Endless Population Growth is not good Economics

Posted on May 1, 2026 by Tom Liberman

Modern economists, along with politicians and agenda driven ideologues, often preach the mantra of endless population growth as a means to economic wealth. The more people, the higher the GDP, the higher the GDP the more wealth, the more wealth, the happier and better off the people. Have more babies!

If you do not have more babies, economic ruin is coming for you. Your way of life will be destroyed. If we do not have more babies, it will be an unmitigated disaster!

I disagree.

Endless Population equals Endless Misery

It is clear that endless population growth is something that will destroy the world. We have limited resources and are already fighting wars for oil, water, and even food. We need look no further than the animal kingdom to see the result of endless population growth. Wolves who kill all the prey eventually starve. Deer who eat all the vegetation eventually starve.

It is obvious that we must not continue on this path and yet the economists and elite encourage us to do just that. Why?

Endless Lust for Money

The economic rules we slavish follow today that preach an ever-growing GDP help the wealthy but they harm the average person. The economic platforms were created by the rich, for the rich.

The rich want more money and the way they get that is to have an endless supply of worker bees feeding them their wealth.

Japan has a lower population and a lower GDP than they had 30 years ago. The debt to GDP ratio is enormous. Six children are born for every twelve people who die. By all the standards the economists ardently tell us, it must be a country in decline with a population living below poverty, starving even. Spoiler, it’s not.

This is impossible if you believe the lies the wealthy instruct economists to feed you.

Equilibrium

Yes, more people are dying in Japan than are being born. The wealthy claim with straight faces this means the population will eventually reach zero. The people will cease to exist. This is, of course, utter nonsense. Eventually, as older people die off, the population will stabilize and reach a healthy equilibrium

This is the desired outcome. It is not something to be feared, it is something to celebrate.

Conclusion

I am not a radical. I do not propose radical solutions. I simply suggest that we stop giving the rich our food, our children and grandchildren, for them to feed their insatiable appetites. Let the population reach an optimum, sustainable level, and then allow humanity to reach our potential.

If we continue to follow the endless population mantra we will decline, wither, and die, while the rich party on their yachts and laugh at our misery all the while blaming us for it.

Tom Liberman

If Rollerball was a Dystopia what is this?

Posted on April 30, 2026 by Tom Liberman

Rollerball, the 1973 version, is one of my favorite movies and it tells the dystopian tale of a world run by corporations. It’s a great blend of political commentary, human frailty, and great action; but that’s not what I want to discuss today.

In the world of Rollerball corporations rule the world, there are no more governments. Jonathon E is the Rollerball player who discovered the rot at the heart of the corporations and is implied to begin the revolution against them.

My question today is if Rollerball depicts a dystopia, what sort of world do we live in currently?

The Corporate Society of Rollerball

As far as today’s discussion goes, the important moment in the movie involves an early conversation between Jonathon and Bartholomew, the leader of the Energy Corporation. Bartholomew is describing to Jonathon the benefits that corporations brought to the world.

Now, everyone has all the comforts. You know that. No poverty. No sickness. No needs and many luxuries – which you enjoy – just as if you were in the executive class. Corporate society takes care of everything. And all it asks of anyone, all it’s ever asked of anyone, ever, is not to interfere with management decisions.

Our Corporate Society

The corporations of today offer none of the benefits of which Barthalomew speaks. Poverty? We’ve got that and the rapacious use of available resources taken by corporations makes everything more expensive and less available. Sickness? The healthcare industry is little more than a method by which Big Pharma generates profit. Crime? We’ve made crime a profit center. We have no incentive to end crime and prison because they generate revenue. Hunger? People can barely afford staples anymore. The agricultural industry largely enriches a few big corporations at the expense of workers, family farmers, and the environment.

If Jonathon was upset with the dystopian world of Rollerball, what would he think about our current circumstances?

Conclusion

Rollerball a dystopia? Ha. It’s a paradise compared to the real corporate takeover.

Tom Liberman

Three Games in a Week for Man City

Posted on April 29, 2026 by Tom Liberman

There’s a heated battle going on in the Premier League because Man City is being forced to play three important games all within a week. Each of these games requires significant travel from one location to another.

It’s a problem for Man City certainly, but there’s a deeper issue going on here that crosses into almost every sport and every age group. We’re asking people to play far too much and it’s hurting almost everyone.

The Schedule

In the case of Man City, they must play at three different locations in the span of week during a crucial part of their schedule. They’ve asked for some help from the league but thus far, no relief is coming.

It’s fairly obvious that this schedule is not going to allow the team to produce their best play in every game, that the players will be tired.

Other Sports

This problem of too many games in too little time is not unique to Man City. The NCAA is now going to expand their college basketball playoffs, March Madness to 76 teams. They likewise continue to expand on the college football playoff schedule.

Major League baseball’s postseason included two teams in 1968. It’s almost impossible to believe that is true, but it is. Playoffs in hockey, basketball, football, and other professional sports in the United States continue to expand also. The regular season schedule gets longer and more grueling as well. Players are exhausted and need to take games off which causes its own problems.

The season in tennis and golf is grueling and playing in even close to all the events is all but impossible. In chess the schedule is getting so bad that major events are being held concurrently, limiting players to one or another.

We now have Travel Teams in youth sports where kids younger than ten travel all over the country playing games pretty much year round.

This many games creates a worse product. They result in injuries and burn-out. Star players sit out games and fans who come to those games are disappointed.

Why all these Games

I need not explain the reason for the enormous increase in scheduling demands on players and coaches. Moolah. There is more revenue to be squeezed out of the fans at the expense of the players.

Solutions

I have a solution but it ain’t gonna happen. Stop being greedy pricks. Make less money and make the games better for the players and better for the fans. Shorten the season, allow fewer teams into the playoffs.

Tom Liberman

Reaction to a Social Norm Violation

Posted on April 15, 2026 by Tom Liberman

While at my bi-weekly retired old man happy hour we encountered a social norm violation and the reaction of the my friend in contrast to my own interests me. Basically, a social norm is expected behavior in certain circumstances.

What I’d like to explore today is the reaction different individuals have to a social norm violation. Some people, like me, tend to shrug their shoulders and accept the outcome while others are prone to attempting to rectify the situation.

The Social Norm Violation in Question

In this case, we frequent the establishment pretty regularly and one of the perks of going is happy hour. That is to say, half-priced beer and appetizers. We enjoyed ourselves as usual but when the bill came, we noticed that some of us did not get half-priced beer during the happy hour. We were charged full-price regardless of the time we ordered.

This was obviously an oversight as we’ve gotten the half-priced beer many times in the past. The reason I consider this a social norm violation is that we frequent this establishment pretty regularly and have done so for years. There is an expectation as a regular customer that such an oversight will be quickly and efficiently solved in one fashion or another. Rebill or make a note for future visits and discounts.

The Reaction to the Social Norm Violation

I’m rather confrontation averse. I was one of the ones who didn’t get half-price on my two beers. I didn’t consider it a big deal and pretty much left it alone. I’d already handed them my card, added the tip, and finished the transaction by the time someone noticed the issue.

One of my friends noticed the problem and immediately called over the waiter to try and remedy it. I’ve noticed this before about this particular friend, he feels strongly about social norms. If he spends money at a place on a regular basis, he expects to be treated like a regular, given the benefit of his frequent patronage.

He spent the time to point out the error and attempt a correction; calling over a variety of people to explain things and get it straightened out. In the end, as we’d all settled up, accepted an offer of future considerations, likely free appetizers next time.

Right and Wrong

I am not trying to say one of us handled it correctly or incorrectly. I think he handled the situation exactly the way he wanted and so did I. Despite the fact we did two different things, neither of us was wrong. What I do find interesting is difference.

I tend to let things like that slide whereas he does not. Where does that come from? I suspect there is a bit of nurture versus nature in the reaction to the social norm violation. I’ve always had the tendency to shrug my shoulders and say whatever, after which I tend to avoid such people and places in the future. If they can’t treat me properly, I’ll take my business elsewhere. If someone is a jerk, then I’ll stop hanging around the person.

My friend prefers to resolve the problem directly and immediately which I find an admirable trait. I wish I was more like that but then I’m also happy that I’m not more like that, if that makes any sense at all.

Conclusion

I think everyone is on the bell curve on this issue. Some more like my friend, some more like me. Again, I’m not interested in deciding which one is better or worse, just highlighting the differences.

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Tom Liberman

Interleague Baseball must be Stopped

Posted on April 13, 2026 by Tom Liberman

Gird your loins, hold onto your hat, brace yourself, man or woman up, put on your big-girl/boy pants, it’s time for an old man rant and the subject this time is interleague baseball. It sucks. I hate it. It must be stopped. Interleague baseball is a sign of the rapture, it’s destroying the world, dogs and cats are in agreement on the subject.

Ok, I may be going a bit overboard but I cannot begin to tell you how much I hate interleague baseball. It’s killing what little enjoyment I still get from the game.

What is Interleague Baseball?

For many of my legion of younger readers the concept of interleague baseball might be something they don’t fully understand. Way back in time, 1997 to be precise, Major League Baseball (MLB) introduced the concept of interleague baseball. That is to say, teams from the American League playing teams from the National League as part of the regular schedule.

It was initially met with great excitement as fans from both leagues never got a chance to see the stars from the other league playing against their hometown heroes. The Cardinals playing the Yankees in the regular season sounded like a great idea. Spoiler, it wasn’t.

Prior to 1997 the two leagues played entirely separate schedules, the only time an American League team played a National League team was in the World Series although the stars faced off in the annual All-Star game.

Why does Interleague Baseball Merit an Old Man Rant?

I’m a St. Louis Cardinal fan and this is the home schedule for my beloved birds this year. Home Opener against Tampa Bay of the American League East. Next up is the New York Mets, at least a National League team. On the road for the heated rivalry, insert sarcasm emoji, with the American League Central Detroit Tigers. More National League East with the Washington Nationals. Next six home games against American League East Boston Red Sox and American League Central Cleveland Indians.

The Cardinals play in the National League Central division and are battling traditional rivals like the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates with whom we’ve been in the same division since I was born a million and a half years ago. We also compete against the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers. Two weeks into the season and not a single game against any one of our divisional rivals.

We play each of those teams thirteen times in a season. Thirteen, in case you aren’t a math wizard, is an odd number. Can’t have the same number of home and away games. One team gets an extra home game.

Back in ancient times, when dirt was new and hope and dreams glinted in my youthful eye, we played divisional rivals eighteen times a season. That’s 90 games, out of 162, against your divisional rivals. That creates interest, hatred even. Damn you, evil Cubbies, damn you to hell!

We now play 48 interleague games. 48 games that I just do not care about and hopefully this old man is not alone in his indifference.

The schedule is a disaster. Teams go months without playing their direct divisional rivals. It’s so boring. Rivalries die. Rivalries drive interest. This dilution of traditional rivals isn’t unique to baseball and is largely driven by revenue schemes, don’t even get me started on the death of double-headers. It pains me to quote Cubbie legend Ernie Banks but, yeah, Let’s play two!

Conclusion

I do not care about the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox, the Detroit Tigers, or the Cleveland Guardians. I care slightly more about the New York Mets but largely because they used to be a heated divisional rival. Rivalry drives interest and my interest in baseball is dying because of the dilution of those rivalries. Interleague baseball is not the only culprit but it’s a big one.

Shakes fist at sky!

Old Man Tom Liberman

So you wanna be an Alpha Male

Posted on April 9, 2026 by Tom Liberman

Get all the ladies, be an Alpha Male, shrug off male loneliness, follow these steps. Don’t listen to all those crazy influencers, you’re gonna learn the real secret to being an Alpha Male right here, right now.

One of the disturbing trends racing through our nation is warped influencers telling young men how to get a lady, how to be an Alpha Male. It’s turning perfectly normal and reasonable young men into disturbed and, frankly, terrifying people. I offer a solution.

The Steps to Being an Alpha Male

The steps to being an Alpha Male aren’t all that complicated. I only have to look at my friends to see married men, men with children, men with happy families, to see what it takes to be an Alpha Male. And, of course, I compare them to myself and my relative lack of success with the ladies. What are they doing that I’m not?

Some of them are taller than me, some of them are fitter, but some of them are shorter, some of them are a bit overweight, some of them have more hair, some less. The traits of an Alpha Male don’t have nearly as much to do with appearance as you might imagine, at least in regards to the parts of appearance you can’t change. So, what is it?

Step One: Improve Yourself

Learn how to fix things; plumbing, carpentry, household repair. Learn how to cook, it’s not that hard and darned useful even if you don’t have a date. Earn a degree. Learn a trade. Get a job. Work hard. Get a promotion. Get in shape. Read; Jane Austen, biographies, mysteries, books on body language and unspoken communication, heck even Tom Liberman, he’s not half bad. Become literate so you can talk about a variety of topics. Learn some card tricks. Learn impressions. Learn something fun you can do at events. Take a driving class so you’re a good driver.

Get some clothes that fit and pay for a good haircut. Get some decent shoes. Dental hygiene. Showers. Trim your nails. Clean your place, wash your sheets and pillowcases, make your bed. Buy some art for the walls. Buy some glasses, dishes, and flatware.

Practice listening to people. Next time you’re in a conversation and somebody says something, don’t immediately relate an anecdote about you, bite your tongue and let other people talk. When you do talk, be passionate about the things that you’re passionate about. If it’s a video game, go for it. If it’s about model trains, don’t hesitate. Be passionate.

Step Two: Meeting Women

This step is fairly easy. Get out there. You’re not going to meet a woman sitting at home, playing on the computer, and reading advice on how to get women. You need to get out there. So, how do you do that?

Go out to dinner and sit at the bar. Find a group of people who do things and join them. Go to museums, go to the ballgame, go to the park, go hiking, walk around the neighborhood.

Step Three: The Best Pickup Line

Hi. That’s it. Now you know.

Step Four: Get a Date

Have a plan. Not, hey, wanna go out sometime. Go with; hey, there’s a new restaurant I’ve been wanting to try. Hey, I’ve got tickets to the ballgame. Hey, there’s wine tour. There’s that exhibit. There’s that lecture.

Be respectful to the people with whom you interact. The waiter, the parking lot attendant, the front door person, everyone. One of them probably has a female friend who is looking for a guy like you.

Step Five: Have a Future

Have a plan for your future. Have a plan to support your wife in whatever she wants to be, housewife or business mogul. Love your kids if they come along. Be a great dad. Take them places. Teach them things. Love them. Stand up for them and stand up for yourself.

Conclusion

An Alpha Male is married or in a committed relationship, he’s got a great family, he loves his wife. Change your image of what an Alpha Male is and, with enough self-improvement, you’ll be one yourself.

Tom Liberman

First Scene Comparison: Forsytes versus Count

Posted on March 23, 2026 by Tom Liberman

It is not a perfect benchmark by which to judge a show, but I do think it worthwhile to make a first scene comparison between what I consider good shows and bad. Anyway, it was the first Sunday of new shows on PBS and whilst we, me and mom, eagerly watched both The Forsytes and the Count of Monte Cristo I noticed the stark contrast immediately.

I’d like to make a first scene comparison between the two shows and hopefully explain why I think one effectively grabbed me and the other left me cold and bored.

First Scene Comparison Stage 1: The Forsytes

The Forsytes came before the Count of Monte Cristo so I’ll go ahead and examine that opening scene first. The Forsytes opens with a wedding scene. We see perfectly coiffed and beautiful people milling around the beautiful venue, all smiling happily. A voice over then begins to explain the scene.

First the camera focus on the hairdo, that is to say the leading man. We are told this is Jolyon, who has just returned from a supposedly decadent tour of Europe to help run the family’s investment company. He is considered a bit too free-spirited for the job, or at least that’s what the voice tells us.

The camera then focuses on the bride. The voice explains she is a widow with a ten-year-old daughter. Change of camera focus to the girl. Then back to the bride; she is from an important family and this is an arranged marriage to further the prospects of both families the voice claims.

The camera then moves to another man who we are told is Soames, the brother of Jolyon and jealous of the responsibilities given to said brother. Conflict between the two is brewing says the voice.

Finally, the camera settles on an elderly woman, the source of the voice, and she tell us she is the matriarch of the Forsyte clan and gives us a few tidbits about her character.

First Scene Comparison Stage 2: The Count of Monte Cristo

A ragged man approaches a dilapidated coastal church on a blustery day. He opens the door allowing the light to explode into the darkness. He closes the door plunging the church into darkness again. He walks to the confessional booth and kneels. On the other side is a haggard looking priest.

Forgive me father, for I have sinned, says the man.

When was your last confession, asks the priest.

Fifteen years ago, replies the man.

The man tells the priest he believes he has forsaken God because he wants vengeance on the people who stole fifteen years from his life, who stole the only woman he ever loved.

Which One Sounds Good to You?

If I’ve done anything close to a decent job of making the first scene comparison, I hope I don’t have to tell you which one worked and which one did not.

The problem is quite clear and illustrates one of the fundamental rules of writing; show, don’t tell.

In the Forsytes we are told everything. Yes, we see the principles but we don’t see any evidence of their character, their position, their motivations, their drive. We are just told it is so and expected to believe it.

Ok, my brain says. I guess the voice is telling the truth but it’s given me so much information I can’t even remember who is who. Is that the bad brother or the good brother? I’m bored already, looking at my phone.

In the Count of Monte Cristo we are given far less information but all of it is shown to us. We know people did something terrible to this man fifteen years ago. We know he is bent on revenge. We are drawn immediately into the story. What happened fifteen years ago? Who is he? Who did this terrible thing to him? Will he get his vengeance? I want to know, I must know! Tell me, I’m not moving, I’m watching with full attention.

Conclusion

If you saw both of the episodes, did you have a similar experience to me?

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Tom Liberman

East is West According to the NC Double F

Posted on March 20, 2026 by Tom Liberman

Whilst out and about having a whiskey with a friend and watching the NC Double F basketball tournament we waxed poetic about our team’s chances in the big dance. My Alma-Mater the University of Idaho had a tough first round matchup with Houston. While my state loyalty team, the University of Missouri played the next day.

Our mutual favorite St. Louis University was playing right then and I asked my friend when his team, Kansas, was up. He told me they were playing at 8:40 tomorrow. Late game? No, we’re playing in San Diego. How did Kansas end up in the West Region? We’re not, we’re in the East Region.

Old Man Rant Incoming

Gird you loins NC Double F, batten down the hatches, it’s time for a full-on, no-holds-barred, blistering, get off my lawn you pesky kids, Old Man Rant!

What in the ever-loving majesty of creation is going on? Kansas is from the Midwest, in the East Region, and playing their first-round game in California. Next thing you’ll tell me is you summed two even integers and derived an odd integer.

Turns out the folks in Kansas are a tad bit upset about this and I agree with them. To be clear, to illustrate the profundity of the stupidity, let me reiterate; I’m from Missouri. As far as I’m concerned, the last issue anyone from Kansas had correct was their take on slavery.

Who’s running this operation? Put Ron and Leslie in charge of this little rec league thing you’ve got going on NC Double F. Dean Wormer has you lower on the GPA list than Bluto. Ringo songs have more harmony.

You’re screwing up the tournament faster than 186,000 mps (299,792 kps). You’re running this tournament like Edward Smith ran the Titanic. This is so stupid even Dolly Parton wouldn’t pull you up on that door.

How many NC Double F officials does it take to screw up their cash cow? Depends, how many are you willing to bribe?

How does an NC Double F official’s brain cell die? Alone.

All in the pursuit of money, I guess. Some bean counter somewhere decided that a game in California was better than a game on the East Coast.

In the old days, when I was a wee lad, sometime after dirt but before Google, a team from the Midwest was placed in the Midwest Region and played their games at Midwest venues. That way their fans got to see them at a reasonable time of day and could travel to the game. I guess that’s just crazy talk now.

Kids today! Back when! Common sense!

Rant over, return to your AI programmed lives.

Tom Liberman

Afroman Wins

Posted on March 19, 2026 by Tom Liberman

An interesting legal case just wrapped up and the title of this article pretty much says it all; Afroman wins. It’s an interesting case involving a couple of topics near and dear to my heart, Constitutional Law and the police power of the state.

The quick summary is law enforcement raided Afroman’s home after which he created three songs and accompanying music videos which used footage of the raid. The officers involved sued for defamation and illegal use of their images without consent.

The Full Situation

Police had a warrant to search Afroman’s house for evidence of criminal activity including kidnapping and drug trafficking. The went into his home when he wasn’t there by damaging his external gate, kicking in his front door, and doing significant damage to his home security system to the tune of $20,000.

After a search they took all the cash they could find, $5,000 or $5,400 depending who you believe, and left without any evidence of a crime. They never filed charges and eventually returned $5,000 dollars.

Afroman is a music artist and the best of such make songs about what is going on in their lives. In this case, that’s exactly what he did. Using footage of the raid he wrote three songs and released three videos showing the officers in action.

Afroman Wins the Trial

Before the actual trial, the judge disallowed the charge of using officers’ images without their consent, presumably because they were the ones who entered his house. The other charges of causing the officers humiliation, embarrassment, ridicule, mental distress, and loss of reputation were allowed to go to trial.

The jury returned a verdict fully in favor of Afroman. Afroman wins!

The Cost

One thing about the case that I find intriguing is the cost. How much money did it cost for Afroman to defend himself from these charges? How much did it cost the Ohio county of Adams to prosecute the case? It didn’t cost the police department anything, the taxpayers will foot that bill most certainly.

Conclusion

Freedom wins. Tyranny loses. Huzzah.

So, Afroman repaired $20,000 in damages to his house, had to spend time and money to defend himself from a ludicrous lawsuit, and the title of this blog is Afroman Wins. Well, I guess. Would have been better if the police apologized and paid for the damages but I won’t hold my breath.

Tom Liberman

Camera Ticket Dismissed in Florida

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Tom Liberman

There’s an interesting case making its way through the legal system involving a camera ticket. A new law in Florida called the Mark Wandall Traffic Safety Act allows for tickets to be automatically sent out based on camera observations.

Camera Ticket citations are not new although they’ve always been controversial. In this case a twist to the law is what Judge Steven P. DeLuca decided violated the Constitution and gave him the authority to rule as he did.

The Camera Ticket Twist

The situation with this camera ticket law is that if the camera doesn’t get a good view of the person driving, the agency issues the ticket to the owner of the car who must prove they were not behind the wheel. If they cannot do so, then the ticket stands and they must pay the fine.

The problem here is apparent and obvious. The burden of proof is shifted to the accused which is diametrically opposed to the wording of the Constitution and our legal system in general.

This case itself is fairly narrow in application and only covers situation where the system cannot identify who is driving but it does offer up some interesting questions about the limits authority can put on We the People.

Conclusion

With the trend of the judiciary to give more and more trust to law-enforcement, it’s nice to have their authority rightfully challenged now and again. This case is far from over as the Florida Supreme Court has yet to rule, so I’ll be keeping my eyes open.

Tom Liberman

Dark Winds Season 4 and the Missing Plot

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Tom Liberman

I’ve been watching Dark Winds since the beginning and I’ve had my issues with the show but this season has a missing plot. It’s not that the plot is missing the mark, that the plot is not as good as it could be, it’s that halfway through the season and I’m clueless as to the main plot.

I haven’t brought up Dark Winds since the end of season 1 and I do have some issues with season 2 and season 3 but I didn’t feel the urge to talk about it. Season 4 and the missing plot has awakened my inner writer.

The Missing Plot

It’s hard to describe the missing plot because it’s missing.

Reader: Ok, Tom, tell me about Dark Winds season 4, what is the plot?

Tom: No idea.

Reader: You’re four episodes into the season, surely you can explain this problem, why is the plot missing?

Tom: Because it isn’t there.

Reader: You’re not giving me much help here, Tom. Can you elaborate?

Tom: Sighs, looks up, scratches his head, wonders if he should open the last box of fancy chocolates, ok, I’ll give it a go.

The Plot that Isn’t Missing

Season 4 starts out with a bang. A young woman is in a diner with a guy, a blue and white van pulls up, a gun toting villain emerges, shots are fired. Then we go back in time to figure out what we just saw.

Here’s the skinny. The girl is an escapee from a Catholic School on the reservations and has gone off with her cousin because she can help him find something on the reservation, he’s an L.A. boy and doesn’t know the region well. He’s actually looking for his brother who has something or did something or knows something or something.

Much running around. Cousin dies from gunshot wound days later. Assassin kills cousin’s grandfather. Assassin falls in love with Joe for reasons that are unclear. Assassin paints van green with spray paint. Chee is having hallucinations for some unexplained reason.

Law enforcement is looking for green van, although the only van they have accounts of is blue and white but whatever. Who even cares because of the missing plot? What is going. No idea. What is anyone trying to find? No clue. What’s the objective of the assassin? Don’t ask me.

So, off they go to L.A. where the assassin’s father is a crazy Nazi. Some other guy knows the brother. Law enforcement is watching this other guy. I don’t know what’s going on so I can’t explain it lucidly. The assassin works for a menacing guy I don’t know.

Why the Missing Plot is a Problem

The acting is pretty good in Dark Winds and there is a ton of time spent on character development. The problem is I don’t understand the driving motivations. I know the girl and the assassin are trying to find the other cousin, but why? Why? Why?!

There is no MacGuffin. Or, more literally, we don’t know what the MacGuffin is. It’s there. It’s something. It’s the driving force in the show, as it should be, but what is it and why do people want it, or him, or whatever?

Without this crucial piece of information, everyone’s actions seem pointless. There are no stakes for the audience.

Conclusion

The worst part is the problem is easily fixed. Just have the cousin explain to the schoolgirl why he needs to find his brother. Let us in. I suspect that keeping this crucial information secret is to allow them to spring the twist on us at a later time but it’s so damaging. If we know why characters are doing what they’re doing, we are invested. As it is, I’m bored and confused.

Tom Liberman

Was She Lying or Did the Writer Mess Up

Posted on March 10, 2026 by Tom Liberman

Being from St. Louis, I’m doing my civic duty and watching DTF St. Louis. I’m not much enjoying it but that’s not the topic I’d like to discuss today. I spotted an interesting writer mess up in episode two. Or it’s possible the mess up was not a mistake but an intentional instance of having a character lie.

The problem is my confusion about the scene, which of those two things was going on. It gives me an opportunity to talk about writing and one of the things I think it’s good for authors to try to avoid.

The Scene with the Writer Mess Up (or the Lie)

DTF St. Louis tells the story of Clark who is having an affair with Carol who is married to Floyd. I’m not going to go into more detail because that’s not the focus of today’s article. It’s not about the show, it’s about the writer mess up.

It’s established very early in the first episode that Carol makes money on the side by umpiring baseball games. She’s seen in her ridiculously oversized uniform multiple times and Floyd talks to Clark about it in an early scene.

Clark and Carol are flirting and Carol suggests going to a Cardinals game. Clark mentions that his television station gets blocks of tickets and they should catch a game. At this point Carol says she’s never been to a game and she’s not sure if she would even understand what is going on.

I immediately sat up in my chair, my face scrunched up in that infamous Tom Liberman What you talking about Willis expression. She’s a baseball umpire. Clark knows this. She knows all about baseball. She’s clearly a fan of baseball or she wouldn’t have a job umpiring games.

Was Shy Lying or was it a Writer Mess Up?

Sometime later in the show, whilst I was bored with the endless and painful dialog, it occurred to me perhaps the writers did it on purpose to show Carol as a deceitful person. They wanted us to know of her manipulative nature.

I’m still fairly confident it was just a writer mess up but my confusion is, in itself, an indication of a problem with the writing. If Carol was lying the audience should know that she’s lying. The point should be to paint her as a deceitful character and, frankly, a stupid one. She’s an umpire, everyone knows about her side-gig. The lie is blatant and will obviously be exposed sooner rather than later. It’s a terrible lie.

The fact that I don’t know which one with any certainty distracts me from the episode, and I didn’t need anything else to get me to stop watching and look at my phone. Yawn.

Conclusion

If it was a mess up, it’s an indicator of lack of attention to detail. If it was a lie, it’s a bad character development because I can’t distinguish between the two possibilities. In either case, it’s poor writing.

The audience needs to be immersed, we need to believe the characters and events, we need to be drawn in, not forcibly kicked out.

Oh, yeah, the actual ballgame was the single most unconvincing stadium and crowd scene I’ve ever witnessed. Everyone sitting like cardboard cutouts, unemotional, not cheering, not booing, not eating a hot dog. Just sitting quietly, staring straight ahead, while the Clark and Carol had yet another unconvincing dialog. At least the fans wore Cardinals gear.

Tom Liberman

Can A Billionaire Donor Save College Athletics?

Posted on March 1, 2026 by Tom Liberman

I just read a little story about billionaire donor Cody Campbell who thinks he has the solution to the problems in college athletics. I’ve written about corruption in the NCAA so many times I just don’t have the energy to write yet another article on all the problems but the solution offered in this case does dovetail nicely into some other issues involving the super-rich.

In this case, Campbell, a billionaire donor to the Texas Tech athletic program warns if the problem isn’t fixed, athletes will suffer if colleges shutdown their athletic programs. He’s all worried about those talented athletes.

What the Billionaire Donor has to Say

Here is the quote from Campbell about the nature of the problem.

College Sports are broken, and those who first made the mess and profit handsomely from the status quo do not want to fix it. Without meaningful change, opportunities for thousands and thousands of talented student athletes will disappear and women’s and Olympics sports programs will be canceled.

You can see how worried he is about those student athletes. How concerned he is. How he stays up late at night with worry about their future. You can almost see the pain and grief visibly manifest itself in his impassioned plea.

Who Can Fix College Athletics?

The problems in college athletics have everything to do with money, that’s a fact, but it’s not that athletes are finally get to share the revenue. It’s the enormous amount of money and revenue generated for these sports. Billionaire donor Campbell, and his many cohorts and predecessors, are the root of the problem.

I don’t deny that college athletics has big problems. There was a time, long ago, when revenue wasn’t the main factor in amateur sports. It was the spirit of competition. Giving young people the benefit of sport to enhance their lives. There was a time when the head coach at State U. wasn’t the highest paid public official in the state.

There was a time when billionaire donors didn’t sit in luxury boxes to impress clients and purchase, that is to say, entertain politicians.

There was a time when college athletics was about the athlete. That time is no more, in large part to Campbell, the NCAA itself, the court system, and politicians.

Conclusion

I’m not going to get into a long and technical discussion about how to fix the mess that’s been made. I’m just going to make a simple statement. If you’re looking to fix college athletics, the last place you want to look for solutions is billionaire donors. They aren’t interested in fixing the problem, they’re interested in increasing profit.

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Tom Liberman

Post Office Immunity Ludicrous

Posted on February 24, 2026 by Tom Liberman

The Supreme Court just ruled that Post Office Immunity extends to mail intentionally withheld by postal employees against orders from the USPS Inspector General. There is a racial element to the case but I don’t think that an important issue in the dispute.

My rant today isn’t just against Post Office immunity to lawsuits but the general tendency in the courts to uphold laws granting such immunity. I’ve discussed this issue from a wider point of view so I’ll stick with the specifics this time.

Post Office Immunity Examined

The Post Office is granted immunity from lawsuits involving missing, lost, and undeliverable mail. This is not unreasonable although I’m always skeptical of immunity protections. The basic principle is that if the immunity did not exist, the Post Office would be inundated with lawsuits over lost mail and have to prove such a general mistake without malicious intent.

Justice Thomas, writing for the majority, argues that this protection extends to the intentional nondelivery of mail and four of his colleagues agree.

The Case in Question

Lebene Konan owns several rental properties. One day she found her mailbox key changed so that she could no longer access the mail and deliver it to her tenants. The stated reason being that she was required to prove that she actually owned the property. She then provided the appropriate information but the situation was not resolved.

The USPS Inspector General intervened and ordered mail to be delivered. It was still withheld. Important mail including medication, bills, and other vital information was not delivered. Tenants, weary of the situation, moved out. Konan filed dozens of complaints and eventually resorted to a lawsuit which has been making its way through the courts for two years now.

Konan claims there is a racial element to the situation, she is black. That is unimportant to me but it does factor into the ramifications of the ruling.

Post Office Immunity Apparently Absolute

This case clearly means that Post Office Immunity to lawsuits is now absolute. Now, at any Post Office, if the manager doesn’t like you for whatever reason, that person can withhold your mail. They risk being fired, I suppose, but if they have the general support of their superiors, there can be no ramifications.

Conclusion

The Post Office is now legally able to stop delivering you mail because of your religion or lack thereof; your skin color, the fact that your children have a beef at school, because someone finds your spouse attractive and thinks you are undeserving of their love. Any reason whatsoever.

If anyone, outside of five Supreme Court Justices finds this reasonable, well, I don’t even know what to say. The law is now a tool of suppression, plain and simple.

Tom Liberman

Mitigate Mistakes don’t Compound Them

Posted on February 22, 2026 by Tom Liberman

I made an enormous tactical mistake during my Friday night Board Game session this past weekend and I remembered an important chess concept; mitigate mistakes, don’t compound them.

Chess is really the first place I learned about the notion and Magnus Carlson demonstrated the idea during his recent run to become Chess Freestyle World Champion. I think the idea we must mitigate mistakes rather than compounding them a useful life lesson and therefore, here we go,

What is it to Mitigate Mistakes?

My tactical blunder during the latest session of Ticket to Ride: Legends of the West involved me playing to the winning strategy of a previous turn rather than the winning strategy of the current turn. Basically, I put my gold into the wrong basket. By the time I realized my enormous blunder, it was far too late to fix it.

There was no possible way to attempt the previous round strategy and accomplish any of the goals of the current round. That’s when I put on my mitigate mistakes hat. Rather than pursuing my original strategy, I gave it up. I went with the new strategy and accomplished multiple goals gaining a fairly good number of points. Not as many as if I played that way from the start, but at least some.

Don’t Compound the Mistake

By giving up my original strategy I essentially forfeited all, or at least most, of the points associated with the original goal. It’s certainly true that giving up those points hurt me but they were already lost for the most part, the old goal was less useful in the new round.

If I continued on with my misguided strategy I would have earned none of the points associated with the better tactic and fallen even further behind than I did.

Conclusion

The lesson is that once the mistake happens, there is no fixing it. What’s done is done. Trying to fix it generally just compounds the problem and makes it worse. That’s what we should all learn to do.

It’s not easy to admit a mistake and we all want to deny it because of our ego. Sometimes it’s important to put the ego away, mitigate mistakes with a humble sigh, and get on with life.

Tom Liberman

Gambling Machines in Missouri

Posted on February 18, 2026 by Tom Liberman

A recent court case in Missouri brought gambling machines under scrutiny and I thought it was a good chance to look at this issue from a Libertarian perspective.

The gambling machines, often called video lottery terminals, operate in gas stations, bars, and stores throughout the state. I’ve written on several occasions about the Libertarian perspective on legalized gambling and the harm it causes so I don’t want to rehash those arguments. What I’d like to examine today is the government’s interest in supposedly banning these devices.

The Gambling Machines

These gambling machines are essentially slot machines. Put in some money, spin the wheel, hope for a good outcome. They try to skirt the law against such devices located outside casinos by adding a small element of skill. This, they argue, makes them a skill game rather than a gambling game of pure chance. The courts have ruled and they disagree with this argument.

There are a pair of these gambling machines in the local market where I purchase delicious, house-made sandwiches every Saturday on my way back from the gym. They don’t always have somebody standing in front of them, feeding them money, but I’d say they are in use the majority of the time I’m there.

People like these gambling machines and the places that have them like them because they get a cut of the revenue generated.

What the State says about Gambling Machines

I’m going to give you a couple of quotes from those who argue these devices must be removed following the court decision.

County Executive Sam Page

When these unregulated machines bypass taxing and licensing, they divert revenue from infrastructure from public education and important government services like public safety and public health.

Governor Mike Kehoe

Certainly, as we’re trying to figure out problems with our budget where we’re … trying to not cut programs that are essential, we have to make some very hard decisions. We want to look at things that are out there right now that aren’t operating legally, that could provide a revenue stream through some sort of regulation.

Why the State is Involved

If you read those quotes I doubt I have to tell you why the state is involved in removing these gambling machines. It’s not for the well-being of those who are adversely affected by such devices. It’s not about helping those with gambling addictions. It’s not about human decency.

It’s about revenue, plain and simple. You know it, I know it, the politicians know it. Money is the deciding factor in almost everything these days. What will help us make more money? What will help rich people get richer? How can we squeeze more money from tax-payers?

Conclusion

It’s interesting how in Missouri the argument has shifted away from the moral objections associated with gambling. Anyway, I find it interesting. Do you?

Tom Liberman

Lindsey Vonn Stupidity or Courage?

Posted on February 8, 2026 by Tom Liberman

I’m not a big fan of the Olympics in general as I’ve written before but the Lindsey Vonn crash makes me ponder the question of stupidity or courage. I’ve considered this sort of thing before in my own life in various situations, hiking, rock-climbing, etc.

In this case Vonn decided to attempt the Olympic Downhill race with serious injuries. The attempt resulted in a horrific crash leaving her crying in pain. My question is what do you think of her decision? Was it stupidity or courage?

Stupidity versus Courage in Life

I think most of us have experience with deciding the question of stupidity or courage in a particular situation. In my own life I can recall several incidents, but I won’t go into detail. Basically, I tend to be a cautious person and I think, for the most part, I choose to be smart and not courageous. There have been exceptions and my old-man body still has trouble in the morning, afternoon, and evening because of those courageous/stupid decisions.

Was the choice of stupidity worth it? I’m just not sure. I definitely am glad that I did many of the things that frightened me, that caused me to tremble in fear. I am afraid of heights; but as a boy I took a climbing class and while I still get nervous in elevated situations, I’m not debilitated thanks to that courageous decision.

On the other hand, I’ve been on hikes where there was a dangerous situation and I went around. I vividly recall a teenage girl climbing up a cliff face waterfall in her flip flops with a twenty-foot drop to rocks below. She made it but I’m not sure it was a good decision.

The Lindsey Vonn Situation

Lindsey Vonn made a stupidity or courage decision and paid a price. Will she think it was worth it? That’s for her to decide. What do you think?

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Tom Liberman

The Importance of Travel Scenes

Posted on January 22, 2026 by Tom Liberman

Travel Scenes in Miss Scarlett versus All Creatures

I’ve compared PBS shows before and I’d like to do it again but with a focus on what I call a travel scene. In this case the two shows are once again Miss Scarlet and All Creatures Great and Small. The reason for the comparison is they run back-to-back on Sunday evening so I get to see one after the other.

What is a Travel Scene

A travel scene, at least by my definition, is a scene in between two locations scenes where a character or characters travels from one location to the next. This includes time spent preparing for travel and, indeed, just that preparation can be the entirety of the Travel Scene.

Travel Scenes in Both Shows

The importance of a travel scene is something I’ve noticed before in any number of shows and movies. My general impression is shows that don’t use travel scenes are eager to get to the action, the meat and potatoes. If Miss Scarlett is going to Scotland Yard to confront Inspector New Guy the two scenes are not sandwiched around a travel scene.

Basically, Miss Scarlett tells someone she is going somewhere and the next scene she is at that location interacting with others.

Meanwhile, in All Creatures Great and Small when someone is heading out to visit Mrs. Pumfrey or another client, we generally see them putting on a coat, heading out, getting in the car, and then driving to the location. Perhaps not all of those things occur but at least a few.

What Value is there in a Travel Scene?

I think this is the most important question. What value does a travel scene bring to a show and how can such scenes cause harm? The harm is relatively simple to pinpoint; those sorts of scenes take away from the limited amount of runtime a show has available to it. If we just eliminate them, we have more time for the other scenes.

The value is more difficult to determine but for me it’s all about immersion and transition. When characters teleport around from one location to the other with no apparent means it bothers me. Timelines don’t work as going from places takes time but it is often ignored. Events happen out of sequence as a person couldn’t have done another scene because it supposedly took hours to get to a location.

When a character is seen getting ready to travel, driving, walking, taking a train, arriving outside at a new location, I believe. My reptilian brain thinks, yes, they’ve traveled from one location to another, I believe the upcoming scene.

In addition, travel scenes often allow for a lovely transition of beautiful scenery, period piece vehicles and clothes, and wide shots not possible in indoor location.

Conclusion

I don’t think every journey need be documented with some sort of a travel scene but I’m of the strong opinion that shows that take the time to show them are almost always better than those that do not.

Certainly, it’s not the travel scene alone that makes a show superior but is an indicator of attention to detail. Anyway, I’m curious, have you noticed travel scenes and the effect on the show?

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Tom Liberman

Best Medicine is Twitchy and Agitated

Posted on January 7, 2026 by Tom Liberman

One of my mother’s favorite shows is Doc Martin and she was excited for the release of the U.S. version, Best Medicine. We watched the premier last night and mother did not approve. I can’t say I much enjoyed it either.

There is an argument that if you loved the original you might be predisposed to dislike the remake but I’m not convinced that’s what is going on here. This remake doesn’t take a different tone; it seems to want to emulate the original faithfully. It fails, at least according to mom. Shall we try to find out why?

Sweet and Silly v. Twitchy and Agitated

I’ve not seen every episode of Doc Martin, as has mom, but I’ve seen a quite a few and the original is largely silly and sweet. Doc Martin himself is constantly agitated but the rest of the cast is generally more laid back. The setting is calm and peaceful.

Almost every character in Best Medicine is like Doc Martin in the original, agitated and twitchy. Louisa appears to have Turrets Syndrome, Aunt Lucy shouts all her lines, Sheriff Mark has none of the sweet but clumsy charm of Joe from the original, and Elaine the receptionist might be the most annoying character I’ve ever seen.

I get that she is supposed to be annoying but her portrayal is way too much. I’d call it cartoonish but that’s an insult to cartoons.

I’m not trying to criticize the actors here, I’m guessing this is what the director and writer desired. They are so twitchy and agitated that I get twitchy and agitated just watching them. It’s painful.

Only Bert and Al seem in any way relatable to the original characters but they are barely in the first episode.

Events are Rushed in Best Medicine

Another big problem is the speed at which everything unfolds. The storyline speeds along like the Enterprise at Warp 10. We are introduced to the quirks of all the characters through exposition almost immediately upon meeting them. Doc Martin’s blood phobia is hammered home.

Man boobs. Estrogen. More man boobs. Infidelity. Happy resolution. It all happens almost without stop. Not to mention Doc Martin’s inability to connect the dots on the two cases was baffling. I guessed immediately.

Louisa and Sheriff Mark’s storyline speeds along and the willingness of all parties to immediately confide in Doc Martin just seemed wrong. Why are these people saying these things to a virtual stranger?

Wokeism

Generally, I’m not put off by trying to insert a little diversity into an older show. Here we have two inter-racial couples one of whom is gay and it just seems a little forced. The gay couple were actually the most appealing characters in the episode so I can’t complain too greatly.

Conclusion

Listen, it’s only the first episode. Maybe things will calm down and they won’t continue to rush as much. Maybe the characters will settle in and become less agitated and twitchy. I’m hopeful but I suspect things won’t improve.

Did you like it?

Tom Liberman

Gambling Problems for Non-Problem Gamblers

Posted on January 7, 2026 by Tom Liberman

I’ve written about the dangers associated with increased gambling availability for problem gamblers but what about non-problem gamblers? My prior points, along with the many articles proliferating throughout media outlets, focus on the issue of gambling addiction.

I was reading yet another article on the rising problem and something else occurred to me. I wonder what the long-term effect of gambling has on non-problem gamblers. The general let’s have a good time gambling within my means sort of person.

Non-Problem Gamblers Loss of Savings

The gambling industry in the United States rakes in billions of dollars. Prior to the recent Supreme Court decision, such gambling outlets were restricted to a few physical locations. Now there is online gambling pretty much everywhere. Anyone can place a bet at any time on just about anything.

People associated with the industry point out the low rate of problem gamblers compared to the total number playing. This is a relatively good point and in line with my Libertarian philosophy. Should we punish all the non-problem gamblers because a few, estimated anywhere from about 2% to 10% depending on your source, have a problem?

My question is how much of an issue is it for the non-problem gamblers and for the rest of us in society. Basically, the non-problem gamblers tend to be young men who have jobs and have disposable income.

My speculation is that these non-problem gamblers are investing their savings not in stocks, bonds, interest bearing accounts, property, and other such accounts but simply pouring it into the hands of the gambling websites.

This voluntary wealth transfer means an enormous loss if you have a knowledge of compound interest.

Let’s just say a young man is a non-problem gambler and spends about fifty percent of his disposable income on gambling instead of investments. So, instead of saving x per month the person saves half of that. The resulting loss, depending upon interest rates, is hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime of earning.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars for millions of people is, as you can well imagine, a lot of money.

What this Loss Means

What does the loss of all this money mean? I’m not completely sure. Certainly, the gambling companies make this money and they spend it; but the loss of savings is a delayed effect that doesn’t really hit until the non-problem gambler ages. Then it means a lot. There is less money to spend for dining out, traveling, gifts, helping children and grandchildren with their own finances.

My point here is the hidden costs involved in the proliferation of gambling. I’m not well-versed enough in economics to guess the total effect of these factors but I suspect it might be far greater than the impact problem gamblers.

What do you think?

Tom Liberman