The story Radley Balko was in town for last month is now officially out in the open, with an op-ed in the Chicago-Tribune: At Reason Magazine, we recently took a look at how the 35 most-populous cities in the United States balance individual freedom with government paternalism. We ranked the cities on how much freedom they afford their residents to indulge in alcohol, tobacco, … [Read more...] about We’re Dead Last! We’re Dead Last!
Unclear on the Concept
What Do Rush Limbaugh, Rosanne Barr, and I Have In Common?
Morons insult us because of our weight. There are plenty of reasons to dislike Rush Limbaugh and the things he stands for, but a surprising number of his detractors feel compelled to point out that he's fat. It was the same with Rosanne Barr when she started her sitcom. Lots of people commented on and complained about her weight, without noticing that her show was brilliantly … [Read more...] about What Do Rush Limbaugh, Rosanne Barr, and I Have In Common?
Do People Suck?
Mike at Crime & Federalism says "Yes, they do." His evidence is pretty compelling: The story of a 78-year-old man being hit by a car and left lying in the street as people walk on by. (You can click to see security video of the hit-and-run. It's a little shocking.) A 78-year-old man is tossed like a rag doll by a hit-and-run driver and lies motionless on a busy city … [Read more...] about Do People Suck?
Common Sense, It’s a Theory
Scott Greenfield was ranting against relying too much on "common sense": One of the offshoots of the push that resulted in the elevation of George W. Bush to the presidency was the empowerment of "regular" people. This meant that views and opinions, under the category of "common sense," were raised to a level equal to, or above, that of thoughtful analysis. ... One of … [Read more...] about Common Sense, It’s a Theory
Immigration Analogies
Over at the conservative blog Illinois Review, John Ruskin quotes with approval from an unnamed letter writer who has a few things to say about the recent protests against stronger immigration enforcement (elisions mine) : Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely. … [Read more...] about Immigration Analogies