(no subject)

[sebastienne]

Yesterday was a very pleasant day, spent with one of my oldest friends, and one of my newest. First there was starstealingirl, over from the States briefly on Spring Break, and who does in fact appear to be my American double. A v. good afternoon was had nattering in Green's and wandering around Oxford. Then carafa joined us, a very old friend with whom I was still able to have a magnificent time, despite his defection from the Lib Dems to the Tories. (Can anyone sit me down and have an Economics 101 chat with me sometime? I was completely out of my depth when trying to debate libertarianism vs. socialism.)

In lieu of actual content, have this incredible Bowie-remix download! A taster, of my favourite Bowie song being layered over some crazy electronica that I believe the kids like these days:

Comments

A socialist economist writes...

[laputain.livejournal.com]

The most easy way to blow a hole in "libertarian" economics is to point out that "free capitalist markets" only exist as the effect of massive state intervention and expropriation, and point out that Stalin's Five-Year Plans were only a speeded up version of what the robber barons did in Britain and the USA. If the guy comes from a neoclassicist/Friedmanite/monetarist platform, also point out that "methodological individualism" makes no sense when dealing with real human beings, that "utility functions" are about as scientifically valid as astrology, and that - once again - the free, perfect-competition, automatically clearing market only exists anywhere because of massive state intervention. (If he comes from an Ayn Rand/Ron Paul/Austrian platform, he'll agree with you on the second point but won't care.)

[deepbluemermaid.livejournal.com]

I love that MGMT song!

[robot-mel.livejournal.com]

Oh dear! The kids these days seem to be smoking crack! I am becoming a cranky middle aged person!

Emailed you about lunch tomorrow. :)

[subservient-son.livejournal.com]

Not an economist, but two words: "credit crunch"

Also, Free Market policies promote inequality, which according to a new report is responsible for just about everything bad (may be a little far fetched):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/mar/13/the-spirit-level