Words & Numbers

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:w

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 ht

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

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:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan

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:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan

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:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan

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:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan

Former Supervisory Special Agent Martin Gilvary joins us this week to give us an inside perspective on policing in the US. 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://giphy.com/gifs/rickroll-rick-astley-never-gonna-give-you-up-Vuw9m5wXviFIQ https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/i-will-not-make-happen-biden-declines-democrats-call-cancel-n1258069 https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2021/01/13/heres-why-biden-cant-cancel-student-loans/ https://apnews.com/article/1st-cloned-endagered-species-ferret-23cde3908e496692648dc28d4b8121ee Foolishness of the Week https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/11/churchill-white-supremacist-leading-empire-worse-nazis-claims/ Topic of the Weekhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/check-your-bias/id1500221730?i=1000466477789 Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029

In this second of a two part series, Max Borders joins us to discuss his recent book, After Collapse: The End of America and the Rebirth of Her Ideals. Despite the title and the subject matter, it is an honest but upbeat analysis of political, economic, and cultural changes that have put us on a path to transformation. 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.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/02/01/oregon-decriminalizes-all-drugs-offers-treatment-instead-jail-time/4311046001/ https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2018/03/more-imprisonment-does-not-reduce-state-drug-problems https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2681083/ https://news.yahoo.com/fbi-informant-panic-ruining-friendships-042446613.html Foolishness of the Week https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-chris-cuomo-andrew-cuomo-nursing-home-scandal https://www.d

Max Borders joins us to discuss his recent book, After Collapse: The End of America and the Rebirth of Her Ideals. Despite the title and the subject matter, it is an honest but upbeat analysis of political, economic, and cultural changes that have put us on a path to transformation. 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 30 minutes’ worth of Googling Krogerhttps://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/employment/supermarkets-grocery-stores-united-states/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/999141/gross-margin-of-kroger/ https://thehill.com/policy/finance/537002-kroger-closing-two-stores-after-city-orders-higher-pandemic-pay-for-workers https://www.workforce.com/news/labor-and-benefits-expenses-in-supermarkets http://s1.q4cdn.com/137099145/files/doc_downloads/irw/fact_books/2016-PDF-Fact-Book.pdf MOMA https://dnyuz.com/2021/02/05/facing-deficit-met-considers

Federal policies have been hitting small businesses particularly hard. From the lockdown to heightened IRS scrutiny to an increased minimum wage to an expanded estate tax, many federal policies harm small businesses more than corporations and so jeopardizes the livelihoods of almost half of American workers. 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 Chick-fil-A https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/south-carolina-chick-fil-a-manager-covid-19-vaccine-drive-thru Dodger Stadium https://news.yahoo.com/dodger-stadiums-covid-19-vaccination-233339650.html Foolishness of the Week Impeachment 1 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/30/us/politics/trump-butch-bowers-impeachment.html Impeachment 2https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/30/politics/butch-bowers-deborah-barbier-trump-impeachment-team/index.html Topic of the Week The War on Small Businesseshttps://insidesources.com/the-war-on-sma

This week we discuss a smorgasbord of topics related to the division of power among the branches: pardons, judicial review, agencies, and bureaucracy. 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.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/01/21/census-estimates-show-population-decline-in-16-states Foolishness of the Week https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2021/01/21/covid-vaccines-coronavirus-internet-ads/ Topic of the Week: Powers of U.S. Government’s Branches Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan

Episode 206: A Dutch immigrant gives us a view of the United States from the outside, and a view of the Netherlands from the inside: immigration, taxes, social safety nets, and community. 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.politico.com/news/2020/12/17/3rd-antitrust-lawsuit-hits-google-447741 https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share https://www.statista.com/statistics/265773/market-share-of-the-most-popular-social-media-websites-in-the-us https://www.wired.com/2002/11/u-s-v-microsoft-timeline/ https://www.kwtx.com/2021/01/15/3-with-covid-19-owe-lives-to-girl-17-who-smelled-smoke-from-early-morning-fire/ Foolishness of the Week https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/01/17/live-politics-updates-joe-biden-inauguration-donald-trump-impeachment/4196264001/ Topic of the Week Bass Van Der Vossen https://www.basvandervossen.c

The riots in Washington DC and the riots in Seattle have revealed some troubling hypocrisy. Many of those who were for one were against the other. While the impetus behind them was different, the justifications people invoked were the same. This inconsistency is what happens when we ignore principles in favor of justifying outcomes. 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 Parler https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9130649/Conservative-social-media-platform-Parler-banned-Apple.html Pilot Threatens to Pull The Plane Over https://www.businessinsider.com/video-american-airlines-pilot-threat-strand-trump-fans-dc-phoenix-2021-1 Foolishness of the Week Race Offender Registry https://nypost.com/2020/12/30/leader-of-blm-inspired-group-calls-for-race-offenders-registry Topic of the Week Arash Ayrom https://www.facebook.com/arashayrom/posts/10224723291979277 Join t

With the start of a new year, James and Ant look at the phenomenon of nostalgia. Why do we tend to look back on the past with a fondness, and what dangers does that imply for how we look at the present? 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 Walk with Shawn https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/black-man-scared-to-walk-in-neighborhood-joined-by-75-neighbors/ Expunging Marijuana Records https://chicago.suntimes.com/cannabis/2020/12/31/22208659/cannabis-marijuana-illinois-expunge-pardon-pritzker-legal-pot Foolishness of the Week Bill de Blasio https://us04web.zoom.us/j/3262037742?pwd=K2kzWGw5eVdBbCttVVo0MnVaeFdVdz09 https://www.nydailynews.com/snyde/ny-andy-cohen-rants-mayor-de-blasio-dance-new-years-eve-show-new-york-20210101-azfjzrhbl5aizbsqibzrcm6v7a-story.html Topic of the Weekhttps://www2.census.gov/library/publications/1956/demographics/p60-23.pdf https://fred

We haven’t seen widespread adoption of alternative energy because, for many decades, energy generated from fossil fuels was cheaper. As with any technology, as time progressed, superior technologies evolved. Also, as time progressed, demand for alternative energy increased, resulting in economies of scale. 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 Federal Reserve Database https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LES1252881600Q#0 https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/COMPRNFB#0 Jeff Bezos: Richest Person in the World https://www.npr.org/2020/12/10/944620768/theres-rich-and-theres-jeff-bezos-rich-meet-the-members-of-the-100-billion-club The Richest People Who Ever Lived https://www.finance-monthly.com/2019/02/who-is-the-richest-person-that-ever-lived/ Average Person Spends 44 Years Looking at Devices https://www.studyfinds.org/screen-zombies-average-person-spends-44-years-

This Christmas special is a montage of “best of” moments from Words and Numbers. Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all our listeners and supporters! 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 Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan

The tool each of us uses most often - language - presents an interesting contradiction. To communicate ideas clearly and efficiently, words must have meanings. Yet, because language is an emergent phenomenon, words and words’ meanings change. This has important implications for everything from how we interact with each other on a daily basis to what rights the Constitution claims to protect. 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 HitsPresidential Restraint https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/10/politics/joe-biden-audio-civil-rights-leaders/index.html Should Biden Pardon Trump? https://theconstitutionalist.org/2020/12/13/joe-biden-should-pardon-donald-trump/ Foolishness of the Week MAGA Protesters https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/protesters-chant-destroy-the-gop-at-pro-trump-rally-1102967/ Topic of the Weekhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irregardless http

For our 200th episode, Larry Reed joins us to talk about his experiences in spreading the good news of liberty and freedom. 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 Hope https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/A939RX0Q048SBEA https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/UNRATE https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2020/12/05/fortune-telling-businesses-booming-during-covid-19-pandemic/ Foolishness of the Week https://www.ajc.com/politics/trump-tells-gop-to-vote-in-rigged-election/IVGOUWDVBBCXHJU573QB5H5XVY/ Topic of the WeekLarry Reed https://fee.org/people/lawrence-w-reed/ Books by Larry Reed https://www.amazon.com/Lawrence-W-Reed/e/B08BJD7W9T Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twi

Many people’s misunderstandings about disparate subjects like insurance, profits, and financial speculators have their roots in a single source - a misunderstanding of risk. One of the most important discoveries that gave rise to our technologically advanced world is how to turn risk into a commodity that can be bought and sold. 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 HitsSocial Security race gap https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/2017/015.pdf One-third of NJ businesses close https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/527901-almost-one-third-of-small-businesses-in-new-jersey-have-have-closed Foolishness of the Week Trump claims FBI rigged the election https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-baselessly-suggests-fbi-rigged-election-against-him-in-first-post-election-interview Topic of the Week: Misunderstanding of Risk Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage http