No government has ever succeeded in improving an economy…other than by avoiding war, providing some rudimentary justice, and removing the impediments set in place by government itself.
All those Bookworms of Old... And then there was Benjamin Franklin, Father of Founding Fathers. Indentured servant in his youth, printer by trade, reader by avocation. Indeed... In that era books were valuable items; hand-made in the sense that every page was hand-laid on a press and all the type was hand-set. Even the bindings were hand-sewn. And in a logical flow of proceedings, thus thus did Old Ben "invent" the idea of a lending library by which he and his Philadelphia pals combined their collections, the better to share ideas in those pre-Amazon days.
On the down-side -- but don't hold it against him; it was a necessity of the times -- Ben Franklin the Printer was a promoter of paper scrip to use as currency. In fact, many of the Revolutionary War "Continentals" were his personal handiwork, if not the work of his print-shop while the Man was overseas in Paris, begging funds from Rex Louis and others. But consider that America of that time lacked almost any semblance of hard money. British coins, yes but not many and the Brits were the oppressors. And so Colonials used a smattering of Spanish silver "Ochos" (aka "pieces of eight"), or various other copper and silver coins of French, Dutch and Germanic province... esp silver "Thalers" of Mitteleuropa, products of the mines of Joachimsthal, now part of Czechia. And this is where we get the word "dollar," meaning a round coin that contains just shy an ounce of silver.
And while we're on these points of history... It's fair to say that the founding ethic of the United States of America was penury. The country was abject-broke during the Revolution. Broke during Articles of Confederation. Broke under the Constitution of 1788. And recall that among the first acts of the new Govt of 1789 was tariffs on imports, and then (per Alexander Hamilton) a tax on whiskey stills... this latter led to the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791-94... And along the way the Currency Act of 1792 that established a Mint (in Philadelphia, BTW), and the first US coinage that came out in 1794... The "Flowing Hair" silver dollar, and an assortment of others such as copper pennies... Phased out finally, just this week at the Mint because the cheap zinc items cost all of 4-cents to manufacture.
When it comes to hard money, it's nice to read ancient Greek and Roman writers. But it also helps to read a few books on geology, mining engineering, and metallurgy.
I don't think you are going to force those who voted for Mamdani, the majority, to read Roman classics. There are some people who will read the classics but these are the same people who understand how the government is progressing anyway. Those searching for sensibility. I've come to the conclusion there is only one lesson that will influence society, collapse.
Fully agree. People (including everyone) usually don't take anything too serious until it affects them personally. Watch the soybean and cotton farmers - they are now fit to be tied. Why? Because their lives have taken a direct hit in the pocketbook. Until food goes missing, heat doesn't come on, and hope fades - people just don't get their panties in a wad. It is coming sooner than anyone thinks.......
Just imagine that those Comymomdommy voters had no commy teachers? What would they be like if they were taught the classics?
What if all of us here reading, had no social media, no podcasts, no media at all, while at home in the evening. Just imagine what our creativity could have produced.
The gold, silver, and jewels which the Spanish and Portuguese brought back in large quantities from the New World, while being actual, genuine money, created inflation in Europe. Why? Because it knocked the supply of money in relation to production out of whack, until the money could be worked through the system. The law of supply and demand holds sway. The Golden Mean, to use a classical concept, is what we're after. Best always. PM
Per Alfred Thayer Mahan, in his book Influence of Sea Power on History: “The mines of Brazil were the ruin of Portugal, as those of Mexico and Peru had been of Spain: All manufactures fell into insane contempt.”
I'm guessing that the majority of the population 250 years ago was just as ill-prepared to read books written at the level of difficulty as the classics are as today's population. How many people have the ability and are truly willing to think that deeply? Its much easier to stream Netflix. A more interesting comparison would be how many of our politicians have read these books in relation to the politicians 200-250 years ago? I would think that the majority of the ones who have sit on a certain side of the aisle. Lastly, as far as electability goes well-read and intelligent does not contribute to your chances. Not in the USA. Its more based on what can I get from you for my vote. Milei's been able to overcome that on a much smaller scale in Argentina but could you see the majority of the groveling US citizenry vote for someone like that. We scream, and justifiably so at the politicians, but if any of them would run on a platform that many of us who comment on these pages would be excited about they would never get elected.
In My opinion , all are not wanting to read the "classics". We that do not leave it up to those who do. . Trusting that they will share their insight. But then , not even government wants to hear about history. It would make them look "bad". Freedom and liberty seem to be the words that would, could, should mean the most to all people. But being an old sort fellow that thinks about many a subject, freedom and liberty are lost in the hustle and bustle of todays "I want " world.
Regretably, I am not a classics reader, other then reading many of their famous quotes; however, it seems to me that the one recurring theme that they mainly emphasized was "to use common sense" in your life, no matter your standing.
AD 33 was almost certainly the year of the crucifixion of Christ. I had never realized that the financial system collapsed as well. Let’s treat Christians better if we want to live in peace and tranquillity.
Fartin' - I think you are way too optimistic. As the world rolls into a multi-polar order, the alternate currency is going to be backed by gold and be "money" - not fiat. That will accelerate the collapse of the US$ and helped by the U.S.'s weaponizing the US$ financial system. All countries capable are diverting funds into other forms than the US$ including the vast majority are stacking gold. As the BRICS cross-border trade system (gold settled) takes off, all fiat currencies will make the Weimar crash pale by comparison. This is NOT going to be pretty and, unfortunately, who knows how much gold ol' Uncle Sam has stashed away. There is a strong possibility the U.S. will seize whatever gold happens to be under ground in NYC no matter who actually owns it. Of course, the U.S. will pay them in US$ but the gold (and maybe silver too) is needed for national security and defense. It's coming........so few are awake enough to see beyond the U.S. news media and their tight focus on keeping us peons ignorant. As always, just an ol' man's lament.
Bill, can you commission a similar series of cartoons, showing this repeated stupidity of inflation? Seems like a great use of someone else's money. Mike Maloney has done some great videos on the history of money and stupidity.
You are close. The statement is: veni, vidi, vici. "I have come, I have seen, and I have conquered", (or as we know it "I came; I saw; I conquered", all perfect tense of the verbs venire, videre, vincere). Former Latin teacher here. Best always. PM
"Vinci" is actually a form of the verb "vincere", but it is the singular imperative, meaning "(go) conquer!"
The best way to remember the statement is to recall that all three words have 4 letters each, and the 2nd and 4th letters are "i' vowels. Now, VINCI!
You made a stab at it. That's respectable. "A" for the reference. I jumped on the comment to expound a bit to the "class". The reference was both apt and timely. Thanks for giving me a chance to explain. And by the way, if you studied Latin at all, you may not have had the grade you wanted, but you didn't fail. It benefits everyone. Exposure is what counts. Best always. PM
I'm certainly not going to talk down the Classics but, shooting from the hip, it seems we all know reasons why we might study the Classics. Money is malleable and every person in the world with lack of integrity will try to utilize this malleability to take advantage of others and acquire more money for themselves. It is part of every relationship except for people of integrity. Obviously the most pernicious use of the malleability of money is likely politicians who are spending other people's money. Yet they in Wash DC are likely partying like there is no tomorrow, funding NGOs, taking lobby money for being reelected, certainly a noble cause so "smart decisions can be made", giving to their friends, building relations ships with others trying to scam the public (likeNGOs),... At some point there is no tomorrow and I contend it is coming faster than ever as all these low integrity relationships develop. Maybe ??? the classics could help one identify that point of "no tomorrow." Personally I doubt it. Its all just good old fashioned human greed fashioned in more sophisticated clothing. My interpretation is that Tom Dyson is extremely good at identifying the culprit and growing savings from it.
All those Bookworms of Old... And then there was Benjamin Franklin, Father of Founding Fathers. Indentured servant in his youth, printer by trade, reader by avocation. Indeed... In that era books were valuable items; hand-made in the sense that every page was hand-laid on a press and all the type was hand-set. Even the bindings were hand-sewn. And in a logical flow of proceedings, thus thus did Old Ben "invent" the idea of a lending library by which he and his Philadelphia pals combined their collections, the better to share ideas in those pre-Amazon days.
On the down-side -- but don't hold it against him; it was a necessity of the times -- Ben Franklin the Printer was a promoter of paper scrip to use as currency. In fact, many of the Revolutionary War "Continentals" were his personal handiwork, if not the work of his print-shop while the Man was overseas in Paris, begging funds from Rex Louis and others. But consider that America of that time lacked almost any semblance of hard money. British coins, yes but not many and the Brits were the oppressors. And so Colonials used a smattering of Spanish silver "Ochos" (aka "pieces of eight"), or various other copper and silver coins of French, Dutch and Germanic province... esp silver "Thalers" of Mitteleuropa, products of the mines of Joachimsthal, now part of Czechia. And this is where we get the word "dollar," meaning a round coin that contains just shy an ounce of silver.
And while we're on these points of history... It's fair to say that the founding ethic of the United States of America was penury. The country was abject-broke during the Revolution. Broke during Articles of Confederation. Broke under the Constitution of 1788. And recall that among the first acts of the new Govt of 1789 was tariffs on imports, and then (per Alexander Hamilton) a tax on whiskey stills... this latter led to the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791-94... And along the way the Currency Act of 1792 that established a Mint (in Philadelphia, BTW), and the first US coinage that came out in 1794... The "Flowing Hair" silver dollar, and an assortment of others such as copper pennies... Phased out finally, just this week at the Mint because the cheap zinc items cost all of 4-cents to manufacture.
When it comes to hard money, it's nice to read ancient Greek and Roman writers. But it also helps to read a few books on geology, mining engineering, and metallurgy.
Im allways stunned on the historical knowledge many of you provide. Keep it up its inspirational
Thank you my friend, well penned
I don't think you are going to force those who voted for Mamdani, the majority, to read Roman classics. There are some people who will read the classics but these are the same people who understand how the government is progressing anyway. Those searching for sensibility. I've come to the conclusion there is only one lesson that will influence society, collapse.
Fully agree. People (including everyone) usually don't take anything too serious until it affects them personally. Watch the soybean and cotton farmers - they are now fit to be tied. Why? Because their lives have taken a direct hit in the pocketbook. Until food goes missing, heat doesn't come on, and hope fades - people just don't get their panties in a wad. It is coming sooner than anyone thinks.......
Yea,Thanks for the comment.
Just imagine that those Comymomdommy voters had no commy teachers? What would they be like if they were taught the classics?
What if all of us here reading, had no social media, no podcasts, no media at all, while at home in the evening. Just imagine what our creativity could have produced.
Social media is a plague..
Unfortunate but true. Not sure but I think that was the thesis here, as demonstrated in and here by the classics.
The gold, silver, and jewels which the Spanish and Portuguese brought back in large quantities from the New World, while being actual, genuine money, created inflation in Europe. Why? Because it knocked the supply of money in relation to production out of whack, until the money could be worked through the system. The law of supply and demand holds sway. The Golden Mean, to use a classical concept, is what we're after. Best always. PM
Per Alfred Thayer Mahan, in his book Influence of Sea Power on History: “The mines of Brazil were the ruin of Portugal, as those of Mexico and Peru had been of Spain: All manufactures fell into insane contempt.”
Not Contempt... but "insane contempt."
This is why I read you every morning...
I'm guessing that the majority of the population 250 years ago was just as ill-prepared to read books written at the level of difficulty as the classics are as today's population. How many people have the ability and are truly willing to think that deeply? Its much easier to stream Netflix. A more interesting comparison would be how many of our politicians have read these books in relation to the politicians 200-250 years ago? I would think that the majority of the ones who have sit on a certain side of the aisle. Lastly, as far as electability goes well-read and intelligent does not contribute to your chances. Not in the USA. Its more based on what can I get from you for my vote. Milei's been able to overcome that on a much smaller scale in Argentina but could you see the majority of the groveling US citizenry vote for someone like that. We scream, and justifiably so at the politicians, but if any of them would run on a platform that many of us who comment on these pages would be excited about they would never get elected.
In My opinion , all are not wanting to read the "classics". We that do not leave it up to those who do. . Trusting that they will share their insight. But then , not even government wants to hear about history. It would make them look "bad". Freedom and liberty seem to be the words that would, could, should mean the most to all people. But being an old sort fellow that thinks about many a subject, freedom and liberty are lost in the hustle and bustle of todays "I want " world.
You could also say, " . . . all are not wanting to read," and leave it at that.
True.
😂😂
Regretably, I am not a classics reader, other then reading many of their famous quotes; however, it seems to me that the one recurring theme that they mainly emphasized was "to use common sense" in your life, no matter your standing.
It's never too late to start. I learned to write (meaning compose) by reading the best of the best: Cicero. Best always. PM
Thanks, you just motivated me to expand my library.
Sadly, today, common sense appears not to be that common.
AD 33 was almost certainly the year of the crucifixion of Christ. I had never realized that the financial system collapsed as well. Let’s treat Christians better if we want to live in peace and tranquillity.
By the second half of the 21st century America's money will be worthless. (sigh)
Fartin' - I think you are way too optimistic. As the world rolls into a multi-polar order, the alternate currency is going to be backed by gold and be "money" - not fiat. That will accelerate the collapse of the US$ and helped by the U.S.'s weaponizing the US$ financial system. All countries capable are diverting funds into other forms than the US$ including the vast majority are stacking gold. As the BRICS cross-border trade system (gold settled) takes off, all fiat currencies will make the Weimar crash pale by comparison. This is NOT going to be pretty and, unfortunately, who knows how much gold ol' Uncle Sam has stashed away. There is a strong possibility the U.S. will seize whatever gold happens to be under ground in NYC no matter who actually owns it. Of course, the U.S. will pay them in US$ but the gold (and maybe silver too) is needed for national security and defense. It's coming........so few are awake enough to see beyond the U.S. news media and their tight focus on keeping us peons ignorant. As always, just an ol' man's lament.
pay no attention to that man behind the curtain…..
One damn good reason to hold metal offshore in secure private vaults.
This is going to get very ugly and very very messy!
I wish. I believe much sooner. I believe by 2030 or 32. We will see.
Simply put, “What goes around, comes around” The year, decade, century. . . matters not
Bill, can you commission a similar series of cartoons, showing this repeated stupidity of inflation? Seems like a great use of someone else's money. Mike Maloney has done some great videos on the history of money and stupidity.
Veni, Vedi, Vinci!
You are close. The statement is: veni, vidi, vici. "I have come, I have seen, and I have conquered", (or as we know it "I came; I saw; I conquered", all perfect tense of the verbs venire, videre, vincere). Former Latin teacher here. Best always. PM
"Vinci" is actually a form of the verb "vincere", but it is the singular imperative, meaning "(go) conquer!"
The best way to remember the statement is to recall that all three words have 4 letters each, and the 2nd and 4th letters are "i' vowels. Now, VINCI!
Thats correct and its associated to speed. Done!
Paul. I did study Latin at school but failed miserably. Thanks for correcting me.
You made a stab at it. That's respectable. "A" for the reference. I jumped on the comment to expound a bit to the "class". The reference was both apt and timely. Thanks for giving me a chance to explain. And by the way, if you studied Latin at all, you may not have had the grade you wanted, but you didn't fail. It benefits everyone. Exposure is what counts. Best always. PM
I'm certainly not going to talk down the Classics but, shooting from the hip, it seems we all know reasons why we might study the Classics. Money is malleable and every person in the world with lack of integrity will try to utilize this malleability to take advantage of others and acquire more money for themselves. It is part of every relationship except for people of integrity. Obviously the most pernicious use of the malleability of money is likely politicians who are spending other people's money. Yet they in Wash DC are likely partying like there is no tomorrow, funding NGOs, taking lobby money for being reelected, certainly a noble cause so "smart decisions can be made", giving to their friends, building relations ships with others trying to scam the public (likeNGOs),... At some point there is no tomorrow and I contend it is coming faster than ever as all these low integrity relationships develop. Maybe ??? the classics could help one identify that point of "no tomorrow." Personally I doubt it. Its all just good old fashioned human greed fashioned in more sophisticated clothing. My interpretation is that Tom Dyson is extremely good at identifying the culprit and growing savings from it.
Given the record of China over the past 3+ decades, the above comment seems absurd.