Mask Mandates: COVID-19 and the Law of the Instrument

“One day after the state reported a record 92 COVID-19-related deaths,” the Wisconsin State Journal‘s Mitchell Schmidt reports, “Gov. Tony Evers announced Wednesday he plans to extend the state’s emergency declaration and accompanying mask mandate through mid-January. … The current mask mandate was issued in July and extended by Evers in September.” The first two mask mandates didn’t achieve the desired result! Something must be done! Hey, I’ve got an idea! How about another mask mandate?

AIER, Cost of Lockdowns: A Preliminary Report (28m) – Episode 427

Episode 427 has Skyler giving his commentary on a new report by the American Institute of Economic Research titled, “Cost of Lockdowns: A Preliminary Report”. It begins: “In the debate over coronavirus policy, there has been far too little focus on the costs of lockdowns. It’s very common for the proponents of these interventions to write articles and large studies without even mentioning the downsides. Here is a brief look at the cost of stringencies in the United States, and around the world, including stay-at-home orders, closings of business and schools, restrictions on gatherings, shutting of arts and sports, restrictions on medical services, and interventions in the freedom of movement.”

Hey Tough Guy, I Call BS; They Will Take Your Guns from Warm Compliant Hands

For many years I have heard the tired old comments about government agents prying guns from cold dead hands. I recall a man with 300 partners on a mountain pass once said something similar, but he demonstrated through his actions that he actually meant it. I don’t think YOU really mean it. Your contemporary bravado is fine if we accept it for what it is. In truth, are YOU really THAT resolute & tough?

Emily’s Journey, Schooling Deficiencies, Human Conation, & Consulting Business (1h1m) – Episode 425

Episode 424 welcomes Emily Melious to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: why school only works for 20% of kids, and leaves out the rest; the trouble that gifted kids have in school; learning only how to do things according to someone’s “correct” way and the limits this places on kids; schooling versus human nature and creativity; the importance of school grades in the business world; the trilogy of mind: cognition (skills/knowledge), affection (emotions/motivations/personality), and conation (volition/desire); Kolbe Corpe and the way they assess a person’s trilogy of mind; her history learning about herself and advocating for her strengths personally and professionally; why she’s always focused on her capabilities instead of her immutable characteristics like gender; the limits on usefulness of personality tests; the challenges that 2020 has brought to her consulting business LaunchConsulting.io; and more.

Alex’s Journey, Digital Nomad, Ammo.com, & LibertasBella.com (1h6m) – Episode 423

Episode 423 welcomes Alex Horsman to the podcast to chat with Skyler on the following topics: his work with Ammo.com; the Ammo.com Resistance Library; graduating the University of Missouri (Mizzou) with a business and economics degree, and their Austrian School trained economics professors (lawsuit); becoming a digital nomad after graduation and living in 4 different countries in the last two years; experiences in Bali (Indonesia), Colombia, Lisbon (Portugal), and Sao Paulo (Brazil); constantly being offered drugs in Lisbon (Portugal decriminalization); unschooling and Sudbury schooling (Free to Learn by Peter Gray); Utah history and politics; COVID-19 and tourism; LibertasBella.com merchandise business; Tuttle Twins and the Mises Summit at Jekyll Island; Robert Kyosaki and Jeff Berwick feud; EVC logo colors origin; predictions on Trump pardoning anybody of note; and more.

Baby Yoda Cancelled, Expanding “Stand Your Ground”, Black Market COVID, & Free Stadia Bundle (24m) – Episode 421

Episode 421 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following news stories: from VanityFair.com, “Baby Yoda Canceled Amid Accusations of Genocide”; from WPTV.com, “DeSantis proposal could allow citizens to shoot, run over suspected rioters”; from BusinessInsider.com, “A global black market for negative COVID-19 test results has emerged, with fakes starting around $200”; and from AndroidPolice.com, “How to get a free Stadia Premiere Edition bundle ($100 value) if you have YouTube Premium” (Direct link).

Why I’m Not Worried About the Biden/Harris “Gun Control” Talk

More than 100 million Americans own nearly 400 million guns, and have no intention of surrendering those guns. Furthermore, Americans can build relatively sophisticated weapons with relatively inexpensive machine tools and/or 3D printers, and very basic firearms with items found in most homes. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris don’t have to like those facts. They’re facts  whether Joe Biden and Kamala Harris like them or not.

America in Transition: Two Things Donald Trump Can Do to Burnish His Legacy

If Joe Biden is locked in as the next president of the United States, Donald Trump has more than two months remaining in office. During that time, there are several steps he can and should take to burnish his legacy and set himself up to be remembered more kindly than his first four years and ten months in office might otherwise merit. Here are two of them.