Manhattan Declaration on Climate Change

We ... ... Hereby declare:

That current plans to restrict anthropogenic CO2 emissions are a dangerous misallocation of intellectual capital and resources that should be dedicated to solving humanity’s real and serious problems.

That there is no convincing evidence that CO2 emissions from modern industrial activity has in the past, is now, or will in the future cause catastrophic climate change.

That attempts by governments to inflict taxes and costly regulations on industry and individual citizens with the aim of reducing emissions of CO2 will pointlessly curtail the prosperity of the West and progress of developing nations without affecting climate.

That adaptation as needed is massively more cost-effective than any attempted mitigation, and that a focus on such mitigation will divert the attention and resources of governments away from addressing the real problems of their peoples.

That human-caused climate change is not a global crisis.

Read the whole thing and sign up.

Atlas Shrugged

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I’ve just now, for the first time, decades late, read Ayn Rand’s classic novel ‘Atlas Shrugged’.

In a gripping epic story of the collapse of a prosperous modern civilization into a backward socialist dystopia, Rand expounds her economic, political and moral philosophy. Written in the middle 50's it’s still highly relevant. Actually, given the creeping socialism that’s gone on since, it’s even more relevant than ever.

It’s required reading for everyone, but especially for politicians, government bureaucrats and corporate executives.

Global warming causes kidney stones

Anthony Watts reports:

From the “You’ve got to be freakin kidding me department” comes this proof positive that EVERYTHING is caused by global warming. Yessirree folks...

From the Thaindian News and here it is on Science Daily so no, I’m not making this up.

Healthcare as a 'right'

The 'right to healthcare' is commonly assumed to mean that 'society' is obliged to supply it to everyone (for 'free'). A better interpretation:

I do believe that healthcare is a right, in the sense that free speech is a right; no one can take that right away from you. On the other hand, no one else has to build an auditorium for you, or publish a newspaper for you so that you can exercise your right to free speech. Treating health care as a right that others have the duty to supply for you has a great many ill effects. Universal health care sounds good as a dream, but in actual practice it has a great many deficiencies ...

And, furthermore ... , etc.

Obama the appeaser

I just watched nearly ten minutes of CTV Newsnet stumping for Obama with a story titled "Obama responds to Bush" covering a speech from the primary campaign trail in South Dakota.

Bush's remarks about Nazi appeasers must have struck pretty close to home. Otherwise why would Obama be taking it so personally:

If Bush gave a speech about drug dealers, would you release a statement saying, "how DARE you insult me!"? Of course not.... So if you really aren't an appeaser, you shouldn't have willingly identified yourself with that group.

Excellent point. And, moreover...

Also, "Can someone explain ...

... how Obama sat in Wright's church for 20 years and managed never to hear anything, but hears 20 seconds of a Bush speech that doesn't mention him and perceives a shameful personal attack?"

Update: Mark Steyn in the OC Register.

“Justice” Minister against free speech

This truly sucks. Justice Minister and Attorney General Rob Nicholson’s weasels have submitted an opinion favouring continued assaults by "Human Rights" Commissions on the free speech granted by our (apparently useless) Charter of "Rights and Freedoms".

Weighing in:

Ezra Levant
Mark Steyn
Blazing Cat Fur (and)
Five Foot Fury

Damn! Now I have to write yet another snotgram to Harper and Nicholson.

"Give peas a chance"

Human rights, animal rights and now vegetable rights:

Swiss lawyers are elaborating the doctrine of vegetable rights. " A few years ago the Swiss added to their national constitution a provision requiring "account to be taken of the dignity of creation when handling animals, plants and other organisms." No one knew exactly what it meant, so they asked the Swiss Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology to figure it out."

Coming soon - mineral rights.

[via, and]