Matthias Wandel
I can’t get enough of his combination of mathematical precision and improvisational projects.
Curufin’s Amazing Wood Builds
I’m going to get myself a bag of popsicle sticks and coffee stirrers so I can do this technique for a new set of dungeon doors.
Evolution of Consent: Terminology of Geo-Mutualist Economics
Here is an essay that attempts to lay out the basic differentiation of terms that a mutualist might use. Economic terms are muddy waters, so I appreciate the clarification but have some reservations. On the whole, much of this essay boils down to weird definitions of terms to try and tie in the usual ‘leftist’ denunciations of all profits, interest, and land value to a narrower sense so that the positive aspects of those things can still be encouraged. It took arbitrary lines to say that some forms of interest/profits/rents are bad and others are good. The key distinction that I took away from all of them were the involvement of coercion and state privilege. A second sticking point for me what its unusual interpretation of the labor theory of value that is entirely compatible with the subjective theory of value, something that is usually held to be incompatible with the labor theory of value. A charitable reading of this essay puts it close to anarcho-capitalism in places, but I did find it a good read despite disagreeing with its concluding paragraph.
My major gripe with the idea of the essay, however, is that it’s muddled clarity of terms only adds more fuel to the fire of anti-liberty agitators. Few enough people currently understand economic terms enough to see the value being created by interest, savings, rent, homesteading, and other ventures that I fear the arbitrary dividing of these things into ‘good’ and ‘evil’ gives a rational veneer to anti-market sneering. It will allow misunderstanding of economic action to be covered over with a thin understanding of classifications the ‘good’ and ‘evil’ versions of any venture. The real source of the divide is obscured by the extra terminology. Force and fraud, primarily but not entirely the domain of governments, are what separates moral ventures from the immoral.
Dreams in the Lich House
I’ve been thinking on my Wear/Tear and Insanity houserules. I haven’t really been giving out any points to my players despite them getting up to some serious shenanigans. So, while I tinker with a short list of when I will be handing out Wear/Tear and Insanity, I’ll be reading awesome blogs on the topic like this one!
Contra Krugman
I can’t have a wood pun title and not have Tom Woods in here. With my new, shorter commute I don’t listen to as many podcasts as before, but Tom’s is still my favorite. His new series debunking Krugman each and every week is quite good, especially if you dislike Krugman.
AnarchyDice 