Blog 130. GDP is a faulty measure

Why GDP is a faulty measure of success.

That’s a headline in Time magazine of 2/5/218. Thinking of “success,” I wondered whether Time really sells more magazines by dating them a week later than the actual publication.  If so, another fake fact sells well. Continue reading

Blog 123. Is a flat tax freedom?

A flat tax is advertised as the “freedom tax,” in which everyone pays taxes at a fixed marginal rate—such as 10%. Salaried workers pay by withholding from each paycheck, and never have to submit a tax return. It sounds good because it’s simple, but is it good? Continue reading

Blog 122. What’s driving us crazy?

I hear folks complain that the overload of information and change is driving us crazy. A phone call used to be a rare interruption. Now, even robo calls “reach out and touch someone.” Continue reading

Blog 118. Can Arctic Ice Cool Your Cocktail?

How come the scientific news seems flooded (as it were) by the melting of arctic ice?  After all, is the arctic really melting?  Should we believe all of the alarm over a little cold water?  Let’s look at the data. Continue reading

Blog 115. Is STEM best for education?

Is a STEM program the best guide for improving our schools?  STEM—the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—is advertised as “innovative learning,” and “the future of the economy.”  That’s what you see when you type <STEM education> into a Google search. Continue reading