no third solution » Archive
The State’s Unique Monopoly
The other night, I started thinking about Government. Correct me, if I’m wrong, but isn’t Government pretty much the only organization which claims an absolute geographical monopoly? Hell, some of their people even admit as much. (Government-granted and enforced monopolies, in e.g., Telecommunications, notwithstanding.) Some people might argue that geographical monopoly may arise naturally from the scarcity of some natural resources. Sure, there are only certain areas in the world which have bauxite deposits, or oil deep below the surface. But what is unique to Government is that the geographical monopoly is without substitute. The land below which bauxite or oil might be found can be owned and monopolized by an individual or a group of individuals acting in concert, but the consumers can always exercise another preference, … Read entire article »
Filed under: Anarchy!
Credit Card Scams Part III: The Balance Transfer Scam
I used to think that the debt-relief commercials that said things like, “The credit card companies want you to stay in debt forever,” were ridiculous. I still think that many or perhaps all of the “get out of debt for free” programs that they offer are scams, but they are probably not any worse than the scams routinely perpetrated by the credit card companies to begin with. Debt Collection Practices & Impropriety The Reverse Payment Prioritization Scam The Balance Transfer Scam The Penalty Rate Scam Exploiting Ignorance: Money for Nothing Last time, I talked about the Reverse Payment Prioritization Scam, wherein the creditor applies payments to balances in the exact opposite order to which any rational person would apply them. The end result is that debtors generally are in debt for longer periods of time … Read entire article »
Filed under: Legalese, personal finance
On Democracy and Gay Marriages
Despite the very real fact that the threat of democracy hangs overhead, like the Sword of Damocles, many gay couples in California have embraced the opportunity to marry—even if it may be rendered symbolic in November. (permalinked PDF) Although some couples said they preferred to wait until after the election because they feared their marriages would nullified at the ballot box, others said they wanted to make history, especially if the opportunity to get married could be lost. “There’s a window, and we want to take advantage of that window, because who knows what’s going to happen in November,” said Jay Mendes, 40, as he and his partner of three years, Vantha Sao, 22, waited to obtain a marriage license in West Hollywood. Whether through ex post facto law or some … Read entire article »
Filed under: Gay Rights