Glenn Reynolds links: U.S. carbon dioxide emissions dropped slightly last year even as the economy grew, according to an initial estimate released yesterday by the Energy Information Administration. As Randy would say, “Yo Dog, check it out…”One data point does not a trend make, but it’s obviously possible fortably grow the economy and domestic output without increasing CO2. Sorta like reducing taxes while growing tax revenues, I guess. This should be a wakeup call to conservatives who contend that any...

…The Milton Friedman Choir: Via the Brussels Journal ...

“Root of all evil” or liberator of mankind? Samuel Gregg examines the role that money plays in a free economy, particularly the way it “allows people to engage in the greater specialization of economic production which produces growth.” Read the mentary here. ...

You just can’t make this stuff up. Here’s my favorite photo, for reasons our friends at pletely missed but I’m sure Jordan (ourresident anti-misanthropist)will appreciate: If it’s hard to see what the little blue sticker to the left says, here’s a better view: In other words, stop killing our children for oil, but make sure we can kill them for convenience. “Concourse of hypocrisy” indeed. ...

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13 TNIV). I’ve been working on a paper on vocation the last few days, and ran across that verse. One of plaints against the theological grounding of vocation has been the claim that there is no biblical justification for speaking about calling as referring to anything but our call to conversion....

Both of our major political parties have missed what seems so obvious. One says that we need more tax cuts to strengthen the economy. This is correct. The problem is that they are not willing to also make serious budget cuts. That party has spent more than any previous administration. The other political party wants to expand federal government by spending more of our money by raising taxes. The first plan helps the economy in the short run but not...

The ing out of the World Bank in recent weeks has largely focused on the departure of Paul Wolfowitz and the nomination of Robert B. Zoellick to head the bank. At the same time, a little noticed power struggle was underway at the World Bank over policies related to “reproductive health” and family planning. Michael Miller takes a closer look at the bank’s Malthusian enthusiasm. Read the mentary here. ...

Jennifer Roback Morse takes a look at The War Between the State and the Family, a book that examines some of the family unfriendly social policies of the United Kingdom. The state, she finds, is in the process of atomizing the family into a loose association of persons with easily separated relationships. posing society into nothing but a collection of unattached individuals has been destructive of individuals and society alike,” Morse writes. Read the mentary here. ...

Speaking of Milton Friedman, here’s a link to a paper that looks interesting: “Transcendental Commitments of Economists: Friedman, Knight, and Nef” (HT: Organizations and Markets). Acton president Robert A. Sirico’s reflection on Friedman’s legacy last year noted, “Friedman was a true Enlightenment disciple and feared that truth claims could lead to coercion.” ...

Or so reports Catholic News Service today. In and of itself, the item is not that big a deal: The Vatican will be installing solar panels atop the Pius VI Hall, where the pope holds his general audiences. It does seem, however, to be indicative of greater emphasis being placed on environmental stewardship by the leadership of the Catholic Church (among other eccesial bodies, as has been much remarked on this blog). There was no ment from the Vatican, but...