The Afghanistan Economic and Legal Studies Organization with which I work has just published their first book, a Dari edition of Common Sense Economics: What Everyone Should Know About Wealth and Prosperity, by James Gwartney, Richard Stroup, and Dwight Lee.

If you’re a student and would like to understand better just what is happening today, as government expands in all directions, and what you can do about it, apply for a Bastiat Scholarship to attend Cato University 2010.

I wonder about the claims about the iPad. It does look very cool and all, but if it runs off of a back lit screen, it’s not going to kill my Kindle, that’s for sure. One of the reasons for the Kindle being so popular is that you read it using reflected ambient light, like a book, so it doesn’t tire your eyes like looking at a computer screen (or a light bulb) does. If the iPad uses a back lit screen, it may be wonderful, but I’ll hold on to my Kindle.

See “Apple iPad Raises the Stakes for E-Readers,” by Priya Ganapati

I admit it. I have a problem with killing living, fearing, perceiving, even thinking and loving things. They are delicious, but …. I don’t like killing them for food. (Or for sport or other reasons, for that matter. It’s the killing I’m not keen on.) Fortunately, capitalism is solving my problem. There are reports of “vat-grown meat,” which I heartily endorse. And the other day I went to Chipotle, which serves tasty food, especially — I’m a bit ashamed to admit it — really delicious pork (which was not raised in horrible concrete pens, but “naturally”). Lo and behold, they have a new vegetarian (technically, vegan) meat substitute, called “Garden Blend.” It was good!

I’m cutting down on my meat consumption. It’s not full ethical vegetarianism. I know that. But I figure I can eat well (and a little less expensively) if I cut down on eating the dead bodies of animals that were killed for me to feast on them. And the new “Garden Blend” from Chipotle makes it easier. Thank you, Chipotle! (Er, I already thanked you when I gave you the money for the burrito. So, instead, expect me back!)

Moscow Tea Parties! – Protesting the Kremlin’s New Trade Law

I’ve suffered for some years from extreme back pain, which at one time quite severely crippled me, thanks to some crushed nerves and the mixture of agonizing pain and muscle atrophy that occasioned. I had some sessions with physical therapists and then undertook a systematic and persistent workout regimen, focused by my desire and resolution not to be crippled. In general, I’ve been free of extreme pain for years, until this trip to Afghanistan, when I hurt myself quite seriously, probably from a mixture of the long flights and schlepping about a great deal of weight in books and equipment. After getting back December 26 in substantial pain (especially when standing up), I started using the Spinal Stretch device that had been given to me by friends, but which I had put off using because I was not in severe pain (and I’m pretty busy all the time). Now I’ve got a very insistent incentive to put it to use. I’ve just been using it for a short time since getting back, but it seems that it has contributed to reducing the pain. (It’s hard to know how much, as I’ve also been doing lots of stretching and pushing hard at the gym to increase my strength.) Using the Spinal Stretch device is neither difficult (you just need to anchor it easily in any door jamb) nor unpleasant (and is in fact pretty relaxing and reduces the spasms that course through my back) and the theory behind it seems sound.

Anyway, it’s easy to use, doesn’t cost much, and seems to have a positive impact. And people who suffer from chronic back pain understand how destructive of normal life it is. So my advice is that it’s definitely worth a try.

I recommend visiting a new project, Commerce 21, which offers European liberals more opportunities and resources to advance freedom.

Commerce21 (http://www.commerce21.org) is a new online forum dedicated to those who share the principles of individual liberty, free market and the rule of law. Its aim is to give an online space for dialogue where young libertarians from Europe at large will be able to discuss, socialize, learn and exchange ideas and best practices to advocate liberty.

Commerce21 is a free and integrated platform that provides a lot of forum categories (Events, Action, Politics & Society, International, Science & Technology, Economics & History, Business, Books, Arts and Culture, Chit Chat Café, Arts in Liberty) where you can exchange ideas and start thinking about actions to promote them.

Commerce21 was created on November 9, 2009 by Liberaux.org, an independent and non-partisan organization which has been running a forum in French for libertarians since 2002.

It’s definitely worth a visit.

www.Guominliyi.org

DoiMoi.org

(I hope you like the small video on DoiMoi.org of my friend Sascha Tamm, which I made with my flip camera in the Steinbräu brewery and pub in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.)

My OrdemLivre.org colleagues Diogo Costa, Bruno Garschagen, Gabriel Gallo, Lucas Mafaldo, and Rodrigo Constantino just finished their gigantic tour through Brazil, with seminars and programs at 17 universities in 13 cities. More details here.

(Anyone who cares to donate to support such events, drop me a note at tom.palmer@atlasnetwork.org!)

Russia’s new code-breaking game

Not as physically challenging as Parkour, mind you, but mentally challenging in interesting ways:

A friend, Bright Simons, who is a member of the AfricanLiberty.org team, is featured in The Economist article (September 24, 2009) “Beyond voice: New uses for mobile phones could launch another wave of development“:

Bright Simons, a Ghanaian social entrepreneur, has devised a phone-based system called mPedigree to tackle the problem of counterfeit drugs. Some 10-25% of all drugs sold are fakes, according to the World Health Organisation, and in some countries the proportion can be as high as 80%. Under Mr Simons’ scheme, which is being implemented in Nigeria and Ghana, a scratch-off panel on the packaging reveals a code which can be texted to a special number to verify that the drugs are genuine. Most mobile-health projects are still at the trial stage, but a report compiled in 2008 by the UN Foundation and the Vodafone Foundation documented around 50 such projects across the developing world. Studies are now under way to quantify their benefits.

Bright is a voice for freedom, prosperity, justice, and peace, not only in Africa, but around the world. He is pioneering ways to help Africans to avoid the misery and death attendant on poor enforcement of trademark laws, drug falsification, and criminal fraud. (I spent some time with him this summer, as he was a participant in several programs in which I was involved last month in France, including the European Resource Bank, the Summer University, a Liberty Fund conference on “Universal Values and Cultural Pluralism,” and an international meeting on strategies for advancing liberty.)

NOTE: Bright is also a teacher at the Students and Young Professionals African Liberty Academy in Ghana. Anyone who’d like to help to fund the work of AfricanLiberty.org or the Students and Young Professionals African Liberty Academy, please do write to me. I can get your donations directly to them.

BBC: “Car harnesses fighter jet technology”

Bravo to Ford for not taking government money! This is a far better approach: actually make a quality product and sell it to people at a low price.

And this sounds nice:

Ford also demonstrated the self-park technology on its Lincoln brand.

Using sensors, the car will find a parking space and reverse park. The driver takes their hands off the steering wheel but still operates the accelerator and the brake.

I’m still happy with my Smart, which I can parallel park into some very tiny spaces.

Another project on which I’ve been working for about a year launched today: Azadi.me. It’s BEAUTIFUL. (IMHO)

Kudos to Ajay, Baishali, Parth, Manu, Lee, Jude, Swami, and all the others involved in this effort!

Stay tuned for updates on similar projects in Urdu, Bahasa, Vietnamese, and Chinese. We are busy people.

BBC: “Cats ‘exploit’ humans by purring“

The Competitive Enterprise Institute has nnounced “Human Achievement Hour” to coincide with “Earth Hour”

From the Wall Street Journal: “Backup System Helped Pilot Control Jet”

Another example of the growth of wealth that most people don’t notice, or don’t consider a part of being wealthier. (For more on that theme, see below.)

Hat Tip: Bud Garner

My older cat, Wolly, has been ill for two years with kidney problems, which are common for cats. She’s been in hospital a few times with crises (and is alive because she got better medical care than the vast majority of humans can access, which is a constant reminder of the importance of wealth creation) and I’ve had her on a regular program of infusions of liquids to increase the flow through her kidneys. I recently started her on Azodyl, a treatment that is intended to supplement the function of her kidneys. (There’s an explanation here.) I don’t know for sure whether it’s the treatment that’s responsible, but she’s much healthier and happier and she, at least, is convinced that it’s the pills. Anyone who’s given a pill to a cat knows it’s not an easy process. But Wolly thinks that the pills make her feel much better, so when I tell her it’s time for a pill, she comes over and sits on my lap and takes it. (And it’s a pretty big pill for a cat.)

If you have a dog or a cat with chronic renal failure, you should try Azodyl.

2,100-year-old gadget tracked Olympics

Hat Tip: Cyril Morong

Second Amendment Foundation and Smith & Wesson Partner on Commemorative Revolver