tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266099012011-12-14T18:42:16.625-08:00"Life is short, but truth works far and lives long; let us speak truth." -- SchopenhauerLibertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6791100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-7649901955419464242007-10-28T12:38:00.000-07:002007-10-28T16:08:49.899-07:00

The human race will one day split into two separate species, an attractive, intelligent ruling elite and an underclass of dim-witted, ugly goblin-like creatures, according to a top scientist.100,000 years into the future, sexual selection could mean that two distinct breeds of human will have developed.The alarming prediction comes from evolutionary theorist Oliver Curry from the London School of

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-16116068637830060302007-04-19T01:51:00.000-07:002007-04-19T02:30:39.509-07:00

SkepticalObservorBy now, it’s a truism that our tax system is too complicated, and our taxes are too high. Of course, as it is Spring, most of us focus upon state and federal income taxes.Let us focus, then, on a few brief points about our wonderful system by which the federal government bleeds us of 24% of our national income.First, let’s consider the Marriage Tax. This is the penalty in

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-12226322631644609692007-04-07T12:38:00.000-07:002007-04-07T12:48:26.785-07:00

Is the title of a great piece at the Paleo blog: Today we live in a society with an ever large and growing Leviathan State. So much of private property is being stipulated to government control and dictation. Instead of people having the natural freedom to discriminate in any way, government forces people to be with those that they do not wish to be with (by various non-discrimination laws).

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-73546467132315960662007-03-01T12:47:00.000-08:002007-04-07T12:31:24.790-07:00

The US President will visit Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala and Mexico in March.US President George W. Bush will tour Latin America in March, in an attempt to curb the influence of his Socialist Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez, and to neutralize recent Iranian efforts to improve ties in the region. Bush’s visit crowns months of a US diplomatic offensive aiming to isolate the ongoing

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1160150774442912432006-10-06T08:53:00.000-07:002006-10-06T09:09:06.923-07:00

Online gambling giants Party Gaming and 888 Holdings - which do roughly three-quarters and one-half of their business, respectively, in the U.S. - have already announced that they will stop accepting business from U.S.-based customers once the President signs the bill into law. Sportingbet has announced that it will no longer pursue a merger with World Gaming. The act has caused large hysteria

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1160149838086547602006-10-03T09:28:00.000-07:002006-10-06T09:06:35.896-07:00

Recently, the House of Representatives passed a bill (H.R. 4411-The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006) to prevent the use of certain payment instruments, credit cards, and fund transfers for unlawful Internet gambling. This bill ammends the 1961 Wire Act that bans telephone sports wagering except for state-sanctioned horse racing and lotteries.It also would direct the Department

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147952890796020762005-11-23T23:34:00.000-08:002006-10-10T01:38:29.436-07:00

I must apologize for my continued absence, but it's not my fault. It's her fault. I'm off again for a romantic weekend get-a-way. Hopefully I will be more active upon returning.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147952939398201092005-11-17T21:25:00.000-08:002006-10-10T01:40:51.823-07:00

Doesn't just war theory completely fall apart if you don't belive in the legitimacy of government? I was thinking about this while reading a David Gordon book review here. Show me a legitimate government and then we can talk about just war.By the way, David Gordon is an absolute treasure. I can't tell you how much I enjoy reading his reviews and following his citations into other works. I wish

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953277719090622005-11-17T21:17:00.000-08:002006-10-10T01:41:29.206-07:00

Call me crazy but I thought the US military went to Iraq to get rid the country of WMDs? Now we are told this:Our goal in Iraq is a simple one. We want to help the country stand on its feet, provide for its own security and give its citizens a chance to vote for the government of their own choosing (something the Iraqi people have been doing with diligence and enthusiasm, I might add). When

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953326246611062005-11-17T21:07:00.000-08:002006-10-10T01:41:56.483-07:00

A gentleman doesn't discuss politics at dinner.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953354370752252005-11-17T20:40:00.000-08:002006-10-10T01:42:19.093-07:00

"If my soldiers started thinking, not a single soldier would remain in my army." -- Frederick II

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953372855186562005-11-17T20:38:00.000-08:002006-05-18T04:56:12.856-07:00

PATRIOTISM is not a virtue. Nor is it sufficient reason to kill other human beings.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953407267918442005-11-17T20:34:00.000-08:002010-05-21T12:13:24.207-07:00

Sales of new homes in Sacramento area fall 40 percent.Thus reads the headline over a front page story in yesterday’s Business Section of the Sacramento Bee, the daily chronicler of the economic and social activities in what had, up until several weeks ago, been one of the hottest real estate markets in the country.As reported by Andrew LePage, a Bee Staff Writer:Sales of new homes in the

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953433299408872005-11-17T20:31:00.000-08:002006-10-10T01:52:53.006-07:00

Bob Murphy nails it: To pick a more "economic" example, it is not true that laborers always sell their services to the highest bidder. Someone may give up the stressful (yet highly paid) life of corporate law and opt to be a librarian. As these examples illustrate, the function of market prices is not to dictate how resources are deployed, but rather to let the owners make an informed

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953537674657992005-11-15T23:12:00.000-08:002006-10-10T01:47:59.326-07:00

MARCUS AURELIUS:The vulgar confine their admiration chiefly to things of an elementary order, which exist by virtue of mere inorganic cohesion or processes of nature: things of timber and stone, for example, or groves of figs and vines and olives. Minds of a somewhat higher degree of enlightenment are attracted by things that have animation, such as flocks and herds. A further step in refinment

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953565911708292005-11-15T12:25:00.000-08:002006-05-18T04:59:25.913-07:00

TOLSTOY: "The State is only a temporary thing and in no way a permanent feature of human life." From The Law of Love and the Law of Violence.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953584032357262005-11-15T12:14:00.000-08:002006-05-18T04:59:44.033-07:00

"WHEN THERE IS PLENTY OF WINE, sorrow and worry take wing."

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953603704107952005-11-15T11:30:00.000-08:002006-05-18T05:00:03.706-07:00

"I KNOW WHAT GIRLS WANT, I KNOW WHAT THEY LIKE, they want to stay up and party all night." Quote of the week from a beautiful lady: "You guys were buying bottles of champagne and sharing it with everyone in the restaurant like it was a public good. I just had tofind out who you are..."A public good! I didn't bother explaining to her that such things (public goods) don't exist. She has plenty to

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953634466513422005-11-10T19:08:00.000-08:002006-10-10T01:59:52.520-07:00

He exposes one of the fallacies inherent in "sports statistics": SEC adherents are particularly proud that the conference boasts seven of the nation's top-26 defenses in scoring and yards allowed. Ah, but here we enter the whole defensive chicken-and-egg debate, and Carroll can't resist a brief observation. He notes that six Pac-10 teams rank in the nation's top 20 in scoring. Only

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1147953658492160552005-11-10T18:58:00.000-08:002006-05-18T05:00:58.493-07:00

COMPETITION There's no such thing as economic competition between countries.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148118922203330862005-11-08T21:06:00.000-08:002006-10-10T02:10:13.510-07:00

It's global excess liquidity:According to our calculations, global excess liquidity has been on a steep upward trend since about 1995. Between 1995 and 2005, the credit-to-GDP ratio has risen by 25%, broad money-to-GDP by 32%, and narrow money to GDP by no less than 55%. The steep rise especially in narrow money reflects the fact that this aggregate is particularly sensitive to short-term

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148118957573149612005-11-08T20:43:00.000-08:002006-10-10T02:34:48.163-07:00

Is this the start of the bust? Were we right or were we right, huh?

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148118994323769872005-11-07T23:07:00.000-08:002006-05-20T02:56:34.323-07:00

"WE USED TO USE UMBRELLAS TO FIGHT THE BAD WEATHER, now we travel first-class to change the forecast." Just got off a flight. I was in a wedding over the weekend. Spectular moment. Beautiful ceremony -- I took notes in preparation for my own wedding. And I've never seen two people more ready to get married.I flew out last week at 6:50am. Arrived at the airport at 6:20am or so. Long story.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148119021093418002005-11-05T01:21:00.000-08:002006-05-20T02:57:01.093-07:00

AGAINST PHIL JACKSON? He favors the NBA dresscode. Most of these idiots are lucky to get a paycheck as it is. Stop the crying and put on a suit.I just got home from a Clippers game actually. All the guys not in uniform were wearing suits. They still manage to look ridiculous because apparently they can't figure out how a suit is supposed to fit.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148119056587216892005-11-05T01:09:00.000-08:002006-05-20T02:57:36.586-07:00

RISING PRICES + HIGHER INTEREST RATES = middle-class misery.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148121618211207972005-11-05T00:39:00.000-08:002006-10-10T05:28:05.116-07:00

Why do I love this song?And I'm so sick of love songsSo tired of tearsSo done with wishingYou were still hereSaid I'm so sick of love songsSo sad and slowSo why can't I turn off the radio?Gotta fix that calender I hadThat's marked July 15thCuz since there's no more youThere's no more anniverseryI'm so fed up of my thoughts of youAnd your memoriesAnd now every song reminds meOf what used to be

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148121664405183162005-11-05T00:32:00.000-08:002006-05-20T03:41:04.406-07:00

PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT Oil of Olay Moisturinse. Just a wonderful product for moisturizing and softening your skin. I also recommend: Exfoliating Shower Gloves.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148121707590886262005-11-05T00:09:00.000-08:002006-05-20T03:41:47.590-07:00

MEMO TO THE MAYOR OF VEGAS: your city is already a dump. Cleaning the graffiti won't help. You know what's really bad about Vegas (setting aside the property boom, which will soon impoverish many): the traffic congestion. Have you been there lately? Just the limo ride from the airport to N9NE is awful...

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148121752641480482005-11-04T23:38:00.000-08:002006-10-10T05:41:15.616-07:00

J.H. Huebert has a post on LRC on Jarhead. I think I've told this story here before, but it's worth a second. My brother and I ran into a high school friend (now in the Marines) outside a retail store about a year ago. When asked whether he was concerned about being shipped off to Iraq, he replied: "No, I want to go. I volunteered to go immediately. I can't wait to shoot some f*cking people in

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148121781844905602005-11-04T11:36:00.000-08:002006-05-20T03:43:01.843-07:00

JIMMY CARTER: "I have a commitment to worship the prince of peace not the prince of pre-emptive war."Beautiful. And he finds abortion disgusting. Then again, don't all decent human beings?

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148121801061229152005-11-01T01:26:00.000-08:002006-05-20T03:43:21.060-07:00

MARCUS AURELIUS: "You should live your life as if you are ready to say good-bye to it at any moment, as if the time left you is some pleasant surprise."

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148377274265800342005-10-31T23:47:00.000-08:002006-10-10T05:52:09.846-07:00

As the absurd property bubble rages on, AG sent a link to this article: "Tiny Vegas Home Sits At Center of Housing Craze."Hilarious lines from the article include:"About 85 percent of condo buyers are non-Nevada residents or investors, Gordon said."“It’s sort of like beach-front property. They’re not making any more of it. Everybody that’s within a stone’s throw thinks their property is worth $20

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148377301004752662005-10-31T23:12:00.000-08:002006-10-10T05:43:38.343-07:00

In the process of ordering some flowers to be sent a special lady, I discovered you can set up your account to automatically deliver flowers to the women of your choice each month (or week!). That's perfect! Since all my bills are paid in a similar fashion (I never even look at them anymore), now I can step up my game with the gifts for the ladies! With my ex-girlfriend, I'd bring her a flower

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148377328861170212005-10-30T20:00:00.000-08:002006-05-23T02:44:54.933-07:00

QUOTE: "Q, it's not about how many women you get, it's about which women you get." -- LJ

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148377357349102682005-10-30T19:36:00.000-08:002006-05-23T02:45:11.576-07:00

CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH DOLPHINS I did a 3-mile ocean swim Saturday morning off the coast of Santa Monica (accompanied by my faithful friend in her kayak) in preparation for the next big endeavour. After hearing a number of high-pitched sounds underwater, I looked off to my right and swimming along were about 15 dolphins. They buzzed the kayak and came within about 2 feet. I think they were

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148377527193340542005-10-28T23:47:00.000-07:002006-05-23T02:45:27.196-07:00

BERNANKE The best libertarians could hope for?Ugh.Bernanke knows his economics history? (Big deal) Favors inflation-targeting? (Heh, even if you convinced me inflation-targeting was a possibility, I'd still laugh. It's just econ-geek nonsense, having no relation to the real world. We call this "f(x) bullsh*t" where I come from. Besides, I favor falling prices.)Hell, who cares if Bernanke is

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148377832387526132005-10-27T23:23:00.000-07:002006-05-23T02:53:14.703-07:00

WORLD SERIES OF POKER In my search to find something worse than Fantasy Sports Leagues, I discovered the poker craze. I'm sure there are a talented few gaining steady income from such activites, but . . . it's not you. Give it up. Go for a jog or something.Please add to our rolling list of pathetic activities:1. Video games2. Television3. Visiting Las Vegas4. Watching football5. Fantasy Sports

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148377873937217372005-10-25T20:52:00.000-07:002006-05-23T02:51:13.936-07:00

CANCUN We were supposed to be there this weekend. I guess that's off.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378036929504132005-10-16T21:40:00.000-07:002006-05-23T02:53:56.930-07:00

ASIAN CURRENCY ANALYSTS from the big banks were wrong on the Asian currencies. Our 7 daily readers don't need to read our opinion on this again.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378062158115642005-10-16T21:26:00.000-07:002006-05-23T02:54:22.160-07:00

I GUESS I GOT my swagger back?

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378200068593752005-10-16T20:58:00.000-07:002006-05-23T02:56:40.070-07:00

WHO HATES THEIR MTV? Nikky Finke on the Idiots' favorite cable channel.What bothers me most about Laguna Beach is that these little maggots have the nerve to hang out at restaurants frequented by LJ & Friends. They tarnish the image of California's most beautiful little town.And the Roosevelt Hotel is just not that impressive (although if you are B-list and below don't even bother trying to get

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378227576848612005-10-16T20:43:00.000-07:002006-05-23T02:57:07.576-07:00

"ACCEPT THE TEACHING OF CHRIST as it is, clear and simple; then you will see that we live among big lies." -- Tolstoy

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378310174480372005-10-13T21:35:00.000-07:002006-05-23T02:58:30.176-07:00

CHESS Scroll down for move-by-move Kasparov against Karpov, 1986.http://www.chesscorner.com/worldchamps/kasparov/kasparov.htm

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378348859517432005-10-13T21:22:00.000-07:002006-10-10T03:38:37.120-07:00

A sign you spoil women too much . . . you receive text messages requesting specific gifts:Blue-eyed Blonde: I want the clear plastic louis. Thanks and have a beautiful evening. Please mail soon to [Street Address] San Diego, Ca.Naturally, I made a trip to South Coast Plaza this evening. But, I picked-up something for myself, too.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378431178570712005-10-09T20:04:00.000-07:002006-10-10T04:45:26.536-07:00

We threw a splendid cocktail party last evening at the Luxury Beach Villa. I scattered tealights all over the outdoor patio and throughout the house, giving it a glowing ambience. Thanks to all the friends and family in attendance. The guest list was massive and invitations went out worldwide, tempting invitees to sample great wines, great food and to celebrate the company of great friends.The

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378581831576242005-10-08T11:18:00.000-07:002006-05-23T03:03:01.833-07:00

OUTSOURCING HITS ORANGE COUNTY? Surfboard manufacturers can't compete with Asian imports.http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/06/05/china-schou.phpI welcome it. But, if you want a custom board, I don't think you're going to buy it directly from China.Is it true that our current standard of living depends on low wage labor?By the way, I didn't know The OC had a manufacturing industry? I thought everyone

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378646891860012005-10-05T22:19:00.000-07:002006-10-10T03:36:17.576-07:00

Mark Cuban -- the "Internet boom billionaire" -- is claiming to have the solution to high gas prices: take out the speculators operating in the futures market.Original idea there, Mark. Here's a better piece, from the legendary Victor Niederhoffer: Bureaucrats have little incentive to improve, invest or innovate. When speculators are wrong, however, they are punished severely for their

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378673286182082005-10-05T22:15:00.000-07:002006-05-23T03:04:33.286-07:00

ON THE STREETS OF MEXICO: MAN: Hombres! What do you need? I can get you anything you want... LJ: Tienes drogas duras? MAN: Si! Cocaina, mota, 12-year old kids to work in your factory... LJ: What . . .?

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378702196317582005-10-05T21:55:00.000-07:002006-05-23T03:05:02.196-07:00

SUPPORT MIERS? The President appointed his good buddy to the Supreme Court? This is too funny. . .

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378902423065862005-10-05T21:50:00.000-07:002007-04-07T12:54:26.858-07:00

End the oppression: Thirty years ago Gore Vidal noted that “roughly 80% of police work in the United States has to do with the regulation of our private morals…controlling what we drink, eat, smoke, put into our veins…with whom and how we have sex or gamble.” Then there were roughly 250,000 prisoners in the nation. Today there is more than 2 million, with another million in county jails

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148378945707740092005-10-04T21:26:00.000-07:002006-10-10T03:40:35.450-07:00

Overpaid, underworked: real estate agents cash in in San Diego. How long until these clowns are out of careers? Less than 12 months?In other words, for every Louise James, who has closed on 71 homes this year, there are 95 who sell only four or five homes a year."There will be a lot of hungry real estate agents in the next 12 to 18 months," Thornberg said.Bostic, while not as pessimistic as

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148463439933674732005-09-30T00:02:00.000-07:002007-04-07T12:51:18.290-07:00

We are off again, this time on a cruise down the coast of Mexico to celebrate my buddy's final days of freedom. Just kidding. She is an absolute sweetheart, one of the few worthy women out there, and we wish them all the best. But, as my brother says, "Dude, you go on vacation more than anyone else." True. Life is short and we try to live large.Now, I know you are wondering: how can they leave

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148463494886303632005-09-30T00:01:00.000-07:002006-10-10T04:05:23.263-07:00

AGAIN, I CAN'T REALLY DECIDE if this is economics or pop psychology? What does the "$1,000" figure matter in the first place? It's not like we can measure costs. One outcome is simply more costly (in a general sense, not just a purely monetary sense) than the other, based on their psychological speculations.Big frickin' deal.Source:http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2005/09/

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148463525846427652005-09-27T20:23:00.000-07:002006-10-10T03:51:29.740-07:00

The increase in the price of a home should be categorized as savings. The rise in prices leads to a rise in home equity and home equity is savings. Therefore, higher prices are a net positive for society and aren't being accounted for in measures of savings! Higher real estate prices: good for everyone!I'm just kidding.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148463734621352442005-09-27T19:52:00.000-07:002006-05-24T02:43:05.133-07:00

DIPLOMACY Not to be upstaged by the Karen Hughes "listening tour," we ran our own version of diplomatic relations over the last few days South of the Border. I think the campaign was an unmitigated success. When in foreign lands, I try to represent my nation in the best possible manner by giving them The Libertarian Jackass Treatment. This weekend, for instance, we rolled into a bar crowded with

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148463813765627002005-09-23T01:47:00.000-07:002006-05-24T02:43:33.766-07:00

SITE FEED I was told I needed to dump my other template in order for Site Feed to work. Let me know if that solved the problem. I think this template is actually the first one we used at the birth of LJ. Hard to believe it's been over two years.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148463837954476372005-09-23T01:33:00.000-07:002006-05-24T02:43:57.956-07:00

OUT THE COUNTRY, BLACKBERRY STILL CONNECTS I'll be out of the country quite a bit over the next couple of weeks. You know how we roll. We are leaving now for Mexico for several days.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148463862769132162005-09-21T23:44:00.000-07:002006-05-24T02:44:22.770-07:00

"LIFE IS TOO SHORT to drink cheap champagne."

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148463902462562452005-09-20T23:10:00.000-07:002006-05-24T02:45:02.463-07:00

MEMO TO TYLER COWEN: there's a huge difference between academic institutions and central banks. Namely, central banks create liabilities in order to accumulate reserves.http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2005/09/my_view_of_the_.html

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148464035232743542005-09-20T20:36:00.000-07:002006-05-24T02:47:15.233-07:00

HILARIOUS It's not the result of a speculative frenzy, but of fundamental economic factors like . . . low interest rates.http://calculatedrisk.blogspot.com/2005/09/more-no-bubble-talk.htmlWhat, do you suppose, fuels the speculative frenzy?Economists -- they are all so clueless.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148464082926394702005-09-20T19:57:00.000-07:002006-05-24T02:48:02.926-07:00

KIERKEGAARD Fear and Trembling: If there were no eternal consciousness in a man, if at the foundation of all there lay only a wildly seething power which writhing with obscure passions produced everything that is great and everything that is insignificant, if a bottomless void never satiated lay hidden beneath all--what then would life be but despair? If such were the case, if there were no

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148464130711352012005-09-20T19:52:00.000-07:002006-05-24T02:48:50.713-07:00

IS THIS AN ATTACK ON AUSTRIAN ECONOMICS? From the Institutional Economics blog. Perhaps they're upset because there's no such thing as institutional economics? I'm trying to set up my own economics sect: nutritional economics. Get on the bandwagon early. Even Mises failed to understand the role of a nutritious breakfast on human action. Rothbard didn't bother to get up before noon, so, naturally,

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148464164046550562005-09-18T23:14:00.000-07:002006-05-24T02:50:42.216-07:00

MILITARY RECRUITERS are professional liars. Think about this before signing up: Wars seem important at the time, but they usually aren't. Five years later, they are history. About sixty thousand GIs died in Vietnam. We lost. Nothing happened. It was a stupid war for nothing. Today the guys who lost faces and legs and internal organs back then are just freaks. Nobody gives a damn about them,

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148464201690814752005-09-18T14:31:00.000-07:002007-04-07T12:58:12.912-07:00

Interesting conversation found here: "We never go to war. This is not because we fear death. On the contrary, we bless the moment that unites us with the Being of Beings. It is because we are neither wolves, tigers nor mastiffs, but Christian men. "Our God, who has commanded us to love our enemies and to suffer without complaining, would not permit us to cross the seas to slaughter our

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148464385320139832005-09-18T11:18:00.000-07:002007-04-07T12:59:45.813-07:00

I received a phone message early Friday morning: "J, can you come out across the desert and swim the first leg of a team triathlon relay, 7am? We need someone to come off the bench. Then we can go to Rehab later."Of course, I made it out there, stretched on the Quintana Roo HydroFull (an absolutely perfect product, if you are in the market for a new wetsuit) and stood on the lake shore while

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148464872860229722005-09-17T17:06:00.000-07:002007-04-07T13:04:36.604-07:00

For more, here's Peter Schiff of Euro Pacific Capital on gold vs. government: Also the week saw fresh releases of trade and current account deficit data. As an example of the power of diminished expectations, July's horrific $57.9 Billion trade deficit was greeted as good news, as it was less than the slightly more horrifying $60 billion that had been feared. The second quarter current account

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148464904933637322005-09-17T16:59:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:01:44.933-07:00

DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE Take a limo when you venture out. That's the motto.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148464971843751452005-09-17T16:45:00.000-07:002007-04-07T13:04:51.345-07:00

Too many mortgage bankers, too many loan officers, too many investment bankers. This is another reminder of why a "bubble" is not about price appreciation, it's about the massive misallocation of real resources. Bill Gross: Take a gander at the remarkable Chart II displayed below. It shows that real estate, not manufacturing, has been the economic impetus in recent years in terms of net growth

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148464986389076902005-09-13T23:37:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:06:17.846-07:00

TOM PALMER: "We can learn a great deal about how non-state legal systems work, not by dreaming up fantasies of competing defense agencies, but simply by studying closely the world around us."Excellent. This pulled from a 15-page PDF "Do We Need Government?" Check it out.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148465232722934492005-09-13T00:18:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:07:12.723-07:00

"WE DON'T REMEMBER DAYS, we remember moments."

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148465372695983232005-09-13T00:04:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:09:32.696-07:00

SHE PASSED BY, IN A BLACK MERCEDES Damn she's fine, the way her body's movin'. The new DJ Quik album hits stores today. Best living rapper/producer.The West Coast is the best coast.http://www.dj-quik.com/

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148465417349961682005-09-12T22:44:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:10:17.350-07:00

I DON'T KNOW WHAT ARNOLD KLING IS TALKING ABOUT The market isn't telling consumers to drive less. The "market" isn't "telling" the consumer anything. Further, why are Washington, D.C. "libertarians" and "free market" econ profs always crying about the state of economic education in politics? Do they not understand the nature of the state? That it is an organization based on exploitation, not

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148465472779625362005-09-11T23:32:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:11:12.780-07:00

MAYBE THE REAL PROBLEM HERE is the "equilibrium" construct? The comment: Let's be serious. $5.87 seems to be above the market equilibrium, even in these times. But I wouldn't prosecute them. Not at all. I'd just tell people not to go there! Find another station! If you're running on empty, just buy a gallon and drive on.You see, it's the simple "idea" of the equilibrium market price which

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148465513257647552005-09-11T23:24:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:11:53.260-07:00

THE CHAOS OF UNCOORDINATED FACTS? Here indeed was the great defect of the Greek mind: it was not disciplined; it lacked limiting and steadying traditions; it moved freely in an uncharted field and ran too readily to theories and conclusions. So Greek philosophy leaped on to heights unreached again, while Greek science limped behind. Our modern danger is precisly the opposite; inductive data

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148465708581012872005-09-11T23:14:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:15:08.583-07:00

ECONOMISTS HAVE SUCH TOUGH JOBS They have to sit around and wonder if the Fed should play a role in defusing asset bubbles.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466168637516222005-09-10T18:19:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:22:48.640-07:00

LIBERTARIANISM OR CONSTITUTIONAL FETISHISM? Can you see the dangers of mixing yourself up in arguments about the legality of gun possession?But, don't worry: you're free because you can have the NRA bring a lawsuit on your behalf.Nonsense.http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/15048.htmlIn a similar way, libertarians get too caught up in arguments on the War Between the States and the Constitution: Here

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466436426586682005-09-10T18:16:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:27:16.426-07:00

LET'S BE CLEAR on the real estate bubble: the escalation in home prices is but one symptom of a bubble in real estate, not the bubble itself.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466474760445672005-09-10T12:24:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:27:54.760-07:00

IS "PUBLIC CHOICE" ECON REALLY ECONOMICS? Give me a break.http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2005/09/the_public_choi.html

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466507354850932005-09-10T11:25:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:28:27.356-07:00

THE REAL PROBLEM WITH KANYE WEST He think he's the greatest rapper of all-time. His name shouldn't even be in the conversation.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466558852047102005-09-10T10:49:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:29:18.853-07:00

FOR HAIR I recommend: Soy Salvation from Healthy Sexy Hair.http://www.sexyhairconcepts.com/

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466591971114182005-09-10T10:42:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:29:51.973-07:00

SHOUT OUT Almost forgot. Shout out to the women working the Virgin Atlantic Airways flight from London to Los Angeles last Saturday.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466685348181522005-09-07T19:53:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:31:25.350-07:00

PLAYERS ONLY "Shout out" to my little baby sister, who turned 21 last week! We took her out, popped a few bottles, made sure the white stretch was parked right out front and showed her how the real gentlemen run it in Hollywood.Also, "shout out" to "Super Freshman." Although I hit him up on the BlackBerry at the last minute, he still managed to roll with us. You should have ventured to Jerry's

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466727177706932005-09-07T00:47:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:32:07.176-07:00

MARCUS AURELIUS: When a man finds his sole good in that which the appointed hour brings him; when he cares not if his actions be many or few, so they accord with strict reason; when it matters nought to him whether his glimpse of this world be long or fleeting -- not death itself can be a thing of terror to him. ... Death: a release from impressions of sense, from twitching of appetite,

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466752271208412005-09-07T00:14:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:32:32.273-07:00

IS THE CHINESE RMB OVERVALUED? As suggested by a Bush administration official, if capital controls were removed, "we are likely to see the remnibi fall." In a real general sense, of course it's overvalued. I think the peg to the dollar creates a situation where demand for the yuan is greater than it otherwise would be.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466790355789782005-09-06T23:52:00.000-07:002007-04-07T13:07:39.534-07:00

Hugo Chavez wants the Venezuelan State to have more influence on the banks. The real story here is that, according to a related FT article: Venezuelan banks, among the most profitable in Latin America, are heavily exposed to government debt. Public debt can account for as much as 60 percent of a bank's assets. The government is also the largest single depositor among many banks. Two months

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466842812160392005-09-06T00:41:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:34:02.813-07:00

VIENNA AND CHICAGO, friends or foes?http://mahalanobis.twoday.net/stories/950534/

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466880777536672005-09-06T00:27:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:34:40.780-07:00

SHOULD LOOTERS BE SHOT DEAD? "Shooting the New Orleans looters is, under present circumstances, an appropriate response to the collapse of civic order, and a first step towards the restoration of that order."http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2005_08_28-2005_09_03.shtml#1125597101Is violence the key to social order? Shooting looters is neither appropriate nor justified (you're going to have great

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466932079274702005-09-02T22:55:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:35:32.080-07:00

I HATE TO GO TO THIS LEVEL (well, not really) but Bush is a moron:http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/12548023.htm In Mobile, Bush cited the experience of Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., to make the point that the region will rebound. "Out of the rubble of Trent Lott's house - he's lost his entire house - there's going to be a fantastic house," Bush said. "And I'm looking forward to

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466963899149272005-09-02T00:39:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:36:03.900-07:00

EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE OF GIFFEN GOODS? A friend from Beverly Hills called to suggest that, as the looters are choosing the goods (after all, they can't steal everything), the goods which they would loot last (or not at all) are the Giffen goods. That is, as the price falls to zero, demand for these goods also falls?

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148466999833706222005-09-02T00:01:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:36:39.836-07:00

I'M SURPRISED WE HAVEN'T seen any of the "Blockheads" ask questions like, "Is looting acceptable if limited to public property?"

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148467039555009422005-09-01T23:43:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:37:19.556-07:00

ARNOLD KLING: "I'm in favor of gas price ceilings." Apparently Dr. Kling thinks a central planner can allocate resources "better" than the market.http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2005/09/im_in_favor_of.html

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148467061861742832005-09-01T23:39:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:37:41.863-07:00

I HOPE MORE AMERICANS BEGIN TO ASK: what are we doing in Iraq when thousands of Americans are suffering at home?

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148467113462592952005-09-01T23:23:00.000-07:002006-05-24T03:38:33.463-07:00

GOVERNMENT AND CHAOS Is a gang roaming the streets with AK-47s better or worse than the previous "government" which once occupied the territory?

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148594432211467672005-08-31T22:27:00.000-07:002007-04-07T13:08:34.412-07:00

Don Banks presents 5 good reasons. #2 is the best. I commented on Fantasy Sports Leagues last year. It's bad enough that the most important item on the Sunday agenda is watching football on TV, but do you really need to check meaningless "sports data" all day at the office?I check the bond markets. Did you all get excited as I did earlier this week when the Treasury yield curve narrowed to 12

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148594505944147502005-08-31T21:36:00.000-07:002006-05-25T15:05:08.143-07:00

COMMODITIES Is it a commodities bull market or wild inflation? What's the difference? Does it matter?The markets: Doug Casey on commodities. (http://www.howestreet.com/story.php?ArticleId=1497)The theory: if you adhere to the Austrian theory of money, then you must believe gold is incredibly undervalued.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148594643884824542005-08-31T20:45:00.000-07:002006-05-25T15:04:03.886-07:00

SUGGESTION Maybe now we can build enough political support to stuff $1.3 trillion into a War on Hurricanes?

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148594873315115652005-08-30T21:06:00.000-07:002006-05-25T15:07:53.316-07:00

HELMS ON ABORTION "At last count, more than 40 million unborn children have been deliberately, intentionally destroyed. What word adequately defines the scope of such slaughter?"Any answers?

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148594963925988142005-08-30T20:59:00.000-07:002006-05-25T15:09:23.926-07:00

DODGERS AND REGGAE Thanks to a good friend, I had exceptional seats behind homeplate at the Dodgers game Sunday, featuring The Rocket. Also, a reggae concert at the Hollywood Bowl that night, featuring Maxi Priest.http://www.maxipriest.com/

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148594987695832142005-08-30T20:37:00.000-07:002006-05-25T15:09:47.696-07:00

LESSONS FROM A DISASTER: police in particular (and governments in general) do not maintain order. They are at the mercy of the masses.

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26609901.post-1148595080754484812005-08-30T19:58:00.000-07:002006-05-25T15:11:20.756-07:00

LAGUNA BEACH Eric Fry spent the week here with his kid and has a few observations on cars and wealth. That's what I love about living around here: the places I spend most of my time at are the same places most Americans save up for an entire year to visit.Also, as he mentions in the article, it's surprisingly easy to drive around in a flashy car. I used to think driving a Benz was a status symbol

Libertarian Jackassnoreply@blogger.com