From the, "I can't beieve Jeff Bezos didn't give Ezra Klein $10 million dollars" file, behold this gem.

Everything you need to know about economics, in 297 words http://t.co/2YK9O1j0Sb

— Ezra Klein (@ezraklein) April 19, 2014

First of all let me say how asinine it is for someone who claims to be engaged in deep wonkery to keep pitching stories as "Everything you need to know about X in one chart/graph/interpretative dance performance".

If complex subjects can be fully covered and explained in a single anything, it's probably not that complex of a subject and you don't need experts, let alone a bunch of arrogant children without any discernible accomplishments to explain it to you.

But enough about the staff of Vox.com. Let's look at some of the "297 words" that constitute Ezra Klein's vision of all you need to know about economics. Mind you, these aren't Klein's words but the words of an actual expert in economics, Thomas Sargent a Nobel Laureate in the field.

1. Many things that are desirable are not feasible.

2. Individuals and communities face trade-offs.

3. Other people have more information about their abilities, their efforts,
and their preferences than you do.

4. Everyone responds to incentives, including people you want to help. That is why social safety nets don't always end up working as intended.

I'm going to stop here, 74 words into the 297 (my version of Word says it's actually 308 but let's not quibble).

How can you think these are essential truths about economics and still be a big government liberal? Imagine thinking, as Klein does, that these are four essential parts (there's 12 in total) of understanding economics while simultaneously thinking that ObamaCare doesn't go far enough and we should have "a more nationalized health-care system".

If your entire worldview is based on greater concentration of political power over the economy and the incentives under which individuals operate, wouldn't you look at those 4 points alone and either say, "What an idiot this guy is!" or "Hmmm....I may need to evaluate my thinking on everything."?

How can you read those words and think, "Yes! This guy nails it and oh by the way, society should be organized in such a way as to ignore everything he just said"?

There's more of this, approximately 223 words worth, at the link and all of it damning to the liberal project of confiscatory taxation providing central government planners with more money and power to control the lives of hundreds of millions of people.

And yet, Klein and his merry band of know-it-alls want you to trust them to explain everything to you.

I really feel there should be a word that means "smart person who is actually quite stupid". Preferably it would be in German.

Posted by: DrewM at 06:53 AM | Comments (403)
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• Policing Political Speech
  
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• Theives Tap Pipeline, Steal 30,000 Liters Of Fuel
  
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• Cliven Bundy And The Rural Way
  
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• Scottish Independence Is A Real Possibility
  
• Obamacare's Core Flaw
  
• Mike Rowe's Career Advice
  
• Remeber, Politicians Are Smarter Than You
  
• China On Course To Become World's Most Christian Nation In 15 Years
  
• The Closing Of The Academic Mind
  
• Ukraine Girds For Confrontation
  
• Powdered Alcohol To Hit Liquor Stores This Fall
  

Follow me on twitter.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 04:54 AM | Comments (345)
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Happy Monday.

Yesterday, the GAO released details on how Sec. Sebelius shook down outside companies for funding to promote Obamacare.

From Jim Geraghty's Morning Jolt (which you should subscribe to, if you aren't), about half of Georgia's healthcare sign-ups haven't paid.

More evidence that GM got kid glove treatment from federal regulators.

Unions are warming up to fracking.

Snowden's feelings are hurt that everyone thinks he's such a naif.

Gov. Perry's "makeover" is noticed by Politico. "He just seems like a very confident, upbeat and articulate spokesman for conservative policy and values," says former Perry staffer.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 02:44 AM | Comments (182)
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Quote of the Day

"LITTLE HITLERS: There is, as every petty official knows, a great deal of pleasure to be had from the obstruction of others, especially if they appear to be more fortunate, better placed, richer, or more intelligent than oneself. There is a pleasure in naysaying, all the greater if the naysayer is able to disguise from the victim the fact that he is not only doing his duty but gratifying himself. Indeed, there are many jobs, meaningless in themselves, in which the power to say no is the only non-monetary reward."

Quote of the Day II

The program is supposedly only for citizens or legal resident aliens, but in reality no one's checking. It will all run on the honor system, at the insistence of the dishonorable. The taxpayer will be robbed blind and anyone who doesn't like it is a bad Christian, anti-American, and of course racist.

Quote of the Day III

After his prepared remarks, Scalia took questions from eager law students who lined the aisles of the theatre. His remarks there were more candid, pointing to the Washington, D.C. v. Heller opinon - a second-amendment case - as his proudest moment on the court.

When another students asked about the constitutionality of income tax, he assured the student that the government could, in fact, take his money.

"But if reaches certain point, perhaps you should revolt," Scalia advised the young man.

It's Official: Americans Now Believe Obama is a Liar

61% say President Obama lies either "most of the time" or "some of the time," with a plurality of 37% opting for "most of the time."

Posted by: Maetenloch at 06:02 PM | Comments (514)
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Courtesy of Weird News:

Sir Mix-A-Lot is a musical genius. When he created "Baby Got Back" in 1992, he crafted a musical masterpiece that can be recreated in any genre without losing a beat.

Like your big butts in jazz? There's a "Baby Got Back" for that.

Easy listening? Here's some mellow big butts for you.

Prefer metal? Try this one.

Then again, does anything beat the original?

Posted by: Open Blogger at 04:12 PM | Comments (114)
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Or Haikus...whichever you prefer.

An interesting perspective of Barry Goldwater from one of his campaign ads in 1964.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 11:54 AM | Comments (35)
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Civil Disobedience In NY

There is one purpose for a gun registry. One.

Good on the folks in NY who've decided to not give the state the rope with which to hang them.

Owners of assault-style weapons were supposed to have registered their guns by Tuesday.

But there is no way of knowing exactly how many of these weapons there are in the state and how many were registered under the NY SAFE Act.

The state refuses to say how many were registered, claiming it is confidential information protected by the law.

Gun-rights advocates estimate compliance will be less than 10 percent.

And in Erie County, the sheriff says he will not force his deputies to enforce registration.

Crazy Rednecks Bring Evil NRA Into Schools To Teach Kids About Guns

Guess the state.

Headline: NRA-sponsored gun-safety program set to go in Westford schools

Former schoolteacher Marilyn Frank has big plans for firearms-safety education in town.

Frank, 79, who served in the school district for 29 years and for a decade as health-education coordinator, said she doesn't own a gun but she wants to help remove polarization around the subject of gun safety. In December, she proposed bringing the National Rifle Association-sponsored program Eddie Eagle back to the local elementary schools. The program, approved by the School Committee, will start early next month.

"You want everyone to buy into this. I think this is a message that everyone can come together for, caring about the kids," she said. "That was what this is all about. Are we going to save anybody? I don't know. But when I put in birth- control explanations (in the schools), I didn't promise nobody would get pregnant. You don't know, but you just hope."

Turns out there are still a few sane people in Westford, MA after all.

Gun Of The Week

(answer below) more...

Posted by: andy at 12:30 PM | Comments (141)
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Here's a distraction until content is posted.

and

Posted by: Open Blogger at 09:47 AM | Comments (225)
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We Politely Request That All Off-Topic or Political Comments Be Directed to the Thread Directly Below This One, Which Will Serve Officially as the Current "Active Conversation" Thread for All Discussions Not Related To This Topic.

The conventional wisdom is that cooking is an art and baking is a science -- requiring precision and consistency and rigid attention to detail. And if you satisfy those requirements you will be rewarded with marvelous crusty breads and glorious cakes and you will be the marvel of the neighborhood.

It's a dirty filthy stinking lie, perpetrated by an unholy cabal of flour mills and sugar barons and the natural gas industry.
more...

Posted by: Open Blogger at 11:55 AM | Comments (69)
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Easter

Posted by: andy at 03:22 AM | Comments (254)
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