The Economist's Cookbook

Recipes For A More Free Society

  • "The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they know about what they imagine they can design."

    - F.A. Hayek

Happy Turkey Day Everyone!

Posted by The_Chef On 11:55 AM 1 comments

Please go enjoy this delicious bird!

Music!

Posted by The_Chef On 11:08 PM 1 comments

It's been a while since I did a Music post.

Behold Ulver! I love this band. They are all over the map musically having gone from black metal releases in the early 90s to experimental electronica and ambient music.

Since their first, folklore-influenced black metal release in 1993, Ulver’s musical style has been fluid and increasingly eclectic, blending genres from avant-garde rock and trip hop through symphonic and chamber traditions, right to noise and experimental music, with heavy reliance on electronic recording techniques.

This is from their most recent album titled 'Shadows of the Sun'

It's the most ...

Posted by The_Chef On 3:36 PM 2 comments


... well it's the most "lets beg money off you" time of the year.

Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of charitable giving. But I don't like being harassed as I walk out of Walmart.

I went in with the specific intention of buying a movie. I did just that and on my way out I get waylaid by some guy pandering for some sort of community anti-drug program.

Here's a quick rundown:
"Hey man, you want to contribute to X program to get people off of drugs."
"No thanks, I believe in legalizing drugs."
"WHAT?! How can you possibly believe that?"
"Because I believe in something called freedom."
"Man you think it's chaos now, it would be even worse!"

Fundamental assumptions of this idiot:
1.) Legalizing drugs would lead to increased use. This is unlikely.
2.) Anything "harmful" should be controlled by the state. Sure, because prohibition worked so well.
3.) If it's not controlled it will be "chaos". Markets aren't chaos, they are simply extremely complicated order.

Sorry

Posted by The_Chef On 4:15 PM 1 comments

... for the lack of posts.

Job searching and work is doing a number on me.

Well, that and the fact that I'm just having a hard time getting worked up over all the political crap going on. What did we expect? Oh that's right people expected change. Heh ... suuuure

It turns out that my up coming post on Keynesian Theory is forcing me to have to go back to my damn MacroEcon and my Disequilibrium notes. I do think that for those of you not familiar with the feud between Keynes and Hayek, this series of notes on MacroEcon theory from Roger Garrison is VERY valuable.

You must have a 2003 or 2007 version of powerpoint to view these slideshows.

For those of you not terribly well versed in Economics, leave questions, I'll deal with them if I'm capable of an answer.

Thanks everyone.

Are you ready for Change?

Posted by The_Chef On 3:21 PM 7 comments

Here is the website of the new President elect: www.change.gov

Some, no most, actually all of it should scare any thinking human being.

Allow me to quote a few passages for you all.

Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals who shouldn't have them. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent, as such weapons belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets.

Citation: http://www.change.gov/agenda/urbanpolicy/
There is no Gun Show Loophole, it's a political term. What is "childproof"? Do you want biometric sensors in each gun? The 'Assault' Weapons Ban is ridiculous. I wonder if Obama knows what a barrel shroud is. What happens when our streets become a domestic war zone president elect? What part of "shall not be infringed" do you and your followers not get?

Another:
Barack Obama and Joe Biden will enact a windfall profits tax on excessive oil company profits to give American families an immediate $1,000 emergency energy rebate to help families pay rising bills.

Citation: http://www.change.gov/agenda/economy/
This issue has been addressed by several leading economists who heartily disagree with this kind of nonsense. If you put another tax on large corporations, the cost of those goods will rise, there is simply no other way to offset the additional cost. As a result people will consume less (basic economic theory). Given the drop in consumption, the $1000 will make little to no difference for anyone. All this is nothing but social engineering and economic planning which Hayek pointed out in both The Road to Serfdom and The Use of Knowledge in Society is fallacious and mystical at BEST.

Another:
Obama and Biden will fight for a trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support good American jobs. They will use trade agreements to spread good labor and environmental standards around the world

Citation: Ibid.
Free trade isn't fair ... I forgot. *sigh*

These are just three of the myriad of bullet points that are on this site. Every one of them is either increased regulation, increased spending, increased intervention, or an outright stripping of our rights. Sic Semper Tyrannis everyone.

Welcome to our Brave New World. I suppose we're supposed to go quietly. I intend to do no such thing.

Brief update

Posted by The_Chef On 2:16 PM 2 comments

I know I've promised a piece on the resurgence of keynesian policy following this Mortgage and Equity debacle. and I plan on getting to it. Work is hampering my intellectual and blogging pursuits.

Thanks everyone.

Remember Remember ...

Posted by The_Chef On 12:54 PM 5 comments

... the Fifth of November.



To hell with censorship.
To hell with politicians.
To hell with their 'reasonable' controls.

So ... what are you going to do about them?

Hey look...

Posted by The_Chef On 12:53 AM 2 comments

... the Messiah got elected now all of our problems will fade away because of the increasing benevolence and wisdom of the State.

God damn I hate this country today.