Hawk Talk

James and Antony record before a live audience at Truman State University, asking the question, “Is Capitalism moral?” Their answer wends its way through the definition of morality, whether morality requires a religious basis, whether markets beget or reflect morality, whether self-interest is immoral or a motivator that can be harnessed to encourage people to want to help each other.

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Quick hits

Chicago library drops fines

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/chicago-first-to-ditch-overdue-library-fees/

Ohio allows wrong answers https://www.newsweek.com/ohio-student-religious-liberties-act-1472008

Foolishness of the week

Billionaires’ tears

https://shop.elizabethwarren.com/products/billionaire-tears-mug

Topic of the week: The morality of capitalism

Paul Ryan’s Catholicism and the poor

https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444375104577592892933747400

Ethics and the economy

https://www.jstor.org/stable/20753439?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

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The US health care system is rife with many variables affecting the prices of and access to medical care. iHealth is a health care provider that does not take health insurance and is transparent about its prices. Is there a regulatory framework that allows for such a business to be successful? Would this model work for the rest of the country? What barriers are in place that prevent other physicians from doing business like iHealth? Join James Harrigan, Antony Davies, and their special guest Dr. Timothy Wong, the founder of iHealth, as they parse out the complexities behind the economics and politics of the health care industry. 

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Quick hits

Texas voters ban the state income tax

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2019/11/06/early-texas-voters-leaning-toward-supporting-ban-on-state-income-tax/

State-Local Tax Burden Rankings FY 2012

https://taxfoundation.org/publications/state-local-tax-burden-rankings/

9 States With No Income Tax

https://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/taxes/T054-S001-states-without-income-tax/index.html

Texas Voters Ban Income Tax Again

https://reason.com/2019/11/06/texas-voters-ban-state-income-taxes-again/

The trade gap

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/trump-vowed-to-shrink-the-trade-gap-it-keeps-growing/ar-AAJTqg9

Foolishness of the week

Michael Bloomberg running for President

https://apnews.com/461efe170a174c4fb9446951c164537e

Jeff Sessions running for the Senate

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/jeff-sessions-trump-first-ad-alabama-trump

Topic of the week: A new model for delivering primary health care

iHealth Clinic

https://ihealth.clinic/

Direct Access Primary Care

https://directaccessprimarycare.com/

A flat-fee approach to paying for health care

https://www.post-gazette.com/business/healthcare-business/2019/08/26/Doctor-Timothy-Wong-insurance-flat-fee-primary-care/stories/201908250045

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Using a historical definition of the term, socialism designated a political system where the government owns the means of production. However, for many people, the word has evolved into something different. Do today’s young people believe in government ownership of property or redistribution of positive results? What has changed the traditional sense of socialism? Has the Supreme Court weighed in on any social programs? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they ponder these questions and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. 

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Quick hits

Enzymes eat plastic

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/factory-uses-enzymes-to-recycle-all-plastics-at-once-backed-by-major-companies/

Anti-inflamatory drugs and depression

https://www.healio.com/primary-care/psychiatry/news/online/%7B649c6090-c2d2-4b42-800d-9f63fabf862c%7D/anti-inflammatory-drugs-improve-depression

Foolishness of the week

Senate rejects Rand Paul’s proposal to cut spending by 2 percent

https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/467817-senate-rejects-paul-effort-to-cut-spending

Topic of the week: Transferism

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Many attention-grabbing headlines talk about laws restricting speech. It seems some legislators don’t know the constitutionality of these proposed laws. What are the ramifications of passing laws such as these? Are these laws justified under some legal doctrines? What’s the rationale behind these propositions? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they dig into these proposed laws and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers.

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Quick hits

California blackouts

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/23/pge-rebuked-over-imposing-blackouts-in-california-to-reduce-fire-risk.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/29/business/california-fire-insurance.html

Portland is surprised that a retail tax causes retail prices to rise

https://www.americanexperiment.org/2019/10/portland-voters-put-a-1-tax-on-large-retailers-complain-when-retailers-pass-it-on-to-them/

Foolishness of the week

Woke math

https://reason.com/2019/10/22/seattle-math-oppressive-cultural-woke/?fbclid=IwAR2ZEAmWBlm0KnxvWblTthoNsuPG39Qx-eNMp_dn1GdmdKztww_QZMB1YFU

https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/socialstudies/pubdocs/Math%20SDS%20ES%20Framework.pdf

Topic of the week: First Amendment https://www.americanexperiment.org/2019/10/portland-voters-put-a-1-tax-on-large-retailers-complain-when-retailers-pass-it-on-to-them/

https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-uconn-rally-racist-video-20191021-fmpaw34gzzcqtipztwv45tieca-story.html

https://reason.com/2019/10/23/the-connecticut-hate-crimes-law-used-to-charge-two-idiot-college-students-would-ban-family-guy-too/

https://www.boston.com/news/policy/2019/10/22/proposed-massachusetts-law-would-ban-b-word

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It’s debate season, and speculation about who will be the next president has already begun. Looming over the current president are constant calls for impeachment and reports on alleged wrongdoings which may diminish his chances for reelection. So, who are the best candidates and their running mates? Is impeachment a criminal or a political procedure? What kind of candidate are many Americans looking for? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they offer their assessment of the next presidential election and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers.

Quick hits:

Difference between a signatory and a party

http://www.insidejustice.com/intl/2010/03/17/signatory_party_treaty/

Major cities that have peaked their carbon emissions

https://www.c40.org/press_releases/30-of-the-world-s-largest-most-influential-cities-have-peaked-greenhouse-gas-emissions

Mad Dog Mattis and the Debt

https://www.politics-prose.com/video/call-sign-chaos-jim-mattis

Foolishness of the week:

San Francisco's Office of Emerging Technology

https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/sf-to-establish-office-of-emerging-technology/?fbclid=IwAR2Txda5zSvC_YEblel4JVpZ8hm1hgDOKVbXHmGK4_syDb0Vm__ThwJrzcQ

Topic of the week: Politically Smart Moves: Giuliana’s associates arrested

https://www.wsj.com/articles/two-foreign-born-men-who-helped-giuliani-on-ukraine-arrested-on-campaign-finance-charges-11570714188

Bi-partisan presidential tickets

https://www.bustle.com/articles/160298-do-presidents-vice-presidents-have-to-be-from-the-same-party-a-bipartisan-attempt-isnt

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Sean Malone, the creator of the Out of Frame video series and Director of Media at FEE, gives us his unique perspective on the film Joker. Do art and cinema have the power to hold a mirror up to society? Is that what makes people uncomfortable about Joker and movies like it? How do other cultures respond to graphic novels and films about superheroes? Join James Harrigan, Antony Davies, and special guest Sean Malone as they avoid spoilers and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers.

Quick hits

Pikes Peak Library  District

https://ppld.org/

Shepard Smith leaving Fox

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/breaking-shepard-smith-leaving-fox-news/

Foolishness of the week

White House sends talking points to Democrats

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/465457-white-house-accidentally-sends-ukraine-talking-points-to-democrats-again

Topic of the week: Joker Sean Malone

https://fee.org/people/sean-malone/

Out of Frame

https://fee.org/shows/video/out-of-frame/

The Joker, Nihilism, and One Iranian Boy

https://youtu.be/rYLwLSlfnlU

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This year, October 3, 2019, is Deficit Day, the day the federal government’s income runs out. For a long time, the government has been spending more money than it collects in taxes. What effect will this have on the average American citizen? How much does the government pay in loan interest alone? Hasn’t the federal government had surpluses? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they crunch the numbers and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers.

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Quick hits

Gang leaders

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/former-bloods-and-crips-leaders-make-peace-to-stop-gang-violence/

Hate symbols

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/26/us/adl-new-hate-symbols/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1-5FFWB_7gYooaWLZgmyXo9w9DgeN9IrAc_yLxchsjqReEIwoOzzqcvRA

Foolishness of the week

Stock markets and impeachment

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/26/trump-warns-again-that-the-stock-market-would-crash-if-he-is-impeached.html

Topic of the week: Deficit Day 2019

https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/federal-debt-deficit-reserve-president-donald-trump-20190924.html

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Antony Davies on Twitter

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As the saying goes, nothing can be certain except death and taxes. Thousands of people die every year from a remarkably wide variety of causes. What are the top five causes of death in the US? Are you more likely to be killed by a knife than a gun? What do diet and exercise have to do with death? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they cover death by rare diseases, vaping, firearms and more in this week’s episode of Words & Numbers.

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Quick hits

Speculators

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/upshot/Bernie-Sanders-housing-plan.html

https://news.streetroots.org/2019/09/13/wall-street-speculators-and-loss-affordable-housing

San Francisco library eliminates overdue fines

https://www.kqed.org/arts/13866475/san-francisco-public-library-eliminates-overdue-fines

Foolishness of the week

Confessing one’s climate sins

https://pagesix.com/2019/09/22/radioheads-thom-yorke-admits-hes-a-climate-change-hypocrite/

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/specials/climate-confessions-share-solutions-climate-change-n1054791

Topic of the week: What will kill you

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/19/health/vaping-lung-injury-new-cases-530-bn/index.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/eastern-equine-encephalitis-several-dead-from-rare-disease-spread-by-mosquitoes-2019-09-21/

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congresswoman-mocked-for-saying-ar-15-is-as-heavy-as-10-moving-boxes-fires-50-caliber-bullets

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr68/nvsr68_09-508.pdf

https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2017/crime-in-the-u.s.-2017/topic-pages/tables/table-20

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In this episode, James and Ant interview Robert Anthony Peters, producer and director of Tank Man, the story of the everyday person who stood down the Chinese army during the Tiananmen Massacre. In 1989, the Chinese people staged a series of protests in Tiananmen Square calling for democratic reforms. When the authorities had had enough, they sent in troops and tanks to break up the protests, killing and wounding thousands. One man, whose name and fate remains unknown, stood in front of the tanks and refused to let them pass.

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Quick hits

Repurchase agreements

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-repo-market-what-it-is-and-why-everyone-is-talking-about-it-again-11568743438

Americans are getting heavier

https://www.vox.com/2015/6/15/8784389/america-weight-gain

Foolishness of the week

Sanders wants to forgive medical debt

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/21/us/politics/bernie-medical-debt-healthcare.html

Topic of the week: Tank Man

Robert Anthony Peters

www.tankmanthemovie.com

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Tuition increases seem to indicate that colleges might have an incentive to admit students who may not succeed. Meanwhile, many professors are being required to add clear student outcomes to their syllabi. However, this still leaves many students hanging. Loans are difficult to pay back, and many other problems crop up in schools. How can we adjust incentives to help public universities perform better? Should some schools use their endowments to issue loans? What innovations could be implemented to improve education? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they search for better solutions to the problems many students experience on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. 

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Quick hits

Mesh network is robust because it’s decentralized

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2019/09/02/hong-kong-protestors-using-mesh-messaging-app-china-cant-block-usage-up-3685

Noah’s Arks

https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1177909/space-news-igor-ashurbeyli-asgardia-russia-space-nation-nasa-moon-spt

Foolishness of the week

Second hand vaping

https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-youth-secondhand-vaping-smoke-tt-20190828-5immkhhkrrecbjub7ik6un4lni-story.html

Topic of the week: Follow Incentives to Solutions

https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TR/2019/tr2019.pdf

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