On Wed, 25 Jul 2001, Faustine wrote:

Jim wrote:

...

What I found amusing is that you read the Salon article (probably w/o ^^^^^^^ great enthusiasm considering it is Salon after all) and you had another text of articles you hadn't read but had already decided it was a worthy read and that you'd get something out of it. Especially since it was such 'weighty' material in two different contexts.

Hey now, I only got the hard copy last week...you can read a lot without having been through all 1124 pages!!

I agree, I did say 'amusing'...

What about the idea of "reputation capital" you people are always going on about, my prior knowledge of a couple of the authors makes me certain they wouldn't dream of putting their name on sloppy work...

I'm not one of those 'you people'. Arguments from authority are of no worth. Past performance is not a reliable metric for future performance. The ends never justify the means, each step must self-justify.

...

I strongly want global trade and cultural exchange. I do not want global government or corporate enterprise.

You mean global corporate enterprise, or corporate enterprise at all?

Actually both. The 1870 law which created the modern monster of a 'corporation' should be thrown out. Corporations, and other business organizations, should be able to sell to their like type across the relevant 'big pond'. A corporation should not be able to exist in two different countries as a single organization.

...

I want direct interaction of business in government to be prohibited.

How? Any solution I can think of has the potential to be more problematic than the problem itself.

So what solution(s) have you thought of? Quid pro Quo... Business is an expression of individual rights. Business should not be able to contribute in any way to the democratic process (there is a reason that business/commerce is mentioned the way it is in the Constitution... An observation that is sure to piss some C-A-C-L's off, but the reality is that in 'free market' economics ala Hayek or Von Mises the potential for 'Bill Gates' wealth is nil. A 'free market' system isn't about getting filthy rich. It's about participating in a 'community'. Bottom line, the world is the way it is because people make it that way. It is not an inviolate law of nature (or if you accept that then some other precepts become questionable; free will, rational, responsible, pre-meditation, etc. ). -- ____________________________________________________________________ Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night: God said, "Let Tesla be", and all was light. B.A. Behrend The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage@ssz.com www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087 -====~~mm-'`-```-mm --'- --------------------------------------------------------------------