RE: Wal-Mart is evil, why it must be eradicated
I think that I learned about it with hog > > prices...the fact that there is a time constant between the price of hog > > bellies and the ability to add new hog bellies to the market. This > leads to > > market volatility, since when prices are high, a lot of new little > piglets > > are raised, causing an excess in supply, lowering prices, causing few > > piglets to be raised, causing a shortfall in supply, etc. > This is called the Cobweb Theorem, first articulated by Kaldor. OK, I forgot the name, but I'm glad that someone who's got a Phd in econ reinforces that this is a well known phenomenon. > > When you are in a doctoral program in economics, one of the things you > are drilled in is that the assumptions you make in developing your > models are often the most significant factors in the results you make. FWIW, this is the most critical part of solving complex problems with partial information, much of which is not primary information, but information plus the hidden assumptions of those reporting the problems. In working with worldwide downhole fleets of nuclear measurement tools, I've had to deal with this. Problems that are forehead smakers when you finally see them can linger unsolved for months or even years because of hidden assumptions. So, one of the greatest skill sets a team (often comprised of engineers, scientists, techs., field operators, manufacturing people, etc.) can have is going through the data and finding their hidden assumptions that make them miss the elephant in the room. Indeed, if the team is beyond the bare minimum number to get the job done, hiring a well trained person from an adjacent field who has creative ignorance is very useful because they ask good basic questions. 95% of which have easy answers, 5% of which take some though, and 1%-2% of which lead to finding flaws that were missed due to assumptions. > That is why grad students and their profs all have large repertoire of > jokes in which the punch-line involves an economist making an assumption > (e.g. "Assume a can opener.") In the case of perfect competition, the > assumptions include: > > 1. Numerous buyers and sellers > 2. Homogeneous product > 3. Perfect information in the market > 4. No barriers to entry or exit Yup, I've heard of that. > For all of these reasons I am not one to subscribe to the > quasi-religious faith that markets are always the optimum solution. OK, we're on the same page so far. >But in the case of the gasoline market, there is in fact some fairly > persuasive evidence that there is a pretty high degree of competition. > It is the fact that prices do move around a lot, and in both directions. > When firms have a large amount of market power, you definitely do not > observe this kind of price movement. Firms with power set prices, and > control those prices, so as to maximize their profits. You just don't > see a lot of price movements. But with gasoline you see prices move on a > frequent, even daily basis. What is interesting about this market is that there is a cartel that provides 40% of the output. Yet, this cartel couldn't prevent oil prices from falling to under $10/barrel in '98 because they could not penalize cheaters. The big oil companies (BP, Shell, Exxon) are very small players in comparison with OPEC's national oil companies. Yet, folks are convinced that these bit players control everything. Anyways, it seems, in this case anyways, that we agree fairly completely. Dan M. ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin:Re: Epochal media: 200 years ago and next week!
Though "my" Sheldon does bicycle 30 miles a day. Again, the YouTube concerto is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4U7C1_dxCA&feature=related thrive From: Charlie Bell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion Sent: Thursday, December 4, 2008 12:47:48 AM Subject: Brin:Re: Epochal media: 200 years ago and next week! On 04/12/2008, at 8:53 AM, d.brin wrote: > > Matters of art are subjective, of course. But I deem Beethoven's > Violin Concerto to be the greatest work of music ever conceived by > Man. Arguably. It's certainly a phenomenal piece of music. Your post has inspired me to go and find a good recording on CD, as I've lost almost all off my classical music in moving around the planet - *all* my vinyl is gone. I shall hit the music store on Friday. Incidentally, and Off Topic (of course - this is Brin-L after all), I got a bit of a nasty shock when I saw the name "Sheldon Brown" in the to-field, 'cause he died a few months ago. "Maybe Dr Brin doesn't know he died," I thought. Then I checked the address and realised it was a different Sheldon Brown (apparently, the computer artist, not the bicycling guru). So as you were. :-) Charlie. ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Epochal media: 200 years ago and next week!
This Youtubed concert shows the marvelous Anne-Sophie Mutter as soloist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4U7C1_dxCA&feature=related But get better sound on a CD. I love the Itzhak Perlman recording. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. By the way, folks. Announcing my latest short story, now available for your pleasure at Baen’s Universe Magazine. http://www.baens-universe.com/articles/Shoresteading__Part_One The first half is up free. To read the rest (of part one), you need to subscribe to the magazine... which is well worth it! (There’s more content than in any print zine, and you can’t beat the convenience.) Indeed, you’ll be able to fish back and read Parts 1-4 of my hilarious serialized sf-spoof comedy, “The Ancient Ones.” And, coming this spring, another funny one in a much more broad comedic style: “Gorilla My Dreams.” Also "The Smartest Mob" which is set in the same universe as Shoresteading." A Plethora! Membership/subscriptions are on a sliding scale. And now, just for you folks, an added bonus! Type in coupon code EE329517B2 - which is good for $5 off any subscription! (This is the novella I hope people may nominate in 2009! ;-) From: Julia Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: d.brin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Thursday, December 4, 2008 8:39:51 AM Subject: Re: Epochal media: 200 years ago and next week! On Wed, 3 Dec 2008, d.brin wrote: > As for the Violin Concerto...? > > Matters of art are subjective, of course. But I deem Beethoven's > Violin Concerto to be the greatest work of music ever conceived by > Man. Can someone with good knowledge of this piece recommend a particular recording of it? Julia ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Epochal media: 200 years ago and next week!
On Wed, 3 Dec 2008, d.brin wrote: > As for the Violin Concerto...? > > Matters of art are subjective, of course. But I deem Beethoven's > Violin Concerto to be the greatest work of music ever conceived by > Man. Can someone with good knowledge of this piece recommend a particular recording of it? Julia ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Epochal media: 200 years ago and next week!
On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 3:53 PM, d.brin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Matters of art are subjective, of course. But I deem Beethoven's > Violin Concerto to be the greatest work of music ever conceived by > Man. I have to strongly disagree with you on this. I think the Piano Concerto #4 is the greatest work. :-) There is a live recording from 1983 that was made by pianist Alfred Brendel with James Levine conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra of all five Beethoven Piano Concerti. Listen to that recording of the PC 4. It will make a believer out of you. -- Mauro Diotallevi "The number you have dialed is imaginary. Please rotate your phone 90 degrees and try again." ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Brin:Re: Epochal media: 200 years ago and next week!
On 04/12/2008, at 8:53 AM, d.brin wrote: > > Matters of art are subjective, of course. But I deem Beethoven's > Violin Concerto to be the greatest work of music ever conceived by > Man. Arguably. It's certainly a phenomenal piece of music. Your post has inspired me to go and find a good recording on CD, as I've lost almost all off my classical music in moving around the planet - *all* my vinyl is gone. I shall hit the music store on Friday. Incidentally, and Off Topic (of course - this is Brin-L after all), I got a bit of a nasty shock when I saw the name "Sheldon Brown" in the to-field, 'cause he died a few months ago. "Maybe Dr Brin doesn't know he died," I thought. Then I checked the address and realised it was a different Sheldon Brown (apparently, the computer artist, not the bicycling guru). So as you were. :-) Charlie. ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
