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 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybodytrades/

"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. EverybodyTrades.com @EverybodyTrades

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.

In AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR, Thanos thinks he can "save" the universe by killing half the living and/or intelligent beings in it. First of all, he's wrong. But even if his premise were correct, doesn't "half" seem pretty arbitrary? "You don't know that!" is the quote of the film. If overpopulation is going to doom humanity, then why are we better off today with far more people than ever?

Pattern-recognition is helpful in investing and all aspects of life, so why has it become verboten? George H.W. Bush thought THE SIMPSONS were problematic in 1992, and now it’s the political left. Freedom is great, but it also gives us a lot of time to overthink. Plus, regional-to-national stocks, and why humanity misses the home telephone.

The most complex problems in life are solved by individuals acting in their own self-interests, not one person or group shoving their interests down our throats. Is it too much to ask that the interest shovers practice what they preach? (Ed Bagley: You're cool.)

In any speculative endeavor, you should always first ask yourself, "What is my edge?" Think about your speculative opinions in terms of "coin flips" versus perceived value. Plus, what can the video-game business teach us about "winners" and "losers" in the stock market?

The Green New Deal, zoning laws, and gas taxes all have at least one thing in common: The Crowding Out Effect. Prices rising artificially has contributed to "gentrification" of neighborhoods, so why wouldn't we expect the same dynamic at airports? Plus, my thoughts on this rising stock market.

Donald Trump and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have more in common than you might imagine. Can the government print its way to prosperity? If so, why collect taxes? Is AOC "speaking truth to power"? Without natural supply and demand (the market), how do we know what people need, and in what quantity? How many Democratic voters are on board with "no flying in 10 years"? What did the "old" New Deal actually do to raise prices? (This is the James Corden tweet/video I refer to in this episode: twitter.com/JKCorden/status/1093634176845139968)

Trivia: Do you know who Alice Parker is? If not, you should. We ALL should. Why do North Dakota dairy farmers get out of bed when it's -40?

The rush to judgment re: Nathan Phillips/Covington High is unbecoming of a free people. "The news" got this story wrong on purpose. Social-media culture is poisonous. What's better: The Golden Rule or The Social Contract?

What is the difference between foreign and domestic sanctions? The geographic location of the victims. Without government interference, national parks retain enormous economic value; why would anyone destroy that? Should we rely on an entity thousands of miles away to arrange restroom upkeep?

I give a much needed market update. A useful Keynes quote! Isolationism or neutrality? Trump’s Syria “withdrawal” and surprise visit to Iraq. Low-cost vs. high-cost virtue signaling. We need more literal and figurative “Boy Scouts”.