The Word Merchant

The Word Merchant by Stephen Heins explores environmental impacts, energy policies, and the economic dimensions of renewable versus traditional energy sources. It critically examines green energy initiatives, climate change narratives, and the role of fossil fuels, with an emphasis on factual information and questioning mainstream environmentalist perspectives.

Environmental Impacts of Energy Sources Economic Analysis of Energy Policies Debates on Renewable vs. Traditional Energy Critiques of Climate Change Narratives Political and Economic Influences on Energy Environmental Advocacy and Activism Global Energy Security and Infrastructure Ethical and Human Rights Perspectives on Climate

The hottest Substack posts of The Word Merchant

And their main takeaways

Announcement

0 implied HN points • 25 Feb 06
  1. The author received printed copies of their novel 'Harald'
  2. The novel may not be available on Amazon yet
  3. The author is pleased with how the printed copies look

Moral Luck: Part IV (and last)

0 implied HN points • 26 Jan 06
  1. Deserving the same outcome leads to radical equality.
  2. External factors influence deservingness.
  3. Moral responsibility influences views on criminal punishment.

Moral Luck: Part II

0 implied HN points • 22 Jan 06
  1. People are judged in part based on factors they may not have control over, like outcomes or intentions.
  2. There are two systems of morality: judging based on someone's soul or based on an accounting of who owes what.
  3. Criminal law focuses on intent and the state's authority, while tort law emphasizes resolving disputes between equals.

Buttons and Bumperstickers

0 implied HN points • 16 Jan 06
  1. Buttons and bumperstickers are an underappreciated art form, similar to poetry in their ability to convey complex ideas in few words.
  2. These items can make profound arguments, tell jokes, or share stories using a very limited number of words.
  3. Well-crafted buttons and bumperstickers can communicate ideas in a simple yet impactful way.

Should I Be Mad at Amazon/KDP?

0 implied HN points • 17 Nov 22
  1. Amazon/KDP may use software to manage a large number of author accounts, which may lead to automated responses and errors.
  2. Although frustrating, consider the context before getting angry at the company.
  3. Consider exploring alternative self-publishing services if unsatisfied with Amazon/KDP.
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Why You Can't Get Most of My Books

0 implied HN points • 08 Nov 22
  1. Most of the author's self-published books are no longer available on Amazon due to account termination.
  2. Author is considering self-publishing alternatives like finding another firm or offering books for free on their website.
  3. Author is seeking opinions and experiences with KDP competitors like Apple books for ebooks.

Why Do Gangs Specialize in Crime?

0 implied HN points • 11 Jan 06
  1. Gangs specialize in crime because they have a structure that doesn't rely on legal systems.
  2. Legalizing certain activities could make gangs turn to extortion and robbery for revenue.
  3. Gangs may be effective in employing inner city youths, so they could potentially function in legal markets too.

The Social Scientist’s Dream—As Close as Your Keyboard

0 implied HN points • 03 Jan 06
  1. It's difficult for social scientists to conduct controlled experiments, especially in determining the impact of certain policies on societies.
  2. Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMORGs) like World of Warcraft provide a unique platform for conducting virtual economic experiments.
  3. MMORGs offer a cost-effective way for researchers to study social norms across different populations and societies without the need for extensive travel expenses.

Does the First Amendment Ban Public Schools?

0 implied HN points • 27 Dec 05
  1. The First Amendment has been expanded to include the doctrine of incorporation and the separation of church and state.
  2. Teaching certain theories in public schools can be seen as taking sides in religious disputes.
  3. Existence of public schools can be viewed as inconsistent with the First Amendment due to the need to support or deny various religious claims in education.

Faith Based Science

0 implied HN points • 26 Dec 05
  1. Intelligent Design can be refuted by evidence, like the human appendix and inverted human retina.
  2. The objection to Intelligent Design is that its supporters are driven by religious, not scientific, motives.
  3. Environmental arguments, like global warming, are often fueled by a fundamental belief that 'natural is good.'

Did Trump Sabotage the Midterms: A Statistical Question

0 implied HN points • 28 Oct 22
  1. Trump's involvement in Republican primaries may have impacted party power in Congress.
  2. Trump's influence on candidates' success in the midterms can be assessed statistically.
  3. Analyzing Trump-backed candidates' performance compared to non-Trump candidates can reveal insights.

Politics as a Spectator Sport: In praise of Manchin and Newsom

0 implied HN points • 17 Dec 21
  1. Gavin Newsom in California suggests using a legal tactic from Texas to circumvent the Second Amendment.
  2. Senator Manchin wants to make a popular part of Biden's bill better by extending it for ten years instead of one.
  3. Manchin's adjustment would take up $1.5 trillion of the already agreed-upon $1.75 trillion for the bill.

Land Gained and Lost: A Fermi Estimate

0 implied HN points • 19 Mar 22
  1. Land lost to sea-level rise is estimated at 21,436 km2.
  2. Land lost to rising temperature is likely close to zero.
  3. Land gained due to rising temperature is estimated at 10.8 million km2.

Optimal Consumption of Citrus

0 implied HN points • 11 Feb 22
  1. Consider different ways to consume citrus fruits like pomelo and grapefruit to optimize fruit intake.
  2. Experiment with cutting and scooping methods to get more fruit and less peel in your diet.
  3. Try eating oranges like grapefruits for a potentially messier but more fruitful experience.

A Priori Certainty vs Physics

0 implied HN points • 21 Jan 22
  1. One can't always determine truths by logical reasoning with absolute certainty.
  2. Our understanding of reality can be proven wrong, especially in the realm of physics.
  3. It's important to test economic laws against real-world data to ensure accuracy.

A Niche to Fill

0 implied HN points • 24 Dec 21
  1. Computer software is designed by young technophiles but often used by older non-technophiles who prefer consistency.
  2. A middleman could help bridge the gap between software producers and users by making software transitions easier.
  3. There is a potential market niche for providing solutions to accessing old software on modern hardware.

Suppose the Republicans Win in Virginia

0 implied HN points • 02 Nov 21
  1. If Republicans win in Virginia, it could signal a decline in strength for Democrats in the state.
  2. Democrats may moderate their positions nationally and on the state level if they are at risk of losing the House and Senate.
  3. There are debates within the Democratic party on whether moderating positions will cost them more votes from the left than gain them in the center.

How Humans Held Back the Glaciers

0 implied HN points • 28 Oct 21
  1. Stone age humans may have influenced global temperature and CO2 levels by adopting agriculture
  2. Research suggests that deforestation and rice farming by early humans contributed to rising global temperatures
  3. Evidence points to early human activities preventing the onset of glaciation in northeast Canada several thousand years ago

Protecting Children

0 implied HN points • 25 Sep 21
  1. The reason to protect children from Covid is to prevent them from passing the disease on to adults.
  2. The number of children who have died from Covid is relatively low compared to other causes.
  3. Media focuses on emotionally stirring stories of children dying rather than statistical realities.

The Ivermectin Mess

0 implied HN points • 07 Sep 21
  1. Ivermectin is an FDA-approved drug for non-Covid issues, with questionable evidence for treating Covid.
  2. The debate over Ivermectin has become politicized, with differing beliefs based on political affiliation.
  3. Misrepresentation in the media has led to confusion about Ivermectin's use and potential risks.

Climate and Exploitative Taxation

0 implied HN points • 07 Jun 21
  1. The Tiebout model suggests competition among local governments can lead to optimal provision of public goods.
  2. Dictatorial local government may exploit residents through high taxes if the value of living in that area is high.
  3. High taxes in states or local governments may be correlated with the natural advantages of the location.

The CDC gets life expectancy wildly wrong

0 implied HN points • 27 Feb 21
  1. The CDC inaccurately calculated the decrease in life expectancy due to COVID-19.
  2. The error in CDC's calculation raises doubts about their credibility.
  3. The CDC's approach to estimating life expectancy in this case was criticized for misrepresentation.

Defamation Law vs Censorship

0 implied HN points • 30 Dec 20
  1. Defamation law can protect individuals from false statements that harm their reputation.
  2. Private companies like Facebook have the right to control the content on their platform.
  3. Legal action can be taken against companies that defame individuals, even if they are private entities.

What the Polls Got Most Wrong

0 implied HN points • 06 Nov 20
  1. Polls underestimated educated white voters who supported Trump
  2. Some voters didn't take Trump's threat to democracy seriously
  3. Election outcome doesn't speak much about the entire electorate

Mortality from the Herd Immunity Strategy, a BOTE Estimate: Second Try

0 implied HN points • 22 Oct 20
  1. The proposal to reach herd immunity by protecting old people while letting the virus spread through the younger population may have a significant mortality cost.
  2. Calculations indicate that reaching herd immunity in the US could result in about 158,000 deaths.
  3. Assumptions and parameters in the model can greatly impact the outcome, highlighting the uncertain nature of predictions in this scenario.

Wimps, Boors, and Philosophers

0 implied HN points • 02 Aug 20
  1. Some libertarians aim to make libertarianism more appealing to non-libertarians.
  2. There is a clash between those who see non-politically correct speech as a virtue and those who see it as a fault.
  3. The Ron Paul controversy highlighted the differing views between 'wimps' and 'boors'.

How do I filter .ru out of a Google search?

0 implied HN points • 10 Jul 20
  1. Use Google to search for mentions of yourself online
  2. Filter out .ru URLs from Google search results to avoid potential threats
  3. Seek help from someone knowledgeable about advanced Google search features

McCabe and the 25th Amendment: Two Puzzles

0 implied HN points • 19 Feb 19
  1. McCabe tried to use the 25th Amendment to remove Trump, even though impeachment was an option.
  2. McCabe's revelation about the Deep State working against Trump seems counterproductive.
  3. One possible reason for McCabe's actions could be to promote his book, even at the cost of more years of Trump's presidency.

My First Political Donation?

0 implied HN points • 14 Oct 20
  1. Consider supporting Libertarian candidates in elections.
  2. A Senate with a mix of Republicans and a Libertarian could be a favorable outcome.
  3. Even unlikely scenarios can be worth consideration in elections.

All My Economics Jokes

0 implied HN points • 01 Dec 18
  1. Economists can be humorous, making jokes to teach economics concepts.
  2. Economists have a unique perspective on practical situations and decision-making.
  3. Humor can be utilized to explain economic theories and principles in a relatable way.

Who Do I Expect To Win?

0 implied HN points • 06 Nov 18
  1. The author expects the polls to be wrong in the upcoming election.
  2. There is uncertainty about which political party will win - Republicans might hold or lose the House and Senate.
  3. Politics has changed, making past prediction methods unreliable.

Help With a Novel

0 implied HN points • 22 Aug 18
  1. Consider adding a prolog to improve the beginning of a novel
  2. Seek feedback from readers to determine the effectiveness of the prolog
  3. Engage with blog readers who have not been beta readers for new perspectives

North Korea and Munich

0 implied HN points • 28 Oct 17
  1. Intervening early in foreign policy to oppose potential enemies before they become strong is crucial.
  2. The U.S. has a track record of intervention but not always with effective outcomes.
  3. Consider adopting a strategy of competing in defensive weapons, especially against weaker opponents like North Korea.

Gun Control and Homicide Rates

0 implied HN points • 09 Oct 17
  1. Comparisons of homicide rates between countries with different gun control laws can be complex and may not always show a clear correlation.
  2. It's important to consider historical data and trends when analyzing the impact of gun control laws on homicide rates.
  3. Factoids and arguments about gun control and homicide rates may not always provide solid evidence to support a specific perspective.

Shanghai and Batumi

0 implied HN points • 19 Jun 17
  1. Shanghai and Batumi are cities with unique and crazy architecture.
  2. Shanghai architects are focused on science fiction-inspired designs.
  3. Batumi architects create fantasy-driven and innovative structures.

An Application of Economics to Teaching

0 implied HN points • 03 Mar 17
  1. Answering exam questions you don't know wastes time for you and the grader.
  2. Knowing what you don't know is valuable - you can get points for admitting you don't know the answer.
  3. Leaving questions blank or writing 'I do not know' is a rational choice if you can't provide a valuable answer.

Gypsies, Jews and Amish

0 implied HN points • 09 Feb 17
  1. Gypsies, Jews, and Amish have historically been self-governing and maintained their own culture and language.
  2. The Amish have been successful in maintaining their society in North America, while Jews and Roma have faced challenges in preserving their traditional ways.
  3. There has been a loss of community and cultural separation within these groups over time.

One Argument for the Electoral Vote System

0 implied HN points • 19 Nov 16
  1. Electoral vote system reduces vote fraud in single-party dominated states.
  2. In such states, there is no incentive to steal votes due to the way electoral votes are allocated.
  3. Straight majority vote systems create an incentive for parties to steal votes wherever they can.

Future Climate and the Food Supply

0 implied HN points • 10 Sep 16
  1. Climate change may impact global food supply, but effects are complex and may vary across different crops.
  2. Increased CO2 levels could have differing impacts on crop yields, potentially reducing the negative effects of climate change.
  3. Adapting farming practices to changing climate conditions is crucial for ensuring food production in the future.

The Pleasure of Primary Sources

0 implied HN points • 25 Jan 16
  1. Primary sources offer a direct view of the past, without modern historian filters.
  2. Reward systems in law enforcement can impact constables' behavior and testimony.
  3. Reading primary sources like memoirs and journals can provide unique insights into historical societies.