You know, Jesus didn't travel on airplanes.

If they really followed in Jesus' footsteps, they'd be traveling by foot, so that we could run over them on our fixies.

scary stuff, paul. thanks for the recap. i'll stay tuned for the next debriefing.

So how is it those copies of his book are supposed to either arrive in my mailbox or at my local bookstore if the trucks carrying them don't have bridges to cross?

Yes, everyone knows that all buying decisions are made based on either lowest $ cost or lowest cost of resources. People are unwilling to pay more for things that are of better quality, that offer better service, or that confer some kind of status. People will not pay more for a particular brand. If you are starting a business, you should not try to do it "better" just do it "cheaper". That's the path to success!

If you're not careful, going to Beck U might make your head explode. I hope the Stranger folks realize you're really taking one for the team.

The first thing that comes to his mind when someone asks "what country has the most planned economy?" is Iran? IRAN? He's an idiot. Iran's economy is maybe 50% centrally-planned (and is undergoing significant privatization), which isn't anywhere near the top of the state-planning table. And Bhutan? What the fuck? He's just trying to sound all experty there. He knows fuck-all about Bhutan, I can guarantee it.

The correct answer is North Korea, Cuba, and Burma, though you could probably throw Saudi Arabia and several of the African kleptocracies in there without being far wrong.

This guy sounds like the worst professor in the world. His "bridges aren't an investment" argument is completely vacuous.

@5, my copy of his book arrived this morning when I sat on the toilet and pushed. No bridge necessary.

Final Review:
#1 People produce wealth
#2 Governments are Monopolies
#3 Governments Consume
#4 Never Fight a Land War in Asia

@2 - but then what's the difference, really?

My favorite part is how he thinks it's necessary or even appropriate to browbeat people into behaving like the perfect "rational actors" that his theory of economics relies upon in order to be valid. In any other discipline, when your theory doesn't describe how normal people act in the real world, the assumption is that your theory is at fault, not the entire world. But not in the "dismal science," at least not for "libertarians."

Action Slacks, I think I love you.

"Governments Consume, not Invest"? Really?
When you get your paycheck, the government takes a chunk out of it (in addition to withholding taxes) and INVESTS IT in Social Security, which then goes on to take care of you when you're old and possibly destitute. The Federal government helps EVERYONE invest for the future RIGHT THERE.
My only question is how this schmuckhead missed hearing about this.

Oh yeah, that's right, cognitive dissonance.

Oh yeah, those Bhutanese mofos... You gotta watch out for all those happy Buddhists, that's for sure... Wouldn't want to take any lessons from THAT playbook, oh no sirree bob, unh unh...

What a maroon.

Yes, Paul, you SHOULD be getting hazard pay for this assignment... for reals, yo...

A bridge is not an investment unless revenue can be drawn from it.

Is he willfully misinterpreting the role of government, or is he truly that ignorant?

@16, I'm not sure what lessons you want to take from subsistence agriculture, which is what they mostly do.

It is really too bad that the Stranger readers weren't in the class, you would have fried him. So sad that people are sucked in by someone as disturbing as Glenn Beck. I love all of your comments. If it wouldn't make jack ass richer I would say we could all take the class and blow him out of the water, get him on everything we know is wrong, which is everything. Sick

Retard U.

"Governments don't invest, they only consume"? WHAT is this moron smoking!? Hello, public roads? Public health? Public policing and fire departments? Public education? All these things grow the economy, thereby increasing revenue and ultimately paying for themselves. I am so disgusted by libertarians who think that guvmint is inherently evil and companies are inherently perfect. So busy masturbating to Ayn Rand that they never look at the world...

Also, the notion that cheapest=best is so ridiculous, so obviously counter to reality, that it makes my head explode. Everybody with half a brain knows that when something is the cheapest of its kind, it's because the manufacturer prioritized cheapness over quality and made a shitty ass product that will fall apart the second the warranty runs out. Quality is ultimately cheaper than cheap, as you'll see if you do the math: $100 boots last a lifetime, $10 boots last three years tops...

Also, the most planned economy in the world is CLEARLY North Korea, not any of the three he listed.

@23: North Korea has an economy? They're so far down the tubes that the masses can't even necessarily get anesthetic for routine amputations! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/15…

Ah making money off of schmucks by feeding them drivel they want to hear... America's favorite pastime!

Wow. Its not always true that playing SIM city can debunk your crazy theories.