New Problems in Other Directions

How long have people been voting “for” one candidate, for the sole purpose of voting against another one, while saying, “at least it’s a step in the right direction”? I’ve even seen some people who call themselves anarchists doing this. But no, it’s never a step in the right direction. At best, it’s a step in a different wrong direction.

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.”

Fried Chicken in a Hardware Store

Or, horror fiction on a libertarian website, if you prefer (see my bio below). Most of us have heard this expression, but for the uninitiated, it means attempting to market a product, service, or idea to the wrong or inappropriate audience or demographic. Thing is, I recall a hardware store in New Hampshire about 20 years ago that did sell fried chicken – and it was delicious.

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.

Frightened Out of All Proportion

I always thought that totalitarianism would come to the USA via war and the central government’s ostensible efforts to fend off a foreign foe by regimenting the people. I failed to foresee that the country would arrive at this horrifying destination by a different road, namely, state and local government overreactions to a perceived public-health crisis.

Healthy Skepticism, Group Bill, Never Regret a Day, & Vacuum Filters (16m) – Episode 040

Episode 040 looks at the importance of maintaining a healthy level of doubt (or skepticism) toward all of the new information you receive; why you should immediately pay back someone who conveniently took care of a group bill or expense; how every day, good, bad, worst, or best, can ultimately be beneficial; and why your vacuum’s filter is probably the cause of it not working well.