
Words & Numbers
Words & Numbers touches on issues of Economics, Political Science, Current Events and Policy. Each Wednesday we'll be sharing a new Words & Numbers podcast featuring Antony Davies Ph.D and James Harrigan Ph.D talking about the economics and political science of current events.
Latest episodes

Jun 30, 2021 • 36min
Episode 229: A Deeper Look into Thomas Jefferson
Historian Rob McDonald joins us to answer the questions, how is it that Thomas Jefferson came to be a slave owner and what could he have done to free his slaves. The answer, it turns out, is much more complicated than people tend to appreciate. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Foolishness of the Week https://www.pennlive.com/news/2021/06/police-break-up-exorcism-at-pa-home-depot.html Topic of the Week Rob McDonald https://teachingamericanhistory.org/blog/the-american-revolution-professor-robert-mcdonalds-new-core-document-collection/ Books https://www.amazon.com/Robert-M-S-McDonald/e/B006G5XJK6 Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 23, 2021 • 42min
Episode 228: The Words and Numbers Trio Pt. 1
Clark Neily, Rob McDonald, and Howard Baetjer join us for the first of a multi-part free-wheeling conversation on government, history, and economics. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/aumf-repeal-congress/2021/06/17/1bd1ec70-cf76-11eb-a7f1-52b8870bef7c_story.html https://www.fox5ny.com/news/crypto-currency-confusion-georgia-man-wakes-up-a-trillionaire Foolishness of the Week https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9704447/Manhattan-City-Council-candidate-26-caught-ex-girlfriend-leaked-dominatrix-video.html Topic of the Week https://www.cato.org/people/clark-neily https://www.westpoint.edu/history/profile/robert_mcdonald http://wp.towson.edu/baetjer/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 16, 2021 • 31min
Episode 227: Outside of the Accredited Circle
Bob Luddy, founder of Thales College joins us this week to talk about a revolutionary model for higher education that attempts to break the guild system that is holding back innovation. Thales College is refusing to pursue accreditation and will not accept federal funding. This will both keep it out from under the regulatory thumbs of both the government and the existing higher education system. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/p19.pdf https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/incarceration-rates-by-country https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/14/politics/fbi-qanon-threat-assessment/index.html Foolishness of the Week https://www.mediaite.com/tv/lester-holt-challenges-kamala-harris-on-claim-weve-been-to-the-border-you-havent/ Topic of the Week https://www.thalescollege.org https://www.thalesacademy.org/about/founder https://www.neche.org/resources/standards-for-accreditation https://www.msche.org/standards/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 9, 2021 • 37min
Episode 226: Introducing a Little Anarchy
Philosopher Michael Huemer joins us this week to talk about anarchy, chaos, and the fact that the government has a monopoly on power. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hitshttps://www.businessinsider.com/biotech-startup-trying-to-stop-rhino-poaching-2016-9 https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/05/el-salvador-becomes-the-first-country-to-adopt-bitcoin-as-legal-tender-.html https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2014-11-14/why-pay-15-million-for-a-white-canvas Foolishness of the Week https://news.artnet.com/art-world/italian-artist-auctioned-off-invisible-sculpture-18300-literally-made-nothing-1976181/amp-page Topic of the Week http://www.owl232.net http://fakenous.net https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Huemer/e/B001H6GHNU https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/18/us/biden-admits-plagiarism-in-school-but-says-it-was-not-malevolent.html Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ More James at Smoke & Storieshttps://youtu.be/rMIWa-0Woyo Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 2, 2021 • 31min
Episode 225: Shooting for Success
Nav Bhatia, the first fan to be inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame, joins us this week to talk about his passion for basketball, life, and entrepreneurship. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.councilforeconed.org/2021/05/25/mount-hebron-high-school-in-ellicott-city-md-clinches-the-21st-annual-national-economics-challenge-from-the-council-for-economic-education/ https://dnyuz.com/2021/05/29/an-arms-race-in-america-gun-buying-spiked-during-the-pandemic-its-still-up/ Foolishness of the Week https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/do-deficits-matter-anymore-biden-s-first-budget-signals-they-don-t/ar-AAKuHYg Topic of the Week https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/basketball/superfan-navdeep-bhatia-his-journey-from-1984-riots-to-nba-hall-of-fame-7326814/ Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 26, 2021 • 30min
Episode 224: Charlie Brown’s America
Blake Scott Ball joins us to discuss his book on Charles Schulz and the political narrative in the Peanuts comic that managed to attract both liberals and conservatives. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.oddee.com/psychedelic-fungus-causes-cicadas-butts-to-fall-off-and-takes-their-place-58847/ https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/22/middleeast/jewish-man-organ-donation-arab-woman-intl-cmd/index.html Foolishness of the Week https://thehill.com/homenews/house/554894-greene-under-fire-for-comparing-mask-policy-to-the-holocaust-a-neurotic-lack?rl=1 Topic of the Week Blake Scott Ball Twitter: @bsb1945 Email: blakescottball@gmail.com http://blakescottball.medium.com https://global.oup.com/academic/product/charlie-browns-america-9780190090463 Use promo code “AAFLYG6” for 30% off at checkout Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 19, 2021 • 34min
Episode 223: More Than a Pipe Dream
Sykes Wilford, founder and CEO of smokingpipes.com joins us this week to discuss his experience as a successful entrepreneur in an industry that has shrunk by 98 percent and that the government has targeted for eventual obliteration. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits Warren Buffetthttps://finance.yahoo.com/news/buffett-its-corporate-fiction-to-say-higher-business-taxes-hurt-customers-172536348.html China in Space https://apnews.com/article/china-technology-business-science-e1c1d0679aa78a8cc79c04a4d1375322 UFOs https://www.the-sun.com/news/2891893/us-navy-vid-shows-ufo-whizzing-through-sky/ Masks https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mask-no-mask-new-rules-leave-americans-recalibrating-hour-by-hour/ar-BB1gM7FO Foolishness of the Week The Story https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/smallbusiness/the-man-who-didnt-invent-flamin-hot-cheetos/ar-BB1gMYd1 Our Error https://fee.org/shows/audio/words-numbers/Arguing-Outcomes-Instead-of-Principles-Puts-the-Cart-Before-the-Horse Topic of the Week SmokingPipes.com https://corporate.laudisi.com Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 12, 2021 • 37min
Episode 222: Going Public
Vann Prime, an award-winning public school teacher from (in his words) a standard public school - not rich, not poor, not magnet or charter - joins us to talk about good things happening at his public school and how we might improve public schools in general. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/04/30/opinion/politics/bubble-politics.html https://www.wsj.com/articles/catholic-schools-are-losing-students-at-record-rates-and-hundreds-are-closing-11620651600 Foolishness of the Week https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/a-blinking-light-ahead-slowing-population-growth-raises-questions-about-america-as-a-land-with-unlimited-horizons/ar-BB1gxEif Topic of the Week Good news about a public school Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 5, 2021 • 43min
Episode 221: Higher Education’s Cost of Freedom
Nicole Neily, President of Speech First joins us this week to discuss free speech on college campuses. A growing number of colleges have been restricting speech, both of students and faculty. In defining undesirable speech overly broadly, a chill has been growing in higher education wherein students, faculty, and even administrators are censoring their own speech rather than risk running afoul of rules that can mean expulsion and termination. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.oddee.com/hundreds-of-joshes-battle-with-pool-noodles-to-determine-the-ultimate-josh-58155/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1V9_EY-TY0 https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/historic-life-saving-step-fda-moves-ban-menthol-cigarettes-flavored-n1265823 Foolishness of the Week https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/04/30/a-proclamation-on-loyalty-day-2021/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalty_Day Topic of the Week https://speechfirst.org https://provost.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/documents/reports/FOECommitteeReport.pdf Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Apr 28, 2021 • 35min
Episode 220: Gaining and Giving
Philanthropist, lawyer, entrepreneur, musician, and armchair philosopher John LeFebvre joins us this week to discuss philanthropy, run-ins with the law, and how the world is becoming a better place. Get Your Copy of Cooperation and Coercion Now! http://www.cooperationandcoercion.com Show Your Support for Words & Numbers at Patreon https://www.patreon.com/wordsandnumbers Quick Hits https://www.wtae.com/article/animal-control-croissant-call/36164733 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/23/us/some-mass-vaccination-sites-in-us-close-as-demand-begins-to-fall.html https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations Foolishness of the Week https://nypost.com/2021/04/22/usps-reportedly-tracking-americans-social-media-posts/ Topic of the Week https://www.johnlefebvre.com/ https://www.amazon.com/John-Lefebvre/e/B071FPBMY4 Join the Conversation Words & Numbers Backstage https://www.facebook.com/groups/130029457649243/ Let Us Know What You Think mailto:wordsandnumberspodcast@gmail.com Antony Davies on Twitter https://twitter.com/antonydavies James R. Harrigan on Twitter https://twitter.com/JamesRHarrigan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices