Sunday, 10 April, 2005

Welcome on Sunday morning. As I review the commentary selection for today's news - let me remind you of why this site and all the energies of our staff are directed at keeping this updated with information you need. A pryvateer is an individual or organization that operates in a quasi-legal zone between government approval and neglect. We are free-marketers who believe in voluntary relationships based upon complete and accurate information, and the avoidance of coercion to achieve an end result. We recognize goverments exist with the vast majority usurping individual rights to centralize power. We don't ask their permission to act and are aware of the consequences when their laws infringe on our rights and demand unethical or immoral behavior. Our objective is to conduct our lives and businesses in ways that takes us out of play for their confiscation schemes. The only other choice is becoming a pyrate and that is a very different kettle of fish. FYI - our economic and news search is based upon GEM's Economic Rankings of Economies, we monitor and report news sources from the top two countires on each continent. BTW the United States has slipped from 4th to 11th in the last year - inspiring news. Sunday morning commentary - a new feature - reviews the same publications' editorial sections as well as my short list of thought leaders. For specific business news and commentary visit our other sites: hyper-growth center for inspired performance Enjoy your day of rest - Ciao 8:48:44 AM    comment []

VIN SUPRYNOWICZ: Diluting the purchasing power of the dollar The thing I miss most about 'Leaving Las Vegas', Sunday Las Vegas Review Journal editorials Last time, visiting Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., ranking minority member of the House Budget Committee, was explaining the Democratic objections to President Bush's proposal to "allow" workers to shift a small portion of their Social Security levies into (government supervised) private retirement accounts. 8:45:59 AM    comment []

Tokyo losing Seoul mate   A continuation of last weeks news - the impact of China's economic expansion on the other key players As China continues to strengthen its position in Asia, political dynamics in the region are shifting. Japan, in light of changes in the regional balance of power, is exhibiting increasing concern, its leaders in a quandary as to how to retain strategic allies in East Asia, especially South Korea. 8:40:26 AM    comment []

Competition and partnership can go hand in hand Well written article on the challenges of being a free-marketer with unsavory characters  BRUSSELS The spectacular rise of China as a world economic power is one of the great changes of our time. For Europe, as for the United States, it poses a massive competitive challenge. Europe, the United States and Japan are still the big players in the world's service, high-tech and luxury goods markets, while China continues to consolidate its position as the world's leading light manufacturer. But China's high-tech economy is growing. We won't be trading Airbuses for T-shirts for much longer 8:35:18 AM    comment []

Philip Bowring: Chinese lessons Interesting insight into China's growing economic power - US doesn't look so bad to its distractors  DHAKA, Bangladesh The current 10-day, four-nation tour of South Asia by China's prime minister, Wen Jiabao, is at one level a triumphal affair. Here is the outwardly modest Wen basking in China's success, spreading the gospel of good will to these neighbors whose combined populations equals that of China. Here is a China that will give aid, help them escape from poverty, make Asians proud and speak up for multilateralism and the United Nations system - articles of faith throughout the subcontinent. 8:33:10 AM    comment []

Prelude to the Total State A little radical screed is good for the soul on Sunday morning Capitalism died in 1929 according to the esteemed pundits of our day. Since that fateful year, the prominent intellectuals and politicians of our country have been promoting the welfare state as a "safe, responsible, middle ground" between the opposite poles of capitalism and socialism -- the perfect system to preserve freedom, maintain economic stability, and bring about the good life. 8:20:13 AM    comment []

Rare sighting of genuine liberal politician Much to my surprise and delight - Gladstone liberals exist! Finding the Loch Ness monster has a higher probability. Authors amended note - I was right, start looking for Nessy. Just read the platform of the Liberal Party UK and Gladstone is dead. World Government is core to their platform - seig heil while singing the Internationale I attended a one-day conference on the EU Constitution today, drawing together an eclectic mixture of people from all parts of the political spectrum, both British and foreign, and all united on the need to get a decisive No vote in the event that Mr Blair decides to hold a referendum on one (let's pray it is not done by postal vote, god help us). I attended the morning session and drifted home for lunch with my head still ringing with one of the best speeches by a politician I have heard for years. 8:07:32 AM    comment []

“Acceptable” Wait Times? More quality commentary from our neighbors to the North. As a recepient of socialized healthcare provided by the friendly government for 12 years, 8 months, and 15 days, you can keep it A group of Canadian physician associations (the Wait Time Alliance) has just released a report on providing Canadian patients more timely access to care. Surprisingly, the report shows little regard for the pain and suffering patients experience while waiting for medical treatment. Even more troubling than the report itself is that this lack of regard for patients’ needs is becoming remarkably popular in Canada. 7:59:25 AM    comment []

The Wrong Response to Rochfort We are featuring a new writer and French Canadian at that, he proves CBC like the US media doesn't report it best minds - welcome  Pierre Lemieux - this guy definitely doesn't drink the kool-aid “If it saves only one life,” they say. The freedom of grown-ups to smoke what they want and of grow-ops to supply it could have saved five lives in Rochfort Bridge, Alta., on March 3. The American Prohibition of the 1920s had already demonstrated that prohibiting sins is a good way to waste lives. If, on the other hand, the four slain RCMP cops were also investigating some real crime, like theft, the tragedy illustrates the vacuity of the simplistic one life principle: everything depends upon whether a life is saved or lost as a consequence of protecting liberty or of imposing coercion. 7:48:18 AM    comment []

Evidence, evidence and more evidence America's best economic voice on all matters free as in trade An opinion piece by reporter Anna Bernasek in last Sunday's New York Times actually argues that there's no real evidence that lower tax rates spur economic growth. Bernasek finds a couple of economists to back up her idea before concluding that tax "reform based on a notion that taxes are bad for the economy is just that: a notion not backed by strong evidence." 7:43:40 AM    comment []

The 65 percent solution I admit it - a weakness for the beauty of the English language when written well - I include George Will whenever possible PHOENIX -- Patrick Byrne, a 42-year-old bear of a man who bristles with ideas that have made him rich and restless, has an idea that can provide a new desktop computer for every student in America without costing taxpayers a new nickel. Or it could provide 300,000 new $40,000-a-year teachers without any increase in taxes.  His idea -- call it The 65 Percent Solution -- is politically delicious because it unites parents, taxpayers and teachers while, he hopes, sowing dissension in the ranks of the teachers unions, which he considers the principal institutional impediment to improving primary and secondary education. 7:39:33 AM    comment []

America's liberal empire I have enjoyed the work of Alan Brock for my years, interesting review of a book on US foreign policy Briefly, the thesis is this: The United States is not just the sole superpower and an economic dynamo (without which the superpower status would disappear quickly). By responding to crises and opportunities rather than by design it has evolved into a new kind of empire, a complex and mostly voluntary (as opposed to colonial-oriented) empire that "comprises 17 percent of the world's population but controls about70 percent of the gross world product. Because nearly all of the developed countries are included, the network's share of science, technology, and corporate resources is closer to 90 percent of the world's total." 7:26:04 AM    comment []

Hypocrisy and the Ordeal of Terri Schiavo It is good to see Ron Paul writing again - the only elected libertarian in Washington (although he has a R after his name - don't let that you fool you) Clearly no one wins in the legal and political battles over the death of Terri Schiavo. Although it has been terribly politicized, a valuable debate has emerged. This debate is not about abortion or euthanasia in general, nor about death in the abstract. It’s about an individual’s right to life and the value of life itself. Without concern for the life of each individual, liberty is meaningless and indefensible. 7:19:17 AM    comment []

© Copyright 2005 pryvateer.news.