Today’s Links: September 29, 2011

OPINION

ROGER SIMON: “The Four Laws of Politics”
“‘So what do you think of Perry?’ the guy asks me. I look at his hands.You always look at the hands, an old-timer once told me when I was starting out as a political columnist in Chicago. It’s the first law: Guy asks you about politics, you look at the hands.”

ERIN GEIGER SMITH: “Could One Music Downloader Change U.S. Copyright Law?”
“In the age of iTunes and an-app-for-everything, Joel Tenenbaum’s battle with the music industry over illegal downloading seems as relevant as an eight-track cassette.But it turns out the fight could produce something surprisingly enduring: a change in copyright law.”

JOHN WHITFIELD: “Libertarians With Antlers”
“Charles Darwin, not Adam Smith, will one day be considered the father of economics, says Cornell University professor and New York Times columnist Robert H. Frank in his new book, The Darwin Economy. He argues that Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection gives a better description of how markets work, and fail, than Smith’s theory of the invisible hand.”

NEWS

FOOD – NYC Mayor Bloomberg: ‘Government’s Highest Duty’ is to Push ‘Healthy’ Foods
“During a United Nations General Assembly summit on non-communicable diseases — a discussion that included diet and eating habits — New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said ‘governments at all levels must make healthy solutions the default social option.'”

ENERGY – World’s Largest Renewable Diesel Refiner Says Cost of Fuel is Way More Than Anticipated
“Exactly how much does it cost to produce a ton of renewable diesel fuel? Well, according to Neste Oil, the world’s largest renewable diesel firm, the answer is: way more than anticipated. In releasing its updated future outlook, Neste Oil revealed its estimated production cost, not including feedstock, of NExBTL renewable diesel is $220 a ton (approximately $0.70 per U.S. gallon). That’s up significantly from the firm’s 2009 estimate of $175 a ton (roughly $0.56 per gallon).”