You're in a government meeting that is open to the public. The meeting has 'decorum' rules that go something like this: no clapping, no cheering, no booing, no loud talking unless you are the recognized speaker. As a member of the public, you get limited time to speak during each appearance at the microphone; let's … Continue reading Freedom of Speech and its Limits
Free Trade: Real and Imaginary
The concept of Free Trade comes with two definitions, which I will call ‘real free trade’ and ‘imaginary free trade’. Real free trade is the condition imposed by the United States after World War II: every country can trade with every other country. Before WWII empires traded within their empires, and any other trade was … Continue reading Free Trade: Real and Imaginary
Politicians and Plans versus Reality
A brief history lesson about plans not working out in practice and politicians not thinking things through. It went something like this .... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ How it worked in the planning stage ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Army, Navy, and the newly-independent Air Force, late 1940s: We need more money. Secretary … Continue reading Politicians and Plans versus Reality
Good Guys and Bad Guys
In a dispute, how can you tell which side is the good guys and which is the bad guys? Yes, a mental model in which one side is the good guys and one is the bad guys is very simplistic, but it fits reasonably well fairly often. So if we stick with the simple good/bad … Continue reading Good Guys and Bad Guys
Mental Models and Predictions: Many Disasters
Here we discuss predictions that went awry because (charitably) the predictor had a bad mental model or (cynically) the predictor was a lying sack of manure. I explained mental models here https://doctorweasel.wordpress.com/2018/09/18/mental-models-and-predictions/ and talked about bad predictions here https://doctorweasel.wordpress.com/2019/06/23/mental-models-and-predictions-net-neutrality/ as well as here https://doctorweasel.wordpress.com/2019/09/28/mental-models-and-predictions-environmental-disasters/ Climate Climate predictions are a steady source of non-confirmation. Here are … Continue reading Mental Models and Predictions: Many Disasters
Discussions about Nuclear Weapons in Europe
From about 2000 through 2022 before Russia's second invasion of Ukraine (first was in 2014), the arguments went like this: [Note: Donald Rumsfeld notably talked about 'Old Europe' and 'New Europe' in 2003. In that spirit, the discussion is portrayed between Old NATO (pre-1991 NATO members), New NATO (post-1991 NATO members, mostly former Warsaw Pact, … Continue reading Discussions about Nuclear Weapons in Europe
Measured Consideration of our Political Parties
There are patriots in both parties, but some on the radical left reject patriotism and openly proclaim they hate their country. There are religious people in both parties, but some on the radical left reject God and in fact hate Him. Sadly, there are criminals and crime victims in both parties but some on the … Continue reading Measured Consideration of our Political Parties
Job Saga
Here are my Gab posts about negotiating a position at Big Company in Big Blue City. https://gab.com/doctor_weasel/posts/107788734566317234 Anton L. Weasel, Ph.D.@doctor_weasel Feb 12· Gab folks, I want your advice. I have a good job. I like what I do, I like my co-workers, I like my manager. The work I do is important and it … Continue reading Job Saga
Fascism, Marxism, et cetera
As the popular culture would have it, Fascism is all about brutality and Marxism is all about economics. This popular impression is wrong in multiple ways. First, Fascism is definitely about economics and was not particularly brutal (hold on, bear with me, see below). Second, Marxism is an economic system that relies in all cases … Continue reading Fascism, Marxism, et cetera
Arguing with a leftist
Sadly typical of leftists stalking conservative sites looking for an argument. A commenter calling himself 'Biden_Derangement_Syndrome' started out accusing me based on nothing. Then he started making threats that had no substance. Lots of lies, of course. Not the first time I have had words with leftists. The original link to an Instapundit page is … Continue reading Arguing with a leftist
Doctor Weasel's Secret Laboratory 
