Potpourri
* John David Fernandez explains the joy that is Mises University. An excerpt: “There is no intellectual arrogance displayed by any of the professors. All of them have a great sense of humor, and always willing to chat or autograph a book. You can talk to them about anything, including the nitty-gritty details of anarchism or classical-liberal theory. You can ask them to read a paper you’re working on, or to comment on what they would do if they were made president for a year and asked to solve the country’s economic woes. Some of them can even sing a mean Neil Diamond — oh, sweet Caroline!”
* Steve Horwitz gives a lot more evidence on that paragon of laissez-faire, Herbert Hoover.
* Lilburne gives an amazing account of the battle of wits between Nicholas Biddle and Andrew Jackson over the Second Bank of the United States. Really, the second half of this essay is dynamite; Lilburne isn’t just good for Krugman-bashing. If the quotes are legit, then Biddle tried to wreck the economy in an attempt to maintain his power. Not saying there’s any relevance to today, of course…
* The New Yorker reviews Pete Leeson’s book on pirates.
* A popular Berkeley (!) physics professor takes on some of the myths in the global warming debate. (HT Rob Bradley)
* “Why Obama Should Learn to Love the Bomb.” I was hoping this was a White Paper on Iran from Bill Kristol, but it’s much less interesting.
* Chip Knappenberger explains the significance (and remaining holes to be plugged) in the recent Lindzen-Choi paper that’s got talk radio in such a tizzy. The opening sentence: “MIT climate scientists Richard Lindzen and collaborator Yong-Sang Choi soon-to-be published paper (Geophysical Research Letters, American Geophysical Union) pegs the earth’s “climate sensitivity”—the degree the earth’s temperature responds to various forces of change—at a value that is about six times less than the “best estimate” put forth by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).” Technical quibble: I think “six times less” means “one-sixth of.”
