Words    Words    Words

It’s been pointed out to me that I’ve been slacking off on giving progress reports.
Tiassa is being difficult.  Between conversations with Reesa and with Neil, I’ve been convinced to try something a bit challenging.  I think it’s going to be really cool if it works, but at the moment I’m beating my head against it [...]

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Page 326: “That wealth consists in money, or in gold and silver, is a popular notion which naturally arises from the double function of money, as the instrument of commerce, as well as the measure of value.”  In fact, according to Smith, wealth of the individual consists in what can be purchased for money, and [...]

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319: “The great commerce of every civilized society, is that carried between the inhabitants of the town and those of the country.”  Even though this has changed in the sense that this commerce is now a tiny fraction of all commerce, it is still the most fundamental, because without it, nothing else can happen.  The [...]

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Capital may be used 1. procuring rude produce, 2. manufacture commodities from rude produce, 3. transporting commodities, or 4. dividing commodities into salable proportions (retail).  Each of  these is necessary for the other, and for society as a whole.
Note: Smith does love to divide things up into categories, doesn’t he?  I suspect he studied Aristotle.
Page [...]

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This chapter deals with the particular characteristics of stock (capital) when it is lent at interest.  He spends some time explaining why it should be lent to those who will invest it in productive ventures, rather than to those who will spend it; but this part doesn’t interest me a great deal.
On page 292 he [...]

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One day Chipmonk Joe and Billy-Bob Gautama were sitting around talking.  The subject of Wasted Willie Borgess came up.  Joe said, “He’s a fucking asshole.”  “Now Chip,” said Billy-Bob, “that’s no way to talk.  You talk about someone like that, the only harm it does is to you.”  “Okay, Goat,” said Joe, “what do YOU [...]

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A dear friend of mine was hurt recently.  If you want the full story, it is (linked with permission) here. The short version is as follows: They were playing a game in which someone puts the name of a character (real or fictional, living or dead) on your forehead, and you ask yes or no [...]

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One day Sam Puckett was hanging out with Billy-Bob Gautama, sitting around drinking beers.  Sam turned on the TV and started flipping channels.  “What’s on?” said Billy-Bob.  “Nothin’,” said Sam.  “Good,” said Billy-Bob.  “Let’s watch that.”

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My childhood friend Steve Rosen, who plays viola for the Cincinnati Orchestra, has just released this.  Check it out.

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“There’s lots of parables about a poor man learning to be content to be poor.  That’s cuz most of ‘em were made up by rich folk who were content to be rich.”
– Billy-Bob Gautama

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We placed another one, yay!  We’re down to only two puppies, Males #3 and 4, pictured above.  You can get all the details at the original post over here, but the quick info is that these blue heeler mix puppies are free, with their first round of shots, healthy and well-socialized, and my mom will [...]

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I just sent the following to JonathonFrid.com, and thought I may as well share it here as well:
Back in 1993, I published my 12th novel, AGYAR, my only vampire novel.  I was one of those kids who raced home from school to catch Dark Shadows at 3:30.  Until recently, when I’ve been watching DS again, [...]

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A great zen teacher came up to Billy-Bob Gautama and said, “I know that today is your birthday, thus I intend to give you a gift.  I give you greatest gift there is: nothing.”  Billy-Bob said, “And the greatest state of the mind is thoughtlessness,” then he hit the teacher over the head with the [...]

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