one 'core element': prohibiting insurers from turning down customers with 'pre-existing conditions' or charging more to customers who become sick."

"The term 'pre-existing condition' simply means people who are already sick. But if you can wait to buy insurance after you get sick, who'd ever buy insurance while they're healthy?"

"New York provides an object lesson: It enacted precisely these 'reforms' in 1993. The next year, roughly 500,000 people canceled their insurance, according to a study by the actuarial firm of Milliman & Robertson."

"For example, if Democrats really wanted to deal with the problem of preexisting conditions, they'd support expanded state high-risk pools. Better yet, they'd offer the same tax break to people who buy their own insurance as we give to employer-provided insurance. Moving to personal, portable insurance means that people who lose their jobs would no longer automatically lose their insurance — so preexisting conditions would be far less of an issue.

And, if Democrats want to create an incentive for the young and healthy to buy insurance, they could eliminate costly mandated benefits that makes insurance a poor deal for the young."

Letting Go | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary

Letting Go | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary: "outh Korean defense minister Kim Tae-young wants his nation to initiate a pre-emptive assault if it appears that the North is preparing a nuclear attack. The Republic of Korea 'should immediately launch a strike,' said Kim.

Such a policy makes obvious sense. However, it leads to the question: if the ROK is strong enough to initiate war, why does the U.S. continue to defend the South?"

Entitled to a Five-bedroom House - John Stossel

Entitled to a Five-bedroom House - John Stossel: "An article in today's UK Daily Mail illustrates how over time, welfare states begin to offer monstrous entitlements:

A single mother-of-six is getting more than 80,000 pounds[$125,000] a year from the taxpayer to live in a 2 million pound mansion in an exclusive London suburb.

Essma Marjam, 34, is given almost 7,000 pounds a month in housing benefits to pay the rent on the five-bedroom villa just yards from Sir Paul McCartney's house and Lord's cricket ground.
She also receives an estimated 15,000 pounds a year in other payouts, such as child benefit, to help look after her children, aged from five months to 14.

The four-storey house in Maida Vale has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a double living room... two large flat-screen televisions ...

Welfare fraud? No -- the government stands by the payments:

Miss Marjam said: 'I moved here at the beginning of the month as I'm entitled to a five-bedroom house.

'I was in a three-bedroom council house but I needed a bigger place once my new baby came along. So the council agreed to pay the 1,600 pounds a week to a private landlord as they didn't have any houses big enough..."

The best part is her claim that "I'm entitled to a five-bedroom house" and that the government agrees with that!

Congressman Ron Kind : On the Road - Blog : A Good Steward of Taxpayer Dollars: January 25, 2010

Congressman Ron Kind : On the Road - Blog : A Good Steward of Taxpayer Dollars: January 25, 2010: "It is imperative that we practice fiscal responsibility in government decision making."

So why don't you vote for that instead of voting for trillians in bailouts?

"In fact, I recently called for a bipartisan fiscal responsibility commission to examine the national debt as well as entitlement spending, so that we reduce the deficit and improve our long-term fiscal health."

You've been in office 13 years -- what took you so long?

"I also oppose the automatic cost of living increase for Members of Congress and give back a portion of my Congressional budget each year to reduce the deficit. This year’s giveback totaled $118,278, for a sum of $1.15 million since I first took office."

That is good but almost insignificant compared to the huge spending that you support!

"In addition, I'm also leading the effort for earmark reform. I refused to make requests in 2008 and 2009, have introduced multiple forms of legislation to reform the process, and opposed $12.1 billion worth of earmarks in 2009."

If all earmarks were gone then government spending wouldn't decrease any and bureaucrat would make the spending decisions instead of elected officials. Once again, this doesn't seem significant compared to your other actions increasing spending.

Beware Crusader Temptation | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary

Beware Crusader Temptation | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary: "However, what evidence is there that the U.S. and its allies can force peace and national development at the point of a gun?

The fact that the end is desirable — and, indeed, that many Afghans desire that end — does not mean that it can be achieved through outside intervention.

To the contrary, attempting to impose liberal social policies will make respect for women look like a Western import and Afghan officials look like Western puppets. Any gains won in this way would not likely be sustainable over the long-term."

Social Security Private Option | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary

Social Security Private Option | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Critics undoubtedly will point to the collapse of the stock market in 2008 and suggest that private investing is just too risky. However, studies show that long-term investment remains remarkably safe. If workers retiring today had been allowed to start privately investing their taxes 40 years ago, they obviously would have less money than those who retired a couple of years ago, but they still would have more than Social Security promises. Remember, someone retiring today would have begun contributing to his or her retirement account 40 years ago, when the Dow was at less than 1000."

Ukraine's Counterrevolution | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary

Ukraine's Counterrevolution | Doug Bandow | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Western governments and NGOs did their best to support the so-called Orange Revolution, which propelled Viktor Yushchenko into the Ukrainian presidency.

But Yushchenko's performance in office was widely viewed as a disaster; in Sunday's presidential election, Yushchenko finished in fifth place with a dismal 5.4 percent. One of his former supporters said simply: 'He did not live up to our expectations.'

Yushchenko's failure serves as a stark reminder of the risks when Washington intervenes in foreign politics."

The Unforeseen Consequences of Credit Legislation - Jeremiah Dyke - Mises Institute

The Unforeseen Consequences of Credit Legislation - Jeremiah Dyke - Mises Institute: "A hallmark of state failure is its incapacity to predict the market's response to the policies it puts forth. Indeed, on many levels the state is powerless to change the market's ends, instead only serving to redirect its means."

Free Speech for All | John Samples and Ilya Shapiro | Cato Institute: Commentary

Free Speech for All | John Samples and Ilya Shapiro | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Equality of speech is inherently contrary to protecting speech from government restraint, which is ultimately the heart of American conceptions of free speech."

"Under the new ruling, will businesses (and labor unions) dominate talk about candidates and elections? Well, for two decades before McCain-Feingold, both could spend freely on advertising about candidates for federal office. Such spending made up a relatively small part of election-related speech and no one group dominated said the political arena.

Still, yesterday's ruling might lead to more election spending by both corporations and unions. It is important to remember, however, that none of this money will go directly to candidates for office. It will go instead to broadcasting or otherwise communicating speech about candidates and issues. Such increases in spending should be welcome because studies have shown that more spending—more political communication—leads to better-informed voters."

Haiti's Real Crisis Is Poverty | Ian Vásquez | Cato Institute: Commentary

Haiti's Real Crisis Is Poverty | Ian Vásquez | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Despite receiving more than $8.4 billion in foreign aid since 1980, Haiti is poorer today than it was 30 years ago."

"The average annual number of victims per 100,000 population per rich country was 36; for the poor countries it was 2,879 even though rich countries experience the same amount of disasters"

"[Haiti] ranks in the bottom half of nations listed in the Fraser Institute's economic freedom index, and its rating has barely improved since 1980. The sustained lack of freedom goes a long way in explaining the precarious nature of Haitian's lives."

"Property rights are neither recognized nor protected by the state for the vast majority of Haitians. Bureaucratic regulations are stifling. According the World Bank, it takes 195 days and costs 228 percent of average income in legal and administrative fees just to legally start a business."

"Aid has helped keep Haiti poor. It has sustained poor government policies. It has led to debt, not development. The World Bank's qualification of Haiti as a country so highly indebted that it required debt forgiveness, is an implicit admission of aid's failure: all of Haiti's long-term debt was due to aid and government backed development schemes."

Obama's Other Massachusetts Problem | Aaron Yelowitz and Michael F. Cannon | Cato Institute: Commentary

Obama's Other Massachusetts Problem | Aaron Yelowitz and Michael F. Cannon | Cato Institute: Commentary: "President Obama has avoided any comparisons between his plan and the Massachusetts law, with good reason. Premiums for employer-sponsored insurance - 96 percent of the Massachusetts' market - are rising 21 percent to 46 percent faster than the national average. State officials have whitewashed the cost overruns, but they are simultaneously raising taxes and threatening to impose a Canadian-style payment system, in which doctors and hospitals do the dirty work of rationing care."

"At best, the law covered 297,000 previously uninsured residents, and the uninsured rate is 3.8 percent rather than 432,000 and 2.6 percent, as Massachusetts claims."

"Private coverage fell by 14.6 percentage points among low-income children - despite no discernable increase in total coverage - and by 6.2 points among low-income adults."

"The law's new 'individual mandate' forces those young adults to accept that bad deal or pay a penalty. As a result, the number of young adults relocating to Massachusetts has fallen by 60 percent."

Joseph's list of materials to make a parrot

Joseph (almost age 5) came up with the following list of materials that he wants to use to make a parrot:

• Nails
• Hammer (spider man for 5 year old)
• Propellers
• Wood
• Helicopter spinner at top
• Money
• Wrench
• Socket set
• Pilot stuff
• Flying helmet with spider man or batman or robin
• Chairs
• Paint

Forced Unionization - John Stossel

Forced Unionization - John Stossel: "Michelle Berry runs a day-care business out of her home in Flint, MI. She thought that she owned her own business, but Berry's been told she is now a government employee and union member. It's not voluntary. Suddenly, Berry and 40,000 other Michigan private day-care providers have learned that union dues are being taken out of the child-care subsidies the state sends them. The 'union' is a creation of AFSCME, the government workers union, and the United Auto Workers."

Deaf to Deficit Warnings | Richard W. Rahn | Cato Institute: Commentary

Deaf to Deficit Warnings | Richard W. Rahn | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Private forecasters already are estimating that the ratio of government debt to gross domestic product (GDP) will be greater than 100 percent of GDP before the end of this decade (up from just 37 percent three years ago). If the health care reform bill and the energy (cap-and-trade) bill are passed, the situation will be much worse."

"This past week, the White House claimed that the stimulus bill 'saved 2 million jobs,' but just before the stimulus bill was passed, the administration said the unemployment rate would peak at 8 percent with the stimulus bill and 9 percent without it. Now, we have both the stimulus bill and an unemployment rate of more than 10 percent, which shows that the White House is developmentally challenged when it comes to basic arithmetic."

"The only way government can create more jobs is by having workers who produce more and at a lower cost than the private sector. "

An even bigger Climategate scandal? | Cranach: The Blog of Veith

An even bigger Climategate scandal? | Cranach: The Blog of Veith: "But probably the most damaging report has come from Joseph D’Aleo, the first Director of Meteorology and co-founder of the Weather Channel, and Anthony Watts, a meteorologist and founder of SurfaceStations.org.

In a January 29 report, they find that starting in 1990, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began systematically eliminating climate measuring stations in cooler locations around the world. Yes, that’s right. They began eliminating stations that tended to record cooler temperatures and drove up the average measured temperature. The eliminated stations had been in higher latitudes and altitudes, inland areas away from the sea, as well as more rural locations. The drop in the number of weather stations was dramatic, declining from more than 6,000 stations to fewer than 1,500."

Geithner's Lifelong Love of Bailouts | Mark A. Calabria | Cato Institute: Commentary

Geithner's Lifelong Love of Bailouts | Mark A. Calabria | Cato Institute: Commentary: "If there's a common thread to almost every bank bailout over the last 15 years, it's that Timothy Geithner was always somewhere in the room. Each of these 'rescues' brought short-term stability to our financial markets — but only at the cost of long-term instability."

IPCC Imperialism on Indian Glaciers | Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar | Cato Institute: Commentary

IPCC Imperialism on Indian Glaciers | Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Climategate-II is the revelation that the 2007 report of the International Panel on Climate Change, saying Himalayan glaciers might disappear by 2035, was not science at all but idle, unsubstantiated speculation.

It speaks volumes for the huge biases within IPCC that it took two years for this hoax to be exposed. Any hoax opposing the global warming thesis would be exposed in ten seconds flat. The IPCC is willing to swallow unexamined what it finds convenient, while raising a thousand technical objections to anything inconvenient. This is religious crusading, not objective science. The tactics being used to discredit and destroy heretics is reminiscent of the Spanish Inquisition."

Health Care and the Constitution | Roger Pilon | Cato Institute: Commentary

Health Care and the Constitution | Roger Pilon | Cato Institute: Commentary: "And that brings us back to Congress's commerce power. If that power were understood by the Framers and the ratifying generation as the New Deal Court read it, the Constitution would never have been ratified, and the doctrine of enumerated powers would never have been championed as the centerpiece of the document. Indeed, if Congress, under that single power, could regulate anything and everything, there would have been no need to enumerate any of Congress's other powers. The Framers could have stopped right there."

Stay home, let Texas Robot attend that meeting | Crave - CNET

Stay home, let Texas Robot attend that meeting | Crave - CNET: "If you're tired of commuting to the office and telecommuting won't cut it, the Texas Robot lets you scoot around work embodied in a robot platform while chatting with your co-workers."

The Problem with Spending | Richard W. Rahn | Cato Institute: Commentary

The Problem with Spending | Richard W. Rahn | Cato Institute: Commentary: "How fast an economy can grow is largely a function of the quantity and quality of labor, and the amount of investment funds available for what economists call capital formation. Good, high-paying jobs cost money. You don't have truck drivers if no one has the money to buy trucks."

Reducing the Cost of IP Law - Stephan Kinsella - Mises Institute

Reducing the Cost of IP Law - Stephan Kinsella - Mises Institute: "There are literally no studies clearly showing any net gains from IP.[4] If anything, it appears that the patent system, for example, imposes a gigantic net cost on the economy (approximately $31 billion a year, in my estimate)."

A New Dictator? | Ted Galen Carpenter | Cato Institute: Commentary

A New Dictator? | Ted Galen Carpenter | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is exhibiting disturbingly authoritarian behavior on multiple fronts. The most recent incident, on January 14, was the Independent High Electoral Commission's decision to bar more than 500 candidates, representing 15 different parties, from running in the March 7 elections."

"Officials have launched lawsuits against journalists and their employers for allegedly libelous (broadly construed) comments. The Maliki government also pushed through a law to close media outlets that "encourage" terrorism or violence. Even worse, that law imposes the same penalty for encouraging "tensions"—a vacuous category that essentially allows the government to ban media critics whenever it wishes.

If those measures weren't enough, there are now new rules (with virtually unlimited discretion given to authorities who review the applications) to license television satellite trucks, censor books, and control internet cafes."

The Myth of an "Obesity Tsunami" | Patrick Basham and John Luik | Cato Institute: Commentary

The Myth of an "Obesity Tsunami" | Patrick Basham and John Luik | Cato Institute: Commentary: "During none of the five periods was there a statistically significant trend, except for boys at the highest BMI levels. In other words, if there was a spike in obesity, it was confined to a very small number of very obese boys."

"they also debunk the public health establishment's erroneous claim that increases in children's weight are due to junkfood advertising and too many sugary soda drinks. According to the survey, the root cause of any weight gains that one does see appear to lie in physical activity levels."

No Taxes, Please, We're Democrats | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary

No Taxes, Please, We're Democrats | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Under an agreement negotiated by the Obama administration, congressional leaders, and union bosses behind closed doors, their policies will be exempt from the tax until 2018. Plans for state and local employees would also be exempted.

That's right: if you have two workers doing identical jobs, earning the same wages, and receiving the same insurance plan, the one who doesn't join the union gets hit with a 40% tax; the union worker doesn't."

Tesla Motors - Leadership

Tesla Motors - Leadership: "He claims that he departed on his road trip with a full charge and drove conservatively, around 60 mph, and yet he got stranded on his way back"

"So we consulted the trip information our car stores in its firmware. We found that Colwell departed for his trip from Ann Arbor to Saginaw with only 85 percent state of charge. He had charged in “standard” mode, not “range” mode, the preferred mode by customers who have long-distance hauls. Colwell averaged between 70 and 80 mph, and went north of 80 a few times, significantly more aggressive than his claimed 60 mph average. (Some in the office wondered if maybe his speed is what attracted the attention of the trooper he mentions in his piece.) Colwell also claimed to have driven conservatively, but the logs reveal that his energy usage ranged between 300 and 400 Watt-hours per mile (Wh/mi), not conservative by any measure."

Be careful what you say when a computer is logging your actions! :-)

Walking like Spider-Man may not be so far off | Crave - CNET

Walking like Spider-Man may not be so far off | Crave - CNET: "A one-square-inch contraption with millions of holes sized at 1 micron each, for example, could hold more than 15 pounds--clearly far from enough to sustain a human climber, but a big wall shimmy in the right direction."

So could a 5" diameter circle (~20 square inches) hold 300 lbs? That would easily hold most humans!

FBI wants records kept of Web sites visited | Politics and Law - CNET News

FBI wants records kept of Web sites visited | Politics and Law - CNET News: "The FBI is pressing Internet service providers to record which Web sites customers visit and retain those logs for two years, a requirement that law enforcement believes could help it in investigations of child pornography and other serious crimes."

Of course big brother is better and investigating crime, but we also balance that with personal rights and limiting government power.

The Mysterious Ways Of Fannie And Freddie | Johan Norberg | Cato Institute: Commentary

The Mysterious Ways Of Fannie And Freddie | Johan Norberg | Cato Institute: Commentary: "When Congress created the Commission they wanted a crisis narrative of greedy bankers and passive regulators. In other words, they wanted to put the blame somewhere else. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are creatures of Congress and it was Congress that pushed them to undermine underwriting standards and increase lending to low-income households while stalling reform.

Fannie and Freddie regularly let members of Congress announce large housing developments for low-income earners in exchange for political and financial support; over the past decade the two GSEs spent almost $200 million on lobbying and contributions to both parties, but most of all to Democrats, the present majority. Politicians wanted scapegoats on stage--Fannie and Freddie representatives would have functioned as a mirror."

"Investment bankers have been publicly scolded by the Commission for taking on so much risk, with leverage ratios around 30 to 1. Shouldn't they ask how Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ended up with a leverage ratio closer to 60 to 1?"

FOXNews.com - Rep. Hoekstra Says 'Justice Denied' in Shoot-Down of Innocent Americans

FOXNews.com - Rep. Hoekstra Says 'Justice Denied' in Shoot-Down of Innocent Americans: "Before the deadly attack, the CIA aircraft came up behind the Bowers's plane, piloted by Kevin Donaldson. Believing it was an aircraft used for drug trafficking, the CIA alerted the Peruvian Air Force, which scrambled a fighter jet.

Over the next two hours, as doubts set in, the CIA pilots repeatedly expressed their concern over the true identity of their target but did nothing to prevent the Peruvians from shooting down the missionaries.

In the footage, conversation between the Peruvians and the CIA, and the missionaries' pilot's last desperate screams are clearly heard.

The CIA pilots are heard expressing doubt, saying, 'This guy doesn't fit the profile.' They contact Peruvian Air Force on the ground, asking, 'Are you sure is bandito? Are you sure?'

'Yes, OK,' is the Peruvian response.

'If you're sure,' says the CIA operative. Then one of the CIA men whispers to his colleague in his aircraft: 'That is bull****. I think we're making a mistake.'

'I agree with you,' says the other operative.

A minute and a half later the gunships open fire and Donaldson screams in Spanish for the jet to stop."

FOXNews.com - Taxpayers to Fork Out $2.5 Million for Single Census Ad During Super Bowl

FOXNews.com - Taxpayers to Fork Out $2.5 Million for Single Census Ad During Super Bowl: "Taxpayers might want to pay close attention to this Sunday's Super Bowl broadcast or they'll miss Uncle Sam's 30-second, $2.5-million reminder to stand up and be counted."

Health Care and the Constitution | Roger Pilon | Cato Institute: Commentary

Health Care and the Constitution | Roger Pilon | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Since the New Deal, the Supreme Court has held that Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce amounts to a power to regulate anything that 'substantially affects' that commerce — and a power to order any means that may be 'necessary and proper' for that regulation. Because uninsured people who seek free emergency-room care substantially affect interstate commerce, Congress can regulate that behavior by ordering those people to buy insurance.

But the implications of that constitutional reading, Will notes, are boundless. If Congress can order you to buy insurance, why stop there? It can order you to exercise, and to eat healthy foods, etc. More disturbing still, it means that the Constitution itself and judicial review under it are no more."

"A reading of the commerce power that effectively renders many of Congress's other enumerated powers superfluous, or that is inconsistent with other constitutional provisions, cannot be right. And concerning history and function, the power was given primarily to ensure the free flow of goods and services among the states in light of the protectionist measures states had begun to erect under the Articles of Confederation. It was, that is, a limited "free market" power — precisely opposite its understanding today."

On the Job Hunt: Teen Jobs Crisis

On the Job Hunt: Teen Jobs Crisis: "Economists cite several reasons for the high teen unemployment rate. Most frequently they blame the recession that resulted in older workers squeezing out younger job applicants. According to New York University Stern, Economics Professor Joseph Foudy, “youths obviously have less experience in the job market.” Foudy said teens are “the first to lose work” during difficult times."

"Some economists argue that a recent increase in the minimum wage also contributed to the high rate of teen unemployment. Last July the federal minimum wage increased from $6.55 to $7.25. Over the next two months 330 thousand teen jobs vanished."

Sally Jenkins - Tebow's Super Bowl ad isn't intolerant; its critics are - washingtonpost.com

Sally Jenkins - Tebow's Super Bowl ad isn't intolerant; its critics are - washingtonpost.com: "As statements at Super Bowls go, I prefer the idea of Tebow's pro-life ad to, say, Jim McMahon dropping his pants, as the former Chicago Bears quarterback once did in response to a question. We're always harping on athletes to be more responsible and engaged in the issues of their day, and less concerned with just cashing checks. It therefore seems more than a little hypocritical to insist on it only if it means criticizing sneaker companies, and to stifle them when they take a stance that might make us uncomfortable.

I'm pro-choice, and Tebow clearly is not. But based on what I've heard in the past week, I'll take his side against the group-think, elitism and condescension of the 'National Organization of Fewer and Fewer Women All The Time.' For one thing, Tebow seems smarter than they do.

Tebow's 30-second ad hasn't even run yet, but it already has provoked 'The National Organization for Women Who Only Think Like Us' to reveal something important about themselves: They aren't actually 'pro-choice' so much as they are pro-abortion. Pam Tebow has a genuine pro-choice story to tell. She got pregnant in 1987, post-Roe v. Wade, and while on a Christian mission in the Philippines, she contracted a tropical ailment. Doctors advised her the pregnancy could be dangerous, but she exercised her freedom of choice and now, 20-some years later, the outcome of that choice is her beauteous Heisman Trophy winner son, a chaste, proselytizing evangelical."

Milwaukee Public School (MPS) financing

January 29: "in his past 7 years as governor, MPS has received over $5.2 billion in state aid and with 80% of the school budget coming from state and federal sources. This was an interesting statement in that despite billions in state aid from taxpayers, the district is still failing. It is also interesting to remind lawmakers that MPS taxpayers are only paying 20% of their local school district. I know that property taxpayers in my district would greatly benefit from the state picking up 80% of the local school bill…"

High-tech aerogels wrap homes with insulation | Green Tech - CNET News

High-tech aerogels wrap homes with insulation | Green Tech - CNET News: "Aspen Aeorgels says that its Spaceloft blankets have two to four times the insulating value per inch compared to fiberglass or foam. It's also relatively easy to work with, allows water vapor to pass through, and is fire resistant--a common demonstration of aerogels is to have a person fire a Bunsen burner below the aerogel while putting a hand on the top side."

Housing Red Flags Ignored - Emac's Stock Watch | Fox Business

Housing Red Flags Ignored | Fox Business: "One of the nation’s biggest mortgage industry players repeatedly warned the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and other bank regulators during the housing bubble that the U.S. faced an imminent housing crash.

The trade group also mapped out the 15 states which faced 'sudden increases in foreclosures' and 'a downward spiral,' including California, Florida and Nevada.

But bank regulators not only ignored the group's warnings, top Fed officials also went on the airwaves to say the economy was 'building on a sturdy foundation' and a housing crash was 'unlikely.'

The letters, obtained by Fox Business, were sent in 2005 and 2006 before the housing bubble burst."

Not only was the government complicit -- they encouraged it.

Study Finds New Abstinence-Only Program Works - Sex | Erectile Dysfunction | Sexual Health - FOXNews.com

Study Finds New Abstinence-Only Program Works - Sex | Erectile Dysfunction | Sexual Health - FOXNews.com: "Billed as the first rigorous research to show long-term success with an abstinence-only approach, the study released Monday differed from traditional programs that have lost U.S. federal and state support in recent years.

The classes didn't preach saving sex until marriage or disparage condom use. Instead, they involved assignments to help students around the age of 12 see the drawbacks to sexual activity at their age. It included having them list the pros and cons themselves, and it found their 'cons' far outnumbered the 'pros.'"

Obama ends moon program, endorses private spaceflight | The Space Shot - CNET News

Obama ends moon program, endorses private spaceflight | The Space Shot - CNET News: "On the seventh anniversary of the Columbia disaster, President Obama unveiled a sweeping change of course for the nation's space program Monday, putting an end to NASA's post-Columbia moon program and shifting development and operation of new rockets and capsules from the government to private industry."

Reducing the government's hold on space exploration and making room for the free market will allow "astronomical" advancements.

Individual Mandate Would Impose High Implicit Taxes on Low-Wage Workers | Michael F. Cannon | Cato Institute: Commentary

Individual Mandate Would Impose High Implicit Taxes on Low-Wage Workers | Michael F. Cannon | Cato Institute: Commentary: "In their attempt to expand health insurance coverage, House and Senate Democrats are poised to make the American dream less accessible to low-income Americans by hitting them with higher implicit tax rates than even multi-millionaires face.

In a new study, I found those implicit marginal tax rates would hover near 70-80 percent over broad ranges of income. In many cases, they would exceed 100 percent, financially penalizing those who try to climb the economic ladder."

"The penalties are so small that healthy individuals could save as much as $3,000 per year by going uninsured, while families of four could save $8,000. Those savings would grow over time. Each bill would effectively eliminate any penalty for 'going bare' by forcing insurers to sell to the uninsured at standard premiums whenever they fall ill.

When healthy people respond to those incentives by abandoning insurance pools, premiums will rise for those who remain. That will create pressure for even more government spending and higher taxes.

Study: Distractions, not phones, cause car crashes | Signal Strength - CNET News

Study: Distractions, not phones, cause car crashes | Signal Strength - CNET News: "A new study suggests that laws banning talking on or sending text messages with cell phones while driving may not significantly decrease the risk of traffic accidents. Instead, experts suggest dealing with the problem of distracted drivers in general."

"Indeed, Rader said the study also indicates that even though cell phone usage nationally has exploded over the past several years, and more than 89 percent of the U.S. population owns a cell phone, there has been no uptick nationally in the number of car accidents."