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Insatiable curiosity - I love this guy's ideas

In The Know: Are We Giving The Robots That Run Our Society Too Much Power?

In The Know: Is The Government Spying On Paranoid Schizophrenics Enough?

Report: Many U.S. Parents Outsourcing Child Care Overseas

Poll: Bullshit Is Most Important Issue For 2008 Voters

The 60 most influential blogs in Europe by Wikio

the 60 most influential blogs in Europe, (minus-Uk) .

read more | digg story

Harry Browne

I recently purchased "How I became free in an unfree world", from Harry Browne. A must for all libertarians.

Décroissance - Ungrowth

I've been quite interested lately on the whole concept of "décroissance". The literal translation in English would be "ungrowth", but I don't know if the concept exists in English, but it seems that it causes surprise outside of Europe.
Contre-productivité de notre modèle...
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Geolibertarianism

I just came across this concept: Geolibertarianism. Worth considering.

Au revoir, Paris

Interesting article about Paris and France, published on BBC. Click here.

Biofuel - Velorution

I was visiting a South American country these last weeks and saw how foreign firms are buying millions of hectares in order to produce biofuels. Is this really the solution? Should we be thinking of other solutions like the one proposed by Velorution and similar organizations?

Liberty for All dot Net

Another happy discovery

Johan Norberg

Johan Norberg is a Swedish writer devoted to globalisation and individual liberty.

In the Libertarian Labyrinth

A fellow libertarian's blog, clic here.

Majority Of Parents Abuse Children, Children Report

LOS ANGELES—"My parents force me to finish my math homework before letting me watch TV," admitted "Derek," 10, a study participant and abuse victim.

Nowheristan

We are living in a sad world where one is forced to choose between the American neo-con vision of the world and the one of the Iranian Mullahs. Dreamers are asked to stick to show business, graphic design or in the best scenarios to marginalized political cliques. We have a dream... and our dream will change the world because we know that the majority of humanity will be seduced by what we are proposing. A radical change is required and "We Have the Solution".
Nowheristan is the first step on the way leading to Everywheristan.
This "gimmicky" name was chosen on purpose to create a buzz around a new vision aimed at solving the historical problems of mankind on the social, economical, political and philosophical levels. It is the brainchild of Michel Elefteriades, artist, former guerilla leader, and the first and last Emperor of Nowheristan (the constitution does not allow a successor). Nowheristan's theoretical foundations are being worked on by many scholars around the world and will soon be published in a book entitled "We Have the Solution". The book of Nowheristan exposes a very complex, comprehensive yet reader-friendly vision, of which we will give you a taste now as an introduction.
The concept springs from the belief that many of our established truths, which are almost thought of as sacred subjects, can be total aberrations (e.g. borders, identities, patriotism, world economy, etc.). For Nowheristanis, the histories and traditions of all races and peoples on this Earth are the common heritage of all. Therefore, one can say that a modern Egyptian can be proud that his ancestors built the Great Wall of China; and the Pyramids of Ancient Egypt are a part of the Chinese past. Furthermore, the natural riches of the Earth are resources for humanity as a whole; no single nation should be allowed to hold a monopoly over our common birthright. The oil of Saudi Arabia, the water of the Amazon, the gas of Russia... all are to be monopolized by Nowheristan and to be used to develop people everywhere. The Nowheristani project outlines a system of world governance based on a meritocratic senate of elders. Another deep-rooted belief guiding the Nowheristani project, as stated by Michel I of Nowheristan in one of his speeches, is that "Politicians, this modern-time ruling caste, are a category of people to be equally rejected by society, as are thieves, criminals, etc.".

Quote from Charles Tilly

Consider the definition of a racketeer as someone who creates a threat and then charges for its reduction. Governments' provision o protection, by this standard, often qualifies as racketeering.

Books: The Sovereign Individual

The Sovereign Individual.

It's a fact: most people no longer vote in any election, which is one of the leading indicators of a democracy's demise. The Catholic church's hold on power during the Dark ages is a prime example of a system that lost its hold due to decadence from within. Because the leader's lived large at the expense of the common man, people no longer felt that religion had a relevance to their lives.

The same is true with politics today. We all know that the ruling class in our western countries lives large with perquisites and privileges befitting royalty, all at taxpayer expense. This contempt for the "nobles", the politicians and civil servants of our time, is one of many signs that the nation-state is at an end.

It is very hard to get the average person to understand that times have changed, and the changes will dramatically effect our lives in every way. It is natural to want to hold onto what is familiar and safe. But the things that will be, will be regardless of protest or sentimentality, and these two authors have their fingers on the pulse of the future.