Category Archives: History

1850—AVERTING WAR IN CALIFORNIA.

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Philip

1850—AVERTING WAR IN CALIFORNIA. I posted here about revisionist views of the Civil War, and whether the most important issue was the preservation of the Union or the future of slavery. I have come to realize—long after my high school … Continue reading →

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AMERICA’S ROLE IN UNIFYING EUROPE.

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Philip

AMERICA’S ROLE IN UNIFYING EUROPE. Tony Barber had an article in the Financial Times (April 24) about what he views as a current crisis of legitimacy in the European political system. American journalists seem to me to mention only infrequently … Continue reading →

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EJECTING TONS OF ROCK INTO SPACE.

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Philip

EJECTING TONS OF ROCKS INTO SPACE. Instapundit posted on this article in MIT’s Technology Review blog which describes a new study on the impact of the asteroid weighing over one trillion tons which struck the earth some 65 million years … Continue reading →

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HISTORY OF LEGAL TECHNOLOGY—ELLIPSIS PERIODS.

Posted on April 15, 2012 by Philip

HISTORY OF LEGAL TECHNOLOGY—ELLIPSIS PERIODS. My mention of ellipsis periods in yesterday’s post reminds me of a story about legal practice back in the day. Although writers had been dictating to a live secretary since the time of Cicero, when … Continue reading →

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A THEORY WHY AMERICA WAS SETTLED BY PEOPLE WITH ADD.

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Philip

A THEORY WHY AMERICA WAS SETTLED BY PEOPLE WITH ADD. I have a friend who argues that America was settled by people with ADD. People with Attention Deficit Deficiency tend to be restless, and it was restless people who explored … Continue reading →

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AN AGE OF BANK RUNS?

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Philip

AN AGE OF BANK RUNS? Tyler Cowen at the Marginal Revolution economics site has a post on an article he wrote in the New York Times. He begins by saying that he asked some colleagues: “to identify the single most … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, History | 1 Comment

THE DEFICIT CRISIS WAS NOT A CHICKEN GAME.

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Philip

THE DEFICIT CRISIS WAS NOT A CHICKEN GAME. I have posted several times about chicken games and how the debt ceiling crisis of last year was often portrayed as a chicken game both by journalists and participants. I posted here … Continue reading →

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“OLD-FASHIONED BOOM AND BUST”.

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Philip

“OLD-FASHIONED BOOM-AND-BUST”. Robert Samuelson had a recent Washington Post article (link via Realclearpolitics) about the explanations that have been given for the current economic crisis. He is still of the view that it resulted from an “old-fashioned boom and bust” … Continue reading →

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DOES REGIONAL CULTURE AFFECT VOTING?

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Philip

DOES REGIONAL CULTURE AFFECT VOTING? As I posted on here, ever since the 1960 election in which the Democrat Kennedy carried most of the states that the Republican Dewey had carried in 1948 and the Republican Nixon carried most of … Continue reading →

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HOW ENGLAND GOT CABINET GOVERNMENT.

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Philip

HOW ENGLAND GOT CABINET GOVERNMENT. I recently encountered an alternative and simpler explanation of why cabinet government became strong in England after the Glorious Revolution in 1688. I knew that the Hanover kings were chosen by act of Parliament rather … Continue reading →

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