Something's Off With Andrew Heaton

How do energy experts approach energy? Are there good sources and bad sources? What should we try to abolish and what should we lob subsidies at?   Dr. Michael Webber is a professor of Energy Resources and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of more than 500 scientific articles, columns, and books, including op-eds for the New York Times and Scientific American.    

Recently former intelligence officer David Grusch appeared before Congress, and made the bold claims that the U.S. government owns multiple recovered extraterrestrial vehicles, as well as "biotics"--which is to say, alien bodies. How credible are these assertions, and how should the government respond to UFO's in general? Brian Dunning is the host of The Skeptoid podcast, and host of the new film "The UFO Movie THEY Don't Want You To See." Links:    Brian Dunning’s “The UFO Movie THEY Don’t Want You To See” https://www.briandunning.com/ufo/   TPO: Why UFOs are in the News  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-ufos-are-in-the-news/id1439837349?i=1000489860085   Heaton’s novel, Frank Got Abducted https://www.amazon.com/Frank-Got-Abducted-Andrew-Heaton-ebook/dp/B00HSE9OZI/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=qNkeY&content-id=amzn1.sym.ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_p=ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_r=136-0886507-5175312&pd_rd_wg=1QCog&pd_rd_r=70c12931-a2c0-4e79-b4a1-130dac

Is nuclear power cheap and safe, or dangerous and expensive? Dr. Robert Zubrin is the author of “The Case for Nukes: How We Can Beat Global Warming and Create a Free, Open, and Magnificent Future.”  Zubrin holds Master of Science degrees in Nuclear Engineering and Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a doctorate in Nuclear Engineering, from the University of Washington. Prior to his work in aerospace, Dr. Zubrin worked in areas of radiation protection, nuclear power plant safety, thermonuclear fusion research, and as a secondary school science and math teacher.  Find his book at: mightyheaton.com/featured SUPPORT THE SHOW! Patreon.com/andrewheaton LINKS:  Zubrin on TPO: “I Want to Build a Moon Base” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-98-i-want-to-build-a-moon-base-guest-robert-zubrin/id1439837349?i=1000434628317 Zubrin on ATA: “Turns Out, We’re All Probably Martians” https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/turns-out-were-all-probably-martians/id1488171922?i=1000474556038&l=da  

Dr. Steve Fuller of Warwick University says the meaningful split in society is not Leftwing vs. Rightwing, but rather Upwing vs. Downwing. Both have radically different attitudes to both risk and human nature, which informs their policy decisions and the direction they want to steer society.  SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton Dr. Fuller’s book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured Referenced in the show today:  TPO: “Was Abraham Lincoln Leftwing or Rightwing?” https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/hyrum-lewis “Transcenant Man” – Documentary by Ray Kurzweill about the Singularity https://www.amazon.co.uk/Transcendent-Man-Ray-Kurzweil/dp/B016V7WCLA ATA: The Bioethics of Gattica – Discussed on Alienating the Audience https://alienating.libsyn.com/gattaca ATA: How Cryonics Works – Interview on Alienating the Audience https://alienating.libsyn.com/we-can-freeze-you-how-cryonics-works

Lawrence Lessig of Harvard University is the nation’s foremost thinker and advocate for campaign finance reform around SuperPAC’s. He joins the show to argue for governing political campaigns and SuperPAC’s under the same rules.  Lessig’s website and contest: https://equalcitizens.us/crowdfund-video/

Statistics can be mangled to say whatever you’d like, and sometimes they’re garbage to begin with. Aaron Brown teaches statistics at New York University and at the University of California. He joins to tip us off on statistical malfeasance.

America is less geographically-focused than ever, but her government is still foundationally built around land areas. What would politics look like if geography played less of a role? Max Borders joins to discuss.   SUPPORT THE SHOW! Patreon.com/andrewheaton   TOP TEN EPISODES: www.mightyheaton.com/bestof   Max's Constitution writing contest: https://underthrow.substack.com/p/the-constitution-of-consent-contest   Referenced Today:   The Network State, by Balaji Srinivasan   The Dawn of Everything, by David Graeber and David Wengrow

Thom Taylor is Los Angeles financial advisor who spent a decade writing for movie magazines. He knows the creative and business side of Hollywood, and how the current writer strike is apt to alter the trajectory of entertainment.   Thom's website is www.delreycap.com  

Last week the Supreme Court effectively banned race considerations in higher education admissions. Anastasia Boden returns to discuss the relevant constitutional law, and the underlying ideological issues. Support the show! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton Top Ten Episodes: mightyheaton.com/bestof Mugs at: www.mightyheaton.com/merch Anastasia’s Twitter: @Anastasia_esq

The Harvard Study of Adult Development spans 83-years of health and happiness data analysis, and counting! Its director is Dr. Robert Waldinger, author of “The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness.” He joins to discuss his findings.  Support the show! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton Top 10 Episodes! www.mightyheaton.com/bestof Discord Link: https://discord.gg/9JnUfp627n Find the Book at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured Waldinger’s Sangha: http://newtonzen.org/teachers.html

The World’s Smartest Podcast Networks convenes to ask: is Cancel Culture on its way out? Comedian Hannah Gadsby’s art exhibit “Pablo-Matic” draws attention to the misogynist side of Pablo Picasso… but didn’t seem to get much attention itself. Turner Sparks, Andrea Jones-Rooy, and Andrew Heaton combine forces to discuss the end of Cancel Culture and how funny comedy needs to be to be comedy. NYT piece: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/01/arts/design/hannah-gadsby-brooklyn-museum-picasso.html Poll: Who Gets Canceled? https://www.patreon.com/posts/poll-who-gets-84935788?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Attorney Anna Gorisch returns to explain the Commerce Clause, and how it’s gone from a restraint on state-on-state protectionism to a trump card for federal oversight to subvert local control.

This episode we dive into animal suffering, big agriculture, and the laws Big Meat has on the books to restrict freedom of speech. As well as what basic animal welfare laws would look like, and how much they would cost. Guest Lewis Bollard leads Open Philanthropy’s strategy for Animal Farm Welfare.    TOP EPISODES: www.mightyheaton.com/bestof SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton

Bijoy Goswami is the author of “The Human Fabric: Unleashing the Power of Core Energy in Everyone.” He joins the show to discuss the personalities that make teams flop or excel, and how they apply to politics.  Bijoy’s course: www.aviri.com/p/mre

The National Debt engorges daily--when does it collapse in on itself and crater the economy? In this special we tackle the nature of federal debt, the apocalyptic scenarios its current trajectory leads to, and the pitfalls along the way. Plus, where the train went off the rails, when deficits are smart or dangerous, and the solutions we could enact to ward off fiscal Armageddon.  SAVE WALLACE! - https://mightyheaton.com/savewallace PayPal: andrew@mightyheaton.com Venmo: @andrew-heaton-1 P.O. Box: Andrew Heaton, 1401 Lavaca Street, No. 594, Austin, TX 78701

Where would Lincoln fall on the Left-Right spectrum? Was Jefferson a radical leftist? Was Hamilton a reactionary conservative? If the whole Left-Right spectrum is bunk... where did it come from, and when did it become universal? Professor Hyrum Lewis joins to discuss his new book, "The Myth of Left and Right: How the Political Spectrum Misleads and Harms America." Top Ten Best Episodes: www.mightyheaton.com/bestof SUPPORT THE SHOW! Patreon.com/andrewheaton Featured Books at: www.mightyheaton.com/featured

Think tanks from the right and left regularly glorify Singapore’s economy as either an exemplary free market or a progressive rockstar. Meanwhile, it’s regularly lampooned as an authoritarian state with questionable democracy. What the hell is it?! Comedian Sam See, of Singapore, joins to discuss TOP TEN EPISODES: www.mightyheaton.com/bestof

What do military research boondoogles on astral projection, psychic boon-bending children, and extensive bouts of policy antics all have in common? Confirmation bias.  Brian Brushwood and Justin Robert Young join the show to discuss confirmation bias vis a vis their hit podcast, "World's Greatest Con" World's Greatest Con: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/worlds-greatest-con/id1572307941

Jason Voiovich is a sales and marketing professional, and author of "Marketer in Chief." He joins the show to discuss how advertisers see politics, and what policy wonks and electioneers do not.   TOP TEN EPISODES: Mightyheaton.com/bestof Bonus Episode: Pitch to Red and Blue States! https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-game-pitch-69066400?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link SUPPORT THE SHOW! www.patreon.com/andrewheaton  

Will Storr is the author of “The Status Game: On Human Life and How to Play It.” He joins to discuss the never-ending scrum for status which defines human hierarchies. We’re Not Wrong Live Show https://www.eventbrite.com/e/were-not-wrong-live-in-austin-alamo-drafthouse-on-south-lamar-tickets-616098586457