Daily Archives: 19 April 2009

Don’t Eat Burgers, or else PLANET EARTH WILL DIE!

Occasionally, an AdSense advertisement (see sidebar) shows up which is completely contrary to this website. I’m banning them, one by one. That’s where I found letsactnow.org.

I’ll admit, they are acting rationally for people who believe the end of the world is nigh, but the shrill cries against hamburgers terrify me. Bad science always results in bad public policy, and good science usually results in bad public policy.

From their website:

Although upgrading appliances at home, installing solar panels on the roof, and switching to a hybrid car will surely reduce our contribution to global warming, not all of us are able to do that right away. So, what can we do? Wait for politicians to pass laws to save the planet? Hope that someone else will take care of the problem? Isn’t there something we can all do now to make a BIG difference?

“YES WE CAN! ACT NOW. TODAY”

Which do you think is more responsible for global warming: a gas-guzzling SUV, or a hamburger?

Surprise! It’s the burger! Hard to believe? A United Nations report demonstrated that raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars, trucks, SUVs, trains, planes and ships in the world combined. How much more? An impressive 40% more.

Hmmm. “Wait for politicians to pass laws to save the planet?” Between the appeal to government as the solver of problems, and their fear of hamburgers, I would expect complete fascism should these people ever gain power.

Pollution is best handled as a tort.

Here’s their sensationalist video:

“Your diet has a direct effect on the environment, on wildlife, on people, on water, on the weather, and on the overall health of planet Earth . . . and every time you masturbate, God kills a kitten.”

The Mises Institute’s DC Reality Tour

The following is excerpted from mises.org:

Lincoln Memorial – Erected during the Progressive Era, the idea here is to entrench the perception that the consolidated state is irreversible, not only in fact but also as a matter of faith. Note that this is the “temple of democracy,” but the man is featured with his hands on the fasces.

The Vietnam Memorial – It is a rare case of a monument that isn’t designed to extol the glories of the state. Quite the opposite in fact.

Federal Trade Commission Statues – Hear a private talk about the true story behind the remarkable statues of “Man Controlling Trade.” The horse, you see, represents trade. And who trades? Well, we trade. That’s what the whole of society does, every day. Trade means that people cooperate to their mutual benefit. But look what happens. Some guy comes along and wrecks everything, stagnating progress and bullying us into not trading with each other. And this is supposed to be a great thing? From the government’s point of view, yes. Note that this statue went up in 1942, when prices were fixed, rationing was in effect, and people were being drafted as fodder for the state’s war.

Ronald Reagan Building – Everyone thinks that Ronald Reagan cut the state’s size. He is known as a champion of minimal government. But, of course, they know otherwise in the Beltway. He zoomed up the welfare and warfare state as never before, bringing boom times to the state, and it was especially impressive that he did it even while claiming to do otherwise � and being denounced for doing otherwise. In this building, we have truth telling. It is the most gargantuan monstrosity to ever visit the vast real estate of the Imperial City.

Random Congressional Subcommittee Meeting – Visitors have been known to experience severe bouts of boredom.

HUD and The Department of Labor – We visit the massive buildings that � unlike Congress, the capitol, and official seat of the government � house the institutions that are running the country on a daily basis.

Palaces of the World Bank and IMF – We visit the several palaces of the World Bank and IMF. We discuss the details of the employees’ very high and completely untaxed salaries.

Iwo Jima Memorial – Some are under the illusion that this memorial praising the United States’ offensive invasion force was a memorial for those defending the country. Fortunately the memorial brilliantly lists practically every country the US military has ever invaded, etched around the sides.

The Receptions – What never fails to make the biggest impression are the receptions. The lavish receptions are elaborate, decadent, and � most important �free to anyone with an attitude. One need never pay for a meal, and free scotch and shrimp are promptly available at 3:30 to anyone who knows where to go. This just doesn’t happen in the real world. For these events, tour members are encouraged to wear a jacket or suit and to exude the air of entitlement of a mid-level bureaucrat, party apparatchik, lobbyist, media member, think tank resident, or congressional staffer.