New Book, New Course at BFU

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One of the factors that separates Bastiat Free University from other schools are our text books.

Our text books are not expensive.

Instead of required books written by the professor we use mass market books that cover the same material, normally far better and at a far lower price.

As an example we just added a new class in our College of Human Interaction, - H302 Markets and Governments collide.

This course uses a new book that has great reviews, Empire of Debt. You may want to read a preview, with a bit about gold investment here. - The other required book is also new, and also makes a powerful statement, Markets Don't Fail.

These books along with a couple of free downloads are the course materials. Your total material cost should be less then US$50.00, about a quarter of what you would pay for just one text book at another college. Add to that the $45.00 cost for the course and your degree track diploma is an affordable goal.

Of course you can buy the books and read them, download the course materials, and never send us a cent. Registration and monitoring classes are both free if you do not want a diploma.

If you can find course books cheaper, good. Many of our text books are classics and you can find them used for just a few dollars.

Do what is best for you.

Your goal at Bastiat Free University is to learn, not to spend.


We are here to help you.

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A Great e-Library

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You may want to do a bit of research on your own, from the comfort of your home.

You will find links to this resource within many of your BFU classes.

At Bastiat Free University we love to talk about the wealth of centuries, comprised of knowledge, at your fingertips.

If you want some insightful reading of historic texts I can recommend a free library with a different approach, but much fine material. We use their texts frequently.


Without further ado:

Special thanks goes to the wonderful e-library of OLL.

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Earn Your Degree at Bastiat Free University

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First -- read our BFU summary page, this page has the customary small print, only with a large font.

If you are still interested in our degree program a few notes to help you get started.

• BFU is about self directed learning. You need to earn the proper amount of units to receive your diploma; you select the classes you will take and the amount of time it will take.

• Investigate your primary area of interest first. You can however take classes in any discipline, at any level.

• Once you decide that you want a degree, register for courses and acquire the materials needed. You do not need to use our links, buy your books where the price is best.

• The course instructions are for now similar in most classes. Read the course introduction sheet to get more information,
  

• Submit your $75.00 degree track entrance fee and pay for your classes prior to finishing the course material. We will review your work, cash your check, and award you your units.

• Take as many, or as few courses as you wish. You know yourself, build a curriculum that will keep you motivated.
  

You can register for free now and check out our course selection; there will be 100 classes by the end of the year.

For particulars on taking an individual course visit here.

We are still under construction, please let us know of any problems you encounter.

Any ideas you have will be thankfully considered also.


This is your school, help us make it better.

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BFU review by Teh Blogfather

Yeppers. Teh Blogfather.

Bastiat Free University has been reviewed.

This is a quick irreverent look by Teh Blogfather at our learning system.

I'm glad this educator does not have eyes in the back of his hard head. I do feel sorry for the axe.

What if I let you cut class instead?

It is nice to be shot at. Or even chopped at.

If you miss.

Thanks TB.

Allan

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Political spectrum, The Fuzzy Left and Right

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Left and right wing is a fuzzy concept that leads to confusion.

We get the concept of right and left wing politics from where the political parties sit; on the left or right.

In one nation the left may be to the right of the right in another nation. In fact the right in America is where the left used to be, in many ways John Kennedy was more conservative than George Bush II.

Is there a better way to define political position?

Yeppers. We will present a quick and easy idea.

Sadly any continuum is going to have a left and right end. We will avoid the standard labels that confuse -- liberal, conservative, socialist, fascist, moderate, etc.

Government --- <= - => ---- Individual
in control ----- <= - => ---- in control
_l______________________________l_
Totalitarian ---- <= - = >----laissez faire

To the left you have bureaucrats in government making decisions for everyone; personal initiative is discouraged if not banned. "When the government's boot is on your throat, whether it is a left boot or a right boot is of no consequence." - Gary Lloyd

If you must use descriptive terms of direction; put both socialist and fascist toward the left; laissez faire and anarcho-capitalist to the right.

"Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire." - Robert Heinlein

To the right you have individuals making decisions about their own lives. The only use for government may be to control those that would impose their will on others. "A little government and a little luck are necessary in life, but only a fool trusts either of them." -- P. J. O'Rourke

The world is changing as technology empowers the individual.

Totalitarian governments have been the historic norm. Most political parties in most countries today are on the left side of the scale, many to the far totalitarian left. "Bureaucracy is a giant mechanism operated by pygmies." - Balzac

What may be most important for you is the direction of a country's government.

Organizations that derived their power from large economies of scale are collapsing under the individual's power of choice. Those willing to take responsibility for their own lives are finding many new lifestyle options. This is once again shifting the equation to the liberty enhancing right.

"Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he, then, be trusted with the government of others?" - Thomas Jefferson

(USA citizens, look here)

Take some time to think of what this may mean to your own personal future.

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Peter Drucker's Legacy

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As of November 11, 2005, Peter Drucker is no longer with us.
He is best known for creating a thoughtful framework of and for management theory.

Peter Drucker's arguments for treating employees as valuable assets of the company and letting them make decisions at their level reflected the efforts of many successful prior leaders. Peter Drucker took those prior successful actions and clearly wrote about them as a management style.

Of course many executives gave lip service to Peter Drucker's decentralized organizational theories and still maintained an elitist micro-management style.

The Wall Street Journal has just e-published a free compilation of Peter Drucker's short opinion essays. This WSJ review celebrates Peter Drucker's life as a management and organizational thought leader. For your own growth, check out Peter Drucker's Legacy.

Bastiat Free University has a course based on Peter Drucker's more recent books in our College of Entrepreneurship.

A better deal, if what you want to do is learn more about management, is review the WSJ material. You will walk away from the experience more knowledgeable, and potentially a better manager.

Read the essays in Peter Drucker's Legacy. It will cost you nothing but a bit of time, it offers a huge return on that investment.

Allan

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Freedom of Thought

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Sometimes just thinking is enough.

"Man is free at the moment he wants to be." - Voltaire

The fact you have been lied to and manipulated all your life is not your fault.

If you decide to give in and continue to let others do your thinking; that is now your fault.

You can be free, right now, if you want to be.

Stop listening to others about what you should think.

We are here on this earth for such a short time, make the most of it.

Stop looking for sources of information that reinforce what you were taught, at least for a while.

Think about more, and think about all of it more openly.

Learn to think, and act, for yourself.

Today is a good day to learn.

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Self Directed Distance Learning

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What will self directed learning mean to you?

From the time you were young, you have been trained and controlled.

In the USA it starts in pre-school. As an oversimplification, pre-school teaches kids to get along in a controlled environment. Someone is in charge of the kids, and makes sure no one is disruptive.

Pre-school prepares for kindergarten and a more controlled atmosphere.

Kindergarten prepares for first grade; and the progression continues, you do home work because it will be required at the next level.

If a child acts like a child and can't sit still, drugs are recommended to keep them in line.

If the child completes their twelve years and learns to be obedient, they may get the opportunity to spend another four to eight years in a similarly structured environment.

Stick with me here;

At the end of all this regimentation, what is the goal?

A job.

A college kid is not likely to take a class to learn something important, if that class would hurt their grade point average. What is so important about grades that they overshadow learning in school?

A job.

After 12 to 20 years in a structured organization, for what sort of job are you qualified?

A job in a bureaucracy, the government or a large corporation to be exact. You have become just the sort of obedient and compliant labor they require.

With the changing world society, many nations are cranking out these machine part graduates, so many that degrees are becoming common.

unfortunately many of these degrees do not represent learning.

Bastiat Free University is about self directed learning.

It will take a lot of desire on your part to do the required work without an authority forcing your efforts. - You are the one in charge at BFU.

That is good training for your own business.

Take the classes you want, when you want, and for your own reasons.

At no-charge you can register at BFuniv and explore our classes.

BFU is unaccredited, and will stay unaccredited. There is no reason for you to have to pay extra for all the nonsense accreditation requires, -- unless you want to work for the government or a large corporation, or get special licenses based on your degree.

Life is changing.

Society is changing.

The future will belong to a Netcohort of individuals that have knowledge, not just education.

Explore what we offer, think for yourself, plan for your future.

The future is not a utopia, but for those that have knowledge, integrity, adaptability, and a drive toward accomplishment, the opportunities are huge.

The choice is yours, - for once.

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In Defense of Wal-Mart

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There are plenty of entry points for business aside from directly attacking Wal-Mart.

The reason Wal-Mart has prospered is that it gives people what they want.

If the people wanted something different they would spend their dollars in a different way.

Those that fight Wal-Mart present all sorts of red herrings, but what it comes down to is envy.

Look at how many of the articles end up by talking about how much money the heirs have. Envy.

Wal-Mart provides what people want.

To change that you would have to rob from all those poor people that need low prices to help those that hate success.


"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill


We can have what Soviet Russia had, limited and controlled poor quality products somewhat equally distributed to those that lacked connections; or we can have free markets.

In free markets some will prosper beyond others. - That is a good thing.

To those screaming about the horrors of free markets; please yourself if you wish to live in a wattle and daub hut surviving on gruel while experiencing frequent famines and plagues. Rational people tend to prefer the better life offered by an open and free society. Don't demand others give up their lives by spieling your emotional screed reinforced with factual errors; and don't procure some government busybody to demand it of others for you. That is still theft. )

Someday Wal-Mart will be surpassed by a better company, just as they replaced K-Mart (Do you remember the same complaints about K-Mart, I do). Everyone will again benefit as the free market works.

Under free markets the gap will continue to expand between rich and poor; but the poor will be richer than they ever were.

Free markets help everyone, except a few protected groups that would penalize all to their benefit.


Those that scream at Wal-Mart fall into three groups:

• those that would sell the poor out so they can personally benefit
• those that hate to see someone prosper more than they do (envy)
• those that have been fooled by the above and their false arguments.

If you want change, look to smaller government that interferes less with small business; less regulation and taxes are a better way to even the playing field.

Not shooting at those that give people what they want, at a price they can afford.

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Class trick in self directed learning

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pertaining to the recent post on how to take a class, and the Tsunami Hitchhiker post on "aspirin therapy," I have a no pain introduction to BFuniv just for you.

• register - for free
• peruse the course list
• select a course or three that interest you
• Get the books, do the course work
• keep your course work on your personal computer (back it up)
• then decide if you want to seek a diploma at BFuniv
• if not, repeat
• if you decide to go for a diploma; - send in the registration fee and class fee
• send us an email with your intention
  
• the next day post the course work you already completed.

The reason for Bastiat Free University to exist is for you to rediscover the pleasure of self directed learning. We are here not for schoolin' but for learnin'.

BFU's self directed learning may be what you were looking for.

If a degree is one of your goals, we can help.

If all you want is self directed learning, we can help; - at no cost.

Register and start class today.

Just like aspirin therapy; there is a small known effort required, there is little risk, and it just may be worthwhile.

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Construction zone at BFuniv

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I know we said it will be next year before we start working on the BFuniv "pretty" upgrade. We do have some ideas on format we are working on.

There is still a long way to go; - but take a look.

It is just the university frame, but the ideas can be hung on that frame.

Look and please leave some comments.

Allan

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How To Take A Class

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Bastiat Free University is a different type of higher education learning experience.

Self Directed Learning - You can rediscover pleasure in learning.

• register at BFU (for free)
• select course
• read the introduction file
• if you are interested -
  
• acquire and read the course books
  
• read PDF and HTML course work listed

To reinforce the reading, at the end of each chapter and PDF file you will create a multiple choice question that reflects what you discovered in the course work. There are instructions in the introduction file. Subscribe to our RSS feed to keep up to date.

If you have trouble finding the course work:

• login
• under General Menu>My courses select your registered course
  
• next to campus - select >CLASS1
• and now select >course documents
  

If you are still having difficulty - please contact us and let us know what software you are using, ie: Windows XP with the Opera browser. We will try to duplicate any problem and fix it.

Most courses will also require a final essay that is to be posted to the class forum for peer review.

If a degree is important to you, there is a one time fee of US$75.00 for administration of your enrollment and a $15.00/unit fee for oversight and review of the course work. Most classes are three units, therefore US$45.00.

You can do all the work for yourself and never send us a US cent. The materials are there, use them. We would of course appreciate a donation if you can afford one.

Do not to spend years seeking a degree just to get a job.


The key as society changes will be: your knowledge, adaptability, integrity, and action.

The above attributes are becoming more important than a diploma.


Rediscover the pleasure of self directed learning.

Let learning become part of your life just as it was in your past; - an all day, every day, all life adventure.

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Architecture and Society and Unrest

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One of the central precepts for Bastiat Free University is that we are leaving the industrial age.


Most of the concepts that were enabled by massive institutions have become unwieldy and counter productive, and in many instances harmful to those ensnared in their grasp.


Colleges are just one of the problems, but one we are trying to address at BFU. Our largest communications problem is fixed ideas. We run counter to many long held beliefs as we emphasize learning and the future over trading years of your life for job prospects.


Bastiat Free University has a campus that is only accessed by internet. BFU has no physical presence, so why would we be interested in architecture?


Architecture is art, and leads as well as follows society. This wonderful article by Jacqui and Craig ties together connections quite well explaining the effects of industrial age buildings on their inhabitants.


Industrial age education is just as stiflingly and just as harmful to those subjected to it. New forms, goals, and processes need to be employed. It is not just a question of brick and mortar versus distance learning; the whole of education needs to be redesigned to emphasize the needs of the individual over society's goal of mechanical control of citizens.

We are not parts of a machine, we just have been increasingly treated that way for a dozen decades or so.

Allan

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Bastiat Free University

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BFU!

Because I'm too smart for State

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too good looking for Ivy League.

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A Valuable Education, - maybe

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Bill Bonner was in good form this morning in The Daily Reckoning.


I'll quote a couple of his paragraphs, 'cause here is another successful person showing his appreciation of current education.


"When an economy is young, dynamic and open, anyone can get ahead. All it takes is luck and pluck, as they say. That is when the economy is growing richer, and people are producing things they can sell at a profit. But when an economy becomes old and rigid, it shifts from making to buying...from earning to borrowing...from G.M. to Wal-Mart...from Detroit to Wall Street...from manufacturing to finance...from savings to debt...from ability to status...from what you know to who you know... and from how much you've learned to where you went to school.

We wonder, in fact, if all the time we spent in school was not a complete waste of time. We learn by reading, watching, listening and thinking. College seems like a way to avoid having to learn anything...by doing papers, taking tests and going to keg parties. This may not be true of engineers and scientists. But in our line of work, a college education may actually be a drawback. All it does is fill heads with whatever claptrap is popular at the moment. "

Society is changing.

The old industrial age is dying, and as free form capitalism that profited all is becoming an old boys monopoly game, only the old boys have access to the right game pieces. A few manage to work the system and profit, but overall connections are more important today than perseverance.

As government has grown it has destroyed small business through taxation and regulation. Knowledge and hard work are barely enough to overcome the anchor of socialism.

The result is that the poor have the primary method of self sufficient upward mobility denied them. The only route left is a diploma, and working for someone else.

The rich get richer, the poor get poorer; all because government destroys much of the value of personal initiative. There is however some good news.

There is a new society that will replace the industrial age. There is room for initiative in the information society, knowledge, adaptability, and integrity are once again rewarded. This is a society where learning is far more important than connections. This new frontier of capitalism is not yet weighed down with greedy governments stealing growth capitol to fund their bureaucracy.

This information age, the Netocracy, is a place that does not care who you know or what money or connections you have. Here you can make a difference in your own life. It won't be overnight, but your effort to learn will be rewarded.

The poor, the disenfranchised, the average joe; we have a chance again.

Take the chance.

Start today.

Allan

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Get ON Board

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Time to sign up for a few classes and take Bastiat Free University for a spin.

You can register for free, - monitor the classes for free.

Go to the site, look around, read a bit, then:


Register.

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