frankpennington.com

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/sam_harris/2007/10/the_proble...

A snippet:

Where is the Wealth of Nations?
http://reason.com/news/show/122854.html

From Wikipedia:

The coincidence of wants problem (often "double coincidence of wants") is an important category of transaction costs that impose severe limitations on economies lacking money and thus dominated by barter or other in-kind transactions. The problem is caused by the improbability of the wants, needs or events that cause or motivate a transaction occurring at the same time and the same place.

"Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?" said Dr. Ferris. "We want them broken. You'd better get it straight that it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against - then you'll know that this is not the age for beautiful gestures. We're after power and we mean it. You fellows were pikers, but we know the real trick, and you'd better get wise to it. There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them.

Currently reading:

Latest Books Read (all are highly recommended):
- "The 4-hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss
- "The Black Swan" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- "End of Faith" by Sam Harris
- "Letter to a Christian Nation" by Sam Harris
- "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins
- "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert T Kiyosaki
- "On Bullshit" by Harry Frankfurt
- "Influence - Science and Practice (4th edition)" by Cialdini, Robert
- "How to win friends and Influence people" by Dale Carnegie
- "How not to buy Happiness" - Robert H Frank (Essay)

 
Modern methods of production have given us the possibility of ease and security for all; we have chosen, instead, to have overwork for some and starvation for the others. Hitherto we have continued to be as energetic as we were before there were machines; in this we have been foolish, but there is no reason to go on being foolish for ever.
-- Bertrand Russell - In Praise of Idleness.