- ‘Vanishing calorific density’, ‘sensory specific satiety’ – a couple of the terms used in creating junk food.
- Since the introduction of the Green Deal, the number of cavity wall insulations has dropped by 97%. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t supposed to happen.
- A hospital in New York is hiring people in India to watch CCTV cameras monitoring sinks, to make sure doctors are washing their hands.
- 10 American cities that will be hardest hit by climate change.
- On a similar theme, 93% of natural disasters in 2012 were weather related – and 69% of the economic losses were in the US.
The Earthbound Report 
I know you are a fan of Ha-Joon Chang and is book 23 Things They Don’t Tell You About Capitalism” . The Adam Smith Inistitute is running a series of blog posts refuting his points. They have got to number 19 this week. A very good series.
Starts at http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/economics/23-things-were-telling-you-about-capitalism-i
Up to http://www.adamsmith.org/blog/economics/23-things-were-telling-you-about-capitalism-xix
Interesting, thanks. I’ve read a couple. The main problem is that Worstall is an extremist and therefore has Chang pegged as an anti-capitalist. He isn’t. As Chang puts it, “being critical of free-market ideology is not the same as being against capitalism”.
As a free market ideologue, that point is lost on Worstall.
Always risky labelling others ideologues for fear of a black kettle.
The general point Worstall makes is that markets are more important than the capitalism part – though they work best together. You should read a bit more of Tim’s work. He have a interest in the environmental side. Have you read his book “Chasing Rainbows”?
I don’t think I’m misusing the term ideologue here, he’s clearly a dogmatic believer in the powers of the markets. He says so all the time.
I’ve heard of his book. I haven’t read it because I don’t like his sneering writing style. I know his readers love him for being rude and confrontational, but I just find it unpleasant. A blog post is about as much Worstall as I care to read in one sitting.
Its a shame you haven’t read it. It would give you a different perspective. Most of the books you refer to here are from a very similar viewpoint and a monoculture never is a good thing.
I’m up for a different perspective. As I say, it’s mainly a style issue. I have little patience for writers who are obnoxious about people who disagree with them, whichever side of the debate they might be on.
By the way, have you read Ha Joon Chang’s book itself, or just Worstall’s critique of it?
I have read Chang’s book. I felt he was often setting up straw men only to knock them down, while missing the point. It isn’t a shock free markets aren’t totally free, but that doesn’t mean you should just regulate them with abandon.