Words & Numbers

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.  Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers 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 St

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.  Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers 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

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. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers 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/

  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 Emerg

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:

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. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers 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 D

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. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers 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/ htt

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. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers 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

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.  Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers 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/11

Immigration policy in the United States is fraught with obstacles. Visas, green cards, and work permits all have complicated stipulations that must be followed. What does the process of legal immigration entail? What are the costs, monetary or otherwise? Is there an incentive to immigrate illegally? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they discuss the astonishing personal experiences of two special guests on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Workers are fleeing big cities https://www.wsj.com/articles/workers-are-fleeing-big-cities-for-small-onesand-taking-their-jobs-with-them-11567848600 Foolishness of the week Oregon wants to ban self-checkouts https://reason.com/2019/09/06/union-backed-ballot-initiative-would-limit-grocery-stores-to-2-self-checkout-machines/ Topic of the week: Pitfalls of Legal Immigration Join the conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups

Many proposed solutions to society’s problems produce unintended consequences. Some laws passed in good faith, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, have adverse effects on the very people they intend to help. How many laws like this are there? What do people do about them? How do businesses deal with such laws? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they dive into the unforeseeable results of mixing good intentions with public policy and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers  Quick hits Being the victim and the perpetrator in the same case https://slate.com/technology/2019/08/maryland-sk-court-case-teen-sexting-child-pornography.html Turning sign language into speech https://www.blackbusiness.com/2019/05/roy-allela-black-engineer-invents-gloves-turn-sign-language-audible-speech.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR1eM20XHy03gUnCjvwy5XjkAt69auKNhszwtYQqUJhZVrd3y1NO6tjV_II Foolishness of the week Mayor de Blas

If you haven’t seen either of the previous Democratic primary debates, here’s a summary: Twenty candidates debate free health care and slavery reparations, among other things. Instead of talking about eliminating the federal debt, the candidates talk about adding to it. Additionally, the top candidates don’t get to debate the issues fully. All this raises a few questions: Who’s in charge of choosing the broadcast networks? The moderators? The questions asked? What effect do these choices have on the quality of the debates? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they discuss the primary debates and more in this special episode of Words & Numbers featuring bonus material. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Monopoly socialism https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/23/us/monopoly-socialism-board-game-trnd/index.html NASA plans mission to a gold asteroid https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1169605/Asteroid-news-NASA-scientists-16-psyche-asteroids-m

Which historical figures do you respect? Which economic concepts should be taught to children? How do you trust statistics? James Harrigan and Antony Davies take questions from the crowd on topics ranging from incentives to trade-offs to research data to US treasury bills and more in this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Birth rates dropping https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7312075/Birth-rate-England-Wales-hits-80-YEAR-low.html Noam Chomsky https://truthout.org/articles/noam-chomsky-life-expectancy-in-the-us-is-declining-for-a-reason Foolishness of the week Robot racism https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/01/tech/robot-racism-scn-trnd/index.html Topic of the week: Listener questions Milton Friedman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EwaLys3Zak F.A. Hayek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnMd40dqBlQ FRED: Federal Reserve data https://fred.stlouisfed.org/ Bureau of Labor Statistics https://ww

When it comes to wildlife conservation and other environmental concerns, the ideas of free markets and private property are frequently laughed off as silly by the planet’s most strident defenders. However, the incentives—the motivations to behave in a certain way—that come along with private property are strong. After all, we never worry about cows going extinct. But can these insights on property and incentives be extended to other aspects of our lives and our world? Special guest Howard Baetjer, author of Free Our Markets: A Citizen’s Guide to Essential Economics, joins Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they explore this and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Pickle ball https://www.wbur.org/onlyagame/2019/07/26/pickleball-prison-cook-county  Air conditioned shirts https://www.winknews.com/2019/08/01/sony-to-sell-air-conditioner-shirts-to-keep-you-cool-as-soon-as-next-year/ Foolishnes

For many children, compulsory education and authority figures tend to inadvertently turn off their sense of curiosity and wonder about the world. Additionally, assigned districts can limit school choice for many parents and mandatory curricula can put unnecessary stress on educators. Are there solutions to these problems within the current framework? Is there any evidence to support changing the way we approach schooling to benefit children, parents, and teachers? Where did all these mandates originate? Join Antony Davies, James Harrigan, and special guest Kerry McDonald, author of Unschooled, as they discuss the public school system and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits: Beach umbrellas https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/menendez-urges-aggressive-action-protect-beachgoers-dangers-flying-beach-umbrellas/ https://www.nsc.org/in-the-newsroom/nsc-statement-on-new-cdc-data-showing-a-rise

As we reach pivotal milestones, such as the legal driving age, we’re met with serious questions: Who decided I’m not old enough to vote? Why can I drive but not enter a bar? When do I have to buy health insurance? Am I ready for all this? Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies as they weigh the pros and cons of transitioning from a minor to an adult live from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers.  Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Brim’s Snack Foods https://www.apr.org/post/life-so-delicious Facts about small businesses https://sbecouncil.org/about-us/facts-and-data/ $20 an hour minimum wage https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/454212-rashida-tlaib-minimum-wage-should-be-20-an-hour-not-15 Foolishness of the week Montgomery county, Maryland wants to require landlords to provide air conditioning https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/as-temperatures-rise-montgomery-as

Citizens United, a conservative non-profit corporation, was once caught in the crosshairs of campaign finance law. The company violated the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act by broadcasting a political film within 30 days of a primary election. The Supreme Court split 5-4 on the issue. Did the court side with the free speech of a corporation? What happens when there are two different visions of the First Amendment? Are corporations people? Join James Harrigan, Antony Davies, and special guest Trevor Burrus as they recount the courtroom drama of Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits The bystander effect https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31157529  The world is becoming a better place https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP59tz2WreY Advances toward a cancer cure https://www.studyfinds.org/strategic-medicine-researchers-develop-trojan-horse-drug-that

As people like, share, and upload on social media platforms, data is generated by users and gathered by tech companies. It’s a bit unclear, however, how companies handle user data. Is selling or storing user data a problem? Does the Fourth Amendment protect internet privacy? Should the government get involved?Join James Harrigan and Antony Davies—live from the University of Arizona!—as they discuss End User License Agreements, copyright law, data breaches, and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits President Trump may not block critics from his Twitter feed https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/us/politics/trump-twitter-first-amendment.html CBO estimates of the effect of a minimum wage hike https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/08/cbo-estimates-effects-of-house-democrats-15-minimum-wage-plan.html Foolishness of the week Google recorded then leaked conversations that Google Assistant overheard https://m

When it comes to the final frontier, we must inevitably outline the government’s role in interplanetary colonization. Perhaps during the next century, there will be deliberation between cosmic pioneers, space entrepreneurs, and elected officials. Who owns the resources on asteroids and other celestial bodies? What might a galactic congress look like? And what’s maritime law got to do with it? Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan as they mine that asteroid and more on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Show Notes: $10 quintillion asteroid https://www.foxnews.com/science/nasa-headed-towards-giant-golden-asteroid-that-could-make-everyone-on-earth-a-billionaire Rep. Amash quits the Republican party https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/rep-justin-amash-announces-quitting-republican-party-op/story https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/04/us/politics/justin-amash-trump.html Foolishness of the week Buttigieg calls for nat

This week’s guest, Robert McDonald, author of Confounding Father talks about the quintessential American philosopher: Thomas Jefferson. During the birth of America, innumerable obstacles stood in its way. What followed was the triumph of the first Americans, from a revolutionary war to purchasing Louisiana and everything in between. Join Antony Davies and James Harrigan for a cheerful, optimistic ode to the spirit of America on this week’s episode of Words & Numbers. Show your support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick hits Disney heir calls for wealth tax https://www.npr.org/2019/06/28/736993245/disney-heiress-calls-for-wealth-tax-we-have-to-draw-a-line San Francisco bans vaping https://fee.org/articles/san-francisco-becomes-first-us-city-to-ban-sale-of-e-cigarettes-a-healthier-alternative-to-smoking/ Foolishness of the week Democratic debates and yoga games https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/450540-marianne-williamson-sends-out-healthy-al