I've been taking a break from posting for the last few weeks. I'd like to get posting again, so I thought I'd start with an easy one.I spent several years working for a defense contractor, during which time I sometimes had to meet with our points-of-contact in the Department of Defense. We'd usually end up going out to lunch, and one thing I learned pretty quickly is that … [Read more...] about Yes, It’s a Bribe
Talking to my fellow libertarians about DOGE
I was listening to Reason's Just Asking Questions podcast episode about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and I thought host Liz Wolf was too willing to accept Elon Musk and DOGE at face value. I'd noticed a similar attitude at the Reason Roundtable last week. I get where they're coming from. After years watching people suffer at the hands of government employees, … [Read more...] about Talking to my fellow libertarians about DOGE
Late night thoughts on the current crisis
I've been watching what's happening in the U.S. government with growing dismay. Trump and Musk seem determined to destroy the government's ability to perform certain functions, some of which are very important to the United States, and some of which are very important to the world. And it turns out that many of the safeguards against this destruction are controlled by the … [Read more...] about Late night thoughts on the current crisis
Joining The Cult
I've been curious about 3D printing for years. It's cool technology that looks like fun to play with. The problem was that I didn't have many ideas about what sorts of things to make with a printer. I'd feel pretty silly if I spent hundreds of dollars on a printer and then didn't use it for anything after the first week. For that reason, I could never justify the cost enough to … [Read more...] about Joining The Cult
Trump’s dumb attempt to define sex
(When I started to write this post, I thought it would be a neat little think piece about science, policy, and meaning. But given how much more is going on, it now fells a bit academic. Nevertheless, I took the time to write it, so I might as well hit the Publish button...)Trump's anti-transgender executive order((The one from last week, not the new ones from this week. … [Read more...] about Trump’s dumb attempt to define sex