AirB&Bs and the Housing Market

This image is from a Twitter… uh, X-Twi… a TwiX post by one Amy Nixon, @texasrunnerDFW. (It’s not the property of TNFN; the laws appear unclear on who exactly owns it. But if Amy objects, we’ll take it down as a matter of simple courtesy.) It shows a startling disparity in Austin, Texas between homes available for sale and AirB&Bs for rent: 3329 homes for sale, 12,127 AriB&Bs for rent.

You’d think this means people should sell the AirB&Bs or something, and that they’re either greedy or stupid.

But after a little research and analysis, this just tells me that Austin needs more houses. Which it won’t get.

No, don’t hate me yet. Read first.

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When Is Voter Suppression OK?

EDITORIAL

I’ve been known on occasion to display my militantly moderate tendencies to the unwary.

It happens. I know it’s still considered impolite to discuss politics in public, but, in fairness, where else could we possibly talk about them? It’s like what Willie Sutton said about why he robbed banks: ’cause that’s where the money is. The people are in public, so I talk to them in public.

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The Blue Check Experiment: Week 2

(This article is Part 2 of a series. For the first installment, click here.)

Hello, sports fans, and welcome to Week Two of the Great Blue Check Experiment! I’m your host, @gnerphk on Twitter and J. Millard Simpson on any site that publishes my fiction. We’re speaking to you today from the bottom of a well. It’s dry, so I won’t drown, but the walls are stone and there appears to be no way out, which makes things awkward.

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On The Use Of AI Assist

Aside from spellchecks, grammar checks, and automatic wordcounters, I don’t use AI tools.

Computerized assistance has a great deal of potential for helping writers. The ability to backspace alone— and no longer having to type with four carbons—!!! We’ve come a long way from those old upright Remingtons.

But more advanced writing tools are, at best, a crutch. They’re great if you’ve got a bum leg, sure, but if you overuse them, your other muscles will atrophy. Come to rely on them and, when you really need your writing ability, it won’t be there anymore.

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It’s Ivermectin. Again.

People are on the news talking about an FDA authorization for Ivermectin use in treating COVID. It’s not true. They’re lying to you, perhaps coincidentally right after a minor pharma company just released their new formulation of Ivermectin. It’s pine scented now or something. And their stock price just went through the roof.

Follow the money, people! Do you think nobody in Congress just made a killing? Scurrilous rumor implicates Senator Ron Johnson, but I happen to believe he’s just an ignorant patsy who’s being used by someone close to him. Which isn’t any better for the country, but it’s less immoral.

Want to know more? Keep reading. Because Ivermectin really is a wonder drug, and it might possibly be used to treat viruses – especially in the new pine scent variety.

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The Blue Check Experiment: Week 1

I asked your advice, and I took it. This is what happened next.

Quick recap for those who missed it: A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a short article about whether or not I was going to pay Elon the $8 for my Twitter Blue Check. …Uh, X? X-Twitter? TwiX? My TwiX Blue Check.

If you’re interested, click the link and you can read all the pros and cons I listed. I went into the ethics of it as well as the morality (there’s a difference), and then the cost-benefit analysis. And finally I confessed I was stumped, and asked for advice.

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Bad Orange Man Indicted

I’d thought avoiding Trump stories would help avoid giving him free press, but that ship has sailed. At this point, I think most of us have become resigned to the upcoming Biden-Trump II presidential contest. If I had any hope remaining for the Republican Party, I’d be strongly advising everyone I can think of to register R so they could vote against him twice. But I don’t. The only strong contenders are either insane, hopelessly mired in Trump’s muck, or have declared war on Mickey Mouse.

It’s been observed that this will be treading on blessedly new legal ground. Former presidents are never indicted, and it’s not because they’ve failed to engage in criminal activity. Most were a bit more discreet about it, mind you, but not all.

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