Monthly Archives: February 2011

A Banking System as Crazy as Björk.

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Thomas

From mental_floss, Mar-Apr 2000, volume 9 issue 2: The theme for this year’s Ig Nobels was risk, and no other category exemplified that theme quite like economics. Four Icelandic banks—Kaupthing Bank, Landsbanki, Glitnir Bank, and Central Bank of Iceland—earned the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Humor | Leave a comment

“The Politics of Division”

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Thomas

From Christopher Hitchens’s Letters to a Young Contrarian: Contrast this to the unashamed recommendations of the mindless that are offered to us every day. In place of honest disputations we are offered platitudes about “healing.” The idea of “unity” is … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Politics | Leave a comment

A Sense of Style

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Thomas

From The Economist’s Letters dated Jan 13th 2011: SIR – I appreciated the background you gave to the origins of men’s suits (“Suitably dressed”, December 18th). By way of contrast, there is a struggle to establish a similar global standard … Continue reading →

Posted in Fashion, General | Leave a comment

Primacy of Existence in Notes from Underground.

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Thomas

From Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground: …; there’s nothing to be done about it, because twice two is mathematics. Just try to argue! ‘Excuse me,’ they cry, ‘you can’t fight it; twice two is four! Nature doesn’t ask you about it; … Continue reading →

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QED

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Thomas

From The Economist’s Letters dated Jan 13th 2011 (Scroll right down to the end): SIR – There is a straightforward reason as to why the baby-boomer generation is becoming more conservative (“As boomers wrinkle”, January 1st). As the old joke … Continue reading →

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What is “classical economics” according to Marx and Keynes?

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Thomas

Taken from Thomas Sowell’s On Classical Economics. Definitions range from that of Karl Marx, who coined the term, to that of John Maynard Keynes, who gave it its broadest meaning. For Marx, classical economics began with Sir William Petty and ended with … Continue reading →

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