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| Joined: | Mon Nov 21st, 2005 |
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Let us make the effort to become wise. Read Aristotle, Pascal, Augustine, The Gospels, Proverbs, Adam Smith. Read those who have gone before us and become truly wise. Ponder what they have to say. Become wise yourself. In becoming wise you will not fall prey to the blandishments of those who falsely consider themselves wise.
I'm the cut and plaster. Here is more:
http://lawcasella.com/spooner/TrialByJury.htm#_Toc499747605
The authority of a Saxon monarch was not more considerable. The Saxons submitted not to the arbitrary rule of princes. They administered an oath to their sovereigns, which bound them to acknowledge the laws, and to defend the rights of the church and the people; and if they forgot this obligation, they forfeited their office. In both countries, a price was affixed on kings, a fine expiated their murder, as well as that of the meanest citizen; and the smallest violation of ancient usage, [*55] or the least step towards tyranny, was always dangerous, and often fatal to them.” --- Ditto, p. 139-40.
The Saxons, who subdued Britain, as they enjoyed great liberty in their own country, obstinately retains that invaluable possession in their new settlement; and they imported into this island the same principles of independence, which they inherits from their ancestors. The chieftains, (for such they were, more than kings or princes,) who commanded them in those military expeditions, still possessed a very limited authority; and as the Saxons exterminated, rather than subdued the ancient inhabitants, they were, indeed, transplanted into a new territory, but preserved unaltered all their civil and military institutions. The language was pure Saxon; even the names of places, which often remain while the tongue entirely changes, were almost all affixed by the conquerors; the manners and customs were wholly German; and the same picture of a fierce and bold liberty, which is drawn by the masterly pen of Tacitus, will suit those founders of the English government. The king, so far from being invested with arbitrary power, was only considered as the first among the citizens; his authority depended more on his personal qualities than on his station; he was even so far on a level with the people, that a stated price was fixed for his head, and a legal fine was levied upon his murderer, which though proportionate to his station, and superior to that paid for the life of a subject, was a sensible mark of his subordination to the community.” --- 1 Hume, Appendix, 1.
They were not allowed to impose taxes on the kingdom.” --- Ditto, P. 146.
“Like the German monarchs, they deliberated in the general assembly of the nation; but their legislative authority was not much respected; and their assent was considered in no better light than as a form. This, however, was their chief prerogative; and they employed it to acquire an ascendant in the state. To art and insinuation they turned, as their only resource, and flattered a people whom they could not awe; but address, and the abilities to persuade, were a weak compensation for the absence of real power.
They declared war, it is said, and made peace. In both cases, however, they acted as the instruments of the state, and put in execution the resolutions which its councils had decreed. If, indeed, an enemy had invaded the Kingdom, and its glory and its safety were concerned, the great lords took the field at the call of their sovereign. But had a sovereign declared war against a neighboring state, without requiring their advice, or if he meant to revenge by arms an insult offered to him by a subject, a haughty and independent nobility refused their assistance. These they considered as the quarrels of the King, and not of the nation; and in all such emergencies he could only be assisted by his retainers and dependents.” --- Ditto, p. 147-8.
Well...there is a lot to chew on above not the least of which is this:
In both countries, a price was affixed on kings, a fine expiated their murder, as well as that of the meanest citizen; and the smallest violation of ancient usage, [*55] or the least step towards tyranny, was always dangerous, and often fatal to them.”
Repeated here:
The king, so far from being invested with arbitrary power, was only considered as the first among the citizens; his authority depended more on his personal qualities than on his station; he was even so far on a level with the people, that a stated price was fixed for his head, and a legal fine was levied upon his murderer, which though proportionate to his station, and superior to that paid for the life of a subject, was a sensible mark of his subordination to the community.” --- 1 Hume, Appendix, 1.
A wise person would be cautioned enough in his or her individual judgment to inspect those practices, in history, with diligence. One might compare that 'price' to this:
http://www.outpost-of-freedom.com/jimbellap.htm
A few months ago, I had a truly and quite literally "revolutionary" idea, and I jokingly called it "Assassination Politics": I speculated on the question of whether an organization could be set up to legally announce that it would be awarding a cash prize to somebody who correctly "predicted" the death of one of a list of violators of rights, usually either government employees, officeholders, or appointees. It could ask for anonymous contributions from the public, and individuals would be able send those contributions using digital cash.
One might want to add this too:
http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline.jsp?timeline=complete_911_timeline&startpos=900
There is a sharp increase in short selling of the stocks of American and United Airlines on the New York Stock Exchange prior to 9/11. A short sell is a bet that a particular stock will drop.
The promise of misfortune can inspire action.
http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline.jsp?timeline=complete_911_timeline&startpos=900
There is a sharp increase in short selling of the stocks of American and United Airlines on the New York Stock Exchange prior to 9/11. A short sell is a bet that a particular stock will drop.
The promise of fortune can inspire action. In ancient times the penalty for killing the King was a fine.
The fine may have looked, to the King, like this:
Jim Bell, the guy who went to prison for tax evasion, supposedly, is the guy who spoke about a lottery whereby a bet was placed for - 'when the king would die', or something like that, and the winner would collect that "lottery" on that day.
As to the short sell:
Excuse me. This subject requires one more factor:
Hume says:
“The government of the Germans, and that of all the northern nations, who established themselves on the ruins of Rome, was always extremely free; and those fierce people, accustomed to independence and inured to arms, were more guided by persuasion, than authority, in the submission which they paid to their princes. The military despotism, which had taken place in the Roman empire, and which, previously to the irruption of those conquerors, had sunk the genius of men, and destroyed every noble principle of science and virtue, was unable to resist the vigorous efforts of a free people, and Europe, as from a new epoch, rekindled her ancient spirit, and shook off the base servitude to arbitrary will and authority under which she had so long labored. The free constitutions then established, however impaired by the encroachments of succeeding princes, still preserve an air of independence and legal administration, which distinguished the European nations; and if that part of the globe maintain sentiments [*53] of liberty, honor, equity, and valor, superior to the rest of mankind, it owes these advantages chiefly to the seeds implanted by those generous barbarians.
Note: "maintain sentiments of liberty, honor, equity, and valor"
Note specifically: "equity"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equity
Good luck with that one.
Lawyers tend to make things complicated for a reason. I think the term is "job security".
Something like this:
Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move in the opposite direction."
From here:
http://rescomp.stanford.edu/~cheshire/EinsteinQuotes.html
Equity in layman’s terms: (without all the legal mumbo jumbo)
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Equity
1. The state, quality, or ideal of being just, impartial, and fair.
2. Something that is just, impartial, and fair.
While I am at it:
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Politic
1. Using or marked by prudence, expedience, and shrewdness; artful.
2. Using, displaying, or proceeding from policy; judicious: a politic decision.
3. Crafty; cunning.
True:
1. Truth or reality. Used with the.
False:
1. Contrary to fact or truth: false tales of bravery.
2. Deliberately untrue: delivered false testimony under oath.
Equity is just. Just as much true to me as it is true to you.
Equity belongs with this:
liberty, honor, equity, and valor
An oath goes like this:
You shall diligently inquire, and true presentment make, of all such articles, matters, and things, as shall given you in charge, and of all other matters and things as shall come to your knowledge touching this present service. The king’s council, your fellows, and your own, you shall keep secret. You shall present no person for hatred or malice; neither shall you leave any one unpresented for favor, or affection, for love or gain, or any hopes thereof; but in all things you shall present the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, to the best of your knowledge. So help you God.”
This form of oath is doubtless quite ancient, for the essay says “our ancestors appointed” it. --- See Essay, p. 33-34.
Before getting back to 'selling short':
Thou shall not swear falsely by the name of the LORD..."
There is a history concerning falsehood.
One more:
Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance."
George Bernard Shaw
Selling Short:
Fundamentally speaking:
An individual selling himself or herself short:
A person must maintain the individual capacity to discriminate between what is true and what is false.
Example:
The individual is living in a time and place previous to the discovery of fire. It is cold outside. Lightening strikes and a fire starts. The individual sells himself short. No investment whatsoever. The individual cowers in the presence of fire. The fire burns out.
Too bad.
Two people are outside, some time later, and lightening strikes again. Another fire. This time one of the two sells herself long. She moves closer to the fire. The man follows. The woman stops short. The man touches the fire with predictable results; says the woman, later on, as she discusses the event with the other women - selling the men short.
The women sell the men short. Meanwhile the men discuss the events. They prepare to elect a leader. They sell this leader long.
Soon enough the group manages to wrestle from nature a new form of energy.
Imagine that!
Now; suppose the events didn't quite play out so smoothly.
The men, perhaps, do manage to gain the capital called fire. Men, being as they are, decide to sell the women short. Fire, they declare to the women, is ours and not yours. In order to 'play with fire' an additional charge must be paid by women to men. No exceptions; ever. Not until women grow balls.
Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!
http://www.worldofquotes.com/author/Sir-Walter-Scott/1/index.html
Back to 9/11 related short selling:
After 9/11, both the SEC and the Secret Service announce probes into an unusually high volume trade of five-year US Treasury note purchases around this time. These transactions include a single $5 billion trade. The Wall Street Journal explains: “Five-year Treasury notes are among the best investments in the event of a world crisis, especially one that hits the US. The notes are prized for their safety and their backing by the US government, and usually rally when investors flee riskier investments, such as stocks.” The value of these notes has risen sharply since the events of September 11. The article also points out that with these notes, “tracks would be hard to spot.”
I've been reading and adding. My calculations may appear to be absurd to those who have grown dependent upon authority and perhaps those who are infected with a serious case of falsehood i.e. a blind belief in authority.
Jumping back in time to the discovery of fire and my example of short selling the calculation now arrives at two terms that should offer some insight.
Credit
Debt
In simple terms:
Credit: Selling long
Debt: Selling short
Had the men credited the women instead of selling them short, then, our world today would hardly be recognizable. Add up any possible profit that was realized in the endeavor to credit a little baby girl, any one of them, to be treated equitably, fairly, with no payment of debt associated with that little girls existence, other than a hope that she too would someday amount to something special and add another possible example, keep adding, add some more, multiply, accelerate, factor exponentially, and arrive at a world unrecognizable from that which exist today. How would one measure such a condition? No one can know. That didn't happen.
Too bad.
That is the past.
Now is the present.
Where do men now invest?
Who is now credited?
Will the human race learn to sell long?
So...I am the fool. That is a given. What exactly measures my foolishness?
30 years for me, out in the world of misery, shoveling dirt, risking life and limb, and my society sends me a slip of paper titled: Your Social Security Statement.
My credit went first to my wife. Sitting next to me is my son, who has also seen the wisdom of avoiding college investors that require him signing up for "SELECTIVE SERVIVCE", and on my left, on the couch, is a not so little girl who, by all measure, is the future of our world.
I am a fool for sure, my prejudice is deep, and my falsehood is unrecognizable to me. However; I know enough to sell long.
I know enough to credit sound investment. Investing in DOOM may be a sure bet, however, it can easily turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Last edited on Thu May 4th, 2006 06:52 am by Joe Kelley