Catallaxy Files

The road to ruin. Subsidies for trade unionists who work for Holden.

Don’t Sell Your Coat by Harold Ambler, another poke in the eye for the warming alarmists. He is especially impressive because he is a progressive leftie and a climate nut for as long as he can remember. After many years of accepting the warming orthodoxy he started to notice that a few things did not add up and the more he checked the more things did not add up. He is now arguably the most scathing critic of Al Gore on the planet, especially on account of the biofuel debacle that takes food from the Third World. He reports on the work on sunspots which suggests that we may be in for a period of cooling due to changes in sunspot activity.

More of the same from Jo Nova. A major defection in Germany.

The best known environmentalist in the German Social Democratic Party announced he had become a skeptic (see FOCUS and read  about his new book). It doesn’t get much more damning than this. Fritz Vahrenholt was a chemistry professor and a leftie politician, and, could it be any more poignant… also headed up the renewable energy division of Germany’s second largest utility company. CEO of a wind farm for goodness sake.

Dont forget to  vote for Jo in the Bloggies.

People may have noticed that GetUp and Crikey circulated some video of Christopher Monckto at my seminar at the Mannkal Foundation. Yes my seminar. I am really upset that they picked up the sideshow about media ownership and didn’t take any notice of the seminar. Is there some agency where I can lodge a complaint?

So much for brainstorming. A myth busted.

Andrei Scheifer and the things he learned from the transition experience in Russsia. Something else, cherish our legal and moral framework.

I warned them in 1966 when the Education Officers of the National Union of Australian Uni Students met at the Black Prince Hotel at St Kilda. Amidst wailing about the claim that there was only one Aboriginal uni graduate I suggested to fix up primary and secondary education and the uni situation would take care of itself.  Did anyone take any notice? Andrew Bolt reports on some Productivity Commission findings.

The Productivity Commission has just delivered its massive report on how government services are delivered, and notes that Aboriginal students are, on average, way behind on reading, writing and maths. We’re talking about 160,000 Aboriginal students. If they don’t learn to read, write and count as well as everyone else, most will stay behind forever.

For nerds.  A reading guide to The Poverty of Historicism, Popper’s shortest book.

A late addition, thanks to Peter Patton, a nice piece by  Peter Craven on being proud of our cultural achievements. It just shows how smart we can be in some areas while we have blind spots in other areas. Hence the importance of civil dialogue across party lines.

That commentary reminds me of a  beautiful paper written years ago bythe late Len Hume about the so-called cultural cringe. It first appeared in an academic journal, was reprinted as a pamphlet by CIS and I put it on line by arrangement with Hume’s widow.

Pete Craven mentioned Barry Humphries as one of our cultural treasures, there is a section about him in one of the Rathouse Revivalist issues with a picture by Kilmeny Niland and a report on the little-noticed encounter when Karl Popper met Barry Mackenzie.

Dumb research on “Australian racism“. Sorted out by Lorenzo Warby. 

In what is wrong with this “research” effort, the only question is where to begin. First, 102 people is a tiny sample. Second, agreeing that the White Australia Policy “saved Australia from many problems experienced by other countries” does not demonstrate racism. One can agree that monoculturalism has advantages without being racist. Moreover, a majority of flag-fliers did not agree with the statement. So, tagging an activity which a majority of those engaged in where found not to be racist as associated with racism is slander by correlation. (As is typical, the media reporting is worse than the actual study.)

Keith Windschuttle defends the Constitution from charges of racism.

Far from being a racist document, the Australian Constitution … puts all Australians on an equal footing, no matter when they or their ancestors arrived here. Indeed, it would be not only racially discriminatory but also socially divisive to endorse this report and give some Australians status and privileges not available to others simply because of their ancestry.

At the review of the Fair Work Act. Just don’t mention the war  productivity. And don’t involve the Productivity Commisssion!

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Come on Aussie classical liberals, come on! Classical liberalism practically disappeared from the face of the earth during the 20th century and this is reflected in Australian attitudes to economic and social issues. Hair-raising figures but at least we have base in Carlton.

The table below shows the proportion of liberal responses to the six issues. The one person who gave six out of six and the nine people who gave five out of six were rounded down to 0%. Saying three or more liberal answers makes a liberal gets us to 13%, with rounding.

Flashback to the Kevin 07 estimate of  the cost of our greenhouse gas policcy. H/t Ivan Denisovich.

Between now and about 2045 you’d be looking at a total impact on the economy of somewhere between $600 and $800 million or something in the vicinity of $45 per person over that period of time or something like $1 per person per year.

RIP Ronald Searle, prolific writer and cartoonist. A late call, he died at the end of December, but what a record of achievement!

He survived the notorious Death Railwaywhile a prisoner-of war of the Japanese in the Second World War to become a well known artist and satirical cartoonist. He is perhaps best best remembered as the creator of St Trinians School and for his collaboration with  Geoffrey Willans  on the  Molesworth series.

Peter Boettke on Australian economics. He is actually talking about Austrian economics but I like to think that Australians showed the way. When Menger launched Austian economics in 1871 Australia led the world in per capita income.

Meet the North Korean press. And South Korean cuisine.

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Quadrant magazine for January and February.

Three posts from Conservative Teacher in the US.

The fall in the US unemployment figure reflects increasing numbers of dropouts from the workforce. Participation rates  67% at the turn of the century, 66% in 08, 64% now.

New White House director of a program for Hispanics has past connections with BillAyers.

Some of you may know that I have personally met Bill Ayers, and that that experience may have indirectly led to me losing my first job in education. I had a long interview with Larry Elder on this issue last year, and I’ve posted a briefer version of my experience on my blog (see my post My Experience Meeting Bill Ayers).

Backing Romney for President, Sarah Palin or Condoleeza Rice for VP. Elect a clerk  and fill the Houses with responsible reps who will make him address the issues, not an exciting revolution but a solid push in the right direction.

The Doomsday clock is moving on (warning, this is an ABC report).

The last decision by the group, which includes a host of Nobel Prize-winning scientists, moved the clock a minute further away from midnight in 2010 on hopes of global nuclear cooperation and the election of US president Barack Obama. However, the latest decision pushes the clock back to the time it was at in 2007.

Stephen Hicks on the movie Rocket Singh, Salesman of the Year.

Rocket Singh takes up negative themes of corrupt in sales, bribery, and conflicts of interest, but the emphasis is on the positive: the sources of self-respect, win-win business relations, and the spirit of entrepreneurship. I responded to the very human challenges of honesty, integrity, necessity as the mother of invention and ingenuity, growing pains, guts, and semi-redemption.

Lorenzo Warby’s favorite economics blogs.

Jo Nova on the email trail that started to burn down the house of climate alarmism 20 years ago. That reminds me to get back to Donna Laframboise and finish her story. And a sceptical look at ocean acidification.

Ron Paul as an Austrian.

A bit of fun from a joyful libertarian. How to keep bossy bureaucrats at bay. Start at 8.30.

Catallaxy’s favorite peripatetic pamphleteer strikes again at the warmies.

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Milton Friedman deep sixes the Occupy movement. Actually from 30 years ago, a priceless 2 minutes of video from Milton smacking down a leftie interviewer. Enjoy the change from arrogance and smugness in his face and posture as Milton explains the economic facts of life! h/t The Mannkal Economics Education Foundation “whats new“.

Speaking of posture. Thanks to CL for this bit of gymnastic athleticism. From the same site, soccer players practicing falls to milk penalties.

Australia’s First Libertarian Novel? Prompted by Mark Tier (the author) on the Mises Symposium Facebook page, a heads-up on a new book on Amazon. Only $3.77 on kindle.

There is a five star review with a plot summary.

Other books by Mark Tier.

Andrew Bolt in The Spectator, with Peter Coleman’s picture by mistake!

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Good news on Tom’s book, it is prominently displayed at Dymocks, major book shop in Sydney. There are so many childrens books if a book is not displayed prominently with recommendations it will be lost.

Lunching today with the MediaCentre team, they built and run a state of the art hospital in S Sydney, now operating.   Some pics from the construction site two years ago.

Cheer up, things could be worse.

Let’s say China does become the largest economy in the world in 20 years time. Yet, because of its large population, even if it continues growing at its current pace (a huge assumption), by 2050, it will only be as wealthy as former Communist Hungary is today. That puts the United States and the rest of the developed world ahead for a long, long time.

How to make it worse. h/t Pete Boettke, the net value of the $800 Bil stimulis works out to minus $475 Bil.

Obama’s electric cars in trouble.

What pose do you think Sinc should strike for a picture on his website?

Jo Nova has some geeky stuff on climate change and news on the busted bloggers in the UK.

The Heterodox Economics Newsletter (for Steve). What if you give us a link to order your book please.

Bob Carr supports uranium mining in NSW for the wrong reason, and visits the original ghetto in Venice.

Mario Rizzo on the intellectual weakness of US conservatism. (Recall Hayek’s essay “Why I am not a conservative”).

The topic for the debate was “There is too much government in my life.” I thought the “right” handled the economic questions very well. I was especially impressed (because I don’t know him as well) by Paul Ryan’s knowledge and debating skill. But I kept wishing that George Will was in one of his libertarian moods because the “left” exposed some glaring inconsistencies on matters of social and military policy. For whatever reason, Will played the good conservative in the debate (perhaps to avoid causing splits on the “conservative” side of the debate).

I think the “left” (mainly Barney Frank) played an excellent card. He stressed how he was for more government in the economic sphere but for less government in the social and military sphere. On the other hand, the “right” did not try to exploit the inconsistencies between the “left’s” philosophy of economic regulation and its support of liberties in other areas.

Lorenzo Warby on the blog responses to the death of Christopher Hitchens.

My hosts in Washington. Mark Notturno and Ieva. Not just a pretty face!

A nice piece on Mises who could contemplate the state of the world and say “I tried to warn you!”. Just shows how the Austrians are on a roll after the GFC.

What a nerd!

As a child, he collected newspaper front pages, she says, adding, “He was a good student.” By age 12, he spoke Yiddish, German, Polish and French, and read Latin.  Later, he taught himself English.

He learned to drive a car too but the less said about that the better.

Did someone mention a carbon pricing scheme? Whoops!

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How to blow 10 Bil. Give it to academic researchers and rent seekers for Green innovations.

Innovation is something we have to have the politicians and academics tell us. The characteristics of innovation are either an unmet need – particularly successful opening a new business area where you might be the price setter, or a significant cost reduction or an enhancement in a product or process.

No National Needs or Flagship programs will do it, but rather the thoughts and efforts of people in sales, marketing, production and research and development who find by interacting with their customers how to improve or produce new products.

Indeed surveys by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show in 2006-07 that only 2.6% of ideas for innovation were sourced from universities and 4.1% from government agencies.

This repeats the result that Terrence Kealey found in his study of the economics of  research and development. On the topic of rent seekers, check out how Enron loved Kyoto 1997!

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“Half a game” Artie is gone. RIP Arthur Beetson. A great player and a man with some commonsense. When the League got politically correct about racist  sledging on the field he said, what about cleaning up all kinds of sledging, especially at the school level. And he pointed to his dusky arm and said “This is not sunburn, mate”.

The Grand Tour has reached the Pacific Ocean and I can empathise with stout Cortez as with eagle eyes he stared at it. On the day that I traveled from Columbia to Palo Also everyone seemed to be interested in Australia.  The man at the desk of the hotel wanted to know where I came from, I said Boston via Washington but he said. “No, where in Australia,my daughter is living in Melbourne”.  A taxi driver in Columbia wanted to know if kangaroos are dangerous for humans, I told him that koalas are more dangerous because they are inclined to piss on you if you pick them up for a cuddle. The guy who drove the shuttle from Columbia to the airport at St Louis (one  and a half hours) wanted to know about the size of Australia. The big black girl who checked in my bag said “Hey, you an Aussie, you from Sydney or Melbourne?”  Reply: “Sydney. We keep away from Melbourne when we can, except when we have to fly over to get to Tasmania”.  ”Hey Man, what about the tennis?” The big Italian fellow who drove the shuttle from the airport to Palo Alto said he had a friend who used to run a car repair shop in Sydney but the business was killed by the cost of electricity. I told him it is going to get worse.  He really wants to visit India and Australia.

The plane from San Fran was delayed by high winds – not as bad as the situation at Vegas and Los Angeles which were closed. So it was late heading back and the caravan reached the Cardinal Hotel in the dead of night, the area looked rather drab, possibly with reduced street lighting to save the planet. The hotel itself is right out of Brideshead Revisited, all dark wood, gilt mirrors, Edwardian furniture, the oldest lift in the city, but a nice cheery imitation fire burning in the fireplace of the lobby. This makes it look better, indicating the power of creative photography and copywriting.

The room could be described as compact and not overloaded with mod cons, though as a concession to the 21st century there is a flat screen TV mounted on the wall, God knows where you would find room for a conventional one. Fortunately the weary Grand Tourist only wanted to sleep, not host a dance party or indoor cricket (a la Deirdre McCloskey).

In the light of day the precinct turned out to be all that you expect in this part of the world. Every kind of boutique cafe/restaurant, a massive picture framing business next door, one of  the best of the (dwindling number of) second hand bookshops around the corner, a small movie house with two Barbara Stanwyk features running, another movie house in the next block etc.

Just a shame that I can’t be bothered with all these things, I just want to get home. Next time the Tour will start here while I am fresh and it can end in Europe and Tel Aviv where I can rest and relax as a house guest in places that do not scream out for heavy exploration. Apart from Prague where I have promised to catch up with Charlie and Cherie from Boston.

Moving on to the Roundup.

Saving the planet is fun!

David Cameron turns nasty. Fancy using leftwing in a derogatory sense! Can you bear it? Bring back speech codes for politicians.

Bad news from the oceans. Bad news for the warming alarmists and bad news for me as well, given my perceptin of  the benefits that come from a bit of warming and extra plant food in the atmosphere.

If there is one topic that trumps all others in climate science, it’s ocean heat.

If there is a planetary imbalance in energy, and Earth is acquiring more heat than it’s losing, we ought to be able to find that heat. Energy can not be created nor destroyed. It has to be somewhere.

On this Water-Planet, virtually every scientist agrees that the vast bulk of the extra energy ought be stored in the water. The oceans cover 70% of the surface, and are 4km deep; water has a high heat capacity (meaning it can store a lot of energy), and, because water flows quickly (unlike rock), turbulence and mixing can take that heat energy away from the surface. Every skeptic (and taxpayer) ought to know that since 2003 (when we started measuring oceans properly) the oceans have been cooling:  Douglass and Keen 2010.

Another nice talk  and dangerous as well, from that sink of subversion the Mannkal Foundation. What do you expect to come from a place called Hayek House?

The point I want to develop in this lecture is that environmental protection does not require that we adhere to millenarian beliefs, or ecocentric political philosophies, or biodynamic agriculture, or any of the other ‘New Age’ or other non-rational elements we can find in contemporary environmentalism.

Rather, good environmental policy requires that we reject such beliefs and uphold the Enlightenment commitment to sceptical, rational humanism. This also requires open contestation of science and the rejection of the idea that science can be too closely embedded within the affairs of the state. In other words, it requires the political liberalism that also emerged from the Enlightenment.

For travelers, useful phrases in all languages (thanks to Barry Williams)