On Tuesday, while Vince Cable was advocating government direction of the economy, I was speaking at a Royal Society for the Arts workshop devoted to young entrepreneurs.  The RSA published poll figures showing that large numbers of young people aspire to run their own businesses.  This is in line with our own findings, first with a poll of the Millennial Generation, and more recently with a poll about the nanny state.  In both we found that nearly half of y

The sad death of Neil Armstrong reminds us that after 12 Americans walked on the moon no-one else did.  They were able to do it very quickly because they broke it down into stages - Earth orbit, lunar orbit, lunar descent, lunar ascent, home.  Werner von Braun wanted a direct flight but was over-ruled and graciously accepted the change, making it all possible with his Saturn V rocket.  Not a single one failed, and the first manned flight of it went round the moon.

Britons do not like nanny.  Despite decades of her telling us what foods we should eat, how much we should drink, and what lifestyles are safe, a majority of us wish she'd stop.  This is the finding of a new poll commissioned by the ASI.  Its full findings are well worth a look, but here's a snapshot.

71% agree that "It's up to me, rather than the government, to secure myself a job," and only 7% disagree.

The proposal to require 'plain' packaging for tobacco products has now completed its consultations.  The ASI submitted evidence against plain packaging, and we published Chris Snowdon's report on the subject.

The world's energy problem seems to have been solved, but governments do not  seem to have noticed.  A relatively clean and abundant source of energy has not been produced by wind, solar or tidal power, nor even by nuclear power.  It has certainly not come from bio-fuels that create less energy than they use.  It has been solved by human ingenuity and technology.

Some oppose the cost to public funds of the Olympics, and some criticize the inconveniences to which Londoners have been subjected.  There can be few, however, who deny credit for the superb performances of our athletes.  They have shown a dedication and commitment that has rallied most of the nation behind them in their efforts, and given them generous praise for their achievements.

One way to catch a monkey, it is alleged in parts of Africa, is to place fruit at the bottom of a narrow-necked jar.  The monkey reaches in for the fruit, but when it makes a fist holding it, its hand is too big to withdraw.  The monkey is trapped, and remains so until the villagers come to collect the jar.  Of course the monkey could just let go of the fruit, but it wants it so bad that it will not do that.

For some weeks transport within London has been dislocated and delayed by road closures as Olympic venues are prepared.  Soon now whole lanes will be closed off to ordinary drivers so that these 'Games Lanes' can whisk Olympic officials around in their limousines without hindrance from other motorists.  Any cyclist entering one of these lanes faces a fixed £130 penalty, and motorists have been advised to avoid London altogether during the Olympics.

In August 2006 the Adam Smith Institute produced its own (and only) wristbands.  People were being urged at the time to "Make Poverty History."  While it would be nice if it happened, the slogan was largely empty in that it did not involve actually doing anything. 

Our case was that no country has ever emerged from poverty through development aid, and no country has ever done it without trade.  To us that seemed to suggest that opening our markets to their goods might help them more than sloganeering would.