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Information from some sites may not be reliable, or may not be vetted.
Some sources may require subscription.
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from Ellensburg Daily Record (WA)
Kittitas County to get boost of state funding via WDFW lands
Kittitas County and other Eastern Washington counties will see a boost of state funding next year thanks to a coalition of groups that sought compensation for state land. Local officials have been seeking a larger share of payment in lieu of tax funding for several years for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife land, according to a news release from Kittitas County. Because the lands are managed by the state for habitat and recreation, local governments are unable to collect local property tax for government services and schools. This year, the Legislature agreed to increase the payments statewide by a little more than $1 million per year beginning in 2018. Prior to this year, the payments had not increased in the state’s budget since 2009.
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from FEE (Foundation for Economic Education)
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]
15 Common Arguments against Immigration, Addressed
Most arguments against immigration have been around for decades. “Immigrants bring with them their bad cultures, ideas, or other factors that will undermine and destroy our economic and political institutions. The resultant weakening in economic growth means that immigrants will destroy more wealth than they will create.” This is the most intelligent anti-immigration argument and the one most likely to be correct, although the evidence currently doesn’t support it being true.
The Great Opium War Revival
History buffs have been weirded out that the political culture seems like the 1930s all over again. Well, if you are fed up with that, how about we try the 1830s instead? Let’s revisit the Opium Wars, as Donald Trump is determined to do. Then, like now, the drug problem – one that roiled world politics and led to massive political upheaval in China – traces to government action in response to some people’s desire to get high. China’s problem with opium began in the late 18th century during a period of territorial expansion and population increases. Trade routes grew and became more profitable with better sailing and shipping technology. Opium began to pour into China from many foreign countries, most notably with the sponsorship of the UK. The Americans got in on the action too.
Would-Be Tyrants Capture Language to Control Thought
Today’s counter-revolution against liberty is being fought on a number of fronts in American society. One is on college and university campuses across the country, where the ideology of “political correctness” is strangling freedom of speech and smothering intellectual controversy and debate. Critical to this campaign is the capture of language.
There Are Consequences for Eliminating Free Play
In the accelerating quest toward early academics, organized activities, and purposeful play, we may be losing sight of the innate and time-honored benefits of free, unstructured childhood play.
It's Literally Insane to Unleash Government against Opiates
The definition of insanity is trying the same thing, in the same manner, over and over again and expecting different results. We have already gone down the "law and order" path. We know the destruction these strict policies have on the actual addict. Why then, should Americans view Trump’s new stance as anything more than an insane attempt at solving the opiate epidemic.
Environmentalists Are (Half) Right About Energy Subsidies
Sometimes progressive environmentalists have a point. For instance, they argue that oil subsidies are wasteful and should be abolished. Unfortunately, they typically pollute their sound arguments with gross inconsistency and unwarranted alarmism.
This is the Real Reason Your iPhone Cables Break
What has Apple accomplished with their PVC ban? Their reputation for making quality accessories has been ruined. Billions of broken Apple cables have been prematurely sent to the landfill. Billions of replacement cables will be sent to landfills when the gadgets they charge become obsolete. While Apple no longer uses PVC in their cables, many people now rely on cheap third party cables from China, which may use toxic chemicals like lead, arsenic, mercury, and brominated flame retardants.
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from The Heritage Foundation
[Information from this site may be unreliable.]
Why FEMA Must Be Reformed Before Disaster Strikes
FEMA is currently stretched way too thin across local disasters that would be better handled by states. FEMA is tasked with leading the response to these devastating disasters, but since the 1980s, its involvement in small, local disasters has been on the increase. Under President George H.W. Bush, FEMA declared 174 disasters, amounting to an average of 43.5 per year. Under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, declarations rose substantially to 716 and 1,037 respectively, averaging 89.5 and 129.6 per year. Under President Barack Obama, declarations remained high with 854 total alerts being issued, or 106.8 on average per year.
Is the Conservative-Libertarian Alliance Worth Preserving?
The answer to this important question ultimately hinges on what one thinks is the most serious threat confronting the country. Marked differences remain on important questions, from immigration, to foreign policy, drugs, and marriage.
Tillerson Is Trying to Replicate Jim Baker's State Department
These have been busy times over at the State Department. Tillerson’s methods might be debatable, but his goal seems right. If he perseveres, the results will speak for themselves. It will take time to tell if Tillerson’s way pays off. Let’s hope it does. We need better statecraft than we have had in the past.
North Korea Nuke Progress Overshadows Sanctions Win
Last weekend, the U.S. State Department secured unanimous support for a U.N. Security Council resolution which slaps punitive economic sanctions on North Korea. The euphoria over our diplomatic win at the U.N. was short lived. If there’s one thing that dictators really care about, it’s the survival of the regime — and attacking us would severely put those prospects at risk for Pyongyang.
How Foreign Governments Influence What Americans Learn In College
A New York congressman is demanding an investigation into whether Iran is following suit and funneling money to the Ivies. Radical professors have created a woefully misinformed generation of Americans who know little about the Constitution and what it takes to maintain a republic. China’s attempt to influence how Americans think takes a multitude of forms.
McCain-Reed Proposal Would Help Reform the Military’s Infrastructure. Here’s Where It Still Needs Improvement.
NAFTA: Making a Good Deal Even Better
NAFTA has given a boost to our economy. Since it took effect in 1994, U.S. manufacturing output has risen by more than 80 percent and 30 million new jobs created. But that doesn't mean we can't make a good deal even better. In all trade negotiations, the US Trade Representative's goal should be to increase Americans' freedom and prosperity, instead of seeking to right imaginary wrongs.
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Why FEMA Must Be Reformed Before Disaster Strikes
FEMA is currently stretched way too thin across local disasters that would be better handled by states. FEMA is tasked with leading the response to these devastating disasters, but since the 1980s, its involvement in small, local disasters has been on the increase. Under President George H.W. Bush, FEMA declared 174 disasters, amounting to an average of 43.5 per year. Under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, declarations rose substantially to 716 and 1,037 respectively, averaging 89.5 and 129.6 per year. Under President Barack Obama, declarations remained high with 854 total alerts being issued, or 106.8 on average per year.
Is the Conservative-Libertarian Alliance Worth Preserving?
The answer to this important question ultimately hinges on what one thinks is the most serious threat confronting the country. Marked differences remain on important questions, from immigration, to foreign policy, drugs, and marriage.
Tillerson Is Trying to Replicate Jim Baker's State Department
These have been busy times over at the State Department. Tillerson’s methods might be debatable, but his goal seems right. If he perseveres, the results will speak for themselves. It will take time to tell if Tillerson’s way pays off. Let’s hope it does. We need better statecraft than we have had in the past.
North Korea Nuke Progress Overshadows Sanctions Win
Last weekend, the U.S. State Department secured unanimous support for a U.N. Security Council resolution which slaps punitive economic sanctions on North Korea. The euphoria over our diplomatic win at the U.N. was short lived. If there’s one thing that dictators really care about, it’s the survival of the regime — and attacking us would severely put those prospects at risk for Pyongyang.
How Foreign Governments Influence What Americans Learn In College
A New York congressman is demanding an investigation into whether Iran is following suit and funneling money to the Ivies. Radical professors have created a woefully misinformed generation of Americans who know little about the Constitution and what it takes to maintain a republic. China’s attempt to influence how Americans think takes a multitude of forms.
McCain-Reed Proposal Would Help Reform the Military’s Infrastructure. Here’s Where It Still Needs Improvement.
NAFTA: Making a Good Deal Even Better
NAFTA has given a boost to our economy. Since it took effect in 1994, U.S. manufacturing output has risen by more than 80 percent and 30 million new jobs created. But that doesn't mean we can't make a good deal even better. In all trade negotiations, the US Trade Representative's goal should be to increase Americans' freedom and prosperity, instead of seeking to right imaginary wrongs.
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from Liberty Writers
[Information from this site may be unreliable.]
This week, Donald Trump focused all his energy on addressing the opiate crisis. Calling for enhanced “law and order” tactics, Trump promised to use the very same methods that have already proven themselves to be useless in fighting drug consumption. “Strong law enforcement is absolutely vital to having a drug-free society,” Trump said on Tuesday. “I’m confident that by working with our health care and law enforcement experts we will fight this deadly epidemic and the United States will win.” It would appear that Trump has been living under a rock for the past 30 years. As anyone who has paid any attention to the government’s failed war on drugs would know, the “law and order” approach simply doesn’t work. If it did, the opiate epidemic would have never happened in the first place. All terrible government policies have unintended consequences. When it comes to the war on drugs, the blowback has come in the form of the opiate crisis.
President Trump has made good on a campaign promise to devote national resources toward addressing the opioid crisis ravaging the nation. Late Thursday, the White House announced the president will declare the epidemic a national emergency.
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from The Living Church
THE FUTURE OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH’S CLERGY
Only 20 percent of full-time clergy younger than 45 equals 100 percent of a problem for a denomination struggling to grow and thrive in the decades to come.
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Employment Is Not the Key to Economic Growth
The US unemployment rate stood at 4.3% in July against 4.4% in the month before. The number of unemployed stood at 6.981 million – an increase of 4,000 from June. A relatively low unemployment rate is considered by most experts as an important factor for economic growth. This way of thinking based on the view that a reduction in the number of unemployed means that more people can now afford to boost their expenditure. As a result, economic activity follows suit. If unemployment is an important driving force of an economy then it is valid to conclude that changes in unemployment are an important causative factor of real economic growth. In truth, the main driver of economic growth is an expanding pool of real savings rather than the state of unemployment. Fixing unemployment without addressing the issue of real savings cannot lift the pace of economic growth as such.
THE FUTURE OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH’S CLERGY
Only 20 percent of full-time clergy younger than 45 equals 100 percent of a problem for a denomination struggling to grow and thrive in the decades to come.
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from Miami Herald
People have been complaining about me name calling that guy in the White House. Here's my response: The short answer is Yes. The longer answer goes like this: As a general rule, I’ve always tried to avoid name excessive calling in this space, particularly of the chief executive. The one big exception was back during the Lewinsky scandal, when I dubbed Bill Clinton a “human oil slick,” “manipulative slime,” “Gomer,” and “President Hefner.” There is a simple reason — beyond decorum, I mean — for not going to that level too often. You see, two things happen when you call someone names. The first is that you signal your lack of respect. The second is that you foreclose any possibility of engaging that person in a substantive manner on whatever the point of contention might be.
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from Mises Institute
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]The US unemployment rate stood at 4.3% in July against 4.4% in the month before. The number of unemployed stood at 6.981 million – an increase of 4,000 from June. A relatively low unemployment rate is considered by most experts as an important factor for economic growth. This way of thinking based on the view that a reduction in the number of unemployed means that more people can now afford to boost their expenditure. As a result, economic activity follows suit. If unemployment is an important driving force of an economy then it is valid to conclude that changes in unemployment are an important causative factor of real economic growth. In truth, the main driver of economic growth is an expanding pool of real savings rather than the state of unemployment. Fixing unemployment without addressing the issue of real savings cannot lift the pace of economic growth as such.
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from New Statesman
"The leading voice of the British left, since 1913."
At the moment, there aren't the numbers in parliament or the country for a gentler exit. What are the obstacles to a softer exit from the European Union – or no exit at all? They are, in descending order of importance: public opinion, Labour MPs in the West Midlands and Yorkshire, Eurosceptic Conservative MPs, the question of whether or not Article 50 is reversible, and Jeremy Corbyn’s Euroscepticism.
from Orthodox Christianity
from The Spokesman-Review
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from The Telegraph (UK)
DNA project reveals half of residents tested in Cotswold village are related
When they agreed to take part in a unique DNA project, residents of a close-knit Cotswolds village thought they might, at best, discover a far flung relative in an exotic location. In fact, more than half of participants, who included the pub landlord, a local artist and a farmer, learned they were instead related to each other. The landmark project that involved testing the DNA of a Gloucestershire community also revealed that despite being overwhelmingly white British, the average resident was just 42 per cent Anglo Saxon.
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