The Skeptic's Case - David M.W. Evans - Mises Daily

The Skeptic's Case - David M.W. Evans - Mises Daily: 'There are literally thousands of feedbacks, each of which either reinforces or opposes the direct-warming effect of the extra CO2. Almost every long-lived system is governed by net feedback that dampens its response to a perturbation. If a system instead reacts to a perturbation by amplifying it, the system is likely to reach a tipping point and become unstable (like the electronic squeal that erupts when a microphone gets too close to its speakers). The earth's climate is long-lived and stable — it has never gone into runaway greenhouse, unlike Venus — which strongly suggests that the feedbacks dampen temperature perturbations such as that from extra CO2.'

'his climate model predicted that if human CO2 emissions were cut back drastically starting in 1988, such that by year 2000 the CO2 level was not rising at all, we would get his scenario C. But in reality the temperature did not even rise this much, even though our CO2 emissions strongly increased — which suggests that the climate models greatly overestimate the effect of CO2 emissions.'

'It's 20 years now, and the average rate of increase in reality is below the lowest trend in the range predicted by the IPCC.'

'the earth gives off more heat when its surface is warmer. This is the opposite of what the climate models predict. This shows that the climate models trap heat too aggressively'

'the "debate" is about politics and power, and not about science or truth.'

Affirmative Action And Diversiphilia Return to the Supreme Court | Trevor Burrus | Cato Institute: Commentary

Affirmative Action And Diversiphilia Return to the Supreme Court | Trevor Burrus | Cato Institute: Commentary: 'Diversity, as used by university officials and the Supreme Court in Grutter, is an ideal that treats people as members of a group first and as individuals second. It is explicitly and offensively racial, insofar as it regards any member of a group as a sufficient placeholder for any other.

This would be bad enough if the groups that concern diversiphiles even made sense. But they don’t. The category of “Asian,” for example, may include Indians, Pakistanis, Japanese-Americans, Cambodians, Chinese, and Koreans, just to name a few. These groups come from wildly different religions, languages, and cultural traditions. Some even hate each other. Nevertheless, American universities will group them into a nice little package. Similarly, the category of “Hispanic” is equally un-illuminating, describing anything from a Puerto Rican, to an Italian-Argentinian, to a Mexican of European descent.'

'They have been free to use racial characteristics as a proxy for “unique worldviews” and “authentic perspectives” despite the fact that the concept of race is both too broad and vague to capture these traits adequately. Moreover, by focusing on race as a proxy for experience, they have ignored a more important type of diversity to an educational setting: diversity of opinions and ideologies.'

'Justice John Marshall Harlan penned some of the most prescient words in American legal history: “Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens'

Volunteers Save Cities Billions, But Unions Cry Foul | Fox News

Volunteers Save Cities Billions, But Unions Cry Foul | Fox News: 'Some unions are pushing back, fearing volunteers are cutting into their territory. “They’re eroding the number of hours for our people,” says Ian Gordon of Laborer’s Union 1239 in Seattle. “It’s of great concern that they might be doing further work that we would normally do.”'

Sweet Land of Liberty -- Janet Napolitano: The New J. Edgar Hoover? | Nat Hentoff | Cato Institute: Commentary

Sweet Land of Liberty -- Janet Napolitano: The New J. Edgar Hoover? | Nat Hentoff | Cato Institute: Commentary: 'Starting in 2010, reports Infowars, Homeland Security told outside contractors "to monitor the web for media reports and comments that reflect adversely' on the agency or the federal government."'

'According to Infowars, Homeland Security officials say their search for dissonant views was just a test and "was quickly dropped as it did not meet operational requirements or privacy standards' which expressly prohibit reporting on individuals' First Amendment activities.'"'

So why was it even started or considered?

We're Already Europe | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary

We're Already Europe | Michael D. Tanner | Cato Institute: Commentary: 'Under the best-case scenario, then, [adding the unfunded liabilities] amounts to more than 480 percent of GDP. And, under more realistic projections, we owe an astounding 911 percent of GDP.'

'counting both official debt and unfunded pension and health-care liabilities, the most indebted nation in Europe is Greece, which owes 875 percent of GDP. That’s right, the United States potentially owes more than Greece. France, the second most insolvent nation in Europe, owes just 549 percent of GDP. Even under the most optimistic scenario, we owe more than such fiscal basket cases as Ireland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.'

'Ireland is the only country in Europe with a bigger government than the U.S.’s will be in 2050'

The Transition to Monetary Freedom - Ron Paul - Mises Daily

The Transition to Monetary Freedom - Ron Paul - Mises Daily: 'the Constitution forbids the states to make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debt, nor does it permit the federal government to make anything a legal tender.'

'[federal legal-tender laws], which have the effect of forcing creditors to accept something in payment for the debts due them that they do not wish to accept, are one of the most tyrannical devices of the present monetary authorities.'

Monopoly Dentistry - James E. Miller - Mises Daily

Monopoly Dentistry - James E. Miller - Mises Daily: 'To get a good idea of how state occupational licensing works, consider the following example. Imagine Bill runs a lemonade stand in the middle of a bustling city. Instead of facing competition from other street vendors and surrounding eateries and grocery stores, Bill had the foresight to lobby the local city council to outlaw all sellers of lemonade who don't at first obtain a license from the city. Due to his influence and close ties to select city council members, Bill fast tracked through the application process and was able to secure a license to sell lemonade before anyone else. Little competition stands in his way now. Bill is then able to keep his sale price above the established level of a real free market and reap profits as consumers are still willing to take the extra hit on their wallet for his delicious lemonade. Profits are up, times are good, and Mrs. Bill is happy. But now the city council is beginning to change its tune on lemonade licensing and is considering an increase in licensing allotments. The free ride is coming to an end, so Bill, worried the good life will soon be over, launches a countering lobbying effort on the basis that product quality will decrease if more licenses are given out.'

Ex-judge In Massachusetts Defends Forced Abortion Ruling | Fox News

Ex-judge In Massachusetts Defends Forced Abortion Ruling | Fox News: 'Harms, 58, who retired last month, defended her ruling in a letter she sent Monday to other Massachusetts family court judges, saying she believed the schizophrenic woman would have chosen to have an abortion if she had been mentally competent. The letter was first reported by The Boston Globe.

"I believed then, as I do now, that she would elect to abort the pregnancy to protect her own well-being," Harms said, according to the newspaper. "She would want to be healthy."

The 31-year-old woman, who suffered from delusions, had reportedly described herself as "very Catholic." The woman had expressed opposition to terminating her pregnancy, according to the newspaper, while her parents sought consent for the abortion.'

How the Bishops Undermined Individual Responsibility | Roger Pilon | Cato Institute: Commentary

How the Bishops Undermined Individual Responsibility | Roger Pilon | Cato Institute: Commentary: 'Turn anything over to government and the battle over conflicting values begins — the battle over “our national priorities.” With certain things — protecting our liberties from domestic and foreign threats, providing basic infrastructure and clean air and water — we pretty much all agree, if not at the edges at least in the main. But beyond those, we have vast disagreements about health care, education, retirement, and so much else that government dominates today, all at the expense of individual liberty and responsibility. The bishops are rightly concerned that Catholic employers are being forced to do what their religious beliefs prohibit. But that comes, necessarily, with the collective territory.'

Economic Fairness: President Obama's Most Cynical Tactic | Jim Powell | Cato Institute: Commentary

Economic Fairness: President Obama's Most Cynical Tactic | Jim Powell | Cato Institute: Commentary: 'In one campaign speech after another, he suggests that his soak-the-rich class warfare will stop “millionaires and billionaires” from grabbing more than their fair share of wealth. But the most likely outcome is that he will end up grabbing more than his fair share of power, and everybody else will be poorer.'

'progressives have endlessly attacked the private sector and suggested that there’s no limit to how much good politicians might do if only they had more power'