Jan
19
2007

URLs du Jour

2007-01-19

  • You don't often see a full-throated libertarian rant in Slate magazine, so it's worth pointing it out when it happens: Jack Shafer argues for abolishing the FCC and establishing private property rights in the broadcast spectrum.

  • And as long as we have one item on our libertarian wishlist, we might as well make it four. Arnold Kling writes at TCS of the "Big Three" items on his agenda:
    1. Increase the proportion of children who are schooled outside of the public school system.

    2. Increase the proportion of health care spending that is paid for directly by consumers.

    3. Limit the fraction of people's lives where they collect Social Security.

    All three reforms would help decrease dependency on, and interference of, the government in everyday people's lives.

  • On a more sober note, Dean Barnett notes what he calls "the most depressing poll ever", and it's hard to disagree with him. The question is:
    Do you personally want the Iraq plan President Bush announced last week to succeed?
    Before you look, imagine your worst nightmare about how many people don't say "yes".

  • And Professor Bainbridge comments on a discussion that's gone from Robin Hanson to Jane Galt about how much deference and respect to give to the opinions of college professors, with special consideration given to those at "elite" schools. The Prof comments:
    I'm 48 years old. I spent 11 years in college and graduate school, with the latter 7 years spent at elite institutions. I've spent 18 years teaching at law schools ranked in the top 25, which I think safely qualify as elite institutions. Having thus spent 60% of my life hanging out with elite professors, I feel confident in saying that: If all I know about a view was that professors held it more, and elite professors even more so, I would be inclined to be skeptical of that view.
    I'm (uh) slightly older than the Prof, and have hung out at fewer elite institutions, but … what he said.

  • If you're a video whiz who doesn't say "Huh?" when you hear the words "Milton Friedman", you might want to enter this YouTube contest to win a cool $5K. Tell them Pun Salad sent you.