Pun Salad

Happy April Fool's Day to all. Be careful out there on the Web today, many determined people are out to pull your leg.

• Arnold Kling gives more reasons to be skeptical of James Pinkerton's "fix" for a sucky Federal government. Michael Giberson at Knowledge Problem is similarly unimpressed. I'm relieved that folks more credible than I find Pinkerton non-compelling.

• But I was so wrapped up in Pinkerton yesterday that I missed reading Nick Schulz at Tech Central Station, who's also noticed a hockey-stick increase in global warming alarmism. Noticing Time's suggestion that "maybe we can begin living more like the average Chinese or Indian", Nick observes:

  According to the CIA World Factbook, the per capita GDP on India is $3,400 a year, and $6,200 a year in China. In the United States it's $41,800. So yes, Time is indeed advocating cutting living standards by as much as ten times. If you want something to "be worried" about, as Time asserts on its cover, well there you have it.

• Sam Kazman welcomes new regulations under Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for trucks, SUVs, and vans by pointing out (a) they reduce consumer choice, and (b) oh, yeah, they also kill people. Your Federal Government, bringing you both Death and Taxes!

• Since I read Kausfiles I now know there's a punctuation symbol meant to indicate ironical statements, and it's HTMLable: ؟. I'm excited by this new expressivity, but kind of worried that I'll use it incorrectly؟

• And finally, two words: (1) Skateboarding; (2) Bulldog. God Bless America.