To make Social Security solvent over the next 75 years, either a permanent 15 percent increase in payroll income taxes, or a 13 percent reduction in benefits, or some combination of the two would be required."

Thomas Sowell: "The June issue of National Geographic contains one of the rare honest looks at India. The article ('India's Untouchables') gives a shocking picture of some of the most persecuted people on Earth. For far too long, India has been one of a number of countries used by the intelligentsia to denigrate the United States. The image or the insinuation has been that we are materialistic, they are spiritual; we are violent, they are peaceful ... and so on."

"If American education is to survive, it must completely abandon its current paradigm of enormous, age-segregated schools controlled by Federal monies and the NEA. A return to the one-room school house -- even in large metropolitan areas -- would be a massive improvement.... As long as we allow any government body to control education through funding, our children will continue to be either ignorami or bored stiff all day long."

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy takes a very relaxed stance on flag burning. Libertarians would argue that if you own the flag concerned it is up to you whether to burn it or not.

Australia's open ended welfare system -- with no limits on how long one can be on welfare -- is at last coming in for some criticism.

Genetic technology may revive extinct Tasmanian tigers ... so the Greens are against it, of course. What a horror it would be for them if the extinctions they love parading turned out to be reversible!

Peter Hitchens on what the EU means for the UK: Extinction of 1000 yrs of history. And his authority for that? None other than respected British Labour Party leader Hugh Gaitskell!

Arlene Peck’s latest article, “The gloves are off!” -- on the response to terrorism directed against Israel is up here

The Wicked one has a posting about enemies of free trade.

Chris Brand notes some tentative retreats from political correctness.

Michael Darby notes that ownership of personal compurters is now severely restricted in Cuba.

In my academic post here (or here) I report evidence that upsets a silly psychological theory that tries to blame the poverty of some nations on lack of ambition among their people rather than laying the blame for poverty where it belongs -- on socialist politics.

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