On today’s episode of Words & Numbers, James and Antony discuss the rise and fall of AOL, the ethical challenges of new technologies, and what artificial intelligence could mean for the future. They also explore the trade-off between productivity and employment, and the unintended consequences of redistribution and welfare systems.

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In this episode, James and Antony unpack the shocking BLS revision that wiped out over 100,000 jobs on paper, what it really means for the economy, and why data transparency matters more than ever. They also dive into the wave of fan misconduct hitting the WNBA, break down the DOJ’s new denaturalization push and its wider implications, and touch on a few other stories shaping the week that you won’t want to miss.

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In this episode, James and Antony discuss the surprising ecological effects of reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone, highlighting how these changes mirror economic principles. They explore the broader implications of government interventions, such as COVID-19 lockdowns and economic data revisions. The conversation also touches on the voting age debate, questioning whether 16-year-olds should vote and the potential impacts of such a decision. Join them for an insightful discussion on the interconnectedness of our world.

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Ant and James discuss the wealth tax, what its proponents wish would happen, and what would really happen were it implemented. They also get into why so many dogs are overweight, and the cutting-edge genetic engineering that promises to wipe out malaria by altering mosquito DNA. As if that weren’t enough, they also address the futility of US debt donations.

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This episode examines the role of private equity in business, focusing on its ability to transform assets and support entrepreneurs. In this episode, James and Antony aim to provide a balanced view of the opportunities and challenges associated with private equity, offering insights into its impact on the business landscape.

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Explore how inflation quietly erodes your purchasing power, and the deceptive game of monetizing debt and what it means for your future. Dive into the digital clampdown on adult content as age verification systems signal the end of the internet’s unrestricted era. Ant and James grapple with the morality of price discrimination based on search history — who really benefits, and who gets left behind.

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Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now!

⁠http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com

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In this week's Words & Numbers, Ant and James tackle the misunderstood world of corporate stock buybacks—are they economic malpractice or just savvy business? The duo then pivots to publicly funded media, taking aim at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and questioning its continued reliance on taxpayer dollars in an age of abundant private alternatives. They also examine the federal government's rare (and tiny) budget surplus in June, dissecting whether it's a meaningful trend or a statistical blip. Along the way, Steve Miller cancels his tour for baffling reasons, Trump forgets he appointed Powell, and the guys reflect on why government tax revenue stubbornly sticks to 18% of GDP—no matter the policy. As always, they ask: what’s the data say, and so what?

Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now!http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com

See More Ant and James!http://www.wordsandnumbers.org

Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers

Quick Hitshttps://loudwire.com/steve-miller-cancels-tour-natural-disasters/

Foolishness of the Weekhttps://www.npr.org/2025/07/17/nx-s1-5469904/npr-pbs-cuts-rescission-senate-vote

Words & Numbers Backstagehttps://youtu.be/i73H047bID8?si=zUTcXrBYDolwTVgl

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LES1252881500Q

https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/average-home-size/#space

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUUR0000SETA01

More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig

More Ant on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/antonydavies

Let Us Know What You Thinkmailto:[email protected]

Antony Davies on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/antonydavies

James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan

#AntonyDavies #JamesRHarrigan #WordsAndNumbers #economics #government #politics #policy #libertarian #classicalliberal #podcast #educational

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In this episode of Words & Numbers, James and Ant announce their new partnership with CiVL and reflect on the state of modern life. Using Jurassic World and a Nobel Prize winner’s comments as a springboard, they unpack the economics of innovation, incentives, and monopolies. They take on popular claims that life has gotten worse—breaking down the real costs of housing, cars, and higher education over time—and challenge the doom-and-gloom narrative with hard data and perspective.

The debut of the new “So What?” segment offers concrete takeaways: count your blessings, question the media’s distortions, and don’t believe everything “everybody knows.”

Words and Numbers is a CiVL Original Podcast.

Join CiVL for member-exclusive access to our show, bonus content, and live Q&As. https://civl.com/

Get 50% off your annual subscription with code: WORDSANDNUMBERS

Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now!

http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com

See More Ant and James!

http://www.wordsandnumbers.org

Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon

https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers

Quick Hits

https://www.jurassicworld.com

https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2025-07-04/charles-rice-nobel-prize-winner-in-medicine-its-a-crime-that-a-drug-exists-that-could-cure-everyone-yet-not-everybody-has-access-to-it.html

https://www.thetimes.com/world/latin-america/article/gringo-go-home-why-mexico-is-turning-against-us-immigrants-cmq2qsv2j

Foolishness of the Week

https://www.yahoo.com/news/fema-removed-dozens-camp-mystic-111716138.html

Words & Numbers Backstage

https://youtu.be/i73H047bID8?si=zUTcXrBYDolwTVgl

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/LES1252881500Q

https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/average-home-size/#space

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUUR0000SETA01

More James at Smoke & Stories

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig

More Ant on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/antonydavies

Let Us Know What You Think

mailto:[email protected]

Antony Davies on Twitter

https://twitter.com/antonydavies

James R. Harrigan on Twitter

https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan

#AntonyDavies #JamesRHarrigan #WordsAndNumbers #economics #government #politics #policy #libertarian #classicalliberal #podcast #educational

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Words and Numbers is a CiVL Original Podcast.

Join CiVL for member-exclusive access to our show, bonus content, and live Q&As. https://civl.com/

Get 50% off your annual subscription with code: WORDSANDNUMBERS

Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now!http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com

See More Ant and James!http://www.wordsandnumbers.org

Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers

Quick Hitshttps://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/tours/ozzy-osbourne-takes-to-the-stage-for-the-last-time/news-story/4ca30c3eb598a7b97f6735e975c9da91

Foolishness of the Weekhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ar-AA1I2tzC

Words & Numbers Backstagehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/

More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig

More Ant on YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/antonydavies

Let Us Know What You Thinkmailto:[email protected]

Antony Davies on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/antonydavies

James R. Harrigan on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan

#AntonyDavies #JamesRHarrigan #WordsAndNumbers #economics #government #politics #policy #libertarian #classicalliberal #podcast #educational

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com

See More Ant and James! http://www.wordsandnumbers.org

Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers

Quick Hits https://www.pgpf.org/article/the-ratio-of-workers-to-social-security-beneficiaries-is-at-a-low-and-projected-to-decline-further/ https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/TR/TR02/lr5A3-h.html https://www.newsweek.com/mcdonalds-june-boycott-what-know-2087469

Foolishness of the Week https://apnews.com/article/chemtrail-louisiana-ban-conspiracy-e7562efe0251588978153cef30034e63 https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2025/06/09/louisiana-among-at-least-12-states-seeking-chemtrail-ban

Topic https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/20/workers-are-stuck-in-infinite-workday-according-to-microsoft-report.html

Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/

More James at Smoke & Stories https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjILow4-ZJpBV-NnmSusZJ_vCuzKUJ4Ig

More Ant on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/antonydavies

Let Us Know What You Think mailto:[email protected]

Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies

James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan

#AntonyDavies #JamesRHarrigan #WordsAndNumbers #economics #government #politics #policy #libertarian #classicalliberal #podcast #educational

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