An argument against the use of personal definitions of words can be framed around the concepts of communication efficacy, shared meaning, and societal cohesion. 1. Undermines Effective Communication The primary purpose of language is to facilitate clear communication between individuals. Personal definitions of words undermine this goal by distorting the shared meaning that allows people […]
Against personal definitions
Against personal definitions
02 Oct 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of education, economics of information, economics of media and culture, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - Australia, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA, property rights Tags: economics of languages, free speech, political correctness, regressive left
The woke to a tee
30 Sep 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of media and culture, liberalism, Marxist economics, movies, politics - Australia, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA, television Tags: Age of Enlightenment, free speech, political correctness, regressive left
Australia Introduces Legislation to Outlaw Disagreeing With the Government
17 Sep 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of crime, economics of media and culture, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - Australia Tags: free speech, media bias, political correctness, regressive left
As Australia approaches its next cycle of state and federal elections, the radical Aussie Federal Government is pushing laws which could silence media criticism of their key policy positions.
Australia Introduces Legislation to Outlaw Disagreeing With the Government
Australia Moves Toward Draconian Anti-Free Speech Law
14 Sep 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of regulation, industrial organisation, law and economics, liberalism, politics - Australia, politics - USA, property rights Tags: free speech, media bias, political correctness, regressive left
We have previously discussed how Australia has eagerly joined the plunge into censorship and speech controls, including a court system that has repeatedly refused to protect free speech. It is now on the verge of enacting a new censorship bill that replicates the abuses under the European Union’s draconian Digital Service Act (DSA).
Australia Moves Toward Draconian Anti-Free Speech Law
Aussie EV Ambition Collides with Grid Shortage Reality
30 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics, global warming, politics - Australia Tags: electric cars, solar power, wind power
Can anyone on team green do simple math?
Aussie EV Ambition Collides with Grid Shortage Reality
Rowling Reportedly Sued by Olympic Boxer Over Gender Criticism
24 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economics of crime, economics of education, economics of media and culture, gender, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - Australia, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA, property rights Tags: Age of Enlightenment, British politics, free speech, political correctness, regressive left
We have previously discussed the cancel campaigns targeting JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series. Rowling was not only the greatest selling author of all time but a wildly popular writer until she publicly opposed certain transgender policies as inimical to the advances in feminism. Now, she is the target of a lawsuit […]
Rowling Reportedly Sued by Olympic Boxer Over Gender Criticism
Women lose again
24 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economics of crime, gender, law and economics, politics - Australia, property rights Tags: free speech, political correctness, regressive left, sex discrimination
Giggle for Girls and its owner Sall Grover have lost the case in which they were accused of discrimination. Transgender woman Roxanne Tickle has won a novel gender identity case brought against a women’s-only social media app and its owner after she was excluded her from the platform. Federal Court Justice Robert Bromwich found Giggle for Girls and […]
Women lose again
New Zealand fact of the day
19 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in international economics, labour economics, labour supply, politics - Australia, politics - New Zealand Tags: economics of immigration
In the year to June, 80,200 New Zealand citizens moved abroad, almost double the numbers prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, just 24,900 returned, according to Stats NZ — the country’s official data agency. The net loss of 55,300 citizens (which follows a net loss of 56,500 in the year to April) smashed the previous record […]
New Zealand fact of the day
Truth in Numbers: Cheap ‘Renewables’ Claim Smashed by Crushing Power Bills
19 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics, global warming, politics - Australia Tags: energy poverty, solar power, wind power
Subsidised wind and solar are the principal reason for rocketing power prices, and rocketing power prices are the principal reason for rocketing inflation. Branded as “cost of living pressures” the rapid doubling and tripling of retail power costs are always and everywhere about the market destruction caused by massive subsidies to intermittent and unreliable wind […]
Truth in Numbers: Cheap ‘Renewables’ Claim Smashed by Crushing Power Bills
All Hail Nuclear: Because Solar Panels Can’t Survive Hailstorms or Hurricanes
18 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics, global warming, politics - Australia Tags: solar power, wind power
Solar panels deliver power for around 6 hours a day, struggle during wet/cloudy weather and a decent hailstorm or hurricane wipes them out completely. Anyone recommending solar power as a solution to our growing need for electrical energy needs their head read. Certain parts of the world suffer regular, violent hailstorms, where hailstones outsize golf […]
All Hail Nuclear: Because Solar Panels Can’t Survive Hailstorms or Hurricanes
Should the government operate petrol stations?
17 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, comparative institutional analysis, economics of regulation, entrepreneurship, history of economic thought, industrial organisation, law and economics, politics - Australia, politics - New Zealand, privatisation, property rights
The extent to which the government should be involved in the provision of goods and services generates a lot of debate. Most of that debate is unhelpful, since it involves small-government, market-fundamentalist types arguing against anti-market socialist types. It’s all ideological, and there’s a pretty good chance that neither of the sides in that argument…
Should the government operate petrol stations?
Plain packaging for infant formula is nuts
02 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of regulation, health economics, politics - Australia, politics - New Zealand Tags: nanny state
Farmers Weekly reports: The Minister of Food Safety is set to take on his counterparts from all Australian states and the Federal Government on Thursday to try to save New Zealand infant formula exports to Australia and potentially to China. Andrew Hoggard’s aim will be to amend proposed rules that would limit New Zealand producers’ […]
Plain packaging for infant formula is nuts
Fantasies of Clever Climate Policies
29 Jul 2024 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics, global warming, politics - Australia Tags: climate activists, climate alarmism
Chris Kenny writes at The Australian Facts at a premium in blustery climate debate. Excerpts in italics from text provided by John Ray at his blog, Greenie Watch. My bolds and added images. Collective Idiocy From Intellectual Vanity We think we are so clever. The conceit of contemporary humankind is often unbearable. Yet this modern […]
Fantasies of Clever Climate Policies
Which are the most effective subsidies for green energy?
26 Jul 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, applied welfare economics, economics of regulation, energy economics, environmental economics, global warming, politics - Australia, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA, Public Choice, public economics, rentseeking Tags: cap and trade, carbon tax, climate alarmism
That is the topic of my latest Bloomberg column, here is one excerpt: A recent study finds that, of all domestic subsidies, the most effective involve replacing the dirty production of electricity with the cleaner production of electricity. In practice, that means subsidies or tax credits for solar and wind power. Those are more than twice as effective as […]
Which are the most effective subsidies for green energy?
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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