Less is more

Less is more
Interesting point in a letter to the Spectator this week in response to a Charles Moore point that the Australian parliament sits for only 18 weeks a year.
Martin Sewell from Gravesend (no link – I think it’s behind the pay wall) says that the Texas and Oklahoma legislatures ordinarily sit in alternate years, and the Utah legislature sits for 45 days a year.
Yet those states host six of the ten US cities not affected by the recession.
So Tom Paine was right: “that government is best which governs least”.

Interesting letter to the Spectator this week in response to a Charles Moore point that the Australian parliament sits for only 18 weeks a year.

Martin Sewell from Gravesend (sorry, no link – I think it’s behind the pay wall) says that the Texas and Oklahoma legislatures ordinarily sit in alternate years, and the Utah legislature sits for 45 days a year.

Yet those states host six of the ten US cities not affected by the recession.

So Tom Paine was right: “That government is best which governs least”.

And so, surely,  was Cicero: “The more laws, the less justice.”

Good news and bad news on climate change

Good news and bad news on climate change
Good news: the International Energy Agency (IEA) says carbon dioxide emissions will drop by 2.6 per cent in 2009 – the biggest drop in 40 years.
Bad news: it’s happening because factories are shutting down as the recession bites.
So there’s the choice: green or broke.
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2009/09/climate-good-news-at-last.html

Good news: the International Energy Agency (IEA) says carbon dioxide emissions will drop by 2.6 per cent in 2009 – the biggest drop in 40 years.

Bad news: it’s happening because factories are shutting down as the recession bites.

So there’s the choice: go green or go broke.