I got a bite.

UPDATE: Noticing the lack of Zeitgeist during the last "ZDay" events I've decided to end the conversations with TZM. It's a dead movement, they've had their 15 minutes and it's slipped into the dustbin of history as just a minor blip in history. Phase 1 was a failure and it's time to move on to bust up other myths and collective delusions. My videos will stay up with comments disabled as my ode to their long standing history censorship. So long and thanks for all the death threats. 

Sort of. Socialists and communists for decades have attempted to confront Mises on his Economic Calculation Problem but miss the point of what Mises argument is. Otto Neurath, an Austrian-born (not Austrian school, thought I should clarify, the "article" they created gives the impression to someone Otto was a free-marketeer who disagreed with Mises) socialist economist who attempted to debate Mises is what they went with for a rebuttal. Otto concludes that a new system of calculation can develop in in place of missing prices. Zeitards contend that their super computer will somehow work itself out, once we find the right algorithm.

To this day, Austrian economists still contend Mises has not been addressed, even with citing Otto's attempt. Why? The calculation problem isn't about how complex the problem of distributing resources without a price system, it's about marginal utility.

Jacob Spinney has already addressed this in one of his videos, so I'll save myself typing.



Update:
For a more in-depth explanation which includes addressing Otto Neurath's argument, I provided you with a lecture by Joseph T. Salerno who wrote the post-script to Mises' article.

Zeitgeist Altruism in Wake of The Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami.

So You Want To Debate Me on Zeitgeist, eh? (DEFUNCT)

UPDATE: Just like the rest of the world, I'm over debating TZM. Feel free to comment, I will not respond or read. 

Recently a skeptic blogger Muertos issued a challenge to The Zeitgeist movement in this video:



In it he sites a book that discusses proposals by other futurists with concepts identical concepts as The Venus Project and how they do not work and always transitions with violence no matter if they advocate it or not. The book he sites is James C. Scott's "Seeing Like A State." He will not debate anyone from The Venus Project or The Zeitgeist Movement unless they have read this book first so they understand his position first. This is a more than reasonable request considering Zeitards demand you watch 2 long Zeitgeist Films.

I decided this was absolutely a great idea for me too. I haven't read the book in question just yet, but I will propose my own challenge to the Zeitgeist/Venus Project community. I have a hard time nailing these guys down to one subject at a time, or tossing straw man arguments regarding my position. My main objection to The Venus Project is predominantly the economic calculation problem in socialized systems as proposed by Mises. The argument is this; in a centrally planned economy, and more so in cashless economies, you cannot properly gauge where resources should be allocated unless you turn these heterogeneous things into something homogeneous that reflect the most up-to-date needs as a organic free-market price system. A central computer, no mater how smart, can not correctly calculate an iPhone4 minus a cheeseburger unless there is a bottom up price system that reflects the time, energy, resources, incentives and demands to fulfill the needs of the consumer.

For example let's say on a very small scale we wanted to make a small calculation. What should we make given we can only create so much in a small amount of time, given limited resources. An iPhone4 for person #003443 or a cheeseburger for person #003533 and have extra time and resources to spare for other requests. Unless there is a system that reflects to both the consumer and the producer the true time, energy, resources, demand and scarcity that is homogeneous, you would not know what to calculate.

iPhone4 = $399.99. Cheeseburger = $2.99
So iPhone4 - Cheeseburger = $397.00
iPhone4 - Cheeseburger ≠ iPhone 3Gs

It seems to fall in line with black and white thinking when I bring this up to TZM people. If I disagree with their system then I support the 'status-quo.' Nothing could be further from the truth for me, and if Mises were alive today he would have nothing but bad things to say about how the American Government has been doing since his death. So it's a moot point bringing up criticisms of the current system we all share.

Now, because of the type of non-responses I get I am now issuing my own price of admission for this debate. It's cheaper than Muertos' read a whole 400 page book price, but it's equally as challenging. Read the 50 page article and postscript to Economic Calculation In The Socialist Commonwealth by Ludwig von Mises. It  was written before Mr. Fresco was even born, but it doesn't negate the overarching problem with The Venus Project; whats an iPhone4 minus a cheeseburger in a world with no prices?

After you have read the book you may not argue with me any of these points:

• This is different, he's talking about socialism, this is a straw man! 

Not really, he's talking about ideas proposed by socialists that The Venus Project has adopted into the R.B.E.; central planning of an economy. Now explain how socialist calculation problem does not apply in an R.B.E.

• Price is controlled by the Federal Reserve inflating the money supply. 

Right, however Mises is not in favor or arguing for fiat currency. Fiat money cannot be a true reflection of marginal utility and is causing a lot of the problems we're seeing today. There's a vast array of workable non-coercive value based monetary systems that have been tried or are still being used today to see as examples. 

• You do not understand The Venus Project, do your research.

I think I have done a fair job of understanding it, please tell me where I am wrong on my assessment of the economic model as it is pertaining to The Venus Project. Enlighten me, don't make empty rebuttals. Also if there is a key piece of information I neglected to notice, don't tell me to go though a stack of information and find it. If you know where it is, point it out to me.

• How does the current... 

Let me stop you there, we're not talking about the current disasters. We both share your criticism of the current model in America. The issue is your solution.

• No wait, how does this current system help the starving people in Africa?

The current system in America is not the cause of starvation in Africa. Africa is suffering from the same ideology Mises was advocating against; central planning. It's also an appeal to emotions, making me feel bad about people suffering in foreign lands does not mean we should go along with the R.B.E.. I feel bad kids are starving in Africa, so let us not have more of what's killing them. 

• How does the "invisible hand of the market" work other than a God-of-the-gaps fallacy?

This tells me not only have you not read the paper, but not read anything regarding Austrian Economics. Please read the paper, then discuss it. 

• Oh, I get it. You think we're Communists with robots! Hahaha! Please, it's not Communism you're just using a Red Scare tactic. 

No, it has to do with empirical observation. Please read the paper.

• I don't want to read that paper, I'll just go by your summary. 

No read, no debate, no exceptions. In this paper they address many objections you will bring up. Why should I explain what the paper already said about your argument. I'm not your mother, read it yourself.  If you object to reading, I have an audio book version on YouTube for you. If I watched 8 hours of Peter Joesph Merola movies for you and you won't read for 2-3 hours for me then you're not worth my time.

So if you think your system can stand up to the test if rational discourse and not blind faith, read the paper and spank me intellectually. I'll take 2 kinds of correspondence, Skype or e-mail. Just leave a comment below. Remember: I will record/log the entire discussion and present it on this blog and/or my YouTube Channel.

UPDATE: I have reduced the requirement for this challenge. All you need to do is watch this 1 videos in it's entirety.

An Update! (Cali, baby!)

Ok, I think i'm almost done settling into my new place in Hollywood Hills, CA. Over the last week I have been battling another group of deluded assholes known as The Zeitgeist Movement. Tomorrow I will post up the video debates I've been having. 

Tom Newton Still is Butt-Hurt

Jacob Vigil, a.k.a. Tom Newton, is back jocking my dick. Don't ask me why, I don't know. Considering I have been intentionality been avoiding Scientology stuff recently as my main focus is getting out of Kansas and back into school full time. However it doesn't stop him from being a total cockwad and post obviously bullshit blog posts about me here and here on his retarded new blog (because his old blog was taken down by Google for violating TOS)

It doesn't take a theoretical physicist to see that I don't smoke cat shit or crack cocaine, as the blog describes, and such information was pulled directly out of his ass. Ironically that's where most of Hubbard got his discoveries.

A lawyer I know has informed me I am able to file a federal lawsuit against him as John Doe and subpoena his personal information from Google as I have a coarse of action against him. However I have decided against it due to the fact he's not worth my time or effort. However if you are so inclined to take action against him I can refer you the same advice he gave me.

JimJesus.com won a HookahDomain Award for Best Blog of 2009?

Great! Now all 10 active members of HookahDomain will be tuned in to my blog I rarely update. I wonder if I can get a badge for my page so people can try to find a reason to care about such a laughable award.

Perhaps I just just forget about it and start doing more blog posts.