by Shawn Regan Free riders beware. From The Week (sub req): A Spanish woman has filed papers staking an official legal claim to the sun. Angeles Duran, 49, states in notarized documents she is now the official “owner of the sun, a star of spectral type G2, located in the centre of the solar system,Continue reading “Property Rights to the Sun?”
Author Archives: admin
Mixing Oil and Birds
by Laura Huggins Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and, as has often been the case throughout its history, it has stirred up political conflicts over its use. There are the usual loud claims about what should be done with ANWR. Drilling proponents call for enhanced energy security, environmentalists appeal for ecological integrity,Continue reading “Mixing Oil and Birds”
All the Rage on Campus
by Jane S. Shaw On campuses across the country, sustainability is hot. Writing on the National Association of Scholars site, Ashley Thorne reports on her visit to the “sustainability open house” at Princeton. Somewhat bemused, she investigates trash sculptures, trayless eating, personalized beer cups (so you don’t throw them away each time you have aContinue reading “All the Rage on Campus”
Can the Government Take a Mulligan on Ethanol?
by Shawn Regan Ethanol is back in the news, but as Politico reports, there are contradictions within the government on the fuel source’s viability: Energy Secretary Steven Chu on Monday said that the future of transportation fuels shouldn’t involve ethanol, the gasoline additive that historically has received billions of dollars in federal subsidies. “Ethanol is notContinue reading “Can the Government Take a Mulligan on Ethanol?”
A visual representation of human progress over the last two hundred years
by Pete Geddes Check this out, from the always helpful Hans Rosling. By most measures, this appears to be a very good time to be alive. What about trends in the U.S.? Is our modern, industrialized lifestyle killing both us and the environment? Here’s some data. For all races and both sexes combined, long-term trends inContinue reading “A visual representation of human progress over the last two hundred years”
Will regulation guarantee safe food?
By Paul Schwennesen We all want safe food. Question is, how do we get it? “There oughta be a law,” seems to be the generally conceived approach, as evidenced by recent passage of the now-famous food safety bill. A tidy and altogether comforting solution: simply slay the beast of dangerous food with the bludgeonContinue reading “Will regulation guarantee safe food?”
Commerce by a Frozen Sea
A carefully researched and well-organized discussion of the early fur trade in the very northern reaches of North America as well as a fascinating use of basic economic theory.
How Government Perpetuates Native American Poverty
Last week, PERC was featured on the Fox Business Channel’s Stossel program for a Thanksgiving special giving thanks to property rights. Executive director Terry Anderson joined Manny Jules, former chief of the Kamloops Indian Band, to discuss how property ownership benefits Native Americans. Watch the video interview from Fox here. American Indian tribes are the singleContinue reading “How Government Perpetuates Native American Poverty”
Is FME Taking Root?
by Reed Watson This report by the World Resources Institute begins as most environmental reports do: with alarming news of man-made environmental destruction and a dire prognosis for maintaining the status quo. The focus of this particular report is deforestation in the South and the critical importance of protecting “Intact Forest Landscapes” from suburban development.Continue reading “Is FME Taking Root?”
The Pilgrims and Property Rights
by Shawn Regan From the folks at reason.tv: And don’t forget, tonight Terry Anderson and Brian Yablonski will appear on Stossel to discuss property rights. Tune in to the Fox Business Network at 9PM or midnight EST. Details here. Happy Thanksgiving!