Frampton Comes Into Some Money!

Our long national nightmare is over.

UNC physics prof, and self-proclaimed dater of Argentine bikini models, has had his back salary restored (at least up until the time that he was fired).

More importantly, the rule of law has been restored.  Yes, you can go off to Argentina on some delusional quest, be fooled into selling drugs, and be jailed for years, and still keep your university job!

If you haven't been following the story, here is our previous coverage.

Scotland Denies Angus!

Our "Man in Scotland," K. "Haggis Man" Gaddie, sends this message from the field:


Scottish transit WiFi blocks "Kids Prefer Cheese" ... did you upset Adam Smith?

NY Times Causes Head of Mungowitz to Explode

With thanks to Greg Barkimer, who saw this and knew it was gold. An actual headline, seriously, in the New York Times:

Bird Flu Sends Egg Prices Up, but Slowing Demand Prevents Shortages 

Um....yes.  How economically illiterate would you have to be to write that headline?  Answer:  illiterate enough to work for the New York Times.  

Because this is on the order of "Water:  Still Wet!" or "That Crazy Sun:  Rising in the East Again This Morning."

There can never, NEVER be a shortage if prices are free to adjust.  Because a shortage is insufficient supply at current prices.  Lagniappe:  This was in the "Science" section.  Yes, it was.

(updated to correct typos)

(Update 2:  Ya know.... I'm not so sure. Maybe it's a dumb headline. But maybe it was clever clickbait. The whole thing is a little too pat. If so, well played, NYTimes. You used me like an old toilet seat.)

WalMart Fight

I didn't even know that WalMart fights were a "thing."

Josh Hall, not surprisingly, was fully aware.  Not gonna say any more, just gonna give him credit for the find.

Problem:  Now I've seen the best one.  Even the after-story is excellent.

So I went from ignorant to done in 3 minutes.  The LMM says that that reminds her of me on our wedding night.  She's hilarious, that lady.

Goin' All Boudreaux: Paying Attention....

So, Gene Nichol (who I like, personally) wrote a piece about ID requirements.

I had to respond.  So I went all Boudreaux on him.

Text:


It appears my good friend Gene Nichol has done some field work and discovered (“An unforgivable quest for ID,” June 12 Point of View) that government agencies are inefficient and that state “service” workers are rude and indifferent to the public. 

 Until now, it seemed that he wanted the state to run nearly every aspect of our lives. But he has seen the light. 

Well, better late than never! Everyone becomes a Libertarian eventually, if they are paying attention. 

Michael Munger
Raleigh

Essential Hayek

A very interesting and useful new set of resources, from Don Boudreaux and the Fraser Institute.

The Essential Hayek.
(Doesn't come live until tomorrow...)

From the book, the Table of Contents:

Foreword, by Václav Klaus / 1
Introduction / 7
Selected Hayek passages explained
1. How we make sense of an incredibly complex world / 12
2. Knowledge and prices / 17
3. Individual flourishing and spontaneous order / 24
4. The rule of law, freedom, and prosperity / 28
5. Legislation is distinct from law / 32
6. False economic security and the road to serfdom / 39
7. Economic booms and busts / 46
8. The curse of inflation / 56
9. The challenge of living successfully in modern society / 62
10. Ideas have consequences / 71
Suggestions for further reading / 77

I'll be using it in class!