Monthly Archives: June 2007

Benson, Borders, and Barsoom

29th
Jun. × ’07
By Roderick

Three pretty much unrelated items: Online excerpts from the opening chapters of The Enterprise of Law, Bruce Benson’s classic study of nonstate legal systems, are now available on the Mises site. Robert Dunn argues that declining Mexican fertility rates make illegal immigration only a temporary problem. (Conical hat tip to Tom Ford.) I have no [...]

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Veblen on Iceland

27th
Jun. × ’07
By Roderick

[cross-posted at Liberty & Power] Check out Thorstein Veblen on Icelandic anarchy; conical hat tip to Joel Schlosberg, who sent it to me with the following note: Here’s an interesting passage from Thorstein Veblen’s 1917 book An Inquiry Into The Nature Of Peace And The Terms Of Its Perpetuation, chapter 1, pp. 9-14 (available at [...]

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Pantes Anthrōpoi Tou Eidenai Oregontai Phusei

27th
Jun. × ’07
By Roderick

I’ve long been a fan of Margaret Doody’s 1978 mystery novel Aristotle Detective, which as you’d guess from the title features my favourite philosopher as a sleuth in ancient Athens. (The psychological insights Aristotle employs seem drawn primarily from the Rhetoric; the book also offers an engaging portrait of Athenian law and society.) I’m also [...]

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Legislator Cheney

27th
Jun. × ’07
By Roderick

[cross-posted at Liberty & Power] Dick Cheney’s claim that he is not part of the executive branch is silly, but his argument for that conclusion is worth addressing. Cheney claims that the Vice-Presidency is unique in embodying both executive and legislative functions (the latter being his Presidency of the Senate with the right to cast [...]

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Cthulhu Sings!

27th
Jun. × ’07
By Roderick

If you’re familiar with the writings of H. P. Lovecraft and with the musical Fiddler on the Roof, then you should enjoy this delightfully insane musical, Shoggoth on the Roof, which sets characters and situations from the former to the music of the latter. (If you’re unfamiliar with either or both, you’ll be somewhat baffled [...]

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A Show of Hands

26th
Jun. × ’07
By Roderick

According to this guy who was on The Colbert Report tonight, straight men and gay women are more likely to have ring fingers longer than index fingers, while gay men and straight women are more likely to have index fingers longer than ring fingers. Result: I have gay hands! Since, according to so many religious [...]

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