I’ve written a lot about the controversy in New Zealand involving whether the indigenous “way of knowing,” Mātauranga Māori (MM), is equivalent to modern science (often called “Western science”) and, as many maintain, should be taught alongside modern in science classes (see all my posts here). As I’ve noted, because MM does have elements of […]
A interview with a “heterodox” New Zealand scientist: “Why Mātauranga Māori Isn’t Science:”
A interview with a “heterodox” New Zealand scientist: “Why Mātauranga Māori Isn’t Science:”
02 Jul 2025 1 Comment
in economic history, economics of education, environmentalism, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand, Rawls and Nozick Tags: Age of Enlightenment, conjecture and refutation, cranks, philosophy of science, political correctness, regressive left
Greg Mankiw on Modern Monetary Theory
30 Jun 2025 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, budget deficits, business cycles, economic growth, economics of education, fiscal policy, macroeconomics, monetary economics Tags: cranks, monetary policy
Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) had a real moment in the spotlight in the late 2010s, with political support in the US from Presidential hopefuls Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. However, mainstream economists mostly didn’t understand it, or ridiculed it, or both. I mostly ignored the detail of it, only picking up what I knew about it from…
Greg Mankiw on Modern Monetary Theory
Vaccines matter
29 Jun 2025 Leave a comment
in economic history, health economics Tags: anti-vaccination movement, cranks, vaccines
Nice summary
26 Jun 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of education Tags: conjecture and refutation, cranks, philosophy of science
Cranks, crackpots and conspiracy theorists
17 Mar 2025 Leave a comment
in economics of education, economics of media and culture Tags: conspiracy theorists, cranks
The terms “crank” and “crackpot” are often used interchangeably to describe someone who holds eccentric or unorthodox views, especially in science or other intellectual disciplines. However, there can be subtle differences in their connotations: Both terms are pejorative and used to express disapproval or skepticism towards the individual’s ideas or behaviors. The distinction, while subtle, […]
Cranks, crackpots and conspiracy theorists
The Health Research Council
11 Jan 2025 Leave a comment
in health economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: cranks, political correctness, regressive left
In late August 2024, the Minister of Health, Dr Shane Reti, issued updated guidance to the Health Research Council (“HRC”) after years of scandalous funding was revealed. Dr Reti wanted it to fund cures, not Kaupapa, and definitely not spiritual curses. Especially given $126 million is spent in annual “health” research and the government’s books are not […]
The Health Research Council
Massachusetts has occupational licensing for fortune tellers
30 Nov 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of information, economics of regulation, human capital, industrial organisation, labour economics, labour supply, law and economics, occupational choice, occupational regulation, politics - USA, property rights, Public Choice, rentseeking Tags: cranks
Here is the link, “Prohibits fraudulently taking money by “pretended fortune telling.”” Seen referenced somewhere on Twitter.
Massachusetts has occupational licensing for fortune tellers
Vaccines
30 Nov 2024 Leave a comment
in health economics Tags: anti-vaccination movement, cranks, vaccines
Move over, modern medicine: it’s time to collaborate with Rongoā Māori
13 Nov 2024 Leave a comment
in health economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: cranks
Rongoā Māori is the “indigenous way of healing”: a combination of herbal and spiritual medicine used by the Māori of New Zealand. As The Encyclopedia of New Zealand notes, there were both supernatural and human illnesses, with the former treated through spiritual means (e.g., prayers, dunking in water, and other treatments described below), and the […]
Move over, modern medicine: it’s time to collaborate with Rongoā Māori
Biden administration lets Medicaid pay for Native American “traditional medicines”
06 Nov 2024 1 Comment
in economics of regulation, health economics Tags: cranks
Just yesterday I wrote about the drive in New Zealand to integrate indigenous medicine (Rongoā Māori, or RM) with modern (often called “Western”) medicine. The problem is that RM not only uses spiritual treatments (prayer, singing, dunking the sufferer in water) but also herbal remedies, and neither of these have been tested for efficacy using […]
Biden administration lets Medicaid pay for Native American “traditional medicines”
Just Stop Oil claims climate change will lead to Southport-style riots
07 Aug 2024 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics, global warming Tags: cranks
By Paul Homewood h/t Ian Magness From The Telegraph: Just Stop Oil has claimed climate change will lead to Southport-style riots in the future after police arrested four of its members who were on their way to protest at Manchester Airport. Greater Manchester Police said it had detained three […]
Just Stop Oil claims climate change will lead to Southport-style riots
The New Zealand government unites indigenous knowledge with “western science” by claiming that gods cause earthquakes
26 Jul 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of natural disasters, economics of religion, politics - New Zealand Tags: Age of Enlightenment, conjecture and refutation, cranks, free speech, philosophy of science, political correctness, regressive left
A comment by reader Chris Slater called my attention to this article from GeoNet, an organization described as providing “geological hazard information for Aotearoa New Zealand.” It’s also . . . . sponsored by the New Zealand Government through its agencies: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake, GNS Science, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand […]
The New Zealand government unites indigenous knowledge with “western science” by claiming that gods cause earthquakes
Vaccination works
23 Jul 2024 Leave a comment
in health economics Tags: anti-vaccination movement, cranks, vaccines
Climate Warriors are Colonising Medicine
21 Jul 2024 Leave a comment
in energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming, health economics Tags: climate activists, cranks, political correctness, regressive left
…aspiring to be a planet-saving superhero risks undermining the commitments that doctors make: make doctors doctors again. Physicians, heal thyselves!
Climate Warriors are Colonising Medicine
Meet the next Green MP
10 Jul 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of education, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: cranks, free speech, political correctness, regressive left
The next Green MP in on the List is Benjamin Doyle. This is his MA thesis: Here is a Master’s thesis crafted with, by, and for Rangatahi Takatāpui. It represents a labour of love for the community to which I belong, and seeks to generate understanding about the factors that enable LGBTQI+ Māori youth to […]
Meet the next Green MP
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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