Mass Lonelyhearts
People who vote sometimes seem to be a political version of my old friend K’s love life. An otherwise intelligent woman, K fell in love …
Fruits and Labor
I have very few vivid memories of early childhood. The ones I have come back to me in flash- es, like a movie clip. One …
Presumption of Competence
A core principle of the nanny state is that people do not know their best interests and must be treated like children, with the state …
Revealed Preferences
I have always enjoyed thought experiments and other mind games that breakthrough habits of thinking or offer unusual insights. It is just plain fun to …
A Wider Net
Through my ham radio hobby, I listen to the BBC and other “world” news more than most people. Every morning, I surf online periodicals from …
Feel Like A Number
What if government did not know where you lived or worked, how much you earned or whether you had children? How could it tax you, …
Tagged and Tracked
As a privacy zealot, I don’t own a cellphone — you know, that sexy little device that allows police to track you at all times …
Lead-Based Taint
My wife and I recently hired a general contractor to remodel our bathroom. This small- businessman, whose livelihood depends on reputation and referral, was friendly, …
Just a Little Prick
A news item from the Salt Lake Tribune (April 1): “Despite opposition from civil libertarians and criminal defense lawyers, Gov. Gary Herbert signed a law …