Unless one is coming at you with a knife it can be hard to tell an extremist from a moderate, so here's a handy guide: Muslim extremists will kill you while moderates deal in excuses and rationalisations for their more ardent brethren. Ultimately, though, both take their cues from the Koran

Read More

Better, more precise use of language would not solve everything, but it would help society better navigate the obstacles of vague meaning and foggy perception. More people might come to appreciate the difference between allegations and evidence and be less likely to dunk witches. A straightforward politician might even impress voters

Read More

Daniel Hannan delivered a terrific, uplifting address the other night -- until the topic of Trump prompted a stream of disdainful regret that such a vulgarian is in the White House. Yes, his manners could use a good polishing, but in the meantime he keeps winning and winning big

Read More

Preferential voting -- compulsory preferential voting, that is -- minimises the chances of candidates other than those of the major parties. Sure, we see the odd independent elected, but what chance of a Thatcher or Trump arising under a system that favours forty shades of beige

Read More

Regard Marxism as the economic equivalent of a dead language and it makes some sort of  sense -- worthy of study for its place in the pantheon of human knowledge and doleful impact when implemented, but otherwise having no contemporary utility

Read More

Reputable scientists start afresh when their theories clash with experience. Not the climate careerists preaching planetary doom, who have just released yet another fires-and-floods prophecy. This lot adhere to Groucho’s maxim: when predictions don’t work out, they have others

Read More

It is past time to bluntly confront leftist thought at every opportunity. Did being polite save Brett Kavanaugh from slanders that will adhere for the rest of his days? Reserve and good manners are the conservative way, but they are of no use when the enemy's motto is 'by any means necessary'

Read More

The US Senate finally confirms Brett Kavanaugh, who has endured months of character assassination driven by a vile campaign of lies and distortions. Let his ordeal be a lesson to all who hope for even a mere modicum of decency from the modern Left: they don't have a shred of it

Read More

Aesop would no doubt have endorsed compulsory super in this Age of Entitlement which sees so many lead spendthrift lives on the assumption that others will take care of them later. His is the moral position, whereas mine somewhat reluctantly recognises the economic case for forced contributions

Read More

The meltdown of 2008 was misdiagnosed, mostly by those with an ideological barrow to push. Thus have we been treated to sermons about greed, derivatives and, of course, the sins of capitalism itself. Wrong, dead wrong. To a large extent it was the product of government interference

Read More