Do not think about, write about or deal with human behavior without determining the effects of incentives.
A quasi-riot occurred at the University of Ottawa centering on Ann Coulter’s speech, cancelled because of the sophisticated method of disagreement by leftist students–to wit, screaming and throwing things. This made the University of Ottawa look foolish, but, as they say in really sophisticated circles, the U of O didn’t need Coulter for that.
It’s not that they’re always wrong, it’s just that they’re seldom right. With all the money they’re paid, you’d think they would be better at what they do. Two more examples for today, both from articles in the National Post.
Professors slam scholarships for children of dead soldiers
The “professors” in this story don’t get that their careers are based, among other things, on violence. If it were not for the coercion of the tax system, they would have no jobs, but they inveigh against violence. I never expect them to get this because, a) It would be against their best interest, and b) Analysis without leftist ideology is way beyond their grasp. It’s much sadder because I am forced to support them. Against militarism but not violence in their service.
“REGINA • A group of professors at the University of Regina is opposing a scholarship program for the dependents of dead soldiers, arguing it promotes militarism.”
“We think this program is a glorification of Canadian imperialism in Afghanistan,” said Jeffrey Webber, one of 16 professors who drafted an open letter to university president Vianne Timmons.”
Twenty-four Canadians died in the twin towers in attacks staged out of Afghanistan. Imperialism indeed.
“The program, Project Hero, provides aid for children of Forces personnel killed while on an active mission.”
“The professors contend that even the name, Project Hero, has dangerous cultural underpinnings, implying that Canada’s military activity in Afghanistan is heroic.”
“We disagree with that,” said Mr. Webber, a professor of political science. “We think it’s a military occupation of a sovereign country. We think it’s aligning a public university — without any consultation with its students or staff, or the broader community — with support for this war.”
The heroes of these professors would undoubtedly be the tax collectors.
Here’s to honoring the real heroes. Those who died for me.
The U.N. gets it wrong again. No evidence for the effectiveness of H1N1 vaccinations. Oops. So much panic. So much profit. So little value.
“This coming Sunday will mark the first anniversary of the detection of what is believed to be the initial U.S. swine flu case, a diagnosis that helped launch the greatest influenza vaccination campaign the world has ever seen.”
“Amid predictions the H1N1 pandemic could kill upwards of two million people around the world, governments rushed to vaccinate their trembling populations. More than 70 million people in the U.S. alone lined up to receive their shot.”
“Of course, we now know that the H1N1 flu was less lethal than even the garden-variety seasonal flu. One recent estimate is that the virus killed about 16,500 people throughout the world, not the predicted two million. The swine flu turned out to be more panic than pandemic, and about as fearsome as the Y2K scare.”
“Just as the reputations of computer experts took a beating when planes failed to fall from the sky in the first moments of 2000, the reputations of public-health authorities everywhere from the offices of the World Health Organization to the local flu clinic have surely been diminished because of their overreaction to the H1N1 virus.”
The vaccination program prevented nothing and led to a lot of anxiety among the weak-will and easily-led.
Cheerio and ttfn,
Grant Coulson
Cui Bono–Cherchez les Contingencies
