tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.comments2022-10-24T04:28:10.640-05:00On capitalism, etc.Colleen Dunlavyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977810810959910139noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-64846015635994495742015-12-16T18:42:46.526-06:002015-12-16T18:42:46.526-06:00Good question. Probably because there's so muc...Good question. Probably because there's so much going on these days, in the real world as well as the academy, that I don't where to begin. :-) I'll try to do better - thanks for the nudge.Colleen Dunlavyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977810810959910139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-85958748004755326212015-12-12T11:11:54.743-06:002015-12-12T11:11:54.743-06:00Interesting post. Why no more recent entries? Interesting post. Why no more recent entries? Erik Von Nordenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03435513338340452873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-45599267960748210032014-08-29T09:27:21.653-05:002014-08-29T09:27:21.653-05:00Nice post.I am looking forward for new ones, keep ...Nice post.I am looking forward for new ones, keep up the great work.<br /><br /> <a href="http://personaloans.com.sg" rel="nofollow">Debt Consolidation Singapore</a><br />justin alberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05630509064102875406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-73956223438099141492013-03-21T09:28:44.498-05:002013-03-21T09:28:44.498-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09803280550586667817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-76176889263908477722012-02-28T17:22:51.891-06:002012-02-28T17:22:51.891-06:00There are no easy answers but I'm a independen...There are no easy answers but I'm a independent trader and I can only trade on the penny. Computers should have the same restrictions. I can't play with the order cue either. Computers, and in the same regard, market makers and the like shouldn't be able to either. Capitalism does mean the lack of controls but that the controls be fair across the board. <br /><br />Tax the order per/share, whether it is cancelled or not and it wouldn't take much money from those who trade by the same rules but it would tax the quants right out of the market.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-35676087349297436212012-02-18T01:50:59.633-06:002012-02-18T01:50:59.633-06:00When I was doing research at Harvard business scho...When I was doing research at Harvard business school recently, I saw a display in the reading room filled with just such equations you described above, Dr. Dunlavy.<br /><br />My apologies, I cannot remember the context now; but any case, I found it typical, if a bit unnerving. We're taking humans out of a system that, when it fails, causes widespread economic dislocation, unemployment, poverty, and political strife? <br /><br />Couldn't we use the technical brilliance it took to come up with such a program to, I don't know, make things? help people?<br /><br />I know, it sounds naive. <br /><br />And yet, so many individuals in my graduate student cohort are trying to learn how to do the very same thing.<br /><br />Are we stuck with robot trading? Are there any alternatives now that the technology has been unleashed?Jay Weixelbaumhttp://jasonweixelbaum.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-57802629036065407382011-05-10T17:07:14.359-05:002011-05-10T17:07:14.359-05:00It's nice to see you updating your blog again,...It's nice to see you updating your blog again, Dr. Dunlavy. <br /><br />I look forward to more insights on the plutocratic state of the American polity in the future.Jason Weixelbaumhttp://jasonweixelbaum.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-68223297540500198172011-03-21T05:47:29.077-05:002011-03-21T05:47:29.077-05:00The whole concept of pre-funding pension plans is ...The whole concept of pre-funding pension plans is rather silly, other than security for the employee. Pension liability is just another liability (debt equity), like bonds payable. Imagine that the pension funding rules were applied to bond liabilities. Every bond issued by a city would to have all future debt service fully funded at the time of the sale (discounted to current value) in order to sell its bonds. Debt is debt.RON YORKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03747050728884326899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-5583399720049338552011-02-27T19:13:26.692-06:002011-02-27T19:13:26.692-06:00I'm using the Pew Center's terms. The rep...I'm using the Pew Center's terms. The report includes a lengthy discussion of methodology (challenging, as you might guess), and the Center has posted <a href="http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/report_detail.aspx?id=57264" rel="nofollow">fact sheets</a> for the individual states, including <a href="http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewcenteronthestatesorg/Initiatives/R_and_D/Trillion_Dollar_Gap_factsheets_Wisconsin.pdf" rel="nofollow">Wisconsin</a>, in case you're interested.Colleen Dunlavyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05977810810959910139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-32990951225226120672011-02-27T15:35:02.858-06:002011-02-27T15:35:02.858-06:00You seem to be mistaken as to the definition of an...You seem to be mistaken as to the definition of an unfunded pension. <br /><br />A funded pension is one where money for the pension is put aside on a regular basis to cover the need in the future. <br /><br />An unfunded pension is one that is paid out of current income when it is needed by retirees.<br /><br />Just because a state has the ability to cover its pension liabilities, this does not make it a "funded" pension.<br /><br />Politicians like unfunded obligations because it allows them to appease the unions without raising taxes and ruining their political career (it's somebody else's problem by the time the union members start retiring).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02333123428650542110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-63898056809863330422009-10-07T12:30:45.476-05:002009-10-07T12:30:45.476-05:00I find your blog interesting reading my question i...I find your blog interesting reading my question is this...<br /><br />How do you measure the de-funding effect on regulatory agencies or do you just blindly accept the premise that regulatory agencies have been ineffective therefore they must have been underfunded and under staffed?<br /><br />I realize that many make this claim. I am wondering if there is an actual basis that can be quantified or if it is just supposed to be assumed on blind faith.<br /><br />Any enlightenment will be appreciated.Bill Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13170810484591093841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-38516338313042906412008-10-15T09:46:00.000-05:002008-10-15T09:46:00.000-05:00Thanks for this valuable contribution, Colleen. Of...Thanks for this valuable contribution, Colleen. Of course if we throw in state governments, we find even more government involvement with the economy. Early states owned significant amounts of bank stock, some states like Virginia invested in bridge and turnpike companies as well as railroads and canals, and so forth. Of course this begs the question of why American governments moved away from taking equity positions in businesses. To a first approximation, the answer is that such investments were a) mere rent-seeking and b) ineffective. Take, for example, the much vaunted public-private joint venture now commonly called the Erie Canal. The main line was a smashing success but due to the government's involvement New York soon found itself building numerous ill-advised feeders that nearly bankrupted the state. I don't want to argue against the current policy but I do think we need to also take away the lesson that government money is not always, or perhaps even usually, smart money.Robert E. Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13094487737942138926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-1157586618614513192006-09-06T18:50:00.000-05:002006-09-06T18:50:00.000-05:00Is this part of the discussion you were referring ...Is this part of the discussion you were referring to in class about your upcoming book?Sethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02597510798676166378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-1131401691581987182005-11-07T16:14:00.000-06:002005-11-07T16:14:00.000-06:00I enjoyed reading your site and was wondering your...I enjoyed reading your site and was wondering your thoughts on which factors you would contend were the most crucial in the history of capitalism?mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18059615597623863128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-1111629552768537542005-03-23T19:59:00.000-06:002005-03-23T19:59:00.000-06:00Do you think that old right and new right might wo...Do you think that old right and new right might work?<br /><br />With old right being a faction of the GOP that is more than willing to use a strong federal govt to their economic advantage under any circumstances, and with any consequences, and have been since the Civil War. Maybe we should just call them what they are, carpetbaggers.<br /><br />Between old and new right there are moderates, say...progressive Republicans, who have been around since the Gilded Age, and who actually worry about the separation of powers, environmental responsibility, some amelioration of social injustice, etc?Juleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18282449108422791428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-1108428589092850822005-02-14T18:49:00.000-06:002005-02-14T18:49:00.000-06:00Are you making reference in your title to Alice Ke...Are you making reference in your title to Alice Kessler-Harris' germinal article from 1975, "Where are the organized women workers?" Feminist Studies 3 (Fall 1975), 92-110. <br /><br />This article was a challenge to the male dominated field of labor history to see their exclusion of women in narrative, conceptual, and political terms.<br /><br />How ironic that someone needs to challege women's historians for a similar blindspot about business women, now that the field is well established.<br /><br />My impression is that women's historians leave business women out of their thinking for two reasons. First because the field is dominated by scholars, concerns, and interests from the political left. Second, I think it is also because girls (still) don't do math.Juleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18282449108422791428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8691000.post-1105995249593560052005-01-17T14:54:00.000-06:002005-01-17T14:54:00.000-06:00Thanks for the information on this one. Prof. Hei...Thanks for the information on this one. Prof. Heilbroner's book was the first economics book I ever read. Great book, great man.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14487963350204619115noreply@blogger.com