http://hariseldon66.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Larry M. en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 07:30:51 GMT 2010-01-05T07:30:51Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977955958 In 1968 Garrett Harden published in the journal Science an article that pointed out that in a free market situation, independent parties, acting rationally, will deplete a shared, limited resource in . . . Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:28:50 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977955958 Larry M. 2009-12-20T21:28:50Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977880109 "He did it!” Is that enough? The economy is a mess. It’s the fault of the Wall Street bankers. Children are joining gangs and terrorizing neighborhoods. It’s the fault of their . . . Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:01:20 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977880109 Larry M. 2009-11-01T15:01:20Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977858779 “Off with his head!” The king’s way of gaining obedience was stern but who was going to complain? This is the ultimate means by which the state exercises control over those subject to . . . Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:26:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977858779 Larry M. 2009-10-18T15:26:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977848958   We educate our children using the prison / factory model. It should be obvious by now that it does not work. In fact, it tends to prevent actual education. Each child is a unique individual . . . Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:48:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977848958 Larry M. 2009-10-12T00:48:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784206 In my musings over the clash of liberals and conservatives here on Gather it has occurred to me that the positions of conservatives seem to have changed whereas, in general, the positions of liberals . . . Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:42:37 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784206 Larry M. 2009-08-22T21:42:37Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784135 In my musings over the clash of liberals and conservatives here on Gather it has occurred to me that the positions of conservatives seem to have changed whereas, in general, the positions of liberals . . . Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:08:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784135 Larry M. 2009-08-22T20:08:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784117 In my musings over the clash of liberals and conservatives here on Gather it has occurred to me that the positions of conservatives seem to have changed whereas, in general, the positions of liberals . . . Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:42:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784117 Larry M. 2009-08-22T19:42:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784108 In my musings over the clash of liberals and conservatives here on Gather it has occurred to me that the positions of conservatives seem to have changed whereas, in general, the positions of liberals . . . Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:27:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784108 Larry M. 2009-08-22T19:27:03Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784098 In my musings over the clash of liberals and conservatives here on Gather it has occurred to me that the positions of conservatives seem to have changed whereas, in general, the positions of liberals . . . Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:10:36 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784098 Larry M. 2009-08-22T19:10:36Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784070 In my musings over the clash of liberals and conservatives here on Gather it has occurred to me that the positions of conservatives seem to have changed whereas, in general, the positions of liberals . . . Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:44:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977784070 Larry M. 2009-08-22T18:44:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977750369 In my post The Trickling of Money http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977742434 I made t he logical case for why money given to the rich would not increase the number . . . Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:06:38 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977750369 Larry M. 2009-07-25T16:06:38Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977742434 We have heard about "trickle down economics" for at least 30 years.  Dan E. (here on Gather) has an icon which refers to "trickle up poverty."  Personally, I think that is a neat phrase for . . . Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:17:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977742434 Larry M. 2009-07-19T15:17:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977703282 From time to time I read a post or see a comment that has the writer upset that someone else is trying to find out who they are.  For example, they are stopped by the police and the police ask for . . . Sat, 06 Jun 2009 15:06:48 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977703282 Larry M. 2009-06-06T15:06:48Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977688755   We have heard that one of the sources of the current economic mess in the world was a lack of regulation of banking and insurance industries. Trillions of dollars of bad debt have come . . . Fri, 22 May 2009 02:20:52 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977688755 Larry M. 2009-05-22T02:20:52Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977551147   Gold has often been considered to be the best form of money. The free market has been correctly and justly lauded as the best form of organization for an economy. It comes as no surprise, . . . Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:11:08 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977551147 Larry M. 2009-01-02T16:11:08Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977540942 On the news last night they described what the huge financial institutions on Wall Street did with the many billions of dollars that the government gave them a month or so ago.  It seems that they . . . Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:32:24 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977540942 Larry M. 2008-12-20T15:32:24Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977527421 We have all been hearing on the news about the billions of dollars being requested (that's the polite term) by various huge corporations.   We see in the papers that $750 billion dollars has . . . Sat, 06 Dec 2008 02:30:06 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977527421 Larry M. 2008-12-06T02:30:06Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977521422 You are a billionaire.   You wouldn't think of flying first class.   Nothing so rushed and inconvenient as that.   You take your private jet when you want to drop in on grandma . . . Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:51:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977521422 Larry M. 2008-11-30T00:51:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977520373   Christmas is fast approaching (it's fast to me because I'm an old codger) and we see the Salvation Army out with their kettles and bell ringers.   It is the time of the year when . . . Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:14:38 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977520373 Larry M. 2008-11-28T19:14:38Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977520247 Industrialization was changing the economy in fundamental ways.   The proportion of persons working on farms began to decline at an accelerating rate.   The serf or peasant was being "freed" . . . Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:47:50 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977520247 Larry M. 2008-11-28T16:47:50Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977520207 Coins were valuable and so needed to be protected from thieves and robbers.   Therefore, businesses would have strongboxes and other means of making their coins difficult to steal.   But . . . Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:28:35 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977520207 Larry M. 2008-11-28T15:28:35Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977520171   Having developed government to the point that it was ruling many villages and several small cities, rulers began to desire more profitable trade.   There were many problems with the . . . Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:22:30 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977520171 Larry M. 2008-11-28T14:22:30Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977520152   Once upon a time, thousands of years ago, people used no money at all.   These people were living in extended family groups and survived by hunting and gathering.   The men hunted . . . Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:32:54 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977520152 Larry M. 2008-11-28T13:32:54Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977515550 I'm sure the Gather regulars have heard about and thought about the $700 billion the Bush Administration has been authorized to use to get the economy out of its current mess.  No doubt you have . . . Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:04:40 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977515550 Larry M. 2008-11-23T20:04:40Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977457313   Non-POM: May I see your License?   It used to be that if one wanted to drive a car one simply got in the car and gave it a try.   If one wanted to hunt or fish one got the appropriate . . . Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:24:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977457313 Larry M. 2008-11-23T19:24:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977475423   There are stock markets around the world.   As I write this, the markets are reeling from several days of losses of hundreds of points in their indices.   They have lost anywhere . . . Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:18:28 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977475423 Larry M. 2008-11-23T19:18:28Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977474672   In a non-POM society, (a society using a non-Physical Object Money) basic medical care will be available to everyone and they won't have to pay for it.   After all, medical care is . . . Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:13:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977474672 Larry M. 2008-10-11T19:13:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977474422   Don't you wish you had power? You could get people to do pretty much what you wanted. The rich seem to have quite a lot of power. Presidents, popes, CEOs, and head coaches all seem to have . . . Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:41:57 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977474422 Larry M. 2008-10-11T13:41:57Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977412694 A man meets with his psychiatrist.  Every few seconds the man snaps his fingers.  This goes on for a while and finally the doctor asks the man why he is snapping his fingers.  . . . Sun, 03 Aug 2008 17:18:03 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977412694 Larry M. 2008-08-03T17:18:03Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977389622 We all want to live in utopia.   In a utopia we would all be happy.   There would never be any problems.   We wouldn't even be bored. Like it or not, utopia will never be more . . . Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:15:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977389622 Larry M. 2008-07-10T18:15:33Z