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Online usersPollWhat should the government do about ailing financial institutions? Nothing, except to back off and get out—as any Objectivist knows, intervention is treating the disease with the disease 84% Intervene judiciously—enough to avert a catastrophe that is otherwise imminent 3% Intervene massively—as it's doing 3% Nationalize the whole economy and be done with it. Bring on the USSA! 1% Something else (specify) 9% Total votes: 76
 Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell
 Economics In One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt
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Farewell Dakota Submitted by Lance on Mon, 2008-07-21 20:00.
Hat-tip: Samizdata Nice comment from the excellent Samizdata blog about the regulation hastened retirement of the quintessential aircraft of the 20th century, The Douglas DC-3 or 'Dakota'. As of July 15th, it is no longer possible for a European to fly in a vintage DC-3. Air Atlantique ran a very successful farewell tour around the UK and its flights were sold out. Perhaps one continent's loss is another's gain and these passenger-worthy classics will find a home across the pond where they can continue to bring the joy of flying in the most marvelous working airplane every built. Maybe we should start a tradition like that of the Muslims, but instead of bowing towards Brussels at a given hour each day, we could give them the other end to show the full depth of our respect for them. So why are they being "retired"? Stupid, thoughtless, EU regulation. Says Air Atlantique Fitting oxygen masks to an aircraft that never flies high enough to use them, or equipping it with chutes to deliver passengers to the ground four feet below the exit door would be prohibitively expensive - even if the items were available. And these are just an example. Sadly, from July 15th, we have to withdraw the Daks from passenger flying Arthur Emmons Raymond (a previous Hero of the Day here at SOLO), the DC-3 design team leader, must be spinning in his grave
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User loginFeatured BookNavigationSyndicate  The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
 Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
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On a dark and stormy night
On a dark and stormy night (!) in 1885 in Dayton, Ohio many of the local residents attended a public meeting.
At the public meeting one of the speakers dwelt on the topic of "The Future", where he proceeded to encourage his audience to visualise a World where people would travel in a horseless carriage...to gasps and exclamations from the audience.
He went on...mentioning how, at some point in the future, you would be able to purchase bread which was already sliced...to gasps and exclamations from the audience.
He further mentioned seemingly esoteric subjects as the invention of films (for entertainment), medicines which would cure almost any illness, buildings 100 stories tall, devices which would wash clothes and clean dishes without assistance from housewives, and the ability to speak with people on the other side of the World.
All of this led to constant gasping, exclamations and shuffling in seats from the audience, but being fair minded chaps they gave the speaker the benefit of the doubt, despite the inability to visualise a single thing he was talking about ever happening...
He then said the day would come when men could fly around the World quickly and without wings...more gasping and exclaiming followed this particular revelation...but it was too much for one man who stood up and said "Sir, what you are saying is getting ridiculous and I have no intention of sitting here any longer listening to such rubbish" ...he then turned to his children and said "Orville, Wilbur, we are leaving" ....
http://nzcapitalist.blogspot.com/
Indeed
Lance I saw that and I'm infuriated, narrow minded little pricks in Brussels obsessed with protecting people from themselves. If it were a century ago you can imagine how much they would have inhibited the development of aviation, because it was "unsafe".