The ancient bottleneck proposed by Professor Goldstein must have occurred in Africa, where modern humans evolved.

"This was almost coming full cycle back to the 1960's, to the idea that the police alone can fight crime," Professor Goldstein said.

Professor Goldstein of Babson College likened the growth in the mortgage industry to the Internet bubble.

But, Professor Goldstein added: "Are they going to think it's a little weird, a little medieval?

'Or does Professor Goldstein forbid that too?'

After that, Professor Goldstein said, all many alarm companies do is call the local police, who have to dispatch a cruiser.

They tried to do all this too quickly," Professor Goldstein said, "without the investment of years of groundwork in refined training and supervision and discipline.

"Efficiency is not a concern" for most campaign strategists, Professor Goldstein said.

"Some real nasty stuff," says Professor Goldstein as his students glean the shrouded battleground.

I telephoned and asked Professor Goldstein to explain.