There’s been a lot of talk lately about free market types “going Galt” to protest current economic policies. This provokes my friend Jeff, and many others, to say “Go ahead, be my guest.” They’re right that few productive people are really going to venture off int...

I contributed a short article about new sin taxes and the recession to this week’s Lars Larson newsletter [pdf]. Jan from Cascade Cigar has a piece in there too. Since the newsletter is in pdf format, I’ve copied my submission below the break. The Wages of Sin Taxes People who indulge in...

“Guinness needs your help!” reads the subject line on an email I received from the company today. I went to one of their “Guinness Believer” promotional events a few years ago — totally worth it for the free beer — so I get occasional mail from them. I assumed thi...

Portland has been named the nation’s most depressing city in the country and Oregon’s unemployment rate has hit 9.9%. But if I lived in SF I could work at Caffeinated Comics, a new comic book store featuring a La Marzocco espresso machine, Four Barrel Coffee, and free wi-fi. It’s h...

Oregon raids designated accounts. Lesson? Don’t ever give to government. Ever. Ukraine in crisis Jon Hughes sums up my feelings on tending bar Big tent atheism Anachronistic alcohol laws screw over Iowan Scotland to set alcohol price floor Newport Beach considers outdoor smoking ban; Ohio cons...

As state tobacco taxes dry up (and they will dwindle even more after SCHIP’s federal taxes take effect), governments are getting creative to raise new revenue. They’re taking on the one group who might be an even easier target than smokers: consumers of pornography and other sex products...

I can’t believe I’d forgotten about this classic video. From Greg Rutter’s Definitive List of Things You Should Have Already Experienced on the Internet Unless You’re a Loser or Old or Something, here’s how you can become a master of seduction using cheesy magic tricks:...

And now for some good news: The Long Beach, CA city council passed its proposal to loosen the local smoking ban, granting official approval to the city’s 13 cigar lounges. Even this is far too much diversity for anti-tobacco activists: Lung association spokesman Steven Gallegos disagreed, tell...

Authors’ Guild vs the Kindle How legalizing homebrew launched a revolution All must bow to the 21-year-old drinking age Is libertarianism a mental illness? Private sector volcano monitoring Heath Ledger’s last two roles were the Joker and a traveling magician? Man crush! Bag bans going n...

I admit I felt a very slight pang of guilt when I sent that letter to my congressmen proposing sending me stimulus money to invest in my terrible bar idea. That’s because the letter would never actually get to the politicians. I knew it was going to be some poor overworked aide who’d hav...