Category Archives: Mankind's Doom

CEI Podcast for February 23, 2012: Global Warming and Mass Movements

Posted on February 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

In 1841, the Scottish writer Charles Mackay observed, ” the cup of life is not bitter enough to our palate, and we distill superfluous poison to put into it, or conjure up hideous things to frighten ourselves at, which would never exist if we did not make them.” CEI Warren Brookes Fellow Matt Patterson believes this glass-half-empty aspect of human nature applies directly to today’s global warming debate.

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Posted in CEI Podcast, Mankind's Doom, The New Religion

Tagged charles mackay, climate change, climate change debate, global warming, global warming debate, matt patterson

Sitting Down: Mankind’s Doom!

Posted on May 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

This is quite possibly the least subtle chart I have ever seen. See the original here. Expect OSHA and HHS to issue new regulations in 3… 2…

Via: Medical Billing And Coding

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Posted in General Foolishness, Mankind's Doom

Regulation of the Day 143: Your Bedtime

Posted on June 24, 2010 | 1 Comment

Japan’s Environment Ministry is encouraging its citizens to go to bed an hour earlier at night, and get up an hour earlier in the morning.

There is much wisdom in the old “early to bed, early to rise” adage. But that’s not what the Environment Ministry has in mind. They see going to bed early as a way to fight global warming.

By saving an hour’s worth of lighting and other electricity use every day, the Morning Challenge campaign says the average household can emit 85 fewer kilograms of carbon per year. Staying up late ensures mankind’s doom.

It is astounding that the Japanese regulators think that your bedtime is government business. Then again, this is the same country that has a legally allowable maximum waistline.

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Posted in Mankind's Doom, Regulation of the Day, The New Religion

Tagged bedtime, carbon emissions, climate change, environment ministry, global warming, japan, japanese environment ministry, morning challenge, morning challenge campaign, regulation, Regulation of the Day, sleeping habits

Food: Mankind’s Doom

Posted on October 23, 2009 | Leave a comment

In Sweden, food and menu labeling has started to include the estimated carbon footprint of each item.

Don’t read too much into the labels, though. The New York Times notes that “the emissions impact of, say, a carrot, can vary by a factor of 10, depending how and where it is grown.”

With that much imprecision built in, if the labels change consumer behavior as much as supporters hope, it’s entirely possible that eco-concsious diets could result in more carbon emissions, not less. A classic case of leaping before you look.

This new religion is a piece of work. It comes complete with a deity (Gaia), clergy (activists), indulgences (carbon credits), and now, dietary restrictions.

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Posted in Mankind's Doom, The New Religion

Tagged carbon footprint, carrot, climate change, food labeling, global warming, menu labeling, new york times, sweden, The New Religion

Regulation of the Day 61: Big Screen TVs – Mankind’s Doom!

Posted on October 15, 2009 | Leave a comment

On November 4, California regulators may vote to ban big-screen televisions. The large sets use more energy than they would prefer.

Commissioner Julia Levin claims the ban “will actually save consumers money and help the California economy grow and create new clean, sustainable jobs.”

It is easy to imagine the ban costing tv manufacturing jobs; less so the jobs that would take their place.

Fortunately, the ban isn’t terribly enforceable. Consumers can just drive to Arizona, Nevada, or Oregon to get the kind of tv they want.

A final point on semantics: what does “sustainable” even mean, anyway? It is a meaningless buzz term, right up there with “synergy” and “paradigm.” This decade’s equivalent of “social justice.”

If anything, use of the word “sustainable” signals that a person knows not of what they speak. If you’re unable to defend a proposal on the merits, just use fashionable buzz words that poll well.

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Posted in Argumentation, Economics, Mankind's Doom, Philosophy, Regulation of the Day, The New Religion

Tagged big screen tv, big screen tv ban, california, carbon footprint, energy, energy saving, hdtv, Regulation of the Day

Lamb Roast: Mankind’s Doom

Posted on May 26, 2009 | Leave a comment

The Onion reports that “Government advisers are developing menus to combat climate change by cutting out ‘high carbon’ food such as meat from sheep, whose burping poses a serious threat to the environment.”

Oh, wait — that article was actually in the Times of London. It isn’t satire. At least, not intentionally.

(Hat tip to Drudge)

(Cross-posted at Open Market)

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Posted in Mankind's Doom, The New Religion

Black Cars: Mankind’s Doom

Posted on March 27, 2009 | Leave a comment

California is mulling banning black cars because they require more energy to keep cool.

The New Religion continues its post-reductio phase.

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Posted in Mankind's Doom, The New Religion

Soft Toilet Paper: Mankind’s Doom

Posted on February 27, 2009 | Leave a comment

Soft toilet paper is bad for our forests, says the New York Times:

“No forest of any kind should be used to make toilet paper,” said Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist and waste expert with the Natural Resource Defense Council.

Don Boudreaux points out, “It’s ironic, is it not, that this report appears in a newspaper?”

I swear, these people are their own reductio ad absurdum.

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Posted in Mankind's Doom, The New Religion