Tales of NYC tenant-security law

Although we call it “rent control,” the key thing it controls is often not so much what you can charge for a lodging as whether you can ever reclaim it. This recluse successfully held out for $17 million to relinquish his moldy, squalid rented lodging at what is now 15 Central Park West. [New York Post]

P.S. But at least the U.N. likes the idea. While on the subject of legal insanity in NYC real estate: Andrew Rice, New York mag, “Why Run a Slum If You Can Make More Money Housing the Homeless?” I wrote about the epic New York City homeless-rights litigation in Schools for Misrule, and more links are here.

Filed under: international human rights, landlord tenant law, NYC, United Nations

“Minimum wage, maximum derp”

Unemployment among British 16- and 17-year-olds suddenly began to surge after 2005. “It’s ‘difficult to explain’ … right. A total mystery. I can’t think What might have caused it.” [BritMouse via Scott Sumner.EconLog]

More: Don Boudreaux. “A poor way to reduce poverty” [Joseph Sabia, Cato Tax and Budget Bulletin, PDF] And don’t hold back, SmarterTimes, tell us what you think re: New York Times hand-wringing on the subject.

Filed under: minimum wage

On state liquor regulation and the “three-tier” system

I spoke on Thursday to the Bastiat Society chapter in Charlotte with some observations rooted in public choice theory about the “three-tier” system of state liquor regulation familiar since Prohibition. A few further links for those interested in the subject:

Tom Wark: “Why do wine and beer wholesalers deliver up more campaign contributions than all wineries, distillers, brewers and retailers combined?” (Because of the rents!) The North Carolina microbrewery angle;
Matt Yglesias at Slate: “How Looser Regulation Gave D.C. Great Specialty Bars“
AEI held a panel discussion last spring with Brandon Arnold, Jacob Grier (both formerly with the Cato Institute), and Stephen George, moderated by Tim Carney. Video snippets: Jacob on the history of the 3-tier system (2:00); Brandon on homebrewing (0:44). Here’s Jacob discussing the Oregon system at his cocktails-and-policy blog Liquidity Preference, and here’s Brandon on direct-to-consumer Internet sales.
On “at rest” laws, and the attempted extension to New York: my posts at Cato and Overlawyered, Wark, and recently from CEI’s Michelle Minton on renewed action in New York.
Oldie-but-goodie David Spiegel, Regulation mag, 1985 (PDF).

Filed under: alcohol, beer and brewers, competition through regulation, live in person, North Carolina, Washington D.C.

When state attorneys general go paramilitary

Now this is bound to end well: Mississippi lawmakers vote to give Attorney General Jim Hood, a frequent mentionee in this space, his own strike forces [Radley Balko, AP]

Filed under: attorneys general, Jim Hood, Mississippi, police

No Coke ads on the scoreboard: Nanny’s new regs

“Even pictures of food [at schools] have to have the federal government’s stamp of approval.” [Scott Shackford, Reason]

P.S. Speaking of marketing and paternalism, here’s Ann Althouse on the latest horrible Mark Bittman column.

Filed under: advertising, Mark Bittman, nanny state, obesity, schools, soft drinks

“The Jones Act… the most stupid law ever”

Because of the 1920 law, backed by labor unions and U.S.-flag maritime interests, it’s infeasible to ship propane directly from Texas to the Northeast, so instead Texas ships sail to Europe and other ships sail back with propane for Northeastern customers. [Bloomberg News; earlier on road salt]

Filed under: free trade

“Lawsuit Accuses Whistleblower Law Firm Of Coaching Employee To Steal Documents”

Following its loss in a California trial, J.M. Eagle, a large manufacturer of industrial pipe, is pushing back hard against its qui tam legal adversaries. [Daniel Fisher/Forbes, Plastics News] Earlier on the False Claims Act here and here.

Filed under: qui tam, whistleblowers

Megan McArdle at Cato

She talked about her new book The Up Side of Down, on failure, which has many policy implications (and quotes me on “blamestorming”); her examples included Hollywood production cost overruns, New Coke, L.A.’s healthy school lunch program, and (in the book) Avenue Q. Arnold Kling contributed very illuminating comments, and my Cato colleague Dalibor Rohac moderated. More here (including audio podcast version) and at Arnold Kling’s site.

Filed under: Coca-Cola, movies film and videos, school lunch

Tales from the business of wage and hour litigation

“So… stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Man sues staffing agency and Biglaw firm for overtime — because document review isn’t really legal work. Man then applies to the exact same staffing agency for more document review work — touting all his legal experience reviewing documents.” [Alex Rich, Above the Law]

Filed under: wage and hour suits

Political poster week at Cato

I’ve been blogging about a different political poster each day this week at Cato:

* Monday, “Socialism Would Mean Inspectors All Round,” 1929 British Conservative Party poster;

* Tuesday, “Come on, Dad! We’re going to vote Liberal,” 1929 British Liberal Party poster;

* Wednesday, “I Need Smokes,” World War One American poster;

* Thursday, Art Deco Prohibitionist traffic safety poster.

Update: and here’s Friday’s final installment, a contemporary freedom-of-the-press poster from Jordan.

Filed under: Cato Institute, military, tobacco, United Kingdom