Ian Underwood, Author at Granite Grok - Page 5 of 52

Ian Underwood

Ian Underwood is the author of the Bare Minimum Books series (BareMinimumBooks.com).  He has been a planetary scientist and artificial intelligence researcher for NASA, the director of the renowned Ask Dr. Math service, co-founder of Bardo Farm and Shaolin Rifleworks, and a popular speaker at liberty-related events. He lives in Croydon, New Hampshire.

The Second Law of Politics

Over the weekend, I attended the Save the Children rally at the statehouse.  I made some brief remarks, which are approximated below. The envelope I’m holding here is labeled with an X.  It identifies a government project, but we don’t know what it is.  It’s to help some group of people, but we don’t know …

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George Clooney Shows the Way Forward

Recently, George Clooney and a bunch of other wealthy actors offered to pony up tens of millions of their dollars to help other, less-wealthy actors afford things like medical care, rent, and food while the Screen Actors Guild renegotiates its contract.

Don’t Give Up Before You Even Get Started

I was recently accused of ‘having a lot of good ideas that are impossible to get done’. I’m glad that at least some people think they’re good ideas.  But I’m sad that those people so often dismiss the ideas as being impossible.

Think statue in miniature Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Imagine, if you will…

Imagine, if you will, a government funded by user fees instead of by taxes. Are you being defended? The defense department can send you a bill for that. Is Congress doing something for you? It can send you a bill for that.

Freebie Markets

There are people (including readers of GraniteGrok) who claim that a school choice program that is funded by taxes is a ‘free market solution’ to the problem of educating children.

By Civility, I Mean…

Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recently said that while he doesn’t have a problem with differences of opinion, he feels that things have changed regarding the tone of conversations about education.  In the past, he says,

sorry closed

Where is John Galt?

There’s a new fast food law in California.  It raises the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $20 per hour. Not for employees of other businesses.  Just for those at fast food restaurants. And not even all fast food restaurants.  Just some of them.