This is not a “Star Wars vs Star Trek” post. I’m non-partisan. I enjoy both Star Wars and Star Trek about equally. And it turns out that I am not alone. Last December, John Hawkins (University of Canberra) wrote in The Conversation about what Star Wars can teach us about economics. This year, Hawkins (with Tesfaye…
What Star Wars AND Star Trek can teach us about economics
What Star Wars AND Star Trek can teach us about economics
01 Jan 2026 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, comparative institutional analysis, defence economics, economics of regulation, international economics, labour economics, labour supply, movies, television, TV shows, unions
John Oliver goes after Bari Weiss and CBS News
22 Dec 2025 Leave a comment
in industrial organisation, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - USA, television, TV shows Tags: media bias
A reader sent me a video-containing email with the header “John Oliver destroys Bari Weiss”, with the message below saying, “Somebody had to do it.” Well, yes, somebody should criticize the Free Press, which is becoming, in my view, more political (right-centrist) and less full of news. And even news stories aren’t really written by…
John Oliver goes after Bari Weiss and CBS News
Dads Army- The British home guard
12 Dec 2025 Leave a comment
in defence economics, television, TV shows, war and peace Tags: World War II
“Who do you think you are kidding Mr Hitler” is the first line of the theme of the British sitcom Dad’s Army. A truly hilarious show. I remember one episode where Capt Mainwaring is telling a story how he met an Australian soldier. He had asked him “Did you come here to die?” whereupon the […]
Dads Army- The British home guard
3 Manuel Meltdowns | Fawtly Towers | BBC Comedy Greats
07 Dec 2025 Leave a comment
in television, TV shows
Bill Maher prognosticates the headlines
02 Dec 2025 Leave a comment
in television, TV shows
It looks as if “Real Time” will be off the air for a two months: yahoo! news says, “. . . . Maher will be taking a break from Real Time until late January.” I’ll miss the humor and also the posts. We don’t even have a “new rules” post today, but below are two minutes…
Bill Maher prognosticates the headlines
Bill Maher on how socialism is tainting the Democratic party
20 Nov 2025 Leave a comment
in Marxist economics, politics - USA, television, TV shows
This week’s comedy-and-news segment of Bill Maher’s “Real Time” explains why the creeping socialism of Democrats is good—but for Republicans. who wil exploit it to the max in attack ads. (We now have a socialist mayor of both NYC and Seattle.) Maher quotes Virginia’s new Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, saying that “If the party doesn’t…
Bill Maher on how socialism is tainting the Democratic party
The BBC’s Biggest Scandals
12 Nov 2025 1 Comment
in industrial organisation, television Tags: British politics, media bias
The BBC is one of the world’s most respected broadcasters and a pillar of British public life — which is exactly why its failures get so much attention when things go wrong. Below I’ve pulled together a chronological, readable guide to the BBC’s major scandals from the post-war period to the present. This is not […]
The BBC’s Biggest Scandals
BBC Finds Presenter in Violation of Network Standards in Correcting “Pregnant People” Reference on Air
09 Nov 2025 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economics of education, gender, television Tags: free speech, media bias, political correctness, regressive left, sex discrimination
There is a controversy at the BBC over a correction made by presenter Martine Croxall on air when she changed a reference to “pregnant people” to “women.” The network later received 20 complaints and agreed that Croxall had violated network policies. (For full disclosure, I previously worked as the legal analyst for BBC).
BBC Finds Presenter in Violation of Network Standards in Correcting “Pregnant People” Reference on Air
BBC to review bias in climate change coverage
09 Nov 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of climate change, energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming, television Tags: climate alarmism, media bias
By Paul Homewood The BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee will investigate the BBC’s reporting of climate change, following the latest scandal of their fraudulent doctoring of Trump’s speech: From the Telegraph: A catalogue of corrections: The BBC’s climate change reporting Corporation will conduct ‘thematic review’ of coverage after internal dossier reveals claims […]
BBC to review bias in climate change coverage
Bill Maher’s latest “New Rule”
30 Oct 2025 Leave a comment
in television, TV shows
Bill Maher’s latest comedy/politics skit on Real Time is called “New Rule: Crazy in Gov”. In it, he takes the Republicans to the woodshed, which should dispel the stupid rumors that Maher is a right-winger because he found Trump a genial host during a dinner at the White House. (Those who go after Maher for this always […]
Bill Maher’s latest “New Rule”
Bill Maher’s latest “New Rules” (plus bonus video on “The War on Science” anthology)
27 Oct 2025 Leave a comment
in television, TV shows
In Bill Maher’s latest comedy/politics bit on Real Time —called“F with your algorithm—he calls out people for assuming that because he criticizes the left, he must be a right-winger. This criticism hits home for me, as I’ve been accused of the same thing. As Maher notes, he’s been criticized for being a right-winger by people […]
Bill Maher’s latest “New Rules” (plus bonus video on “The War on Science” anthology)
Kenneth Williams – Parkinson 1979 (with Lorraine Chase and Kevin Keegan)
16 Oct 2025 1 Comment
in movies, television, TV shows
Bill Maher’s New Rules
05 Oct 2025 Leave a comment
in discrimination, gender, politics - USA, television, TV shows
Bill Maher is on a winning streak with his 7-8-minute politics and comedy bits on his “Real Time” show. Here’s the one from yesterday, called “New Rule: Long Division”: This one’s about gender (he means “sex”), with Maher saying “Until the Democrats come to grips with that, they’ve not going to have much success winning […]
Bill Maher’s New Rules
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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