Tim Worstall

Mr Huhne, one of the leading Liberal Democrats in the cabinet, used an interview with The Sunday Telegraph to speak out in favour of harnessing both onshore and offshore wind power in comments likely to alarm Conservatives and place further strain on the coalition. The Energy Secretary, ahead of a key Commons statement on energy [...]

[Read more →]

From Danny Dorling’s new book, “Injustice, why social inequality persists”, from the intro, this gem: Within rich countries, the portrayal of children’s abilities as lying along bell curves (as if these are natural things) is unjust. What? Bell curves are unnatural? Children? Abilities? Lordy be, height, weight, dick length, tit size and lifespan length lie [...]

[Read more →]

Wrestling midgets killed by fake hookers The world of Mexican midget wrestling is in mourning after two of its most famous stars were apparently poisoned by fake prostitutes. Somehow, having written that headline would make me very happy.

[Read more →]

No, really, they are.

[Read more →]

Via, this. The sentences will therefore be 2 years on count 3, 12 months on count 2 and 6 months on count 1, all concurrent, making 2 years in all. They run from today since you are not entitled to credit for the time spent in prison since your recall. Normally, the time you spend [...]

[Read more →]

My own somewhat incoherent thoughts on the subject.

[Read more →]

At the ASI. This idea that we should have more regulation does rather depend on those writing the regulations knowing what they’re doing.

[Read more →]

Known as GenShocks, the contraptions will mean that motorists will no longer just worry about their suspension, but regard every jolt as potentially cutting the cost of a visit to the filling station. This in turn means that less fuel is needed to power the electrics. This is because the devices not only absorb the [...]

[Read more →]

So let’s not beat around the bush: their justification for getting rid of the SDC (Sustainable Development Commission-Ed) is transparently vacuous, if not downright dishonest. This is an ideological decision – in other words, a decision driven by dogma not by evidence-based, rational analysis. Ideological decisions are not necessarily either vacuous or dishonest. Nor are [...]

[Read more →]

Electoral system humour.

[Read more →]

But the Bush apologists hope that you won’t remember all that. And they also have a theory, which I’ve been hearing more and more — namely, that President Obama, though not yet in office or even elected, caused the 2008 slump. You see, people were worried in advance about his future policies, and that’s what [...]

[Read more →]

Nor can they abandon tariffs when these are easily the most effective mechanisms, and the cheapest, for ensuring that tax is collected on the limited range of exported goods they have to offer that are vital to their state income. And they also need tariff barriers to protect fledgling enterprises. If these impede the flow [...]

[Read more →]

Fans boggled at last week’s decision by the grime star Wiley to give away more than 200 new tracks for free online. First, they asked, is it for real? And then, why is he doing this? And finally, where do I even start listening to it all? Wiley’s absurd generosity will be part of the [...]

[Read more →]

Umm, yes, OK, this is personal opinion and all that but the man’s a fascist. Nothing there that couldn’t come from a Mosely or Griffin speech. I too think there’s something different and wonderful about Britain…..but it’s because of the people who inhabit it, the individuals that make it up, not because of some national [...]

[Read more →]

The …… isn’t the best sex you’ve ever had, but it’s also not likely to leave you to finish yourself off while your partner falls asleep to ……… What’s in the …… doesn’t really matter for the point to make sense……

[Read more →]

Hmm, looks like I might have to review my support for such anonymity: Al Gore is in more trouble. The National Enquirer reports in a bombshell story that police have investigated charges from two more female massage therapists who claimed they were abused by Gore. The allegations come on the heels of an ongoing Portland, [...]

[Read more →]

The Jones Act is that little bit of US protectionism which says that not US owned, not US crewed and not US union rule recognising ships cannot operate either between US ports or in US waters. And here we see some of the costs: Four of the world’s largest oil companies are creating a strike [...]

[Read more →]

Or rather, don’t imagine, just study history. And introduce yourself to the word “carista“. The shortage of labour than can exist because no one did speculate in agricultural products. Y’know, ‘coz the labourers died.

[Read more →]

Sad, sad, piece at CiF to which I added this comment: Oh dearie me. Having actually read the WDM report I’m sorry but you really do fail to show what you contend you show. Firstly, as Seth says above, you just don’t understand that futures and derivatives are, by definition, among those who trade them, [...]

[Read more →]

“For years, our financial sector was governed by antiquated and poorly enforced rules that allowed some to game the system and take risks that endangered the entire economy,” President Obama said. “The American people will never again be asked to foot the bill for Wall Street’s mistakes. There will be no more taxpayer-funded bailouts. Period.” [...]

[Read more →]