Words & Numbers

The federal debt recently crossed the $30 trillion mark, making the debt 50% larger than the entire US economy. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.wsj.com/articles/belarusian-officials-charged-with-aircraft-piracy-for-diversion-of-ryanair-flight-11642723692 https://www.itv.com/news/2022-02-07/scientists-create-spinal-cord-implants-that-could-allow-paralysed-people-to-walk Foolishness of the Week https://www.claimscon.org/study/ Topic of the Week https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disposable_household_and_per_capita_income Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Americans are so used to having goods available to them at low prices, in expansive variety, and in apparently limitless quantities that sporadic shortages are shaking up our lives. Yet, what we experience as an inconvenience, others in the world experience as starvation. Humans’ default condition is not one of plenty, but one of poverty. What stands athwart any society and poverty is good governance and a free economy. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.artforum.com/news/ireland-to-launch-universal-basic-income-program-for-artists-87612 https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/31/europe/ireland-fishermen-russia-navy-intl/index.html Foolishness of the Week https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/he-e2-80-99s-declining-a-coronavirus-vaccine-at-the-expense-of-a-lifesaving-transplant-e2-80-98i-was-born-free-i-e2-80-99ll-die-free-e2-80-99/ar-AATkeOa Topic of the Week https://www.unitlife.org/impact-of-covid-19-on-malnutrition https://www.statista.com/statistics/269924/countries-most-affected-by-hunger-in-the-world-according-to-world-hunger-index/ https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SN.ITK.DEFC.ZS Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Chosen is a remarkable TV series on two counts. It is the largest crowdfunded effort of its type, having raised more than $10 million and attracted over 150 million downloads over its two seasons. It also manages to depict stories from the New Testament in a way that is attractive to atheists and people of faith alike. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://katu.com/news/nation-world/students-at-no-2-business-school-struggle-to-identify-the-average-americans-salary https://mcdc.missouri.edu/help/measures-of-income/ https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/college-mobility/university-of-pennsylvania https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abd0380 Foolishness of the Week https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-21/bezos-loses-20-billion-in-brutal-week-for-tech-billionaires Topic of the Week https://www.amazon.com/The-Chosen-season-1/dp/B091D6KCBS https://watch.angelstudios.com/thechosen https://derraleves.com/certified-youtube-consultant/ https://www.316tees.com/blogs/316/the-chosen-highest-crowd-funded-media Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Something odd is happening among Americans. People are generally quite nice to each other. Historically, Americans have been a generous people, and most have a good sense of civic duty. Yet, Americans on both the left and the right are angry about our politics. Both sides are coming to view the other as “the enemy.” It’s possible that we’ve reached a point where the best way forward is to go our separate ways. And we might not have reached this point at all if we had taken our founding principles more seriously. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick HitsFoolishness of the Week Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Even in the absence of inflation, a dollar in the future is less than a dollar today simply because it exists in the future. Humans have figured out how to use this fact to invent things like mortgages, installment payments, and subscriptions. We talk about the implications of the time value of money, then segue into virtual reality and the future of labor markets, then into the service the rich perform for the rest of us as first adopters. This is what happens when you don’t have a script. Get a 20% discount on the mask not named in the episode by clicking below and using the coupon code wordsandnumbers. https://www.getunmask.com/?ref=8Dgb483n98NjG Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hitshttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/01/05/maryland-couple-schmidt-baking-company-virginia-i-95/9110543002/ https://wtop.com/virginia/2022/01/uber-rider-stuck-on-i-95-hit-with-600-bill/ Foolishness of the Week https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2022/01/08/houston-teacher-accused-of-locking-son-in-trunk-of-car-to-avoid-covid-19-exposure/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan TAOlFLJq9bgnsgINqcg6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Goods appear to be randomly missing in stores, and prices seem to be rising. Much of what we're seeing is due to disruptions in the supply chain. This week, we talk with industry insider Mikhail Rasner about what's going on. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.npr.org/2021/12/16/1064855510/kraft-cream-cheese-20-dollar-website https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-12-10/supply-chain-latest-cream-cheese-is-the-latest-casualty-of-cyberattacks https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/opinions-with-the-supreme-court-lurching-right-state-courts-offer-liberals-hope/ar-AASaLg5 Foolishness of the Week https://nypost.com/2022/01/02/australian-man-self-immolates-after-ranting-against-covid-vaccines/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Phil Magness joins us to discuss critical race theory: what is it, and why is it controversial? Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.npr.org/2021/12/16/1064855510/kraft-cream-cheese-20-dollar-website https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2021-12-10/supply-chain-latest-cream-cheese-is-the-latest-casualty-of-cyberattacks https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/opinions-with-the-supreme-court-lurching-right-state-courts-offer-liberals-hope/ar-AASaLg5 Foolishness of the Week https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/fauci-says-domestic-travel-vaccination-rule-should-be-considered/ar-AASbcTj https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/12/10/world/covid-omicron-vaccines Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We had such good feedback from last week's live tradeoffs episode that we're including the audience Q&A session for this week's episode. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.npr.org/2021/12/18/1063205596/housing-cash-offer-home-buyer-seller https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/giant-rave-in-saudi-desert-pushes-kingdoms-changing-boundaries Foolishness of the Week https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-says-he-will-pay-more-than-11-billion-in-taxes-this-year-11640001132 Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do climate change, the covid lockdowns, taxing billionaires, free college, and free healthcare have in common? In each case, politicians would prefer that voters ignore the reality of tradeoffs. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.mediaite.com/tv/end-of-an-era-chris-wallaces-departure-from-fox-news-sets-off-a-media-and-political-firestorm/ https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/127245863/covid19-man-receives-up-to-10-vaccines-in-one-day Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As events point to the possibility of a second lockdown, we ask what we have learned from the last one. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers This Week’s Topichttps://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/excess_deaths.htm https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_totaldeaths Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In response to record-breaking deficits, politicians, pundits, and concerned voters are discussing new sources of tax revenue. Unfortunately, they often conflate wealth, income, and unrealized capital gains. This week, we clarify some of the confusion. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers This Week’s Topichttps://taxfoundation.org/publications/state-local-tax-burden-rankings/#Burdens https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYFSD https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GNP https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYFR https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/how-do-us-taxes-compare-internationally https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/demo/p60-273.html https://www.investopedia.com/how-much-does-health-insurance-cost-4774184 https://ips-dc.org/u-s-billionaire-wealth-surged-by-70-percent-or-2-1-trillion-during-pandemic-theyre-now-worth-a-combined-5-trillion/ https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/scf/dataviz/scf/chart/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we answer listener questions that cover a gamut of topics. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hitshttps://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/20/technology/personaltech/iphone-upgrades-cost.html Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we answer listener questions that cover a gamut of topics. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hitshttps://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-the-monday-edition-1.5868846/how-tiktok-users-designed-a-better-pill-bottle-for-people-with-parkinson-s-1.5868848 https://nypost.com/2021/11/15/kamala-harris-sidelined-amid-tensions-with-president-biden/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Card recently won the Nobel Prize in economics for his contributions to the study of labor markets and natural experiments. Some minimum wage proponents confuse these excellent contributions with a particular application of his contributions to a study he conducted of a hike in New Jersey’s minimum wage. We discuss the flaws in that oft-cited study, and the distinction between his contributions and the study. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hitshttps://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/11/buffalo-election-2021-results-india-walton-defeated.html https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/580322-democrats-brace-for-flood-of-retirements-after-virginia-rout https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/11/07/biden-approval-falls-38-midterms-loom-usa-today-suffolk-poll/6320098001/ Foolishness of the Weekhttps://abcnews4.com/news/nation-world/annual-microsoft-ignite-conference-entices-criticism-over-woke-introductions https://freebeacon.com/culture/microsoft-encourages-employees-to-state-race-gender-during-presentations/ https://www.fox5ny.com/news/one-of-worlds-largest-investment-firms-will-need-permission-to-hire-white-men Topic of the Week https://davidcard.berkeley.edu/papers/njmin-aer.pdf https://www.econlib.org/no-krueger-didnt-prove-that-raising-the-minimum-wage-doesnt-increase-unemployment/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The combination of property rights and a profit incentive yields good outcomes. Elephants provide an excellent example. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hitshttps://www.techspot.com/news/91430-bitcoin-mining-company-buys-pennsylvania-power-plant-meet.html https://hbr.org/2021/05/how-much-energy-does-bitcoin-actually-consume https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/after-san-francisco-shoplifting-video-goes-viral-officials-argue-thefts-n1273848 Foolishness of the Weekhttps://www.the-sun.com/sport/3969736/colin-kaepernick-nfl-draft-slavery-netflix/ Topic of the Week https://www.npr.org/2021/10/22/1048336907/elephants-tuskless-ivory-poaching-africa https://www.amazon.com/Free-Our-Markets-Essential-Economics/dp/098442542X Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Words & Numbers on Vurbl https://vurbl.com/station/words-numbers-1WI2qb0cxvW/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Politics, not partisanship, and economics are linked because both emerge from humans attempting to employ their abilities to satisfy their needs. In this episode, we explore the connection. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/10/13/norway-kongsberg-bow-arrow-attack/ https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/09/china/china-knife-attacks-mic-intl-hnk/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/25/tech/blue-origin-space-station-jeff-bezos-scn/index.html Foolishness of the Week https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/tom-brady-s-historic-day-took-a-backseat-to-his-encounter-with-a-9-year-old-cancer-survivor/ar-AAPVYUj Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Words & Numbers on Verbl https://vurbl.com/station/words-numbers-1WI2qb0cxvW/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Corey DeAngelis, who has made himself the public gadfly of teachers unions, joins us to talk about how Americans’ attitudes about funding public schools changed with covid. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.bls.gov/ooh/occupation-finder.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/construction-and-building-inspectors.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/respiratory-therapists.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/diagnostic-medical-sonographers.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-hygienists.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/radiation-therapists.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/elevator-installers-and-repairers.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/airline-and-commercial-pilots.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/air-traffic-controllers.htm https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58878473 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr_F_XQrukM Foolishness of the Week https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/oct/16/figures-of-babylon-oldest-drawing-of-a-ghost-found-in-british-museum-vault Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Money is an excellent tool for facilitating exchange. It solves problems like how to save while avoiding spoilage and how to exchange with people who don’t want what you’re offering. But we’ve come to rely so heavily on money that we’ve forgotten what exchange really is. In this first of two episodes, we discuss the nature of exchange. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/a-checkout-line-where-slower-is-better-supermarket-jumbo/ https://gizmodo.com/9-horrifying-facts-from-the-facebook-whistleblowers-new-1847791184 Foolishness of the Week https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/psaki-unfair-and-absurd-to-say-companies-would-raise-prices-in-response-to-tax-increases/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Money is an excellent tool for facilitating exchange. It solves problems like how to save while avoiding spoilage and how to exchange with people who don’t want what you’re offering. But we’ve come to rely so heavily on money that we’ve forgotten what exchange really is. In this first of two episodes, we discuss the nature of exchange. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/a-checkout-line-where-slower-is-better-supermarket-jumbo/ https://gizmodo.com/9-horrifying-facts-from-the-facebook-whistleblowers-new-1847791184 Foolishness of the Week https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/psaki-unfair-and-absurd-to-say-companies-would-raise-prices-in-response-to-tax-increases/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People who are pro-market often complain about unions. But unions are associations of people, just as corporations are associations of people. If it is people’s right to form one, then it is also their right to form the other. But, as it is bad for government to protect corporations from competition, so too is it bad for government to protect unions from competition. In this episode, we take a look at unions separate from government protection. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_4613 https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/27/fed-chair-powell-to-warn-congress-that-inflation-pressures-could-last-longer-than-expected.html Foolishness of the Week https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/federal-authorities-safety-box-seizures-owners-fight-back Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As politicians run out of revenue sources, they increasingly turn their attention from the rich to the middle class. Congress is considering a tax plan that effectively imposes a death tax on the middle class. Interestingly, politicians are calling it "a capital gains tax." Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://implementationscience.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13012-017-0637-1 Foolishness of the Week https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/20/ivermectin-shortage-horse-owners-covidhttps://www.aier.org/article/a-subtle-catastrophe/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Stories https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is a potluck. There's no specific topic, we're just discussing things in the news that caught our interests. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/13/top-earning-new-yorkers-could-face-61point2percent-combined-tax-rate-under-house-plan-californians-may-face-59percent-rate.html Foolishness of the Week https://www.aier.org/article/a-subtle-catastrophe/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Stories https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In an interesting twist of economics, it turns out that governments have no control over who ultimately pays a tax. Politicians can say they’re taxing consumers or taxing producers or taxing anyone else, but the market decides who ultimately pays the tax. And there’s nothing politicians can do to stop it. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/03/tech/apple-child-safety-tools-reversal/index.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-virgin-plastics-tax-could-help-save-the-oceans/2021/06/18/3ecb9cde-cd8d-11eb-8cd2-4e95230cfac2_story.html https://www.atr.org/democrats-eye-national-plastic-tax Foolishness of the Week https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/05/covid-coronavirus-work-home-office-surveillance Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Commonwealth Foundation Vice-President Nathan Benefield disagreed with our take on term limits from a couple of episodes ago. So we invited him to give arguments in favor. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hitshttps://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/mcdonalds-others-consider-closing-indoor-seating-amid-delta-surge-us-2021-08-30/ Foolishness of the Week https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-35db5c9eec87b85ca8eb95a64c2f6dd7 Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The CDC has mandated a moratorium on evictions. Under the CDC’s rules, landlords may not evict renters who haven’t paid their rent. But it is unclear that even Congress would have the constitutional authority to issue such a mandate. How then can the CDC do so? Clark Neily joins us to discuss this interesting question. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Topichttps://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/04/2020-19654/temporary-halt-in-residential-evictions-to-prevent-the-further-spread-of-covid-19 https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/20a169_4f15.pdf Quick Hitshttps://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/quentin-quarantino-meme-artist-raises-over-5-million-for-afghanistan/ https://www.nptrust.org/philanthropic-resources/charitable-giving-statistics/ https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/where-do-our-federal-tax-dollars-go Foolishness of the Week https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/07/27/tn-pastor-greg-locke-says-masks-arent-allowed-bible-church/5385007001/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all have a tendency to repeat things we hear. But when many people start repeating the same thing, we come to believe that the thing must be true. Unfortunately, this happens a lot when it comes to politics and government. This is the first of a two-part episode in which we discuss incorrect things that people tend to think are correct simply because they get repeated. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hitshttps://reason.com/2021/08/06/apple-will-start-checking-your-messages-for-dick-picks/ https://www.eksposure.com/mobile-photography-statistics/ https://enough.org/stats_exploitation https://www.wsj.com/articles/burial-crypt-for-sale-los-angeles-11628773222 Foolishness of the Weekhttps://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2021/08/12/philadelphia-mask-mandate-vaccine-requirements-businesses/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all have a tendency to repeat things we hear. But when many people start repeating the same thing, we come to believe that the thing must be true. Unfortunately, this happens a lot when it comes to politics and government. This is the first of a two-part episode in which we discuss incorrect things that people tend to think are correct simply because they get repeated. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hitshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtbSP3GG_YI https://www.siliconrepublic.com/companies/the-interview-john-beckett-entrepreneur-who-built-the-first-ryanair-website-video https://www.nationalreview.com/news/small-time-landlords-hanging-on-by-their-fingernails-as-eviction-moratorium-drags-on/ https://www.nationalreview.com/news/biden-admin-to-implement-limited-eviction-moratorium/ https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/07/there-are-about-1-million-more-job-openings-than-people-looking-for-work.html Foolishness of the Weekhttps://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/university-wisconsin-removes-rock-sign-racism-79313853https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/read-the-wisconsin-state-journals-original-article-on-chamberlin-rock-1925/article_e4cfcb52-774c-53ab-8b46-34009a0aeb64.html Topic of the Week https://www.downsizinggovernment.org/government-cost-overruns Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all have a tendency to repeat things we hear. But when many people start repeating the same thing, we come to believe that the thing must be true. Unfortunately, this happens a lot when it comes to economics and public policy. This week, we discuss incorrect things that people tend to think are correct simply because they get repeated. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/how-a-wasp-inspired-a-new-tool-for-keyhole-surgery-delft/ https://interestingengineering.com/biomimicry-9-ways-engineers-have-been-inspired-by-nature Foolishness of the Week https://oceansasia.org/covid-19-facemasks/ Topic of the Week https://www.downsizinggovernment.org/government-cost-overruns Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If there’s a single core principle in economics, it’s that people respond to incentives. Whether governments intend to, imposing taxes on people causes those people to change their behaviors. Consequently, governments end up collecting less tax revenue than they anticipated and often cause people to waste their time and money attempting to avoid those taxes. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits Lottery and Saving https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/07/22/canada-lotto-OLG-Lotto-Max-Anne-Hickey-five-years/2681626992009/ https://www.olg.ca/en/lottery/play-lotto-max-encore/odds-and-payouts.html Philip Morris https://apnews.com/article/philip-morris-marlboro-britain-496ac5b559d6cfe5b85d56b39f383905 Foolishness of the Week https://www.fox5ny.com/news/san-francisco-considering-congestion-tax-on-high-earning-drivers Topic of the Week https://www.thefemalecompany.com/tampon-book-en/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235989/ https://www.npr.org/sections/ablogsupreme/2013/04/16/177486309/how-taxes-and-moving-changed-the-sound-of-jazz https://www.efile.com/unusual-strange-funny-taxes-throughout-the-world-and-history/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the past century and a half, the federal government has quietly morphed from a government based on a constitution to a government based on a constitutional tradition. As it has done so, the Supreme Court has come to replace the Constitution as the limiting force on government. As the Supreme Court is, itself, part of the federal government, this transformation has fueled a runaway government that only ever gets larger and more powerful at the expense of the state and the people. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/exxons-corporate-coup https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/the-new-real-estate-normal/ar-AAMir6k Foolishness of the Week https://www.reuters.com/world/us/branding-us-left-aoc-makes-push-into-political-merchandise-2021-07-19/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Consumer prices have been rising more than usual since February. James and Ant discuss the nature of inflation, what causes it, and when it is and isn’t a bad thing. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://democracyjournal.org/arguments/ranked-choice-voting-is-not-the-solution/ https://nypost.com/2021/07/11/hotel-maid-prevents-potential-shooting-at-mlb-all-star-game-report/ Foolishness of the Week https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGhDkZJkbMI Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clark Neily, Rob McDonald, and Howard Baetjer join us for the second part of a free-wheeling conversation on government, history, and economics. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases https://www.showbiz411.com/2021/07/04/what-year-is-it-the-number-1-and-2-albums-on-itunes-are-40-queen-and-50-joni-mitchell-years-old Foolishness of the Week https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nationals-cancel-freedom-fireworks-fourth-of-july-citys-noise-curfew https://www.federalbaseball.com/2020/4/27/21227988/look-back-when-washington-nationals-wore-natinals-jerseys Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian Rob McDonald joins us to answer the questions, how is it that Thomas Jefferson came to be a slave owner and what could he have done to free his slaves. The answer, it turns out, is much more complicated than people tend to appreciate. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Foolishness of the Week https://www.pennlive.com/news/2021/06/police-break-up-exorcism-at-pa-home-depot.html Topic of the Week Rob McDonald https://teachingamericanhistory.org/blog/the-american-revolution-professor-robert-mcdonalds-new-core-document-collection/ Books https://www.amazon.com/Robert-M-S-McDonald/e/B006G5XJK6 Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clark Neily, Rob McDonald, and Howard Baetjer join us for the first of a multi-part free-wheeling conversation on government, history, and economics. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/aumf-repeal-congress/2021/06/17/1bd1ec70-cf76-11eb-a7f1-52b8870bef7c_story.html https://www.fox5ny.com/news/crypto-currency-confusion-georgia-man-wakes-up-a-trillionaire Foolishness of the Week https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9704447/Manhattan-City-Council-candidate-26-caught-ex-girlfriend-leaked-dominatrix-video.html Topic of the Week https://www.cato.org/people/clark-neily https://www.westpoint.edu/history/profile/robert_mcdonald http://wp.towson.edu/baetjer/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bob Luddy, founder of Thales College joins us this week to talk about a revolutionary model for higher education that attempts to break the guild system that is holding back innovation. Thales College is refusing to pursue accreditation and will not accept federal funding. This will both keep it out from under the regulatory thumbs of both the government and the existing higher education system. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/p19.pdf https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/incarceration-rates-by-country https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/14/politics/fbi-qanon-threat-assessment/index.html Foolishness of the Week https://www.mediaite.com/tv/lester-holt-challenges-kamala-harris-on-claim-weve-been-to-the-border-you-havent/ Topic of the Week https://www.thalescollege.org https://www.thalesacademy.org/about/founder https://www.neche.org/resources/standards-for-accreditation https://www.msche.org/standards/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Philosopher Michael Huemer joins us this week to talk about anarchy, chaos, and the fact that the government has a monopoly on power. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hitshttps://www.businessinsider.com/biotech-startup-trying-to-stop-rhino-poaching-2016-9 https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/05/el-salvador-becomes-the-first-country-to-adopt-bitcoin-as-legal-tender-.html https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2014-11-14/why-pay-15-million-for-a-white-canvas Foolishness of the Week https://news.artnet.com/art-world/italian-artist-auctioned-off-invisible-sculpture-18300-literally-made-nothing-1976181/amp-page Topic of the Week http://www.owl232.net http://fakenous.net https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Huemer/e/B001H6GHNU https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/18/us/biden-admits-plagiarism-in-school-but-says-it-was-not-malevolent.html Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nav Bhatia, the first fan to be inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame, joins us this week to talk about his passion for basketball, life, and entrepreneurship. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.councilforeconed.org/2021/05/25/mount-hebron-high-school-in-ellicott-city-md-clinches-the-21st-annual-national-economics-challenge-from-the-council-for-economic-education/ https://dnyuz.com/2021/05/29/an-arms-race-in-america-gun-buying-spiked-during-the-pandemic-its-still-up/ Foolishness of the Week https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/do-deficits-matter-anymore-biden-s-first-budget-signals-they-don-t/ar-AAKuHYg Topic of the Week https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/basketball/superfan-navdeep-bhatia-his-journey-from-1984-riots-to-nba-hall-of-fame-7326814/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Blake Scott Ball joins us to discuss his book on Charles Schulz and the political narrative in the Peanuts comic that managed to attract both liberals and conservatives. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.oddee.com/psychedelic-fungus-causes-cicadas-butts-to-fall-off-and-takes-their-place-58847/ https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/22/middleeast/jewish-man-organ-donation-arab-woman-intl-cmd/index.html Foolishness of the Week https://thehill.com/homenews/house/554894-greene-under-fire-for-comparing-mask-policy-to-the-holocaust-a-neurotic-lack?rl=1 Topic of the Week Blake Scott Ball Twitter: @bsb1945 Email: [email protected] http://blakescottball.medium.com https://global.oup.com/academic/product/charlie-browns-america-9780190090463 Use promo code “AAFLYG6” for 30% off at checkout Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sykes Wilford, founder and CEO of smokingpipes.com joins us this week to discuss his experience as a successful entrepreneur in an industry that has shrunk by 98 percent and that the government has targeted for eventual obliteration. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits Warren Buffetthttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/buffett-its-corporate-fiction-to-say-higher-business-taxes-hurt-customers-172536348.html China in Space https://apnews.com/article/china-technology-business-science-e1c1d0679aa78a8cc79c04a4d1375322 UFOs https://www.the-sun.com/news/2891893/us-navy-vid-shows-ufo-whizzing-through-sky/ Masks https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mask-no-mask-new-rules-leave-americans-recalibrating-hour-by-hour/ar-BB1gM7FO Foolishness of the Week The Story https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/smallbusiness/the-man-who-didnt-invent-flamin-hot-cheetos/ar-BB1gMYd1 Our Error https://fee.org/shows/audio/words-numbers/Arguing-Outcomes-Instead-of-Principles-Puts-the-Cart-Before-the-Horse Topic of the Week SmokingPipes.com https://corporate.laudisi.com Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vann Prime, an award-winning public school teacher from (in his words) a standard public school - not rich, not poor, not magnet or charter - joins us to talk about good things happening at his public school and how we might improve public schools in general. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/04/30/opinion/politics/bubble-politics.html https://www.wsj.com/articles/catholic-schools-are-losing-students-at-record-rates-and-hundreds-are-closing-11620651600 Foolishness of the Week https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/a-blinking-light-ahead-slowing-population-growth-raises-questions-about-america-as-a-land-with-unlimited-horizons/ar-BB1gxEif Topic of the Week Good news about a public school Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nicole Neily, President of Speech First joins us this week to discuss free speech on college campuses. A growing number of colleges have been restricting speech, both of students and faculty. In defining undesirable speech overly broadly, a chill has been growing in higher education wherein students, faculty, and even administrators are censoring their own speech rather than risk running afoul of rules that can mean expulsion and termination. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.oddee.com/hundreds-of-joshes-battle-with-pool-noodles-to-determine-the-ultimate-josh-58155/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1V9_EY-TY0 https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/historic-life-saving-step-fda-moves-ban-menthol-cigarettes-flavored-n1265823 Foolishness of the Week https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/04/30/a-proclamation-on-loyalty-day-2021/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalty_Day Topic of the Week https://speechfirst.org https://provost.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/documents/reports/FOECommitteeReport.pdf Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Philanthropist, lawyer, entrepreneur, musician, and armchair philosopher John LeFebvre joins us this week to discuss philanthropy, run-ins with the law, and how the world is becoming a better place. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.wtae.com/article/animal-control-croissant-call/36164733 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/23/us/some-mass-vaccination-sites-in-us-close-as-demand-begins-to-fall.html https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations Foolishness of the Week https://nypost.com/2021/04/22/usps-reportedly-tracking-americans-social-media-posts/ Topic of the Week https://www.johnlefebvre.com/ https://www.amazon.com/John-Lefebvre/e/B071FPBMY4 Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clark Neily returns this week to discuss recent court cases involving developments with qualified immunity. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.thecentersquare.com/west_virginia/west-virginia-ranks-as-one-of-the-worst-states-for-economic-freedom/article_4573ddba-4a27-11eb-8412-6739f37a0035.html https://www.npr.org/local/305/2021/04/14/987174386/west-virginia-is-paying-remote-workers-12-000-to-move-there https://www.macrotrends.net/states/west-virginia/population https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judicial_Procedures_Reform_Bill_of_1937 https://www.reuters.com/business/legal/most-americans-want-end-lifetime-supreme-court-appointments-2021-04-18/ Foolishness of the Week https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/16/22388184/new-york-affordable-internet-cost-low-income-price-cap-bill Topic of the Week: Qualified Immunity Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, comedian and political commentator Andrew Heaton joins us to talk about his forthcoming book on Tribalism. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits Keep Wearing Masks https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html https://www.uchealth.org/today/why-we-must-wear-masks-even-after-getting-the-covid-19-vaccine/ https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/03/30/981303287/should-masking-last-beyond-the-pandemic-flu-and-colds-are-down-spurring-a-debate Foolishness of the Week https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-8e31fdc2b54f9d61e4d317449507c7be Topic of the Week Andrew Heaton https://mightyheaton.com/aboutandrewheaton The Political Orphanage https://mightyheaton.com/the-political-orphanage Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The latest Congressional Budget Office numbers are out showing how much different income groups pay in federal taxes. We combine these numbers with our informal surveys of students to find some interesting conclusions as to who is and is not paying their fair share. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits Shrinking Inequality https://www.wsj.com/articles/incredible-shrinking-income-inequality-11616517284 Quality of Life https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2011/demo/well-being/p70-136.html Virus Passes https://www.politico.eu/article/united-kingdom-coronavirus-certificate-sporting-events-nightclubs/ Foolishness of the Week Weddings in Vegas https://apnews.com/article/occasions-weddings-couples-marriage-las-vegas-39d3418e06b212a63ade2e61eda295dc Topic of the Week: Income https://www.cbo.gov/publication/56575 Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Russell Shorto joins us this week to discuss his latest book, Smalltime: A story of my family and the mob. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits Postal Service https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-postal-service-overhaul-calls-for-higher-prices-slower-mail-and-more-packages-11616509800 Alien Languages https://www.wsj.com/articles/alien-languages-may-not-be-entirely-alien-to-us-11616817660 Foolishness of the Week Lifeguard Millionaires https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamandrzejewski/2021/03/27/top-paid-la-lifeguards-earned-up-to-392000-in-2019/ This Week on Patreon https://techxplore.com/news/2021-03-pandemic-fuels-boomin-virtual-reality.html Topic of the Week: Smalltime Russell Shorto https://www.russellshorto.com https://www.amazon.com/Smalltime-Story-My-Family-Mob/dp/0393245586 Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People hear things that sound right or interesting, and then repeat them without checking the facts. This is how urban legends are created. On this week’s episode, we discuss some economics urban legends. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits The Platform https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8228288/ In Time https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1637688/ Your Papers!https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56460329 Foolishness of the Week Sue Bird vs. LeBron James https://admin.fee.org/media/39317/sue-bird-vs-lebron-james.png Topic of the Week: Urban Legends Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this multi-part episode, James and Ant answer listener questions. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits COVID Testing https://hidrb.com Philadelphia Inquirer Comments https://www.inquirer.com/about/philadelphia-inquirer-comments-section-changes-20210201.html Vaccine and Blood Clotting https://apnews.com/article/germany-suspends-astrazeneca-vaccine-blood-clotting-0ab2c4fe13370c96c873e896387eb92f Kudos of the Week https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-legislators-want-to-rename-highway-after-prince/600034298/ Topic of the Week: Your Questions! Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this multi-part episode, James and Ant answer listener questions. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits Cuttlefish https://www.sciencealert.com/cuttlefish-can-pass-a-cognitive-test-designed-for-children https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/541882-cronkite-signed-off-40-years-ago-it-seems-like-an-eon-in-news-standards Foolishness of the Week https://apnews.com/article/mr-potato-head-goes-gender-neutral-d3c178f2b9b0c424ed814657be41a9d8 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/07/qanon-trap-violence-474034 Topic of the Week: Your Questions! Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this multi-part episode, James and Ant answer listener questions. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-01/richest-100-americans-would-pay-78-billion-under-warren-tax https://www.npr.org/2021/02/27/971958260/scientists-talked-to-people-in-their-dreams-they-answered Foolishness of the Week https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/youtube-ai-blocked-chess-channel-after-confusing-black-and-white-for-racist-slurs-3454316.html Topic of the Week: Your Questions!Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected] Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices