The Rise and Decline and Rise Again of Mancur Olson

Mancur Olson’s The Rise and Decline of Nations is one of my favorite books and a classic of public choice. Olson may well have won the Nobel prize had he not died young. He summarized his book in nine implications of which I will present four: 2. Stable societies with unchanged boundaries tend to accumulate […]

The Rise and Decline and Rise Again of Mancur Olson

DON BRASH: Letter sent to the Vice Chancellor AUT

The following was written on behalf of Hobson’s Pledge: Dear Vice Chancellor Damon Salesa, We are a group of New Zealanders whose primary objective is to fight for equality under the law and advance the vision Governor William Hobson expressed at Waitangi in 1840. He is said to have spoken the following words to each…

DON BRASH: Letter sent to the Vice Chancellor AUT

Stormy Daniels Day: Alvin Bragg Lights Dumpster Fire in Manhattan

Below is my New York Post column on the unseemly scene in the courtroom of Judge Juan Merchan as prosecutors used porn star Stormy Daniels to present lurid details on her alleged tryst with former president Donald Trump. It was a dumpster fire that Judge Merchan watched burn for a full day and then said […]

Stormy Daniels Day: Alvin Bragg Lights Dumpster Fire in Manhattan

The Assassination of Pim Fortuyn.

I have often made the point that there is basically no difference between the far left and the far right, If there ever was a clearer indication of that it was Pim Fortuyn, initially a Marxist and communist, he later did a complete U turn. Although I don’t consider extreme right, he was leaning towards […]

The Assassination of Pim Fortuyn.

Why have the media ignored this outrageous speech?

Read the whole tweet. A Member of Parliament got up in the House and said the Government (which has a Cabinet which is 35% Māori) wants to exterminate Māori. Has the media reported this, with the editorials decrying such nonsensical and abusive language? Imagine if an ACT MP said in the House that a Labour-led […]

Why have the media ignored this outrageous speech?

A Disbarred, Serial Perjurer Walks into a Courtroom and Asks to Take an Oath . . . Seriously, No Joke

C-Span/YouTube Screenshot Below is my column in The Hill on the expected appearance of Michael Cohen in the Manhattan trial of former president Donald Trump. It will be a scene that is both mesmerizing and repellent for many, particularly in the bar. Here is the column: A disbarred, serial perjurer walks into a courtroom and…

A Disbarred, Serial Perjurer Walks into a Courtroom and Asks to Take an Oath . . . Seriously, No Joke

Vic’s proposed speech suppression code

The FSU reports: Last week, we were sent draft principles for what discourse Victoria University intends to allow on campus. … “We should not provide a platform for, nor invite, individuals or groups to speak on campus that have previously demonstrated or are expected to express hate speech as the current law defines…” So Vic […]

Vic’s proposed speech suppression code

Majority of Northwestern’s Anti-Semitism Task Force Members Resign Over Deal With Protesters

The backlash over the settlement of Northwestern University with pro-Palestinian protesters continues to mount. In a letter acquired by The Daily Northwestern,  seven out of 11 members of the “President’s Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate” resigned this week in protest.

Majority of Northwestern’s Anti-Semitism Task Force Members Resign Over Deal With Protesters

Meanwhile “… the disturbing trend of increasing violence towards children continues to worsen.”

The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour blind, utterly child centric and open to whatever solution will ensure a child’s…

Meanwhile “… the disturbing trend of increasing violence towards children continues to worsen.”

Two more Genter altercations

Stuff reports: Another allegation has come to light against Green MP Julie Anne Genter, with a business owner claiming the MP, who is working from home after an incident this week in Parliament, grabbed her arm “and gave it quite a strong shake” as they spoke. Wellington business owner Nicola Cranfield said she saw Genter […]

Two more Genter altercations

Trump’s 12th Amendment Problem: The VP Short List Has a Residency Dilemma

The Trump short list for vice presidential candidates is reportedly down to Ohio Senator, J.D. Vance, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Rubio is a favorite for many due to his record in the Senate and his appeal to hispanic voters (where the GOP is hoping […]

Trump’s 12th Amendment Problem: The VP Short List Has a Residency Dilemma

The Peltzman Effect at Sea

Deiana, Maheshr,and Mastrobuoniand have recently published an analysis of the effects of Search and Rescue operations on migration from Africa to Europe.Nearly half a century ago, Sam Peltzman showed that, because mandatory seat-belts made driving safer, drivers tended to drive more recklessly, partially offsetting the increased safety. Similar effects occurred in the search and rescue…

The Peltzman Effect at Sea

May Day: Appeals Court Rules Against Kids’ Climate Lawsuit

Update May 1, 2024 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals grants Federal government’s petition for writ of mandamus in the case of Juliana v. United States, originally filed in 2015.  Ruling excerpts are below in italics with my bolds. 20240501_docket-24-684_order In the underlying case, twenty-one plaintiffs (the Juliana plaintiffs) claim that—by failing to adequately respond to […]

May Day: Appeals Court Rules Against Kids’ Climate Lawsuit

Farmers Uninsurable Risk: Solar Factory Neighbours Face Total Financial Ruin

Farmers have no hope of insuring their properties to cover damage caused to neighbouring solar factories. Public liability cover in property insurance contracts ordinarily caps out at around $20 million in Australia. As with any type of insurance, the greater the cover, the greater the premium. Although, there are certain risks that no insurer will […]

Farmers Uninsurable Risk: Solar Factory Neighbours Face Total Financial Ruin

Alvin Bragg and The Art of Not Taking Law Too Seriously

Below is my column in The Hill on the first week of testimony in the Trump trial. It is making Rube Goldberg’s 13 step self-operating napkin look like a model of efficiency and clarity. It is so convoluted and illogical it is mesmerizing. Here is the column:

Alvin Bragg and The Art of Not Taking Law Too Seriously

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