Terence Kealey is the current Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham the only independent university in Britain. He is a Professor of Clinical Biochemistry. Prior to his tenure at Buckingham, Prof Kealey lectured in clinical biochemistry at the University of Cambridge. He is well known for his outspoken opposition to public funding of science, being one of the rare vocal classical liberals in academia. He is the author of The economic laws of scientific research (1996) and Sex, science and profits (2008).
Interview with Professor Terence Kealey
The NHS is godless Britain’s religion
Paul Christian
Socialism is always about perpetuating the existence of the ruling class. So, why should socialised healthcare be any different? And so it appears has been the case with Britain’s National Health Service (NHS), the largest employer in the UK and an organisation which is staffed by 1.4m people (according to the 2011 Census or 1.7m people (according to the ever-reliable Wikipedia).
Tesla Motors fight for freedom reaches Washington
Payton Alexander
Houston, TX, July 15, 2013 – The trouble for Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) began with the source of their success: an innovative business model that is changing the way consumers shop for cars. Their luxury electric vehicles, beyond simple popularity for their design and performance, have sold quickly due to Tesla’s direct-to-consumer sales model, without using expensive franchised dealers as middlemen. This sales model has lowered the prices of Tesla’s products, making the company quite competitive, and extremely viable.
What to do about the Enemy Class?
By David Davis
Keir very kindly asked me to write something about how libertarians can ensure a future for liberty in a hostile world that’s right now populated by cultural Marxists and other Nazis. Ummm, I have broken Godwin’s Law already: oh well, there you go. I need specifically to talk about Nazis in the Anglosphere nations, which seem to be the places (and why?) most heavily populated by these repulsive smelly fellows. Wonder why? Read on. I almost forgot as I’m now sucked into pretending to work for a living. The trouble with being retired in today’s Britain is that you have to work so hard.
Interview: Marco de Wit
Geurt Marco de Wit is an historian, business executive, founder of the Finnish Libertarian League and a lecturer in the Austrian-anarchist-Rothbardian tradition. The topics discussed in the interview include Hoppe’s Grand System, paleolibertarianism, sociobiology, revisionist history and paleostrategy. Infographics referenced in the interview can be found here.
“Officer, This Man Called Me a Poop Head”
Written by Chris Stockdale
“Politically Incorrect” language, it’s everywhere. From television to classical literature. The crude, crass and insulting words and phrases are present everywhere. But what would the world be without such “hurtful” speech? Most big government officials would have you believe that the world would be a better place; Utopian almost. That people would be kinder and language would be more respectable. The reality, though, is much darker than this. A land without the freedom to insult is a land without the freedom to protest. When the peoples of a nation have lost their ability to protest government, well, it isn’t pretty. By attempting to silence harsh language, you are also attempting to legislate morality. <!-more->
The freedom to uncensored speech is as detrimental to society as air in their lungs. Who would want to live in a world without expression; where people aren’t free to create? A place where fashion, art, music, entertainment, as well as everything else is decided upon and produced by officials that don’t even know who you are. One of the greatest traits of human kind is our ingenius creativity! Our ability to transform such mundane objects into spectacular pieces of beauty! Creativity is something to be praised, not frowned upon.
“So what does insulting someone have to do with creativity?”; you ask? Well, everything really. The best example would have to be comedy. What is comedy other than revealing our faults in such a clever way that we laugh at them? Speech is exactly like family. You don’t get to pick and choose to whom you are related. With the good comes the bad. It’s something that, in order to remain free, we have to toughen up and deal with. I know I certainly don’t expect others to change their behaviour based solely on the fact that I have entered the room and may be offended by the topic of discussion. “So what?” I would ask! As adults I’m sure that the answer to being called a dirty word is not to run and tattle. I was under the impression that kind of temper tantrum was dealt with in kindergarten.
In the end all what we can really do is shrug it off or take it to heart. Either the person was simply acting very rudely, overtly so, or there might just be some truth to the statement. Why not make this an opportunity to grow, rather than make unnecessary enemies. Life is all about how you leave the world compared to how it was when you found it. Taking legal action against someone over silly bastardizations of an imprefect communication technique is every bit as ridiculous as imprisoning individuals for their fascination with exotic plant life.
The Grounding of the Bolivian Presidential Jet
Bolivian president Evo Morales’ plane was forced to land on July 3, 2013, as it passed through Austrian airspace. The flight was grounded on the way to Bolivia, based on suspicions that American whistle-blower Edward Snowden was on board the plane. Several European Union countries, including France, Portugal, Spain and Italy, also barred the plane from entering their airspace.
The grounding of Morales’ plane set off angry protests from heads of state in Latin American nations, including Ecuador, Cuba and Argentina. It was even asserted that the US had kidnapped President Morales.
UK Khat Ban Baseless
As of July 3rd, the list of illicit substances in the UK is longer by one. Home Secretary Theresa May has rejected the advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, who in a recent report concluded that the plant in question, known as khat, poses little threat to society and should not be banned. This marks the second time the ACMD has reviewed the substance and come to the same essential conclusion; their first report was published in January 2006.
Khat is a plant native to Yemen, Somalia, and Ethiopia, where it has been used by humans for thousands of years. The UK is home to immigrants from all of these countries, and the use of the plant here, as in many other countries, is apparently confined to immigrant groups.The fresh leaves of the plant are traditionally chewed over a prolonged period of time in order to extract the active substances in the plant. The main such substance is cathinone, which is similar to amphetamine, both in its molecular structure and behavioral effects. It is categorized as a stimulant, putting it in the same class of drugs as caffeine and cocaine. However, chewing the plant only releases small amounts of the drug, and does so slowly, so its effects are generally less potent than those of amphetamine.