COVID-19 Lockdowns: Liberty and Science

The Chinese Coronavirus (COVID-19) hit American shores — officially, anyway, there is significant evidence that it arrived earlier — in late January 2020. The American public was then told that a two-week shutdown of the economy would “flatten the curve,” relieving the pressure on hospital intensive care units and saving lives in the long run. The average American, including conservatives,…

Freedom and Benefit, Toxic Workplace, Tax Avoidance, & Capitalist Ideology (25m) – Episode 422

Episode 422 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following entries to r/shitstatistssay: DizzFizz writes, “It’s interesting to see how a lot of US-citizens will bend over backwards in order to argue against something that would only benefit them, simply because of ‘freedom'”; anonymous writes, “What your niece did is right, it just unfortunately means you (and workers) suffered.”; bickerstaff writes, “Reagan ruined this country. By creating the notion (now foundational to the GOP) that government was not the solution, but the problem, he gave birth to the modern ‘starve the beast’ movement that is currently the largest problem in politics: tax avoidance.”; Pascal Morimacil writes, “Capitalism is… a system of government granted monopolies called private property.”

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).

Suicide

Let me be clear:  I consider suicide a tremendous tragedy.  It has touched my life and my family very deeply, and personally.  It seems to me that there are a thousand and one options, in most cases, before one should undertake such a dramatic, final, and irreversible course of action. That said, in the final analysis, the decision to live or not to live is – and should be – 100% the exclusive choice of the owner of that life – and never some outside party.  Ever. 

Tucker Carlson and the Cult of the Court

“The Supreme Court,” said Tucker Carlson on the October 12 edition of his Fox talk show, “exists only to determine whether the laws that our politicians write are consistent with the Constitution of the United States. That’s why we have a Supreme Court. It’s the only reason we have it.” Perhaps Tucker should keep a copy of the Constitution, maybe even a history book or two, on his desk (or on the table in his show’s writers’ room) to help him avoid saying stupid things like that in public.