Everybody Trades

Language, the foundation of any society's legal system, emerges naturally and without central command. What should that tell us about human nature and the ability of other things to exist free of government fiat? Like mother nature, language is paradoxically wild and ordered.

After spending a bit too much time in hospitals recently, one thing is obvious to me: Hospitals are short on staff. What is the cause of this, and how can it get better?

Harrisburg has become the center of a mid-Missouri political controversy that affects the entire region, including Columbia. In the land of tornadoes, are we sure giant blades, sitting hundreds of feet in the air, is a great idea? Does wind energy actually combat "climate change"? How does nuclear energy produced in Callaway County compare to this proposed wind power plant, in terms of "footprint" and efficiency? Why do wind power plants require massive amounts of land compared to nuclear? And what about safety and nuclear waste?

The Columbia Missourian's two-part piece about this local issue was quite good.

Part 1: https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/northwest-missouri-wind-power-projects-a-boon-to-some-a/article_7fcab784-6b6e-11e9-b1fa-f7097fb2e0a0.html

Part 2: https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/boone-county-braces-for-potential-wind-energy-project/article_82da3da4-727c-11e9-b5f2-c775133e4d0d.html

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"Draftee Daffy" proves, once again, that Looney Tunes was brilliant and ahead of its time. The short cartoon is also the perfect jumping off point for conscription and foreign neutrality. And, let's be honest, Daffy's over-the-top, patriotic singing never gets old.

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The famous (for 48 hours) first photo of a blackhole reportedly cost about $19 million. Who could argue with a bargain like that? Dollar amounts have become meaningless at NASA and other public entities. Naturally, I tie the monologue into "Deep Space Homer".

(Link to video discussed in the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZnXPDlFprI)

For the love of God (literally), do NOT spend your Easter weekend reading the boring and inconsequential Mueller report. You know what's a million times more important? Trump's veto re: Yemen. Why were Obama and Trump, as candidates, far more dovish than their hawkish selves as presidents?

The college-admissions scandal involving Lori Loughlin certainly has a gross elitism to it, but is that the most alarming part of the story? When did expecting a fair trial become naive? Plus, why people should NOT leave impossible tasks "to the experts".

How much should you pay to attend "Angry White Male Studies" at the University of Kansas? In 2019, what is a college education's value? Is the education establishment on the brink of collapse? Perhaps people don't NEED to attend college for four years or more. Finally, are Americans truly "born free" if they are assigned a government number at birth?

THE GODFATHER is not only a classic film series, it challenges state power in a way rarely found in today's mainstream cinema. Is a contract, social or otherwise, valid if one party has no reasonable way to say "no"? Are mafiosos and senators "part of the same hypocrisy"? Does political power differ from mafia power? Is it OK for me to take someone else's money if it's "just enough to wet my beak"? And who decides what is "just enough"? Finally, the movies have interesting lines about guerrilla warfare, World War II, Fidel Castro, and more.

President Donald Trump and Rep. Ilhan Omar have something in common. Should "politics" (really, speech) "stop at the water's edge"? "Shut up" is not an argument, it's a threat. I'm not a fan of Omar, per se, but I REALLY am not a fan of people in DC telling me what I can and cannot say.