In episode 201 of the Far Middle, Nick returns under the series’ new, flexible release schedule to discuss a pressing and timely topic: U.S. trade tariffs and their implications for the American economy, the middle class, and particularly the Appalachian region. 

Nick frames the discussion through the lens of CNX Resources’ core values-ownership, responsibility, and excellence-emphasizing CNX’s longstanding commitment to the Appalachian community and its "Appalachia First" approach. These values are critical in addressing the region’s challenges, which stem from decades of policies that have harmed local communities, domestic energy, and American workers.

The episode centers on the recent shift in U.S. trade policy, particularly the imposition of reciprocal tariffs by the Trump administration. Nick underscores that his support for tariffs is not partisan but rooted in a desire for rational trade policy.

Critics-especially in legacy media and academia-have mischaracterized the Trump administration’s moves on tariffs as economic suicide, ignoring the reality that the U.S. has long operated under a regime of unfair trade as asymmetrical tariffs disadvantage American industries and workers. 

Explaining the differences between free trade, unfair trade, and fair trade, Nick contends that while free trade is ideal, moving from unfair to fair trade-where tariffs are symmetrical-is a necessary and pragmatic step towards free trade.

Nick also explores the societal and economic consequences of unfair trade, describing a "barbell" distribution where wealth accrues to the elite while the middle class erodes and poverty grows. Shifting to fair trade via reciprocal tariffs can help rebalance this distribution, resurrecting the middle class by incentivizing domestic manufacturing and onshoring jobs. This not only strengthens national security and reduces reliance on adversarial nations but also helps lowers carbon emissions due to higher U.S. environmental standards. 

Further, Nick examines how the move to fair trade will create new winners-such as domestic manufacturers, energy producers, and middle America-while reducing the power of legacy media, coastal elites, and sectors reliant on globalization. He cautions, however, that the transition from unfair to fair trade will be neither quick nor smooth, and that higher-than-reciprocal tariffs could perpetuate unfairness if not used as a negotiating tool.

In closing, Nick encourages listeners to "bet on America," invest in domestic energy and Appalachia, and remain patient and optimistic about the long-term benefits of a rebalanced trade policy.

Similarly built to last, and a fitting sports dedication for a landmark episode, Nick celebrates America’s iconic sports statues that dot cities across the country and provide a legacy for future generations to know and recall their cities’ sports greats.

While such a tribute could fill a three-hour-plus Far Middle discussion (maybe someday it will), Nick proceeds to highlight his “Mount Rushmore of sports statues in the Steel City.”

The four honorees include Pirates legend Honus Wagner (dedicated in Far Middle Episode 137), 1960 World Series hero and Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski, the great Roberto Clemente (dedicated in Episode 21), and prolific Penguin Mario Lemieux. Le Magnifique is among a select group of multi-featured dedications. Including, of course, Super Mario’s feature in Episode 66, as well as his 1992–1993 season spotlight in Episode 93.

These statues—crafted by artists like Susan Wagner (Mazeroski, Clemente), Frank Vittor (Honus Wagner), and Bruce Wolfe (Lemieux)—symbolize Pittsburgh’s rich sports legacy while immortalizing both athletic greatness and the sculptors who transformed history into bronze.

Nick then revisits the Far Middle’s origins as a companion to his book Precipice: The Left’s Campaign to Destroy America, which evolved into a standalone platform for rational discourse on policy, culture, and current events.

Across its four-year run, the show has regularly tackled topics like administrative overreach, climate policy, education, geopolitics, and capitalism, consistently advocating for “the doers” – working-class innovators and flyover America – while critiquing elitism and ideological policymaking.

Key pillars of The Far Middle’s ethos include:

• Defending individualism against the tyranny of the majority and the wisdom of the elite experts.
• Promoting civil discourse even amid polarizing topics.
• Championing capitalism as the optimal economic system: “It's not perfect, far from it, but it's the best economic system to elevate the human spirit we've come across in history,” says Nick.
• Prioritizing data-driven analysis over emotional or speculative arguments.

Announcing a major format shift, Nick reveals the podcast will transition from weekly 25-minute episodes to a less frequent, deeper-dive format. New episodes will focus on single themes (e.g., history, science, music) with supplemental visuals or companion articles, aiming for “predictably unpredictable and uniformly unconventional” explorations.

The evolution mirrors bold reinventions in rock history, prompting Nick to present his “Magnificent Seven” of rock acts that successfully reinvented their style to achieve new heights. Those artists include Genesis, U2, and Bob Dylan, but you’ll have to listen for the other four greats who all risked creative overhauls to achieve new heights.

Nick closes by urging listeners to embrace change while staying rooted in foundational American ideals, stressing: “There will never be another Far Middle—especially with this new chapter dawning. Until we talk again on that horizon, always stay connected to that Far Middle.”

Nick recounts Maradona's humble beginnings in Buenos Aires, his rise to stardom, and his iconic transfer from Barcelona to Napoli in 1984, which resonated personally for Nick given his family roots in Naples. Maradona's arrival transformed Napoli from an underdog southern Italian club into champions, symbolizing a victory for the working class against wealthier northern teams. Despite Maradona's off-field controversies—including drug issues and alleged mafia connections—Naples maintained deep affection for him, eventually renaming their stadium in his honor.

Highlighting Maradona's ascent to mythical status at the 1986 World Cup, Nick recalls his controversial 'Hand of God' goal and another widely considered the greatest goal in World Cup history, both from the quarterfinal match against England. While admiring Maradona's unparalleled talent on the field, Nick also critiques his Leftist political leanings and associations with controversial figures like Fidel Castro and Nicolás Maduro.

From Maradona's undeniable soccer greatness, Nick connects to climate alarmism within sports journalism. He examines an article asserting soccer faces threats from climate change, criticizing the piece’s lack of evidence and sensationalist tone. Initiatives like stadium solar arrays, batteries, and relying on wind-powered electricity are more about virtue signaling than genuine environmental benefit, and they often result in higher actual carbon footprints compared to conventional energy sources.

Continuing to address the realities of affordable and reliable energy, Nick next highlights a recent editorial from author Bjorn Lomborg, “Green Energy Costs a Bundle.” Citing examples from Germany and other European countries, Nick shows how greater reliance on renewables leads to higher electricity costs and less reliable energy supplies. He also explains how subsidies mask the true cost of renewables in the United States, advocating for transparency and efficiency reforms.

And as the waning seconds of extra time in episode 199 tick away, Nick connects back to the episode’s soccer start, recommending the 1981 film "Escape to Victory." Starring Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, Max von Sydow, Pelé, and other professional soccer players, the movie is set in World War II and centers on Allied POWs playing a soccer match against German opponents amidst escape plans and propaganda schemes. “The ending is great,” says Nick without revealing any spoilers. “You’ll have to watch it to see it.”

The game featured Buddy Ryan’s “46 Defense” thatfocused on relentless quarterback pressure (exemplified by their 11-sack performance against Archie Manning the prior week). That pressure led to Raiders’ quarterbacks Mark Wilson (knocked out twice) and David Humm (incurring a career-ending injury) exiting the game. The Raiders’ emergency, third-string quarterback and punter, Ray Guy, refused to enter the game, fearing injury.

On the other side of the battle, resembling “World War I trench warfare,” Bears’ quarterback Jim McMahon played through a game-suffered lacerated kidney. McMahon and the Bears prevailed 17-6, but moreover the game symbolizes a bygone era of raw physicality. Contrasted to today’s offense-driven, safety-conscious NFL, Nick calls it a “world where a Tom Brady or a Lamar Jackson wouldn't have a chance of being the greats that we've had the pleasure of seeing them become.”

Next, Nick dives into a series of connections and great trends in history, specifically trends identified and articulated by American historian Daniel J. Boorstin (1914–2004). Boasting a resume that includes distinguished author and Pulitzer Prize winner, Librarian of Congress from 1975 to 1987, renowned historian, college professor and more, Nick proceeds to explore Boorstin’s theories and work, including:

• Consensus History: Emphasizing American unity over class conflict and celebrating inventors and entrepreneurs as societal pillars.
  
  
• Creators vs. Discoverers: Creators (artists, musicians) forge new paths without linear progress. Discoverers (scientists, explorers) build incrementally on collective knowledge. And the observation that discoverers, like Christopher Columbus, receive individual credit for collaborative efforts. Meanwhile creators like Led Zeppelin are grouped into “schools” that obscure their individuality.
  
  
• The Convergence of Technology with Political History: The U.S. Constitution, Boorstin argues, emerged not from divine inspiration but from practicality. Printed drafts allowed 55 delegates to debate and refine ideas—a process impossible without the era’s nascent printing technology. Even America’s discovery, Nick adds, was a “happy accident” born of Europe’s quest for Asian trade routes.

An example of Boorstin’s view on creativity and knowledge is encapsulated in his line from The Discoverers (1983). He writes, “The great obstacle to discovering the shape of the earth, the continents, and the oceans was not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge.”

In closing, Nick offers a playful yet profound coda: Ross Bagdasarian, the Armenian-American creator of Alvin and the Chipmunks. A Broadway actor, Hitchcock film extra, and hit songwriter, Bagdasarian epitomized Boorstin’s “creator-inventor” hybrid. His sped-up vocals birthed a cultural phenomenon, proving innovation often thrives at the intersection of art and unconventional experimentation. And what is Nick’s favorite Chipmunks album? Press play and find out!

For more on the Chicago Bears’ defense, see where the 1985 squad lands on Nick’s “Ten Greatest NFL Defenses in the Super Bowl Era.”

Nick highlights Big Klu’s four ingredients for success—ability, confidence, work ethic, and the will to win. Those ingredients transcend baseball and apply to professional success no matter one’s career path. 

Nick shifts from the power hitter’s insights of the 1950s to Voltaire’s wisdom from the 1700s. Nick proceeds to explore Voltaire's Alphabet of Wit, a collection of short essays offering timely commentary on many issues society faces today. 

For those unfamiliar with Voltaire, Nick explains he was one of history’s great writers, and a prolific one as well, authoring approximately 20,000 letters and over 2,000 books and pamphlets. And his Alphabet of Wit is a perfect, condensed introduction to Voltaire’s philosophy and genius. 

In Alphabet of Wit, Voltaire presents an alphabetical series of short and insightful essays examining words/terms from A to Z, from animals to eloquence, from morality to slavery, and more. Here are just a few of Nick’s observations: 

• Books: Voltaire lamented that despite their abundance, few people invest the time to read—a problem amplified today.
• Government: Voltaire mocked humanity's obsession with governing despite its perpetual incompetence, a critique that resonates with modern bureaucratic inefficiency.
• Happiness: True joy, Voltaire argued, stems from disposition, not circumstance-a reminder for today's pursuit of contentment.
• Right: Voltaire's critique of paper currency (“a sham for real wealth”) parallels modern critiques of central banking, while his observations on religious institutions resonate with current debates on institutional power.

Nick also discusses Voltaire's perspective on self-love, which echoes the philosophy of Ayn Rand, particularly her concept of rational self-interest. In exploring Voltaire’s view on war, Nick notes that Voltaire's take that leaders should exhaust all alternatives before resorting to conflict resonates strongly today. 

In closing, Nick connects Voltaire’s discussion of the alphabet and language to L.L. Zamenhof's Esperanto, a constructed language developed in the late 1800s intended to promote peace and understanding. Though it failed to achieve widespread adoption, Esperanto serves as a reminder of humanity's ongoing quest to bridge divides and foster lasting connection. 

Episode 197 is another masterful set of connections, spanning Kluszewski’s ingredients for success to Voltaire’s wit, stressing reason and timeless wisdom to navigate modern complexities.

Nick explains how Chamberlain and Auerbach’s paths crossed as player and coach at a country club in Monticello, NY. He reflects on the clash between the young, headstrong Chamberlain and the up-and-coming Coach Auerbach.

For more on Coach Auerbach, revisit Far Middle episode 119 for Nick’s tribute to the legendary coach and executive. And for more commentary on Chamberlain, see episode 152 and episode 69 which honors the 69-win NBA season by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers.

Transitioning from the hardwood to hard economic issues, Nick explores the possibility of the new administration getting serious about fiscal responsibility and the need to balance America’s budget. Nick explains, “The levers in the end are indeed simple. You can raise taxes to increase revenues. That's one option. You can cut spending by government. There's a second one. Or you can scale back entitlements. And each lever, although simple, brings to bear many complexities in endless policy debates.”

Inspired by Thomas Sowell, Nick discusses an additional lever, which is the potential of selling federally owned land. He notes the concept isn’t new, and the move could not only generate revenue but also reduce maintenance costs and stimulate economic growth.

The episode then shifts to a curious contradiction: the decline of religious practice in America despite centuries of religious freedom. Drawing from recent studies and exit polls from the 2024 election, Nick points out the growing number of religiously unaffiliated Americans and how faith seems to correlate with political preferences.

Next, Nick dives into the impact of inflation over the past four years, presenting a sobering list of rising prices across multiple sectors, from car insurance to airfare and from gas to groceries. This leads to a critique of price controls as a solution to inflation, with Nick citing the work of Henry Hazlitt and Brian Wesbury in, The Dangers of Price Controls.

“Movement toward a dictated and authoritarian economy is never a good thing,” says Nick. “It takes freedom away from the individual business entity and worker and places power in the hands of government. Bad move under any circumstance and price controls are never a cure for inflation, despite how they are marketed.”

Nick further underscores that the complexity of our economy makes price controls impossible. He also addresses the root cause of inflation, which is the growth of America’s money supply since 2008. 

In closing, Nick offers a tribute to “the greatest name in science fiction writing and film screenwriting that you never heard of.” That writer is the acclaimed Lee Brackett, a pioneering science fiction writer and screenwriter often overlooked despite her significant contributions. Nick describes Brackett as one of the most prominent female writers during the golden age of science fiction.

Nick touches on Brackett’s extensive resume and career highlights, which includes writing and co-writing many films (including The Big Sleep that starred Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall), working on Westerns alongside director Howard Hawks, and much more. One of her last works and her final screenplay credit would be for The Empire Strikes Back. Unfortunately, Brackett passed away in early 1978 and never saw her finished product.

“Rest in peace, Lee Brackett. And no matter what planet or galaxy you visit this week, May the Force be with you, and always stay connected to that Far Middle,” concludes Nick.

Nick recalls Henderson's distinctive style and personality, including his crouched batting stance and his tendency to refer to himself in the third person. Reflecting on Henderson's record-breaking career, Nick highlights his unmatched stolen base prowess, which rightfully earned him the nickname “Man of Steal.”

Leaving the diamond, Nick delves into the writings of Ayn Rand. He examines her thoughts on civil discourse and advocacy, emphasizing their relevance to the challenges of today's political landscape. Rand's focus on well-reasoned arguments and the importance of clarifying ideological divides provides an important framework for analyzing contemporary issues.

Nick highlights Rand’s quote from her essay Conservatism: An Obituary: “Nothing is as futile as a movement without goals, or a crusade without ideals, or a battle without ammunition. A bad argument is worse than ineffectual: it lends credence to the arguments of your opponents. A half-battle is worse than none: it does not end in mere defeat—it helps and hastens the victory of your enemies."

To illustrate Rand’s argument, Nick critiques a recent Wall Street Journal article on energy policy. He examines flaws in the article’s logic and rebuts its assumptions, raising concerns about bias and a lack of rigor in business media reporting, particularly regarding energy and climate issues.

Shifting from Rand’s wisdom to insights from The Heritage Foundation’s Kevin Roberts, Nick explores Roberts’ essay Populist Conservatism and Constitutional Order. Nick highlights Roberts’ observation that “the Left as we know it today has rejected populism out of hand, embracing instead Big Government, Big Business, Big Banks, Big Tech, Big Pharma, Big Labor, Big Ag, Big Media, and Big Entertainment.”

Roberts includes a quote by composter Gustav Mahler, “Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.” Nick reflects on this important message, which he says has been true since the Enlightenment and is central to the Far Middle’s mission.

Ending on a high note, Nick offers a tribute to legendary guitarist Joe Walsh while acknowledging Walsh’s omission from Nick’s list of top rock guitarists. He delves into Walsh’s musical journey beyond the Eagles, spotlighting his influential album So What and his contributions to rock history. Tune in to not only hear Nick’s favorite Joe Walsh song but to learn more about Walsh which will likely have you searching Spotify for Rocky Mountain Way.

D'Amato's life story is remarkable. From his humble and rough beginnings in the Bronx to becoming a transformative figure in boxing, Cus went on to train champions such as Floyd Patterson and Mike Tyson while developing the innovative "peek-a-boo" boxing technique. “You won't find a figure who had more of an impact on boxing, who loved it more, and who was dedicated to it more, and whose career spanned a longer time than that of Cus D'Amato,” reflects Nick.

Stepping out of the ring, Nick observes how many issues today, particularly those revolving around policy, seem to rely on the faith of rhetoric and perception versus data and facts. He proceeds to analyze criminal justice statistics, challenging popular perceptions about mass incarceration.

Contrary to common narratives, the U.S. prison population has been declining for 15 years, with only 17% of prisoners being drug offenders and most inmates being violent criminals or repeat offenders. Nick examines how the increased incarceration rate since 1960 is attributable to higher crime rates and improved criminal justice system effectiveness, not necessarily harsher sentencing.

Continuing to focus on the data, Nick then examines federal anti-poverty programs, exposing their inefficiency. In 2023, the government spent $29,402 per person in poverty, with total federal outlays exceeding $1 trillion. Despite this investment, poverty remains largely unaddressed, highlighting government’s systemic ineffectiveness.

Shifting to social media’s impact on political discourse, Nick draws parallels between Franklin D. Roosevelt's fireside chats with Donald Trump's use of X/Twitter. He critiques left-leaning calls for social media regulation, framing it as an attempt to control narrative and information flow.

In closing, Nick offers a philosophical reflection on species extinction, noting that 99.99% of all species that ever existed are now extinct, and humans have been around for approximately 4 million years - coincidentally the average lifespan of complex species.

Throughout the episode, Nick underscores the importance of examining facts and data rather than relying on rhetoric and perception.

For related commentary on the importance of facts and data, revisit Far Middle episode 173, “Data Driven Truth,” where Nick highlights CNX Resources' Radical Transparency initiative. And if you missed episode 137, “The Fellowship of Data and Facts,” listen as Nick examines the actual data on Western Pennsylvania’s air quality, in addition to examining the Institute for Energy Research’s Environmental Quality Index, as well as the unsettling state of America’s finances.

Belichick, known for his six Super Bowl wins as head coach of the New England Patriots (plus two more as defensive coordinator with the New York Giants in Super Bowls XXI and XXV), recently surprised many, including Nick, by accepting a position as head coach at the University of North Carolina. However, given Belichick's NFL success and passion for the game, Nick suggests that perhaps the eight-time Super Bowl champ is looking to take on a new challenge as a head coach at the college level.

From Coach Belichick’s Super Bowl victories, Nick connects to President Trump’s victory this past November and subsequent inauguration last week. He highlights the new administration's focus on improving government efficiency and reducing both the administrative state and regulations. “It’s exciting to someone like me who is a combo of libertarian, socially liberal, and fiscally conservative,” explains Nick.

Nick references polling results that indicate most American voters are more concerned about government interference in private affairs than the dangers of capitalism and free markets. He says it’s time for tangible action to put Americans’ fears to rest by reining in the administrative state so that it falls within bounds more in line with reasonableness and our Constitution.

Next, Nick discusses needed reforms at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including linking research grants to academic freedom rankings and addressing issues of research fraud.

“Elite academia and the scientific research that it performs are mired in a culture of conformity, one that ostracizes dissenting views or unconventional thinking from the consensus,” says Nick. “We see that occurring across every imaginable arena of scientific research, and then we see that research setting every imaginable arena of policy.”

The conversation then turns to education, discussing Thomas Jefferson High School in Virginia and its financial connections to China. Nick explains how the school's curriculum and model have been copied in China, raising concerns about technology transfer and educational partnerships.

The episode also revisits retirement and workforce trends (discussed in episode 192), using an anecdote about an American retiring in Belgium to illustrate demographic challenges facing developed nations. Nick stresses his concern about “the system” incentivizing early retirements and the impact on workforce productivity and economic competitiveness. 

In closing, Nick celebrates Motown icon Smokey Robinson, detailing his career achievements, songwriting credits, and immense impact on the music industry. He also notes Robinson’s lifelong friendship with Aretha Franklin. For more on Franklin, check out Nick’s four favorite singles from the Queen of Soul at the close of episode 111. 

Beginning this week’s connections, Nick shifts from bitter cold to the intense heat of the march to Super Bowl LIX as only four teams remain. With less than three weeks until Super Bowl Sunday, Nick offers this episode’s sports dedication to the American Football League (AFL).

The AFL operated from 1960 to 1970 before merging with the National Football League (NFL). While the fourth major attempt to compete with the NFL, Nick explains the factors and tactics that led to the AFL’s success; its exciting, offense-oriented style of play alongside TV contracts helped the league survive and eventually thrive. The AFL's history includes football legends like Joe Namath and Pete Rozelle, who were honored in previous Far Middle sports dedications (episodes 106 and 146).

Nick then shifts to a frequent Far Middle subject, tax policy. “With so much talk these days centered around making sure that individuals and businesses, particularly those making the most, pay their fair share of tax, I thought it would be interesting to move away from the rhetoric and focus on the objective math,” says Nick.

Looking at the federal tax system and its progressive structure, Nick notes that in 2022, the top 1% of income tax filers provided over 40% of federal tax revenue, while the top 10% shouldered over 70% of the total tax burden.

“Yeah, the reality is that one filer out of every hundred is providing more than 40% of income tax revenue,” says Nick. “And that top 1% is about one-and-a-half million tax returns. That group comprises over 22% of the nation's total reported earnings.”

On the topic of paying one’s fair share, Nick also analyzes the tax-exempt status of large non-profit organizations. He points out that in 2019, tax-exempt nonprofits generated over $3 trillion in income and held $8 trillion in assets.

The episode concludes with a discussion of global demographic trends, comparing and contrasting China's response to the declining working-age population to that of Japan, Europe, and the United States. He highlights China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which is helping solve its demographic problems while also expanding its global influence.

As time expires on episode 192, Nick shares his appreciation for the 1970s TV show "Barney Miller” (which premiered 50 years ago this week) and follows with a closing thought on personal motivation by referencing a line from Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead.

Nick heads back to 1972 to celebrate that summer’s World Chess Championship match between Bobby Fischer and defending champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union—dubbed the "Match of the Century" (not to be confused with “The Mile of the Century” highlighted in episode 168).

The historic confrontation, held in Iceland, saw Fischer become the first American-born world chess champion, ending 24 years of Soviet chess dominance. Nick examines Fischer's eccentric behavior, unpredictable playing style, strategies, and Fischer’s life following the unprecedented win.

Beginning the episode’s connections, Nick shifts to the cold hard truth in refuting President Biden’s assertion that extreme heat is the leading weather-related killer in the US.

From the Oval Office, Nick connects to the judicial branch to discuss Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch's book "Overruled: The Human Toll of Too Much Law," which critiques the voluminous growth of regulations in the US. He highlights Justice Gorsuch’s anecdote about a magician needing a license for a rabbit to illustrate the absurdity and cumulative onslaught of the bureaucratic state. This leads to a broader discussion on the concept of natural law, “some of its core characteristics,” and its influence on the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

Nick then delves into Russian influence on Western environmental movements.

“Russia and its controlled interests have been large funders and backers and supporters of the Western environmental movement, particularly with respect to anti-fossil fuel and anti-fracking groups,” says Nick. “It's true, even if it sounds like something out of a Hollywood conspiracy thriller.”

Russia’s manipulation of public opinion also extends to recent protests against a lithium mine in Serbia, which would threaten Russia’s energy dominance over Europe. Staying on foreign policy, Nick addresses the United Nations' "Pact for the Future" and "UN 2.0" initiative, and the power they give to global institutions. Nick describes UN 2.0 as scarier than the original UN monster and praises Argentina's President Milei for opposing these measures.

Nick highlights President Milei’s recent speech before the UN General Assembly, where the president called the UN "a multi-tentacled Leviathan that seeks to decide what each nation state should do and how the citizens of the world should live."

On the topic of disinformation and misinformation, Nick looks at Wikipedia's role in shaping public perception, discussing how Vice President Harris's role as "border czar" was manipulated on the platform.

In closing, Nick returns to the episode’s opening topic of chess to discuss the musical Chess, which was inspired by the Bobby Fischer vs. Boris Spassky match. The production’s music was written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA and notes "One Night in Bangkok” is featured on the 18-track album. “Stay humble over this coming week until we convene again, and always stay connected to that far middle,” says Nick signing-off.

Despite being passed over in the 1950 NBA draft by the Celtics' coach Red Auerbach, Cousy ended up with the team through a series of unlikely events. After being drafted by Tri-Cities and traded to the Chicago Stags, which went bankrupt, Cousy's fate was decided by a random draw from a hat. The Celtics, who initially didn't want him, were forced to take him, inadvertently acquiring one of the greatest players in NBA history (including six NBA championships, 13 consecutive All-Star selections, led the NBA in assists for eight straight seasons, and more).

“Fate can have a sense of humor as well as a sense of irony,” says Nick. “So Episode 190 is dedicated to how Bob Cousy became a Celtic, proving truth in the adage that sometimes it is indeed better to be lucky than good.”

Nick then shifts to more serious matters, beginning with the ongoing war in Ukraine. While reaffirming his support for Ukraine against Russia, he criticizes Western media's portrayal of the conflict. He highlights Ukraine's challenges in mobilizing young men for military service, noting the disproportionate burden on rural areas for conscription and the need for Ukraine to demonstrate self-help to maintain Western support.

Turning to domestic issues, Nick recounts the killing of an airport executive in Little Rock, Arkansas, by ATF agents during a raid related to firearm sales. He also comments on the case of "Peanut the Squirrel" in New York, where state agents killed a pet squirrel due to licensing issues. These incidents are further examples of continued government overreach, “the threat of omnipotent government is greater than most Americans realize,” says Nick.

From the growing power of government’s overreach, Nick shifts to a warning of a potential energy crisis in the United States as he cites grid regulators’ concerns over power generation retirements. Nick looks back at the past decade of damage done to our collective energy security: “Every time you heard energy transition, net zero, clean energy or tackling climate change, that was code oftentimes for forcing the retirement and abandonment of ‘reliable’ on the grid, which is coal, nuclear, natural gas power plants, and mandating their replacement with the ‘unreliables’ of wind and solar, which was coupled to coincide with a mandated electrification of everything.”

The push for so-called net-zero carbon emissions in the power sector is not only impractical, but is threatening grid stability and by extension our energy and economic security.

Nick concludes by criticizing mainstream media for failing to report on government overreach, ignoring Ukraine's internal challenges, and not covering the potential energy crisis. Instead, media focuses on trivial matters like reducing or eliminating homeowners’ lawns.

In closing Nick notes the episode’s January 8 premiere date falls on both Elvis and David Bowie’s birthdays. He references a couple great Bowie quotes, including, “I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring.” Stay connected to the Far Middle, as there’s never room for boredom!

For prior Celtics’ tributes, listen to Nick’s dedications to Red Auerbach, John Havlicek, and Larry Bird. And for Elvis fans, check out Far Middle episode 111 for Nick’s list of his favorite Elvis songs from the late 60s and early 70s era.

As the Far Middle enters 2025, this New Year's episode examines the evolving economics of baseball, comparing the 1954 New York Giants with today's San Francisco Giants.

Nick explains how baseball in the 1950s was a modest business, with the Giants needing about $2.5 million to break even. Gate admissions were the primary revenue source, and player salaries accounted for only 30% of expenses. Fast forward to today, and the Giants' revenue exceeds $400 million, with TV rights alone surpassing $140 million. Player salaries now consume about half of the team's revenues, often as guaranteed money. 

The evolution of Major League Baseball, from small to big business, ties into the episode’s theme of what was, what is, and what’s ahead with the start of the new year. Nick looks at several winners and losers from 2024 and forecasts trends for 2025. 

From today’s wildly high baseball salaries, Nick draws a parallel to the expansion of federal entitlement programs and the dire need to rein in government spending. 

“As we enter 2025, it is governing time, at least for President Trump and Congress,” says Nick. “And although I doubt we will see any changes or reductions in benefit to current recipients, I'm betting that you will see action on attempts to arrest spending to current levels and then to grow the economy so the entitlements become a smaller portion of the total budget pie. It's an absolute must if we want to avoid government default and economic calamity.” 

Government regulation comes under scrutiny next, with Nick predicting potential setbacks for oppressive regulations in 2025—to the benefit of doers and value creators across America’s private sector. Nick cites The Harmonized Tariff Schedule, a monster 4,392-page document, as an example of complex regulatory excess that needs to be simplified. 

The conversation then connects to constitutional issues, celebrating the Constitution's resilience in 2024 and anticipating its continued rise in the coming years. Nick quotes Calvin Coolidge's 1926 address marking the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence to emphasize the Constitution’s enduring principles.

International events from 2024 are also highlighted, including Venezuela's 2024 election and Nicolas Maduro's refusal to acknowledge the results. Nick predicts challenges for authoritarian regimes in 2025, citing America's renewed global leadership and energy independence.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is also analyzed, with Nick providing historical context and suggesting that 2025 may present an opportunity for peace negotiations. Nick calls for a realistic approach to ending the conflict, even if it means compromising on territorial issues. 

Finally, Nick calls out the credibility of the United Nations, specifically its Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

“We shouldn't just stop funding the UNRWA, we should stop funding the UN until it can demonstrate material reform consistent with its original charter,” says Nick. “Last year proved to be a bad year for the United Nations. Let's hope it takes that as a warning to improve its reputation and standing this year. But I'm not holding my breath.”

In closing, Nick discusses the differing accounts of the origin of the song "Blue Suede Shoes." It's one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go, cat, go…off to a great 2025.

The remarkable event saw widespread unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front with soldiers from opposing sides exchanging greetings and even playing soccer matches. The truce was a one-time occurrence, as increased animosity in subsequent years prevented similar events. 

“But during Christmas in 1914, the human spirit displayed some of its best attributes in the form of soccer matches while in the midst of humans at their worst in the carnage of war,” says Nick. “So episode 188, our Christmas episode, is dedicated to those World War I truce soccer matches 110 years ago.” 

The discussion then shifts to addressing listener questions. These include a question on the leftist movement both domestically and globally, and whether Nick sees the movement receding in impact and experiencing pushback from various demographics and republics. Nick’s short answer is yes indeed, and then references a recent article by Ruy Teixeira as he explores four main areas where the pushback is evident: open borders policies, not enforcing the rule of law, negative attitudes towards America and Americans, and climate change policies.

Another listener question prompts a discussion on electric vehicle mandates. Nick cites examples from Volkswagen in Germany and Ford in the United States to illustrate the negative impacts of these mandates on automakers and consumers. Both companies have faced significant challenges, including potential factory closures, job cuts, and substantial financial losses in their electric vehicle divisions. 

In closing, Nick answers a question on examples of inspirational Catholic Church leadership by recounting the life and work of Father Edward J. Flanagan. 

Father Flanagan was not only the founder of Boys Town in Nebraska – helping homeless and destitute youth and creating an inclusive community during times of racial segregation – but he also helped with societal rebuilding efforts in Asia and Europe following World War II. Father Flanagan’s story was depicted in the 1938 movie “Boys Town,” starring Spencer Tracy as Flanagan who won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal. 

“When you wrap up an episode during Christmas week about a priest who inspired and raised thousands of orphans during the Depression, who helped rebuild Asia and Europe after the devastation of a world war, who became a celebrity through radio and newspapers, and then who helped an iconic actor win an Academy Award, you know that you've hit Far Middle nirvana,” concludes Nick, wishing all a Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.

While the game took place just two days before Christmas, “Let’s just say the Christmas sprit didn’t’ prevail,” says Nick. He recounts how the brawl on the ice spilled over to the stands to become one of the most infamous and chaotic fan-player confrontations in sports history. The incident led to suspensions, fines, and ultimately, changes in arena safety measures.

From the chaos at the Garden in 1979, Nick fast-forwards to the chaos that’s ensuing in Cuba following recent nationwide power outages in October, early November, and early December, in addition to smaller-scale power cuts. The ramifications from the loss of reliable electricity – a lack of running water, food spoilage, supply chains halted, banks and ATMs shut down, and much more – has put the Cuban economy on the precipice of collapse. It's, “effectively what happens when a society loses access to energy,” says Nick. He discusses the Cuban government's response, including declaring a state of emergency and implementing various restrictions akin to pandemic-era measures in the United States.

Next, Nick returns to the U.S. to examine New Mexico's latest energy policies, as the “Land of Enchantment” pursues California-style climate and energy regulations. New Mexico’s mandates for electric vehicles and renewable energy are ill-suited for New Mexico's geography and will lead to economic trouble. Highlighting the importance of the state’s oil and natural gas industry, Nick explains how the state’s leftist policies aim to bite the hand – or industry – that feeds the government (and economy), while also serving as a regressive tax on residents of one of the poorest states.

The discussion then shifts to recycling, questioning the effectiveness and economics of current recycling practices. Nick cites data revealing an overwhelming portion of recyclable materials end up in landfills or incinerators, exposing the cost and “feel-good veneer” of recycling versus the reality of recycling economics and chemistry.

In closing, Nick addresses the issue of remote work among federal government employees, office space utilization, potential taxpayer fraud, and calls for greater accountability and a return to in-office work for government agencies. And lastly, Nick brings the episode’s connections altogether in the West Texas town of El Paso.

In Far Middle episode 186, Nick begins by honoring tennis icon Arthur Ashe. Nick uses the episode’s December 11 premiere date to connect to December 12, 1968, when the Richmond native would become the first black men's player to be ranked number one by the United States Lawn Tennis Association.

Nick recounts Ashe's remarkable life story, from his beginnings in segregated Richmond to his tennis achievements, military service, and advocacy work. He highlights Ashe's contributions beyond tennis, including his writing and efforts to educate others about AIDS. “Human beings don’t come much better than Arthur Ashe,” reflects Nick.

Transitioning from Ashe, Nick embarks on a series of connections, starting with “perhaps America’s ultimate master of words, H.L. Mencken.” Nick discusses Mencken’s “inter-episode connections” to past Far Middle episodes, and spotlights Mencken’s critique of representative government. This leads to a quote from libertarian Dr. Ron Paul on the ideal role of government. The discussion then shifts to investing, featuring advice from Peter Lynch on the importance of investing in what you know, and understanding market history and volatility.

From Lynch’s advice to invest in what you know, Nick offers a variation regarding the media: “Know where your news is coming from.” Nick reveals the concerning relationship between Jeff Bezos, the World Weather Attribution group, and the Washington Post. He questions potential conflicts of interest and the objectivity of climate change reporting.

The conversation moves to a Supreme Court case involving Richard Glossip, an Oklahoma death row inmate. Nick explains the potential implications of this case on the future of capital punishment in the United States, regardless of the court's decision.

Nick applies the final strokes to the episode’s composition by offering an interesting historical connection to the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911, which paradoxically led to the painting becoming world-famous. The painting was returned to the Louvre on December 11, 1913, coinciding with the release date of the episode.

Nick begins with the installment’s sports dedication to Dan Marino, who Nick describes as the greatest pure quarterback in the history of the NFL. “He grew up in the Oakland neighborhood in the city of Pittsburgh, literally in the shadow of the Pitt campus where he would start his march to greatness,” says Nick.

He recounts Marino's Pittsburgh roots, his college career at Pitt, and his surprising late selection in the first round of the epic 1983 NFL Draft, where the Miami Dolphins snatched him up. “There was no one like him before, and there's been no one like him since.”

Nick transitions from, “that Western Pennsylvania and Appalachian legend on the gridiron, to a Western Pennsylvania and Appalachian massive opportunity in the making in the energy space.” He proceeds to summarize and reflect on his recent speech at the Drake Energy Security Forum. The conference was held in Titusville, Pennsylvania, amidst the backdrop of where the modern oil industry began its march to greatness.

Nick’s address, “When You Come to the Fork in the Road…Take It: Assessing Realities, Risks, and Rewards for Appalachia’s Energy Future,” is available in full here.

In revisiting his talk, Nick critiques current energy and climate policies. He argues that the mandated push to wind and solar power is misguided, citing their lack of energy density, ignored ecological damage, poor economics, and overlooked carbon footprints. Nick explains how current energy policies are more about controlling individuals than environmental protection. Those policies are also aiding foreign adversaries like Russia and China while also expanding government reach into personal decision making, from food to transportation choices.

Nick then pivots to discuss the promise of Appalachia’s rich energy resources, particularly the Marcellus and Utica natural gas reserves, and highlights innovations such as captured coal mine methane (CMM) and on-pad manufacturing of compressed and liquefied natural gas. These solutions are ready to serve growing energy demands in sectors such as hydrogen production, sustainable aviation fuel, and AI data centers.

“The opportunity for the Appalachian Basin and for places like Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Eastern Ohio, Virginia and its western panhandle are very exciting,” says Nick. “And the markets are just starting to realize it. We are about to experience a transformation of Appalachia in the United States, and that is a massive opportunity.”

In closing, Nick connects the episode’s December 4 premiere date to the December 4, 1971, fire at the Casino de Montreux in 1971. During a Frank Zappa concert, a flare ignited the casino's wooden ceiling, causing a blaze that would later inspire the lyrics of Deep Purple's iconic song "Smoke on the Water."

Nick describes how Zappa (who passed away in December 4, 1993, coincidentally also on the episode’s release date) calmly directed the audience to safety, avoiding a potential tragedy, and how Zappa’s concert inadvertently contributed to one of the most famous songs in rock history.

Born in Jamaica, Ewing moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, at 12 years old and became a dominant high school player. Nick reflects on Ewing’s stellar college career at Georgetown under Coach John Thompson. As a Hoya, Ewing played in three historic NCAA finals in 1982, 1984, and 1985. Nick then describes how Ewing ended up going to the Knicks as the first overall pick in the 1985 NBA draft.

While Ewing is in the Basketball Hall of Fame, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist and 11-time NBA All-Star, he never won an NBA championship despite two Finals appearances. However, Nick notes he played during a tough time to win a title that included the Lakers’ “Showtime” era and the Bulls’ domination during the 1990s.  

Nick then connects from Ewing’s time in Cambridge to Harvard University, the principal focus of the installment’s discussion.

Nick begins by reviewing Harvard's recent policy change to refrain from taking official positions on controversial public policy issues. “That is quite the departure from what Harvard embraced prior, particularly with social justice and Israeli-Palestinian issues,” explains Nick.

The conversation shifts to Bill Ackman, a Harvard alum and prominent hedge fund manager. Ackman recently applied his activist investor approach to evaluate Harvard as if it were a business opportunity. Nick describes the approach as both unconventional and genius.

Ackman’s assessment, titled "Veritas?" (Latin for "truth"), assesses Harvard's performance across four key areas: exposure to diverse viewpoints, free speech, academic rigor, and a safe learning environment.

Ackman's analysis reveals concerning trends at Harvard, including a lack of ideological diversity among faculty, poor rankings in free speech protection, grade inflation, and issues with creating a safe learning environment for all students.

The episode also explores data on faculty growth and degree recipients across different departments at Harvard, highlighting potential resource allocation imbalances.

“Universities are underfunding STEM and sometimes diluting STEM to the benefit of subsidizing certain liberal arts and social science programs,” says Nick. “And that's not what the economy needs in 2024 if we want to compete on a world stage.”

Nick closes by drawing parallels between Harvard's influence in academia and the impact of Johnny Ray in the music industry. Ray, often considered the "father of rock and roll," set the stage for the genre in the 1950s and influenced many subsequent artists, despite being relatively unknown to modern audiences.

George "Papa Bear" Halas, a titan of professional football whose influence extended far beyond the gridiron, is honored with episode 183’s sports dedication.

Born in 1895, Halas lived a remarkable life that spanned nearly nine decades. He was not only a professional football player, coach, and executive but also the founder and owner of the Chicago Bears. Halas's contributions to the sport were immense, including co-founding the NFL's predecessor in 1920 and introducing numerous innovations such as daily team practices, film analysis of opponents, and radio game broadcasts. His legacy in football is unparalleled, with 63 years as an owner, 40 as a coach, 324 wins, and eight NFL titles.

But Halas was more than just a football legend. He briefly played for the New York Yankees, earned a civil engineering degree from Illinois, and served in the Navy during World War I, where he was named MVP of the 1919 Rose Bowl (that’s right, the 1919 Rose Bowl was played between the Mare Island Marines and the Great Lakes Navy). 

Halas’ life story embodies the potential of America and serves as a fitting dedication for the episode, which then takes a turn to explore the complexities of American political philosophy. Nick explains the discussion is inspired by Matt Wolfson's recent essay, "Two Forms of American Liberalism."

Nick challenges the oversimplified binary view of conservative versus liberal, arguing for a more nuanced understanding of political ideologies. He distinguishes between progressivism, libertarianism, classic liberalism, conservatism, and leftism, emphasizing the significant differences between being liberal and being leftist. 

Delving deeper, Nick examines Wolfson's two categories of liberalism: classic and managerial. Classic liberalism advocates for representative government strengthened by associations close to people, free markets with limited government intervention, and non-interventionism in foreign policy. In contrast, managerial liberalism promotes centralized government and large institutions, relying on expert administrators, academia, and judges for policymaking.

Nick traces the evolution of these two forms of liberalism throughout American history, from the early debates between James Madison and Alexander Hamilton to the shifts that occurred during the New Deal and post-World War II era.

“Somewhere between the Great Depression and Lyndon Johnson's policies, between say 1930 and 1970, managerial liberalism superseded classic liberalism, and managerial liberalism now dominates American politics and policy,” says Nick. The result has been an erosion of free speech, inconsistent respect for property rights, and expansion of bureaucratic control.

Nick emphasizes the need for classic liberalism to regain a stronger footing in America. And, in closing, connects order to political philosophies with Dmitri Mendeleev's creation of the periodic table in chemistry, highlighting the importance of clarity and organization in understanding complex systems.

Far Middle Connections: The November 20^th premiere date of episode 183 coincides with the passing of Russian author Leo Tolstoy over a century ago, on November 20, 1910. Revisit the close of episode 181 for Nick’s reflection on Tolstoy’s short story “How Much Land Does a Man Need?”

Before assessing the lessons from the 2024 election, Nick begins with a fitting sports dedication. That tribute goes to President Gerald Ford as Nick highlights not only Ford's athletic career at the University of Michigan (helping lead the Wolverines to two national championships), but also Ford’s service in the Navy and the South Pacific during World War II.

“A single word sums up everything we've been subjected to, that we've observed, that we thought, and that we've experienced in the 2024 presidential race. And that single word that captures it all, from message to theme, exposed,” says Nick as he proceeds to decode the takeaways from this year’s presidential race.

Nick argues that the 2024 election exposed various truths, fictions, strengths, and weaknesses of the candidates and the political landscape. And ultimately the election was a choice between Trump and anti-Trump, or between viewing the country as on the right track versus the wrong track.

Assessing Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, Nick details the nominees’ strengths and weaknesses and how they were exposed throughout the campaign.

In addition to the candidates, Nick comments on a “slew of false fictions” that were also exposed. Those include the notion that Trump's support was limited to white Americans, the influence (or lack thereof) of Hollywood celebrities, the idea that early mail-in voting favors Democrats, and the reliability of mainstream media and pollsters. 

“The election exposed that the party with the most diverse coalition this time around was the Republicans, not the Democrats, which is fascinating. And I think it'll be fascinating to see how that evolves over time,” says Nick. The election revealed new voter demographics, suggesting that the electorate is now more divided along economic lines (paycheck-to-paycheck voters vs. affluent elite voters) rather than traditional racial or gender lines.

Nick closes by connecting back to one of the episode’s earlier mentioned celebrities, Robert De Niro, for a brief discussion of the classic film Raging Bull, as the episode's November 13 release date coincides with Raging Bull’s 1980 premiere in New York City.

The incident between Hall of Famer Ted Simmons, pitcher Al Hrabosky, hitter Bill Madlock, and their Cardinals and Cubs teammates in 1974 was a memorable altercation, but also one of which many fans may be unaware. Listen as Nick recounts the wild events that took place in St. Louis just over 50 years ago.

Delving into more serious issues, Nick explains the episode's theme. He describes it as “standards and rule of law, meeting those standards – or falling short – getting rule of law right or getting it wrong, and then second chances to get things back on course."

With that synopsis, Nick begins a critique of the Secret Service, highlighting several recent failures and historical lapses in security protocols. Drawing parallels between these failures and broader governance issues, Nick questions the influence of unelected individuals like First Lady Jill Biden on executive decisions. He emphasizes the importance of adhering to constitutional norms and protocols for succession of power.

Nick stresses that he has no opposition to the important role of first ladies or first gentlemen, but rather highlights that they are not elected by the voters to be or to act as president.

“If the president is unable to perform the duty of office, there are pretty clear protocols in place that lay out what needs to be done in the interim until another election,” says Nick. “It doesn't say in any of those protocols that first lady or first gentleman assumes the responsibilities of their elected spouse.”

Connecting from the rules relating to the succession of power in the executive branch, Nick then discusses the rules pertaining to America’s legal system and warns of the dangers of lawfare.

Nick calls for a consistent legal system based on established rules that apply universally and are clearly defined. He criticizes the Chevron deference, which granted excessive power to bureaucrats, and praises its recent overturn by the Supreme Court in the Loper-Bright decision, providing a return to constitutional balance among the branches of government and “a return to sound government and rule of law.”

In closing, Nick recounts Ricky Nelson's career transformation from a teen idol to a country-rock artist. He discusses Nelson's hit song "Garden Party," inspired by an incident at Madison Square Garden where Nelson was booed for playing new material instead of his old hits. The song's lyrics reflect Nelson's realization about staying true to oneself despite public opinion.

Nick looks back on “Concrete Charlie’s” Depression-era childhood in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, his service as a B-24 bomber gunner in World War II, and his subsequent rise as a dual-threat college football player at the University of Pennsylvania.

Bednarik was selected first overall in the 1949 NFL Draft by the Eagles and became known for his fierce defensive play, contributing to two NFL championships. Nick highlights Bednarik's infamous moments on the field, including his iconic tackle of Frank Gifford that left Gifford unconscious and led to lasting notoriety.

Describing Bednarik as versatile and outspoken, Nick transitions from sports to literature to highlight the versatile and outspoken writer George Orwell, “one of my top three favorite writers of all time.”

Nick delves into Orwell's non-fiction political essays, examining how they contrast democracy with fascism and totalitarianism. Topics include media control, the manipulation of truth, and the dangers of totalitarian regimes. Nick links these ideas to contemporary political and societal issues. As evidence of the media’s impact on public perception, Nick explores Orwell's analysis of the panic caused by Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" broadcast.

It’s another one-of-a-kind Far Middle as Nick tackles truth and the hard-hitting pair of Chuck Bednarik and George Orwell.

Starting at Fenway Park, Nick remembers Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. He then recalls the "Miracle on Ice" at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, and then shifts six years later and 300 miles south to Shea Stadium for Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

Moving from rivalries in sports to rivalries in major American political parties and philosophies, Nick delves into the current state of American conservatism. Acknowledging the work of the Hudson Institute’s John Fonte, Nick analyzes the competing conservative views between National Conservatives and Freedom Conservatives. 

These groups represent different "waves" of conservative thought, with Freedom Conservatives representing the "second wave” and National Conservatives associated with the "third wave.” Nick reviews the key differences between these groups, including their views on globalization, immigration, and the role of government in cultural issues.

“What National Conservatives and Freedom Conservatives all agree upon, and for that matter classic or traditional Liberals and Libertarians like myself, is an affirmation of the idea of America as something special,” says Nick. “That they all agree on, even though they seem to disagree on everything else. The Left however, it views America as in need of a revolutionary transformation because it views America and its history as deeply problematic.” 

From Conservatism and classic Liberalism and Libertarianism, Nick explores the economic philosophy of Friedrich Hayek and his influential book "The Road to Serfdom," drawing connections between Hayek's ideas and current Conservative movements.

After reaffirming the dangers of state control and intervention into free markets and individual rights, Nick assesses the latest on America’s financial and employment situation—a recurring, albeit sobering, Far Middle topic.

In closing, Nick concludes with a tribute to Pope John Paul II on the anniversary of his election as pope. Nick shares several interesting facts about the pontiff, including his prolific writing, extensive travels, and his role in opposing communism in Poland.

For more on the “Miracle on Ice,” revisit the intro to Far Middle episode 80, “Welcome to the No-Growth Hotel.”

In one of the more unique sports dedications, Nick offers a tribute to actor Burt Young, best known for his role as Paulie in the Rocky films. Young, who passed away a year ago yesterday, had a brief but successful professional boxing career before becoming an actor. He trained under legendary boxing coach Cus D'Amato and acting teacher Lee Strasberg, and in addition to Rocky, appeared in classic films like Chinatown and Once Upon a Time in America. 

Nick next delves into government and administrative intervention in the private sector, highlighting three examples: 

1. In California, Google recently struck a $180 million deal with the state to fund government-backed news organizations. This arrangement raises concerns about the independence of journalism and the potential for news outlets to become mouthpieces for government interests.
2. In New York, the state has agreed to pay exorbitant prices for electricity from offshore wind farms, potentially burdening taxpayers and ratepayers. The agreed-upon prices are significantly higher than estimated breakeven costs, raising questions about the economic viability of these projects.
3. Nick then examines numerous legal defeats suffered by federal agencies like the FCC, EPA, and SEC as courts have ruled against their attempts to expand regulatory power without proper authority. These cases highlight the “covert but serious campaign going on when it comes to the administrative state looking to expand its power and authority,” says Nick. “This behavior by the administrative state is lawlessness…the administrative state intends to disregard the law as it seeks to impose its will on the citizens of this country without any authority or consent from the governed. The best term for that is indeed lawlessness.”

Nick closes by connecting the episode’s discussion to English novelist Joseph Conrad, who died a century ago this past August. Conrad's writings, particularly "Heart of Darkness," explored the dark side of human nature and challenged notions of progress. Nick draws parallels between Conrad's critiques of colonialism and modern concerns about government overreach and unintended consequences of well-intentioned policies.

“Don't be too eager or easily swayed when it comes to government or bureaucratic promises of saving the planet, furthering education, or helping the downtrodden through state control. The actual results may make things much worse,” concludes Nick.

In that interview, Mays revealed his mindset as a professional athlete in the 1950s, which included emphasizing the importance of loving the game, living a clean life, and getting the right amount of sleep. He believed in learning through experience and developing one's own style, as evidenced by his unconventional "basket catch" technique. Mays' approach demonstrated confidence and self-assurance that led to excellence.

Next, Nick connects “to another example of self-confidence and self-assurance, but in this instance leading to epic — and I mean epic — human suffering and historical tragedy.” He proceeds to examine Adolf Hitler's experiences during World War I. Those experiences shaped Hitler’s self-assured and often arrogant approach to military strategy in World War II. 

Hitler's front-line experiences as a messenger in the trenches gave him a sense of superiority over his generals, whom he viewed as detached from the realities of war. This confidence in his judgment, stemming from his firsthand war experiences, tragically contributed to his disastrous military decisions in World War II.

“Sometimes the greatest among us, and the worst of the human species, they share some things in common,” says Nick. “And understanding the nature of that overlap, I think it can help us fortify the greatest and avoid the worst.” 

Continuing to discuss the thin line between genius and madness, Nick examines a third and final connection: Billy Joe Shaver. A founding father of outlaw country music, Shaver's unconventional path to success included overcoming personal setbacks, such as losing parts of two fingers in a lumber mill accident.

Shaver’s unique songwriting style and independent spirit helped birth the outlaw country genre. However, his non-conformist attitude also had a darker side, as evidenced by a shooting incident in 2007, for which he was later acquitted.

Nick concludes by emphasizing the importance of maintaining a moral compass while being self-confident and challenging conventional wisdom. The episode’s three seemingly unrelated figures illustrate how similar traits can lead to vastly different outcomes, from greatness to tragedy.

Drawing a parallel from Probert's role as a deterrent on the ice, Nick connects to the concept of nuclear deterrence, continuing prior episode 174’s look at the importance of missile defense in our unstable world of multiple nuclear capable adversaries. Specifically, Nick examines the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, referencing Robert F. Kennedy's book "Thirteen Days."

Learning lessons from those 13 days in October 1962 are “of vital importance today because with multiple threats facing the West—China, Russia, Iran and North Korea—decision making in geopolitical crises that involve nuclear powers may need to become much more process-driven versus individualistic or ego-driven,” says Nick.

Analyzing the crisis management by President Kennedy and his executive committee (EXCOMM), Nick emphasizes the importance of structured decision-making and time management in high-stakes geopolitical situations. And he explores the three "velocities" at play during the crisis: the velocity of Russian initiative, the velocity of American response, and the velocity of assessing and deciding a course of action.

“Recognizing and organizing a process and subsequent decisions into different components, that's going to be crucial to managing a rational process during time of tension,” says Nick.

Nick then examines how nuclear deterrence strategies have evolved since 1962, comparing the velocities of events, response, and decision-making between then and now. Missile defense systems like "Star Wars" or Iron Dome are just as important today as in the 1980s, not just for their defensive capabilities but also for their ability to buy crucial time for decision-making during crises.

Rational, process-driven leadership in handling modern geopolitical tensions is critical. Our complex global landscape requires leaders who prioritize optimal outcomes over personal legacy or popularity.

In closing, Nick connects to the Mad Max series and Tina Turner's hit song "We Don't Need Another Hero" from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. The film’s post-apocalyptic world and the potential consequences of nuclear conflict, alongside the song's lyrics, further emphasize the importance of getting America’s nuclear deterrence strategy and tactics right in today’s world.

Next up, the episode’s September 18, 2024, release date coincides with the 30^th anniversary of the premiere of Ken Burns' 1994 Baseball documentary. Nick celebrates Burns’ Emmy-winning series for this week’s sports dedication, calling it the greatest sports documentary ever made. Burns’ only error? Compressing the 1970 to 1992 period into one episode. 

Leaving the baseball field, Nick then dedicates the bulk of the episode to a detailed account of the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage that occurred in September 2022. That sabotage represents a “sequence of events that are right out of a spy novel or suspense movie that deserve a documentary of its own,” says Nick.

Nick presents a fascinating examination of the Nord Stream pipeline attack, describing how the plan allegedly originated in a Ukrainian bar in May 2022. He recounts how a small team of Ukrainian military officers and civilians carried out the operation using a rented yacht, with skilled divers planting explosives on the pipeline. 

Beyond the operation’s details, Nick also discusses the geopolitical implications of the sabotage and the reactions of various countries, including Germany, Russia, Poland, and the United States. He explores the evidence pointing to Ukrainian involvement, while also noting the official denials issued by Ukrainian authorities. Nick emphasizes the significant economic and political repercussions of the attack, particularly for Germany.

Transitioning from this spy-thriller-like story, Nick stays in the arena of foreign policy and national defense. He connects to America’s nuclear strategy, arguing a nuclear deterrence strategy may no longer be effective against modern adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

“Nuclear deterrence, to work, requires mutual, rational thinking from both sides, not just us,” says Nick. “And I don't think assuming our enemies will apply such thinking is a safe assumption these days. Pursuing a modern Strategic Defense Initiative by employing interceptors, that would strengthen America's hand to coerce those adversaries into submission and ultimately to call their bluffs. Climate change is not anything close to our biggest threat these days. Let's wake up and look around the map.”

Nick concludes by noting we need to remain vigilant all along the watchtower when it comes to nuclear threat, which provides a fitting closing connection to episode 174’s release date to reflect on Jimi Hendrix and his much-too-early death at age 27 on September 18, 1970, “one of the greatest extinguished.” Give a listen for Nick’s favorite Hendrix song, and see where Hendrix ranks on Nick’s list of The Ten Greatest Guitarists in Rock History.

The episode’s sports dedication is a celebration and reflection on the career of the multi-talented Pat Williams. An iconic and innovative figure in pro sports, Williams passed away this past July. Alongside his positions with the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, and Philadelphia 76ers, Williams played a key role in establishing the NBA’s Orlando Magic franchise. Williams was also a prolific writer, marathon runner, and dedicated father. He was “a doer and achiever in the truest sense of the words,” says Nick.

The discussion next shifts to an update on CNX Resources’ Radical Transparency initiative. The first-of-its-kind environmental monitoring program, launched in November 2023 and previously featured in Far Middle episode 132, has now collected over 100,000 data points, which “grows by the hour daily.” That data is available and disclosed in real-time for all to review at www.cnxradicaltransparency.com.

Nick explains how Radical Transparency marks the start of a new era of responsible domestic energy development, and its initial results demonstrate that natural gas is manufactured safely without public health risks. He urges the natural gas industry to adopt this transparency model across all operations.

“Radical Transparency’s objective measured data contradicts, exposes, and it demolishes, frankly, the fictions and fear mongering that the radical environmental groups have proffered about natural gas development in places like Pennsylvania,” explains Nick.

Nick stresses that Radical Transparency’s data collection is continuous and ongoing, and the program’s directly measured data provides the superior path forward to setting energy policy. “Radical Transparency has and will continue to benefit all stakeholders,” adds Nick. “The most important stakeholder being the residents and the environment in which we all live.”

In closing, Nick connects back to the episode’s September 11 release date with a nostalgic reference to the release of the Atari 2600 on September 11, 1977, highlighting the classic system’s impact on video gaming and helping spark Nick’s interest in computer programming.

From “The Captain,” Nick shifts to the episode’s principal topic: the often-overlooked historical significance of hotels. Nick proceeds to present an entertaining look at the historic journey of The Hague’s Hotel Des Indes.

While Nick profiles the more than 150-year legacy of the Hotel Des Indes, he stresses that “you'd be surprised at how many locations offer up scores of hotels that carry fascinating stories within their walls.”

Nick’s discussion parallels and expands upon his recent essay, “History Hiding in Hotels: The Hague’s Hotel Des Indes.”

“There are hundreds of Hotel Des Indes across America and Europe just waiting to be appreciated and decoded,” says Nick. “They’re hiding in plain view. They're entirely missed if one is not aware of it. That's ironic because it's often with or by the person who's in pursuit of the very same history that played out down the street or around the block.”

Far Middle hockey fans, for more hockey insights from Nick, check out past dedications to Martin Brodeur (episode 30), Mario Lemieux (episode 66), the 1980 U.S. Men’s Ice Hockey Team (episode 80), Wayne Gretzky (episode 99), the history of the sport (episode 140), and Gordie Howe (episode 150).

The dedication (and Snell’s serendipitous complete game timing) definitely “makes you go, hmmm,” which is a recurring theme in episode 171.

Nick draws an intriguing comparison between Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan and Blake Snell. Despite Ryan's legendary career—featuring seven no-hitters, 222 complete games, and over 5,700 strikeouts—he never won a Cy Young Award. In contrast, Snell has won two Cy Young Awards without having pitched a complete game (until the day after this podcast was recorded). The comparison highlights how baseball has evolved, with fewer complete games being pitched in the modern era.

Nick then shifts focus to New Jersey's public transportation issues, specifically the financial mismanagement of New Jersey Transit. He questions the state's decision to divert funds from capital projects to cover operating costs, which has led to a financial crisis exacerbated by declining ridership and increased operating costs. The state's solution includes a surtax on corporate income, which will ultimately burden New Jersey residents.

The conversation then turns to New York City's congestion pricing plan, which has been suspended due to concerns about its impact on the cost of living and commercial occupancy rates. Nick once again dismantles the argument behind congestion pricing, a scheme that overlooks the root causes of traffic congestion, which are the constraints that have been intentionally imposed upon the city’s roads and infrastructure.

Finally, the episode explores the concept of "ghost posting" in the job market, where companies advertise job openings without the intention to hire. This practice creates a misleading picture of job demand and is used for various reasons, such as portraying growth or maintaining a candidate pool.

And for fans of 1990s pop culture, Nick, as always, has an entertaining close that’s not to be missed.

For more reflection on Nolan Ryan and the 90s (specifically 1991) check out Far Middle episode 91, Greatness, and Nick’s dedication to Nolan Ryan, alongside Mario Lemieux and Michael Jordan, for their special 1991 sports achievements. Also head back to episode 48, The Strikeout, for a look at the risk and reward of Ryan’s 5,714 career strikeouts.

Nick then comments on the state of college athletics, focusing on Penn State’s decision to approve a $700 million renovation of its football stadium. Given the uncertain future of college sports and the university's existing budget constraints, Nick questions the decision and the financial assumptions that are justifying the project.

He compares the move to a similar $440 million stadium renovation at Cal Berkeley, which resulted in financial strain for the university. Ultimately Nick presents episode 170’s sports dedication to the two Penn State trustees who had the courage to act rationally and with fiscal restraint by voting against the renovation plan.

From higher education in 2024, Nick shifts back a century offering a must-listen examination of President Calvin Coolidge’s “Education: The Cornerstone of Self-Government” speech delivered on July 4, 1924. Nick calls Coolidge one of America’s most underrated presidents and highlights many insights from his 1924 speech.

Connecting from Coolidge’s argument that an educated and knowledgeable citizenry is fundamental to ensuring sound policy from government, Nick then discusses the history of America’s withholding tax on employee wages.

Enacted in 1943, the withholding tax is readily accepted by workers today. Nick tells the story of Vivien Kellems, a businesswoman who opposed the withholding tax system, arguing it misled taxpayers about their tax burden. Kellem’s unique activism illustrates the broader theme of citizens being unaware of government policies due to inadequate public education.

“As Calvin Coolidge pointed out, if the public education system isn't teaching and instructing the citizen how to be aware and awake, then all is for not,” says Nick. “Expect the citizens to accept whatever the government ends up handing them from a policy perspective, along with the bogus justifications.”

In closing, Nick references Ms. Kellems’ campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1956, and that year Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Don’t Be Cruel” would top Billboard’s singles chart. “Put on some Elvis, pay your taxes, and stay connected to that Far Middle,” concludes Nick.

For more Far Middle, the year 1956 would also see Rocky Marciano retire from the ring and Frank Robinson hit his first of 586 home runs. Listen to Nick’s respective dedications to Marciano and Robinson in episodes “Knockin’ Out 100” and “The Fastest Power Wins.”

In true Far Middle connection fashion, Greece then serves as the focus of the episode as Nick presents a unique perspective on Alexander the Great’s life beyond the well-known military achievements.

Expanding upon his recent essay, “Making Alexander Great: Five Secret Ingredients,” Nick delves into Alexander's upbringing, highlighting his education under Aristotle, and the complex family dynamics that shaped his character.

Nick emphasizes Alexander's exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and oratory skills, which were instrumental in his conquests and maintaining the loyalty of his troops. Nick also examines lesser-known aspects of Alexander's life, such as his ability to dissent from his advisors' opinions and make bold, independent decisions. These underappreciated traits, combined with Alexander’s charismatic leadership, were the “secret ingredients” contributing to Alexander's enduring legacy.

In concluding this “great” edition of The Far Middle, Nick makes one final connection to an iconic English heavy metal band, and a long-time favorite of Nick’s, Iron Maiden. Nick calls out the band’s sixth studio album Somewhere in Time, which of course closed with, “Alexander the Great.”

For more Far Middle discussions examining both leadership and history, check out episode 126, “The Battle of Hurtgen Forest,” as well as episode 123, “Effective Leadership.”

Known as, “The Mile of the Century,” Nick looks back on the race and how Bannister and Landy challenged consensus and broke the 4-minute mile mark, thereby sparking higher levels of performance by athletes in the years following. It’s a lesson that applies beyond competitive sport, explains Nick.

Contrasting the levels of performance by Bannister and Landy, Nick returns to present day to discuss the less-than-high levels of performance across America’s federal government workforce. Now four-and-a-half years since the start of the COVID pandemic, and despite calls from the president and his chief of staff for federal employees to return to their offices, remote work “has become an ingrained culture within the federal government workforce.”

Nick comments on not only the cost to taxpayers of paying for and maintaining unoccupied office space, but also the broader economic implications on Washington, D.C., and other government-heavy cities when only 6 percent of federal workers are working full-time in their offices.

And wherever the administrative state is working these days, their quest for “regulation by strangulation” hasn’t taken any breaks. Nick discusses a recent summation by author and energy journalist Robert Bryce of “four recent climate-related rules issued by the administrative state.”

These climate rules, issued between March and May this year, total 1.3 million words. When you add these voluminous and complex rules on top of other rules and regulations being issued, Nick questions how a business, individual, or entity can comply with or even know what these laws say. “We've moved beyond absurd, but this is the environment the real economy must operate in, and I don't think that's going to bode well for America,” says Nick.

In closing, Nick highlights Bob Dylan’s song, “If Not for You,” from Dylan’s October 1970 album New Morning. In less than a year, subsequent recordings of “If Not for You” came from Dylan alongside George Harrison, as well as Olivia Newton-John. The song is another example — like Bannister and Landy running a sub-four-minute mile — of “greats pushing greats to the next level.”

Reflecting on Cheryl and Reggie’s achievements, Nick notes how wildly similar their careers are: both played college basketball in Los Angeles, both wore number 31, and each has those jersey numbers retired (at USC for Cheryl and the Pacers for Reggie), both won Olympic gold, both pursued careers in broadcasting, and now both are in halls of fame.

Nick pivots from the Miller siblings to a broader conversation on the evolution of professional sports, discussing changes in hockey, football, baseball, and basketball, and the differing priorities between the game, athletes, and leagues.

Nick critiques the current state of professional sports leagues, highlighting their hypocrisy and inconsistency in their values.

“Leagues today they virtue signal every chance they get,” says Nick. “Yet when you see how each league ignores its supposed values to pursue financial interests in the mighty dollar it creates a cred problem; each league quickly forgets and jettisons its teachings and preachings to the fan base and that comes across as incredibly hypocritical and inconsistent.”

From sports, Nick shifts gears to a McKinsey study that finds 57% of American Millennial electric vehicle (EV) owners are likely to switch back to gasoline-powered cars. Nick examines the hidden costs and challenges that are likely driving those attitudes towards EVs.  

Next, in response to listener inquiries, Nick analyzes the New York court case against former President Trump, critiquing the prosecution and judicial process as politically motivated. He compares the case to Hillary Clinton's campaign finance violations, suggesting a double standard in legal accountability.

In closing, Nick discusses the current stock market and investing environment, expressing concern over high valuations, low volatility, government debt, and geopolitical risks. And while talking dollars and cents, Nick makes one final connection to today’s episode release date by noting the historical significance of July 31st, 1792, when the cornerstone for the first U.S. Mint building was laid in Philadelphia.

Nick then transitions to discuss the second part of his recent speech and tackles several critical issues facing the U.S., including: 

1. Government Overreach: Nick argues that the government (specifically the “deep state”) has overstepped its constitutional boundaries, becoming a "voracious beast" that requires extensive bureaucratic approval for individual actions.
2. Debt Crisis: Nick highlights the alarming levels of national debt, projecting that the U.S. government is likely to either default or devalue its commitments, with significant shortfalls in Social Security and Medicare. “The fiscal plane is flying right into the mountain and there is not going to be enough time or space to gain sufficient altitude,” says Nick.
3. Education System Failures: Nick criticizes the declining proficiency rates in education, particularly among disadvantaged demographics, providing sad proof that the system today prioritizes optics over substance.
4. Persistent Inflation: Nick explains how inflation is a long-term issue driven by government policies, regulatory burdens, and geopolitical factors, rather than short-term fluctuations. For more on contributors driving inflation, see Nick’s commentary, “20 Reasons Why the Worst is Yet to Come with Inflation.”
5. Radical Environmentalism: Nick then reviews a fifth truth as a bonus for Far Middle constant listeners: the impact of radical environmental policies on agriculture in California, specifically how protections for a small fish species, the smelt, are leading to water shortages for farmers, ultimately harming food production and economic stability.

Nick stresses the need to recognize these challenges, aka hard truths, as part of a broader trend affecting the nation, particularly as Leftist policies gain traction in California and beyond.

And in one of the more frightening Far Middle closes, Nick draws a connection to the book and subsequent film, The Amityville Horror, perhaps one to add to your reading list if you’re looking for a little horror genre this summer.

For more Far Middle “truths,” check out recent episode 153, “Big Truths.”

Dodger Stadium, also known as “Chavez Ravine,” has hosted two All-Star Games, numerous World Series games, and legendary concerts over its rich 62-year history. Despite its memorable moments, Nick also examines the stadium’s troubling origins.

Nick then connects to a recent talk he gave only a couple miles south of Dodger Stadium last month to Southern California business leaders. A summary of that address is available at NickDeiuliis.com, see “Address to the Jonathan Club, World Affairs Group.”

Reflecting on the speech, Nick discusses:

• The importance of rational thought and objectivity in policymaking, criticizing the vilification of classical liberal and fiscally conservative views.
• The significance of protecting individual rights from the tyranny of the majority and government overreach.
• The concept of minimal government intervention and maximum governance.
• The U.S. domestic energy industry, particularly the natural gas sector, and America’s ascendency to the world’s largest global producer and net exporter of natural gas. That success was realized from free-market principles and innovative technologies like horizontal drilling.
• The local, regional, and national benefits of the natural gas industry, including economic growth, job creation, and enhanced energy security. These successes are contrasted against the myths and regulatory challenges posed by the Left.
• Sustaining the natural gas industry's growth and broader economic impact via continued free-market solutions and minimal government interference.

In closing, Nick returns to “Blue Heaven on Earth” for another unique event that Dodger Stadium hosted. Despite its 56,000-plus capacity, the stands were empty on June 4, 1979, when Fleetwood Mac recorded its video for "Tusk" alongside the USC Marching Band.

Far Middle Connections: Five years before that June 4, 1979, “Tusk” recording, the infamous “Ten-Cent Beer Night” in Cleveland occurred on June 4, 1974. Revisit Nick’s reflection on that wild night, alongside three other more distinguished 1974 baseball achievements in Far Middle episode 74, “Always Keep Swinging.”

As players report to training camp this month and the 2024 season approaches, Nick picks up where he left off in episode 159 to highlight the crucial role of the offensive line. Without the O-line succeeding in the trenches, “you're not going to have a successful football team, and its stars are not going to be able to be stars.”

Earning dedication honors is the Oakland Raiders O-line of the early 1970s, which Nick argues is the greatest in offensive line history. That dominating line included Hall of Famers: Jim Otto, Gene Upshaw, Art Shell, and Bob "Boomer" Brown. After reflecting on each player’s contributions and their collective powerful impact, Nick transitions by noting Bob Brown’s playing days at the University of Nebraska, which connects to the episode’s focus: William Jennings Bryan.

William Jennings Bryan moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1887. Four years later he was elected to Congress to represent Nebraska’s 1^st congressional district. While Bryan would only serve two terms in Congress and go on to lose three presidential elections (1896, 1900, 1908), his campaigns and policies would have a lasting and powerful impact on American politics and public policy that is still evident today.

“I sense Bryan was obviously onto something with his policies and how they took root in American politics and society,” says Nick. “Yet I also sense they got completely out of control after Bryan's time to the point where the Frankenstein monster is now running wild. No matter how you cut it though, William Jennings Bryan was a great American—perhaps one of the greatest—and more Americans,  they need to know his story.”

In closing, Nick follows the yellow brick road from Nebraska to Kansas, looking back on The Wizard of Oz, as it’s rumored The Cowardly Lion was based on William Jennings Bryan. Nick concludes with a few interesting notes and connections from the film.

For more Far Middle, The Wizard of Oz was released in 1939, the year “Teddy Ballgame” would make his Major League Baseball debut. Head back to episode 130 for Nick’s dedication to Ted Williams, “the greatest hitter that ever played the game.”

While Landis served as the first Commissioner of Major League Baseball, elected in 1921 and serving until his death in 1944, Landis also had a storied legal career. Nick recounts how Judge Landis was known for his unique and often controversial rulings, which were frequently overturned on appeal.

In one instance, “He charged Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany with murder after the sinking of the Lusitania, because the casualty list included residents of Illinois, which fell within the judge's district,” says Nick. “Unfortunately, Landis also trampled over individual rights. As a classic liberal, I don't like that at all.”

Nick then examines Judge Landis’ role as Commissioner, including banning eight White Sox players involved in the 1919 World Series “Black Sox” scandal, as well as his behind-the-scenes efforts to prohibit African American players from playing in the Major League. For more on the Black Sox scandal, listen to Nick’s dedication to Arnold “The Brain” Rothstein in Far Middle episode 149.

While Judge Landis was just assuming his role as Commissioner of Baseball, another much more significant incident would take place in the summer of 1921: “One of the saddest and most outrageous chapters in American jurisprudence, and it's one that had tragic consequences and led to a reputational black eye for the United States globally,” says Nick.

That incident would come on July 14, 1921, when Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were found guilty of murdering Alessandro Berardelli and Frederick Parmenter, a few miles south of Boston.

Sacco and Vanzetti, Italian immigrants, were arrested and charged with the crime despite lacking evidence and procedural flaws. Nick proceeds to describe how the trial highlighted the systemic prejudices against immigrants, particularly Italians, at the time.

Despite global protests and notable figures like Albert Einstein and Felix Frankfurter speaking out against the injustice, Sacco and Vanzetti were executed in August 1927. For further commentary on the Sacco and Vanzetti trial, conviction, and execution, see Nick’s recent essay, “The Trial of Sacco and Vanzetti: Tragic Failure of the American Ideal.”

As Sacco and Vanzetti were preparing for execution in August 1927, and Commissioner Landis was watching the Babe chase 60 homeruns, Nick closes with an interesting juxtaposition, the dedication of Mount Rushmore that took place on August 10, 1927.

While Mount Rushmore symbolizes the ideals of American democracy, its creation also symbolizes the flaws of government, such as funding delays extending the seven-year project out 14 years, and the inclusion of Teddy Roosevelt due to his friendship with the project's architect.

Looking ahead, mark your calendars for July 10 for the release of episode 164, when Nick delves into a great figure in American history, William Jennings Bryan.

Following Robinson in the episode’s lineup is a discussion on the rising demand for electricity driven by the growth of data centers for AI across the U.S. This power demand clashes with current energy policies that prioritize intermittent renewable energy over reliable sources like natural gas. The result is compromised grid reliability and increased energy costs, which will challenge the tech industry’s growth.

“You cannot adopt draconian net zero plans and climate alarmism ideology, and at the same time hope to be able to grow the data center and AI economy at an efficient pace—mutually exclusive under the laws of math and physics,” says Nick. 

Staying on the topic of climate alarmism ideology, Nick connects to New Jersey’s multi-year effort to infuse climate change into its primary and high school science curriculum, and more recently the state is incorporating climate change into all school subjects. “New Jersey public schools are now religious institutions,” says Nick. And while New Jersey schools focus on indoctrinating students into the religion of radical environmentalism and climate alarmism, student proficiency rates in English, math, and science are declining sharply.

Nick then pivots to the power the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has over the Catholic Church, criticizing Pope Francis for compromising with the CCP. “The Vatican surrenders more and more to China and the CCP simply to keep the optics of a good relationship alive,” says Nick.

In closing, Nick makes a final connection to June 26, which is also the birthday of British mathematician, physicist, and engineer William Thompson, also known as Lord Kelvin.

Born in 1824, Thompson’s numerous scientific contributions include creating the absolute temperature scale, now known as the Kelvin scale. Thompson was also involved in the laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable, serving “as a founding father connection to the artificial intelligence industry of today,” says Nick as he ends on “a science history connection that Dr. James Burke would be proud of.”

Nick discusses Vaccaro's journey from a schoolteacher to a pivotal player in Nike's entry into the basketball market, including Vaccaro’s strategy of paying college coaches to have their teams wear Nike shoes, leading to a significant increase in Nike's presence in basketball. Vaccaro’s most notable achievement was convincing Nike to sign Michael Jordan, leading to the creation of the highly successful Air Jordan line (the subject of the 2023 film, Air).

Vaccaro helped Nike become a behemoth global business, which Nick pivots off for the episode’s central topic: today’s behemoth administrative state and the conflict between it and executive power. It’s a topic familiar to Far Middle listeners, one “I'm always running out of Far Middle time to fully cover,” says Nick.

 Nick explains the impetus for the episode was an early 2024 Wall Street Journal column, ‘Trump Allies See Path to Pad His Power.' 

“Power in our Federal Government has been shifting from the legislative branch in Congress to the presidential or executive branch in the White House,” says Nick. “Most of us have been asleep as this shift in power from legislative to executive branch has occurred, partly because it happened slowly and methodically over a century.”

Nick argues shrinking the “bureaucratic deep state” would be a win for individual rights, for the private sector, and for capitalism. And if Donald Trump is elected again as president in November, Nick questions why the elite and expert class view a second Trump administration’s potential reduction in the bureaucratic state as a power grab of presidential authority. It’s nonsensical to describe ceding power as also grabbing power.

Nick critiques the Biden administration for its unconstitutional actions, such as selectively enforcing laws and delaying aid to Israel and compares this to the hypothetical concerns about a future Trump administration. He also stresses the need for a consistent application of constitutional principles and warns against the dangers of an unchecked bureaucratic state.

In closing, episode 160’s release date of June 12 provides a connection to the massive anti-nuclear demonstration that took place in New York City on June 12, 1982. Nick reflects on that protest, as well as global nuclear threats today.

“It's a dangerous world, constant listeners, and we best stick to the proven formula of America. Individual rights, strong defense, small government, and a market based private sector,” Nick concludes. “It's worked in the past and it's going to work in the future. And it's captured in the Constitution. Trust those things, not the bureaucrat.”

Moore made lasting impacts at both the high school and collegiate levels, particularly during his tenure at Pitt and Notre Dame, where he developed numerous NFL-bound offensive linemen. Nick highlights Moore's straightforward, intimidating - but in a good way - coaching style.

While Coach Moore sadly passed away in 2003, his legacy continues today through the Joe Moore Award and the Joe Moore O Line Camp. “He wasn't an offensive line football coach, he was a leadership guru,” says Nick.

Nick then connects to “another leader, not just of young adults or men and women, but of a nation, and frankly, the world or the free world at the time.” That leader, President Eisenhower, is the focus of this installment as Nick examines Ike’s 1961 farewell address, also known as his ‘military industrial complex’ speech.

Drawing parallels between Eisenhower’s warnings about the military industrial complex and today's concerns that result from the overarching agenda of the Left, Nick expands upon his recent essay, “Echoes from 1961: Ike’s Fear of Red Scare Consequences and Today’s Crisis of Code Red.” Nick highlights President Eisenhower’s call for an alert and knowledgeable citizenry and stresses the desperate need for such a citizenry today “if we wish to preserve this wonderful human experiment known as the United States of America.”

Nick closes by delving further into 1961, highlighting the release that year of “The Guns of Navarone,” one of Nick’s favorite films. And on the airwaves, the Billboard music charts were dynamic, illustrating the cultural shift between easy listening and rock and roll.

For more from The Far Middle, 1961 also marked Roger Maris hitting 61 home runs in a season, a milestone honored in the opening dedication for Far Middle episode 61.

Gilbert, though controversial and often breaking NCAA rules, provided significant support and resources to the players, contributing to the Bruins’ dominance in the 1960s and 1970s. This duality between Wooden's public integrity and Gilbert's covert rule-bending serves as a lesson in the complexities of ethics and legacy. “What you associate with, they set your legacy sometimes as much as you do, whether it's going to be for the better or for the worse,” says Nick.

The discussion around ignoring and breaking the rules then transitions to the progressive prosecutor movement that’s been methodically executed by the Left in America for the last several years. Nick references analyses by The Heritage Foundation’s Charles “Cully” Stimson as he examines the implications of rogue district attorneys and prosecutors refusing to prosecute certain crimes.

“The progressive prosecutor movement believes that the criminal justice system is broken,” says Nick. “And the only way to fix it is to replace law and order district attorneys with soft-on-crime and anti-police district attorneys. And when you do that, a community is going to suffer an epidemic of crime and decreased quality of life. And it will hit the working poor and hit minorities harder, which are the very groups the progressives claim to be advocating for.”

Highlighting examples from cities including Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia, Nick illustrates the negative impact (increased crime and declining quality of life) of prosecutors undermining the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches, essentially rewriting laws without authority.

Nick connects the progressive prosecutor movement to the broader issues of ballooning administrative power, warning once again of the dangers of unchecked bureaucratic authority. “The other branches of government, they're not pushing back and doing their jobs,” says Nick. “It's not a small problem, it’s a massive problem…it’s a theme that The Far Middle has been discussing for years, and it's one growing worse by the episode.”

In closing, Nick wraps with a nostalgic dive into rock history, highlighting songs from several bands including AC/DC, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, and other greats centered on crime and punishment.

Zeppelin fans: For more on the London rockers, check out Nick’s closing tribute segment in episode 142 celebrating Led Zeppelin II, and his reflections in episode 96 on Led Zeppelin IV and in episode 47 on Physical Graffiti.

Leading off with the episode’s sports dedication, Nick goes back 40 years to the infamous “bean-brawl game” from August 12, 1984, between the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves.

Nick walks through the “train wreck” of a game that included three separate brawls, 17 players and coaches ejected, and several fans arrested. After hearing Nick’s review of the game that umpire John McSherry described as setting “baseball back 50 years,” relive the madness via YouTube.

After revisiting the Padres-Braves drama, Nick asks, “What if my summary was delivered exclusively from the perspective of a devout Braves fan, or how would it differ and contrast if I delivered a summary from a purely partisan Padres fan perspective?”

Those hypothetical competing takes on the game leads to the episode’s primary discussion: examining the evolution of journalism from its objective, balanced coverage of societal issues, to its biased state today.

Nick focuses on two of the most established names in journalism—The New York Times and National Public Radio (NPR)—delving into their Leftist-bias progression. For the Times, Nick explains how that progression has been occurring for almost a century, while NPR’s biased shift is a relatively more recent change of course.

While discussing NPR, the Far Middle’s “Fauci Focus” returns for a special reprise as Nick discusses NPR’s dismissal that COVID could’ve originated from a Chinese lab, “basically backing up 100 percent the positions that Anthony Fauci and NIH took.”

In closing, Nick stresses the importance of balanced and objective journalism, expressing hope for the future of news organizations like NPR. Nick concludes by connecting back to 1984, noting the year’s top TV shows, one of which was a news show that’s still airing today. 

Far Middle Connections: Today’s episode release date coincides with the anniversary of the Pirates’ Willie Stargell hitting three home runs, a double, and a single in a May 22, 1968, win against the Cubs. Stargell would help the Pirates win the 1971 World Series, their fourth in franchise history, alongside teammate Al Oliver. Oliver is included on Nick’s list of baseball greats deserving a plaque in Cooperstown.

Following the recent 150^th milestone episode that explored core themes of the podcast’s journey, from limited government to individual liberty, Nick opts for a fun approach this special episode, navigating a web of cultural icons and their connections within connections.

Continuing to carry on the tradition of Dr. James Burke’s BBC “Connections” series, Nick begins the discussion on the heels of Mother’s Day.

Nick highlights the role Ted Williams’ mom played in his ultimate signing with the Boston Red Sox. A difference of $500 separated Williams and Joe DiMaggio from being pinstripe teammates. For more on “Teddy Ballgame,” revisit Nick’s dedication to Williams in episode 130.

The three-year episode’s release date, May 15, serendipitously also falls on the anniversary of the start of Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak back in 1941. Revisit that streak in Nick’s closing segment from episode 56.

Breaking from the well-known Far Middle analyses on public policy and cultural trends to business and finance and more, Nick features an all-star, award-winning lineup of connections spanning screen and stage.

Nick notes Joe DiMaggio was not only a great baseball player, but a hopeless romantic, “and the object of his affection was none other than the legend Marilyn Monroe.” From there the connections turn to Ernest Hemingway, playwright Arthur Miller, actor and acting teacher Lee Strasberg, actors John Malkovich, Dustin Hoffman, Anthony Hopkins, Liam Neeson, Daniel Day-Lewis, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, alongside a few other greats.

A truly entertaining episode, Nick celebrates the series’ run by highlighting a range of accomplished figures, connected linear and fascinatingly intertwined—a great transition as year four gets underway in episode 157.

Boxing fans: the third anniversary episode’s release date of March 15 also marks Rocky Marciano’s first world heavyweight title defense. In 1953, Marciano knocked out former champion Jersey Joe Walcott in the first round at Chicago Stadium. Head back to Far Middle’s 100^th episode for Nick’s dedication to “The Brockton Bomber.” And if you have four minutes, watch that May 15, 1953, fight.

Nick then shifts the episode’s focus to California, revisiting a state often in the Far Middle spotlight (see Nick’s commentary, “Ode to Los Angeles From a Wary Admirer,” and Far Middle episode 113 for some of Nick’s prior observations). 

Beginning just south of San Francisco, the installment’s sports dedication is a Far Middle first as the honor goes to a high school, Junípero Serra High School, and its legendary lineup of alumni athletes. That roster spans football coach John Robinson and quarterback Tom Brady to baseball player/manager Jim Fregosi and MLB home run king Barry Bonds, and many others. 

From athletes launching their epic careers at Serra High School, Nick pivots to the downward spiral of the Golden State, in particular declining quality of life in the Bay Area, thanks to continued Leftist governance and policies.

Nick questions a study ranking San Francisco as the healthiest city in America as the reality on the ground (crime, homelessness, substance abuse) doesn't reflect this assessment. “Living and functioning in San Francisco these days can be quite the threat and danger to one's health, both physical and mental,” says Nick.

Meanwhile, in Oakland, restaurants are closing due to crime and public safety concerns. “Crime has been a major issue in Oakland,” says Nick. “Robberies grew 38% last year, according to police data. Burglaries are up 23%, and motor vehicle theft jumped 44%. That's unbelievable. Roughly one of every 30 Oakland residents had a car stolen last year.” 

While crime soars, Oakland’s leadership is more focused on threatening a 102-year-old man with fines for graffiti on his property. Nick also examines the state of education in the Bay Area.  

“The potential of California, it's always been to serve as the ideal for the rest of us, it used to epitomize so much of the positive of the American dream,” says Nick. “But today the reality of California is the truth of what happens when the Left runs things and what it will bring to all of us eventually.”

In closing, Nick reflects on a few California cultural icons (including John Steinbeck, Joan Didion, The Mamas & the Papas, the Beach Boys, and others), and how their depictions of California unfortunately differ from life in California today.

Leading off, Nick presents a few hard truths on the economics of professional sports for the installment’s sports dedication. Those truths include the challenge of becoming a professional athlete, and for the elite few that make it to the highest level of their respective sport, it’s a sad truth that many face financial struggles post-retirement.

Shifting from sports, the next big truth centers on how different asset classes perform over time versus the inflation benchmark. “That's a crucial question because the objective of investing is to achieve a rate of return that exceeds inflation over your investment horizon,” says Nick. “If your return exceeds inflation, you've enjoyed a real rate of return, and your portfolio grew in value.”

What’s been the best major investment class outperforming inflation over a 20-year investment horizon the past nearly hundred years? The answer may surprise you.

From investment trends, Nick examines recent data and projections from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) regarding the depressing financial health of our federal government. “By the early 2030s, the CBO is estimating that all, as in 100 percent, of federal government revenues are going to be consumed by two things, entitlements and interest on the federal debt,” explains Nick. Presuming the CBO is correct, Nick discusses the country’s options to avoid the big financial truth that spells trouble ahead.

Nick continues the theme of big truths as he draws a connection to President Biden’s low approval ratings juxtaposed to his job creation performance since taking office. “When it comes to payroll growth since inauguration, and after those 1,000 days plus in office, Biden is tracking quite well versus his post-World War II predecessors,” says Nick. “In fact, only two presidents saw a bigger percent increase in payroll growth than Biden.”

But despite the payroll growth, Nick suggests it’s simply been the economy rebounding to pre-pandemic numbers. “Maybe the American public realizes that big truth more than we give it credit for, which would explain President Biden's abysmal approval ratings,” says Nick.

In closing, Nick highlights big songs about truth from two awesome groups, The Police and Depeche Mode. Take a break from enjoying the silence, and enjoy episode 153!

Marking episode 152’s sports dedication, Nick runs through a historic trifecta of sports related lies; including, George O'Leary's false resume claims, George Steinbrenner’s comments he planned to be an absentee owner, and Wilt Chamberlain's exaggerated sexual exploits. Nick notes there are many famous fibs from the annals of sports, such as the denials of fixing the 1919 World Series discussed in episode 149, as well as other moments that will likely be featured in future Far Middle sports dedications.

Transitioning to energy policy, Nick argues those claiming wind and solar are zero-carbon energy sources are propagating a harmful misconception as their production carries significant carbon footprints.

“Let's dispense with all those convenient little lies out there that underlie a flawed set of climate policies and energy transition efforts,” says Nick. “Until we do that, we're only going to be building our economy and society on a foundation of sand.”

Nick then challenges the notion of U.S. energy independence, highlighting the country's increasing reliance on imported wind, solar, and EV components from China. And while America’s energy security erodes to reliance on China, Nick calls out another little lie that China is a growth market for renewable energy like wind and solar. Nick juxtaposes America’s removal of 95 gigawatts of coal-fired electric generation from its grid since 2015 to China adding 223 gigawatts of coal plant capacity to its grid.

"What's all the coal-fired electricity and energy being used for in China?" Nick asks rhetorically. "It's often used to mine, process, and manufacture all the components and feedstocks needed to make more and more wind, solar, and EV products, which are then exported and shipped to places like the United States, where our energy policies mandate their use because we pretend they’re zero-carbon forms of energy. It's nuts."

The discussion then shifts to the administrative state and bureaucratic behavior during the Trump administration, with examples of resistance from elite academia and entrenched government employees. Nick warns of potential future conflicts depending on the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.

“If Trump wins the 2024 election, and I know that's a big if and I'm not saying he should, but if he wins the election, bar the door, because we're about to see one of the greatest freakouts in the history of government,” says Nick. “It could make 2016 and those prior Trump-term years look mild by comparison.

“They say ‘rust never sleeps,’ neither does the need to make informed decisions regarding the maintenance of our energy ecosystem. There comes a time when scientific reality must check the environmental ideology,” continues Nick.

Nick then connects those references to “rust never sleeps” and “comes a time” to the likewise-named Neil Young albums. And concludes with a reflection on Neil Young's boycott of Spotify over COVID-related content on Joe Rogan's podcast, touching on the irony and controversy surrounding the decision. Nick’s favorite Neil Young album? Give a listen!

That theme begins with the installment’s sports dedication honoring Bill “Wink” Winkenbach. Transforming the way fans watch and follow sports today, Winkenbach invented fantasy football in 1962. Nick looks at fantasy football’s growth, by the numbers and through the years, these past six decades.

While Winkenbach was laying the foundation for modern fantasy sports in the 1960s, the Eisenhower administration would start counting the number of foreign nationals “apprehended” or “encountered” when crossing into the U.S. over the southern border. Nick proceeds to examine the immigration crisis by the numbers and through the years to present day.

“Being part of a family who got its start here in America through immigration, I always lean toward being pro-immigration, but under, of course, reasonably defined sets of rules and criteria,” says Nick. “And that is far from what we have today… over the past three years, there’s a total of about ten million unauthorized, undocumented immigrants that have entered the United States…By the numbers on the immigration crisis should freak all of us out.”

From the sobering and shocking data on America’s immigration crisis, Nick switches gears to World War II and the shocking tally of how many Soviet troops were killed by Stalin in conjunction with his ‘Not a Step Back’ order. Nick suggests a range of 300,000 to 900,000 Soviet troops were killed by their own government and fellow soldiers.

Fantasy sports, the immigration crisis, and the Soviets killing their own troops—they reveal the importance of consistency and the danger of inconsistency. This leads to a discussion between the inconsistency of how former President Trump and President Biden were respectively charged and not charged for retaining classified documents.

“Rules are rules,” says Nick. “When you break them, account for them. When you enforce them, do so consistently. To do otherwise is asking for trouble, both politically and culturally.”

Continuing his focus on Washington, D.C., Nick shifts to the Inflation Reduction Act and specifically the Act’s sections to jumpstart the hydrogen economy. Nick explains the unique opportunity of coal mine methane (CMM) as a hydrogen feedstock and highlights the recent co-authored editorial, “Seizing Western Pa.’s unique hydrogen opportunity.”

In the editorial by Matt Smith, Darrin Kelly, and Greg Bernarding, they write, “If properly enabled and maximized, CMM-based hydrogen production will be able to create over 696,000 jobs in the Pittsburgh region over the next two decades and infuse over $213 billion into the regional economy. We have identified over 30 unique projects, each with the potential to create close to 20,000 jobs.”

Key to unlocking the economic and environmental benefits of these projects is the U.S. Treasury Department.

Nick explains the Department “needs to finalize the 45V hydrogen production tax credits within the IRA. That's consistent with what the law intended. And that will facilitate a significant climate positive set of actions and impacts when it comes to fugitive methane's beneficial use. If you do that, it aligns with the original congressional intent. And it also aligns with President Biden's signature on the IRA. And it follows the process defined by the good old Constitution. What a thought.”

In closing, Nick looks at the past century of electric vehicle history, by the numbers and through the years, and through a consistent lens.

Marking the milestone 150th episode of The Far Middle, Nick reflects on the podcast’s nearly three-year journey and inspiration from Dr. James Burke's "Connections" series.

“With such a prominent episode number, we need a compelling sports dedication, one that sits atop the greats, as a great of greats, and one that epitomizes and embraces the attributes of doing, achieving, hard work, and being rational,” says Nick, presenting the honor to Gordie Howe, aka “Mr. Hockey.”

After reviewing Howe’s legendary career, work ethic, and transformative impact, Nick connects to The Far Middle’s impact on helping foster civil discourse and the importance of expressing diverse opinions.

Looking back on the history of The Far Middle, Nick describes his philosophy on strategic thinking akin to that of a chess player, versus a checkers player’s mentality. However, the podcast’s beginnings resembled more of a checkers style before evolving into that of a chess player’s approach. He explains that each Far Middle episode is distinctly unique, with no two episodes exactly alike, yet all 150 episodes tie together a handful of core themes consistently and uniquely connected.

“Strangely enough, applying a checkers player's mindset over the years helped me to become better at applying the chess player's mindset when thinking ahead,” says Nick. “It's one of life's interesting ironies.”

Next, Nick references Ayn Rand’s essay, “Who Will Protect Us from Our Protectors?”, in discussing a core theme of The Far Middle, which is the state justifying control of the individual under the cover of looking after the helpless individual’s best interests or the public good. “The state is promoted as the protector for the individual, the little guy's shield,” says Nick. “But who then protects the individual from the out-of-control protector when that protector explodes in size and scope?” 

The episode delves into the Founding Fathers' vision of limited government and individual sovereignty, contrasting it with the growth of bureaucratic control. Drawing parallels to Orwell's "1984" and Huxley's "Brave New World," Nick warns against the dangers of state manipulation and the erosion of individual freedoms.

In closing, Nick reaffirms his commitment to advocating for individual liberty and civil discourse as The Far Middle journey continues.

In one of The Far Middle’s more unique sports dedications, the episode highlights an unlikely honoree: Arnold “The Brain” Rothstein. Nick explains that while the manipulative Rothstein didn’t excel in professional sports as a player or coach, his infamous role in fixing the 1919 World Series (which he denied) would transcend the sports world.

Beginning this installment’s connections, Nick transitions to the evolution of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The agency “has succumbed to ideological pressures from the Left, the radical environmental movement, and the code red crowd,” says Nick. Those interests have skewed IEA’s demand forecast for global oil and natural gas use, and they then use that manipulated data as evidence there isn’t a need for further oil and natural gas investment. The argument is then parlayed into energy policy decisions, such as the Biden administration’s pause on new U.S. liquefied natural gas export facilities.

Revisiting prior episode 148, “Fields of Resistance,” Nick highlights the German government’s budget manipulation attempts that ultimately sparked the German farmer protests.

“Manipulation by government is not unique to Europe,” says Nick. “Our government here in the United States is fully capable of manipulation of its own.” This leads to a conversation about the U.S. EPA’s vehicle emissions rule, which is a de facto EV mandate. Nick reviews a paper by Paul Bonifas and Tim Considine, “Analyzing the EV Rule,” which finds, “The EPA’s EV rule would cost the U.S. economy and taxpayers $1,407 billion, an underestimation of $3,007 billion.”

Next up is a topic familiar to readers of Precipice, which is the magnitude of public pension underfunding. Examining state and local government unfunded pension obligations, Nick references a Hoover Institution analysis that, “As of fiscal year 2021, the total reported unfunded liabilities of [state and local government pension] plans is $1.076 trillion. In contrast, the market value of the unfunded liability is approximately $6.501 trillion.”

Switching from the public sector, Nick explains the manipulative tactics housed in the commercial real estate market to raise property values artificially.

Perhaps one of the biggest manipulators is the Federal Reserve, which “has set interest rates far below normal for decades resulting in negative real interest rates, and such monetary manipulation has massive ramifications across society, much of them negative,” says Nick. 

In closing, Nick questions the absence of the media and journalism who, by not calling out the manipulations discussed, are a willing accomplice by reporting opinions and the image rather than facts and the truth. 

As episode 149 reaches twilight time, Nick pays tribute to what might be the greatest song in rock and roll history about manipulation.

At this time of renewal, farming is the featured theme and focus. Nick begins in “heaven,” aka Iowa, for this episode’s sports dedication, which goes to “the Heater from Van Meter", Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller.

While Felller eventually landed in Cooperstown, his stretch to more than 2,500 Major League strikeouts began with playing American Legion ball in Iowa, with Nile Kinnick behind the plate. Learn more about Heisman Trophy winner Nile Kinnick in The Far Middle episode 138, “The Truth of the Matter.”

Bob Feller, who grew up on a family farm, plants the seed for this episode’s examination of the roots of American farmer activism in the late 19^th century and the parallels to Europe today. Nick discusses the recent surge of farmer protests across several European countries, from Ireland to Romania. The conversation further explores Nick’s recent commentary, “Harvesting History: Farmer Activism is Democracy’s Early Warning System.”

In this episode, Nick offers both an American agriculture history lesson and an update on current issues and strife affecting European farmers. Learn how and why climate change policies are the singular root cause of today’s European farmer protests, and why other so-called causes are simply associated symptoms of those climate policies.

“Farmers matter greatly in society—let's not mess with them,” says Nick. “They’re one of America’s great value creator classes—amongst creators, enablers, and servers—making society function, as I wrote in Precipice. Unfortunately, farmers are finding themselves under attack with this ever-pressing value appropriation by what might some call the takers, and that I reference in Precipice as the Leech.”

In closing, Nick wraps with a fitting look back at the first Farm Aid concert. Now nearly 40 years ago, Nick pays tribute to Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar’s first performance together on stage.

“It's another sports dedication that isn't so much about sport as it is about the unique journeys and opportunities that present themselves in America,” says Nick.

The conversation then transitions into a discussion of John Stuart Mill's "On Liberty," Mill’s formative essay on individual freedom and the role of government in society. Nick’s commentary extends from and expands upon his recent article, “Revisiting On Liberty: Magnificent Guide in Troubling Times.”

Nick explores many themes from Mill’s 1859 masterpiece, such as the importance of protecting individual rights from societal and governmental coercion, the dangers of suppressing dissenting opinions, and the need for tolerance of nonconformity. Nick draws connections to present day issues, such as vaccine mandates, censorship on social media, and ideological polarization.

Regarding that polarization and today’s thought police, Nick notes that “Mill pointed out that society benefits from genius, but genius, it requires individuality and freedom. Everyone appreciates a genius in art. So, when some musical or literary genius comes on the scene, everybody loves that. But the same people often disdain contemporary genius that disrupts political, economic, religious, or scientific status quo and power. It's quite inconsistent.”

In the closing lines of On Liberty, Mill writes, “The worth of a State, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it…a State which dwarfs its men, in order that they may be more docile instruments in its hands even for beneficial purposes, will find that with small men no great thing can really be accomplished.” Nick contends that the individual is going to have to reign once again supreme in the U.S. if we want to secure a bright future.

Concluding the episode, Nick connects back to 1859, the publication year of On Liberty, to reflect on another milestone that year. And that breakthrough event took place in Titusville, Pa., where Edwin Drake struck oil giving birth to America’s oil industry.

This installment’s sports dedication goes to visionary NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle. Earning the job at age 33, Nick looks back on Rozelle’s role in transforming the NFL into the immensely popular financial success it is today.

Rozelle’s leadership on revenue sharing and new television contracts not only increased the league's revenue and exposure but also made football America’s number one sport. Rozelle shaped the NFL into a cultural and economic powerhouse. “Rozelle is someone who transcended sport and represents what America has to offer, no matter what your profession or cultural interests,” says Nick.

That powerhouse’s headquarters, New York City, connects to this episode’s focus, which is the myriad challenges facing the Big Apple largely due to years of leftist policies from the city’s leadership.

Nick recounts a trip last month to New York and delves into the city's decline over the past few years, exacerbated by pandemic policies. While only in town for a couple of days, “I made it a point to talk to as many residents and businesspeople and workers and business owners as possible,” says Nick, proceeding to summarize the concerns and frustrations of those he spoke with along with personal observations.

Nick first addresses crime, describing the city’s vibe as tense and on edge, followed by a discussion on the controversial leadership of Mayor Eric Adams as he’s “suffering from a host of issues.” Those issues span affordable housing to corruption allegations, but most notably a migrant crisis.

That crisis made disturbing national news just before Nick’s visit, after a recent assault by migrants on New York Police officers in Times Square and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s ensuing response. “D.A. Bragg made a mockery of the entire justice system,” says Nick.

Nick also examines once again the city’s transportation mess, from the deteriorating condition of the subway to the implementation of the regressive tax that is congestion pricing.

Concluding his observations on the headwinds facing New York City, Nick shares troubling insights evidenced from a lunch at a friend’s Little Italy restaurant. And visible from that lunch was the mysterious and windowless Long Lines Building in Tribeca, which serves as an intriguing close for Far Middle episode 146.

Connecting from Presidents’ Day to this installment’s sports dedication, Nick revisits President Jimmy Carter spearheading the boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow. Nick examines the many geopolitical dynamics of the boycott that resulted from the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Interestingly, the boycott—a move to force the Soviet Union’s withdrawal from Afghanistan—came just after the U.S. beat the Soviets in Lake Placid in the “Miracle on Ice,” which you can hear more about in prior Far Middle episode 80.

Drawing on themes and issues surrounding the 1980 Summer Games boycott, Nick moves to present day and explores the contrasting views of “elites” versus those of average Americans on several economic, social, and political issues.

Nick first highlights a comment from Jamie Dimon, who recently called out the insulated progressive elites in a CNBC interview, before next analyzing the results of a sobering poll by RMG Research for the Committee to Unleash Prosperity.

That poll, “Them vs. U.S.: The Two Americas and How the Nation’s Elite Is Out of Touch with Average Americans,” offers interesting to shocking to frightening insights on America’s elite demographic.

Of those many insights, Nick calls out that “almost 50 percent of elites believe that America provides too much individual freedom. And meanwhile, 60 percent of voters believe that there's too much government control. That's what you call contrasting views.” He also highlights elites’ views of climate change, restating a frequent Far Middle topic that “climate change policies have nothing to do about atmospheric levels of CO2, and they've got everything to do with control of the individual across society and economy.”

Unfortunately, the poll results offer a validation of the themes and arguments Nick makes in Precipice: The Left’s Campaign to Destroy America.

“Although I wrote that book years ago, looking at where the minds of elites are today and how they are driving Western societies, they serve as proof points for the hypothesis laid out in Precipice…I wish Precipice would have been a false alarm, but instead, what's going on in America, is definitely not a drill,” says Nick.

Referencing his discussion on the broken state of college and academia described in Precipice, Nick connects to academia’s unwillingness to reform, using Henderson State University in Arkansas as an example. This leads to a broader look at the societal value of a four-year college degree today, which “has never been worth less.”

Moving from elites in academia, Nick discusses elites in bureaucracy, specifically former National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins, who “was as bad as it got when it came to running over science and individual rights to justify draconian pandemic policies.”

In closing, Nick flips the conversation to a positive side, telling the story of Pittsburgh’s Paul Mawhinney, his record store Record-Rama, and his three-million-plus record collection.

Nick then begins this installment’s connections, shifting from “illegal gangland Prohibition-era fights, with blood flowing and bullets flying on the streets, to another form of tough competition—the legally sanctioned NBA with blood in the paint.” Nick fast-forwards 73 years later to Allen Iverson’s legendary “practice” interview.  

Nick examines the rest of the story behind Iverson’s interview and explains how it’s “a great example of how media can morph things to fit their desired narrative for whatever reason or for whatever motive.” Incidentally, Allen Iverson joins a select group of repeat Far Middle sports dedication honorees, checkout episode 92 for more.

The theme of morphing the narrative then encompasses the episode’s focus as Nick counters many so-called experts’ claims that inflation has been tamed and run its recent short-lived course. Nick’s analysis is an extension from his recent essay, “20 Reasons Why the Worst is Yet to Come with Inflation.”

Those 20 contributors of inflation—and their many underlying dynamics—can be broadly categorized into government spending and regulation, monetary policy, and geopolitics. A few of the inflationary drivers include: 

• The growth of the regulatory state making everything more expensive.
• The impact of languishing worker productivity continuing to increase the costs of goods and services.
• Higher taxes and fees at every level of government escalating the cost of everything, everywhere, every day.
• Climate policies fueling energy scarcity and raising energy costs, and more.

“Each of these individual factors are their own contributors, but all of them together, that helps drive an incremental step-up of inflation, a cumulative effect that occurs when they all manifest together,” says Nick.

In closing, Nick makes one more connection to February 14, as he remembers Richard Stanley Francis. The British champion jockey and author passed away today, 14 years ago.

While recognizing Tillman’s football achievements, Nick focuses on Tillman’s service and principles. Nick describes Tillman as an exemplar of a great American doing exceptional things throughout his very unique life.

Nick then shifts the discussion back to his recent video series, “A Rational Thinker’s Guide to Climate Change and Related Policies.” Nick brings home his commentary spanning the prior two Far Middle episodes, and further examines his arguments from the concluding chapter of the series, “Forces Driving Present Climate Policies.”

Those forces driving climate policies today can be best categorized as external and internal; with external coming from outside the United States, and internal being pressures and influences within the United States and West.

Examining external forces, Nick covers OPEC, dynamics between Russia and Europe, Venezuela's aggression towards Guyana, and of course, China who “clearly is the biggest single example of who benefits the most with respect to climate policies and net zero journeys to really bad places.”

Then there’s the internal driver of present climate policies. And the “best way to define it is as the Left within the West itself, whether it's the United States or Europe,” says Nick. “The Left at the end of the day, more than anything, despises the individual and specifically disdains the freedom of the individual to choose for themselves.”

Nick proceeds to highlight several trends that are justified as “tackling climate change,” but at their core, they're about curtailing individual rights and greater control over individual choice. Examples today span what you can eat and drink, driving and EV mandates, 15-minute cities, and climate policy bleeding into government use of emergency powers.

Nick rambles on with a final music segment, as he pays tribute to Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin II album. Led Zeppelin II would mark the band’s first UK No. 1 album—a milestone occurring today, 34 years ago. For more Led Zeppelin commentary, check out Nick’s reflection on Led Zeppelin IV and Physical Graffiti.

While the game began outside of Canada, the Land of Maple refined and popularized hockey into the modern sport we know today. For more hockey talk, check out Nick’s prior dedications to “the Great One,” Martin Brodeur, Sidney Crosby, and Connor McDavid.

Nick leaves the rink to spend the bulk of episode 140 revisiting a three-part video series he released earlier this month following the United Nations’ 28^th “Conference of the Parties” climate summit (aka “COP 28”).

The trilogy, “A Rational Thinker’s Guide to Climate Change and Related Policies,” is available here and also on Nick’s YouTube channel. This Far Middle further explores Nick’s commentary in the trilogy’s first installment, “Diagnosing the Problem and Issue.”

Topics include:

• The poor and inept policies being forced upon society by the climate alarmist movement.
• Earth’s changing climate throughout history.
• The shale gas revolution’s role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
• The economic, social, and ecological challenges of so-called 'renewable' energy sources like wind and solar—as well as their low energy density.

“We need to have a follow-on conversation about what we know about climate change policies, because those policies, they're advertised as the medicine and the cure to climate change by the climate alarmist crowd,” says Nick previewing next week’s episode. He calls the expert and elites’ cures much worse than the disease of climate change and asks whether those symptoms are real or whether they’re fabricated. 

In closing, Nick connects to John Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim's Progress." He draws parallels between the challenges faced by dissenters in Bunyan’s classic work to today’s “religion of climate alarmism” and limitations on free thought in the present-day discussion of climate change.

For this episode’s sports dedication, Nick again spotlights an athlete whose greatness extends beyond the field, or in this case the pitcher’s mound. That individual is Walter Johnson, “the best pitcher in an era of dominant pitchers, and very well may be the best pitcher of all time.” Johnson was part of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s inaugural Class of 1936 alongside episode 137’s dedication, Honus Wagner. While noting Johnson’s epic baseball stats, Nick focuses on Johnson’s life and leadership off the diamond.

Nick then moves from 1910s and ‘20s baseball to World War II, examining Americans’ views of the British military in 1942 versus present-day impressions of British strength during the Second World War.

Reverting back to the turn of the century, just after Walter Johnson was born, Nick references American historian John Milton Cooper, and Cooper’s account of America’s thriving economy circa 1900. Nick also notes Cooper’s 2009 biography of Woodrow Wilson that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. “I'd love to pick his brain on Woodrow Wilson, who I consider to be one of the worst performing presidents in our nation's history,” says Nick. “And if you want to know why, read Precipice for a full explanation.”

Drawing a connection from the more than 2,000 newspapers at the outset of the 20^th century, Nick discusses a December 14, 2023, article in The Economist by former New York Times editorial page editor James Bennett. In the article, "When the New York Times lost its way," Bennett does “a great job of differentiating between classic liberalism and illiberalism,” says Nick, further commenting on the herd mentality and state of journalism today.

Drawing connections from journalism, media, and America’s economic might, Nick reflects on a 2021 interview with author Walter Kern and the cultural divide between urban versus rural America. Addressing the divide, Nick calls media a “wedge creator and wedge preserver in America today.”

And in closing, Nick wishes a happy birthday to America’s first “polymath,” Benjamin Franklin. “How many people do you know that could be described as all of the following?,” asks Nick. “A writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and a political philosopher.” In admiring Franklin’s immeasurable accomplishments and contributions, Nick highlights Franklin’s 13 virtues to cultivate his character and achieve not only success but also happiness.

Nick again highlights a standout sports figure whose accomplishments both on and off the field epitomize greatness. And this installment’s sports dedication honors go to Robert Patrick "Rocky" Bleier—a Vietnam veteran, a four-time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburgh Steelers, an author, the subject of the television movie Fighting Back, and more.

After reflecting on Bleier, the discussion makes a jump cut to explore Frances Fukuyama’s 1989 essay, “The End of History.” Nick examines the paper and calls out a series of excerpts and assertions from Fukuyama that were a complete misread and a significant historic blunder. Fukuyama’s conclusions influenced even more historic blunders by those in power who believed the global ideological transformation that Fukuyama professed and subsequently set policy from.

“I've said it before, I've said it on The Far Middle in prior episodes, I wrote it in my book Precipice, and I'm going to state it again, never ever underestimate the Left,” says Nick. “It comes at great peril for the individual and for society.” And while the Left might have been on the ropes in the late 1980s and 1990s, it will never surrender. 

With the supposed fall of communism, socialism, and the Left, Nick notes the irony that in the end of history era, the ideological vacuum in the West has been filled with none other than the tenets and values of the Left. He uses examples of open borders, “tackling climate change,” and the vilification of prior Western values such as capitalism and the individual.

In closing, Nick pays tribute to 19th century American author Horatio Alger who was born a few days after today’s episode release, on January 13, 1832. While the Left’s dislike for Alger today borders on hate, he focuses in on the Horatio Alger Association and its promotion of the American dream, which is now under attack by the mainstream media.

“Constant listeners, in the words of Public Enemy don't believe the hype when it comes to the Left,” says Nick. “Horatio Alger, and all that he stood for in his stories, they're legitimate and real, as long as policy and culture allow individuals to freely achieve.”

It’s a dedication “riddled with history,” that will entertain both constant-listener sports fans and non-sports fans alike. “You don't get more Appalachia, more Western Pennsylvania, or more Pittsburgh than Honus Wagner, says Nick. “And you don't get more scrappy, doer, and achiever than the Flying Dutchman.”

Nick then takes a minute to discuss his Western Pennsylvania accent before connecting to the more serious topic of air quality in Western Pennsylvania. Nick highlights the organization Pittsburgh Works Together (online at pghworks.com) and their “Clearing the Air” report.

“A few years ago Pittsburgh Works Together (PWT) started to think seriously about why all one hears about Western Pennsylvania when it comes to air quality is that it is horrible and that industry, manufacturing, and energy, they're to blame, and we should shut them down,” explains Nick. He proceeds to highlight PWT’s report, which uses 2022 EPA data to dispel the myth (perpetuated by many including the American Lung Association) that the air in the Pittsburgh region is among the worst in the country.

“We need to act and set policies and establish goals that are based on facts, not fear or feelings,” says Nick (a repeated theme Far Middle constant listeners know well).

Similar to PWT’s analysis of air quality, Nick highlights the ongoing research from the Institute for Energy Research (IER). Specifically, Nick discusses IER’s Environmental Quality Index analysis (available at www.instituteforenergyresearch.org). Per IER’s research, Nick demonstrates how “replacing American domestic production of oil or natural gas with foreign supplies would be an overwhelmingly negative trade-off for the planet, for Code Red, and for the environment.”

Staying on data and numbers, Nick shifts to America’s debt and annual deficit. While a recurring Far Middle topic, in this discussion Nick helps provide perspective to just how unsustainable and calamitous America’s financial situation has become. The federal government’s insatiable desire to continue to spend is akin to the draw of Lord Sauron’s magical One Ring. With that, Nick concludes this Far Middle by heading to Middle-earth as he remembers J.R.R. Tolkien on the anniversary of his birthday back in 1892.

From the business of early 1900s baseball, Nick connects to the business of baseball today, specifically the broken finances and unsustainable business model of the San Diego Padres. “It is striking how similar the failed business model and state of the Padres is to a government, say like Illinois or New York City, or corporations that are sitting on shaky business plans, or with the higher education model of today,” says Nick.

Nick moves from the Padres’ financial mess to examining Argentina who faces a similar and more serious financial situation. “The root causes of Argentina's woes are a toxic cocktail of massive government borrowing and lax monetary policy and inflation,” explains Nick, proceeding to examine the similar economic trouble facing Argentina and the United States. While Nick is hopeful newly elected Argentine President Javier Milei can bring about reform, he worries greatly for America if we don’t course correct.

Looking ahead to 2024, Nick explores what the Fed might do with interest rates next year. “Everyone wants a reduction in rates and cuts from the Fed,” says Nick. “But wanting it and getting it are two different things. I'm convinced the Fed will try to start to cut rates soon…But inflation doesn't care. In fact, inflation will flare even more if rate cuts start too soon.”

In closing, and as New Year’s Eve looms a few days away, Nick wishes a happy birthday to Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins who will turn 86 this December 31. Nick reflects on Hopkins life and career, including his working-class upbringing. Nick recalls an admirable line Hopkins said about his father that speaks to Hopkins’ character, “Whenever I get a feeling that I may be special or different, I think of my father and I remember his hands – his hardened, broken hands." And if you haven’t seen Hopkins in The Elephant Man, add it to your watchlist this winter.

Nick describes Melvin’s career from the football field to NASA as a “made for Far Middle topic and dedication.” The tribute to Melvin follows a recent string of dedications celebrating athletes (such as Ted Williams, Nile Kinnick, Archie Moore) who’ve pushed the envelope to achieve greatness beyond their sports careers.

“I've always been interested in space because of the science and the constant innovation found in the associated industries, but I never wanted to be an astronaut,” says Nick. “Just too much risk for me to life and limb, which leads to our first connection for this episode, how innovation and risk in the profession of astronaut, they came together in the late 1960s during the Apollo space missions.” Nick proceeds to discuss how the Apollo astronauts devised an innovative insurance system autographing postage envelopes.

Next, Nick recounts a remarkable and inspiring story on the lifelong impact that educators, specifically elementary school teachers, can have on individuals. As for something less inspiring, Nick discusses Encyclopedia Britannica’s grossly misleading Vietnam War timeline.

“Encyclopedia Britannica tells only part of the true story and only the part that fits a narrative favored by the Left,” says Nick. “Frankly, it reads as if written by a communist and someone who holds a grudge against the United States. Tell the whole truth, Encyclopedia Britannica, not selected pieces of it to skew the uninformed looking to become informed. Those who served in Vietnam deserve at least that much. As do young students looking for objective and balanced resources to tell a complete story.”

Students and education are a frequent theme this episode as Nick next explains how a CNX Mentorship Academy student recently taught him about “sleepy sickness.” Formally known as encephalitis lethargica, the disease was a global epidemic that resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths in the 1920s.

From sleepy sickness Nick connects “to what most people desire to hear when trying to sleep—the sound of silence.” With that, Nick closes by looking back on Simon & Garfunkel’s hit “The Sound of Silence.” And Nick offers “the rest of the story” (a frequent theme this episode) highlighting the connection of the song and album, Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M., to Art Garfunkel’s longtime friend Sandy Greenberg.

For those saying, “Archie who,” Nick explains that Moore “basically did it all.” He revisits Moore’s acclaimed boxing career, dedication to youth mentorship, acting roles, and service under the Department of Housing and Urban Development. “Archie Moore set amazing standards for vitality and competitiveness over an extended period of time in his chosen profession,” adds Nick, providing a pivot to this episode’s first connection and principal topic: education in America, and particularly education in our large cities.

Nick starts in the Windy City where the city’s Leftist mayor has decided to no longer grade public schools based on student proficiency, but rather on how much schools are spending. Highlighting that per student funding in Chicago public schools sits just below $30,000, “an unbelievable amount for so little in return,” Nick asks where it’s going for so little in return. The answer? Not to the students nor to good teachers, but rather to bloated administrative staff, the bureaucracy, and to the public teachers union coffers (and the politicians they support).

Nick leaves Chicago and heads west to Oakland for an insight on what public teachers unions are focused on these days. Not academics, but rather drought resistant trees and climate justice days. From Oakland, Nick heads down to Tempe, Arizona, to discuss a paper from Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, titled, “Beyond Objectivity: Producing Trustworthy News in Today’s Newsrooms.” Juxtaposed to academia's views on the media, Nick highlights survey data to shed light on where the American public sits with respect to objectivity in journalism and media.

The episode’s discussion then connects to a great educator who “very few people today ever heard of, which I suppose is yet another failing of media,” says Nick. “Early November this year marked the 50th anniversary of an assassination of a hero educator in Oakland, California, and his name was Marcus Foster.” Listen as Nick reflects on Dr. Foster’s exemplary career that was tragically cut short when he was assassinated by members of the Symbionese Liberation Army.

Nick concludes with one final connection to a “Skunk” who also shares a birthday with “The Mongoose” and this episode’s release date. That individual is Jeffrey “Skunk” Baxter. Nick wishes birthday wishes to the guitar hero and rocket scientist, and recommends giving a watch to his talk on “Asymmetrical Thinking in a Conventional World.”

The Forum opened its doors 99 years ago this week, and “was constructed in 159 days, can you believe that,” says Nick. “It would take longer today to draft the permit request for such a venue, and the actual permit review and approval process might not take 159 days, but instead 159 months.” Nick reflects on the property’s history, in particular its seven decades as home to the Montreal Canadiens, as well as other notable hosted events.

“What made the Forum in Montreal a shrine,” asks Nick. “Doers building things to last. Seeing those things they built thrive and make history of their own. And sprinkling in fits and starts of innovation and continuous improvement.” With that observation, Nick connects to CNX’s new Radical Transparency initiative.

Introduced this month on November 2nd alongside Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Radical Transparency is a “partnership and agreement that’s going to move the state of the art forward to a higher and better place when it comes to how responsible manufacturing of domestic energy and natural gas is performed,” explains Nick.

Nick looks back on how a data reporting challenge served as the impetus for Radical Transparency. That challenge drove CNX’s performance to a better place as a new regulatory reporting group was established alongside new data and IT platforms. Through those improvements and investments, the foundation was laid for Radical Transparency.

The Radical Transparency website is now live at http://www.cnxradicaltransparency.com/ providing background and contextual information about CNX’s operations and development process.

As opposed to policy driven by out-of-touch ideology or mysterious and unknown data (recalling episode 124 on the recent University of Pittsburgh’s natural gas studies), Radical Transparency will help craft policy based “on data, and the rational, and the known,” says Nick.

Revisiting the initiative’s announcement earlier this month, Nick highlights that extraordinary day alongside many community leaders, including Governor Shapiro, Pennsylvania Environmental Council President Davitt Woodwell, and Boilermakers Local 154 Business Agent Shawn Steffee. Those assembled were “a coalition of the willing, a coalition of doers wanting to get something done on advancing the state of the art.” Nick underscores that this is just the start of Radical Transparency and now the real work begins to make it an engine for continuous improvement.

In closing, Nick connects back to the Montreal Forum and the band Rush who played the venue several times. “The trio of Rush is the greatest band pound for pound in the history of rock,” argues Nick. “They weren't afraid to break rock norms through the years to innovate, much like what we're trying to do today with Radical Transparency.” Listen as Nick concludes with a few interesting factoids from the band’s Exit… Stage Left album.

Before delving into the episode’s connections, Nick offers a fitting sports dedication this Thanksgiving eve: the wild NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins from Thanksgiving Day back in 1993. 

This episode’s discussion follows a recent evening Nick spent in Philadelphia, assessing America’s opportunities and challenges with a group of businesspeople and thought leaders. Nick explains the opportunity stemmed from an invitation to discuss his advocacy efforts, including The Far Middle, his book Precipice, and more broadly the state of doers in America today.

“Value creators have much to be thankful for today in America, in places like Pennsylvania, and in cities like Philadelphia,” says Nick. “But there's also a lot to be concerned about when one looks to the future and contemplates troubles, trends, and developments.”

Stressing the importance of America’s middle class, Nick calls it “the lifeblood of so much of free enterprise and capitalism and the American dream and the western republican democracy way… the middle class is something to be thankful for today and also something to be worried about.”

Nick goes on to address other topics of that recent Philadelphia conversation, including: the forgotten man and woman—a motivator for all; the definition of Liberal versus Leftist; his essay on whether America needs a third party; and, the concept of “institutionalizing.”

As the connections conclude, Nick summarizes the many reasons Americans have to be optimistic and thankful, juxtaposed to related reasons for concern and worry.

And in a somber closing, Nick goes back 60 years ago today, November 22, to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Nick recounts growing up and adults saying how they would never forget where they were on November 22, 1963. “That feeling would unfortunately be experienced by the next generation when September 11th rolled around in 2001,” says Nick. “Then we ended up knowing what it felt like. Let's hope our kids don't get to experience the same thing."

Wishing all the constant listeners health and happiness this Thanksgiving!

Nick looks back at the awesomeness that was Ted Williams, from the Hall of Famer’s accomplishments on the diamond (nineteen-time All-Star, two-time Triple Crown, the last to hit .400 in a season, the list continues) to his military service off the field during World War II and the Korean War. Nick notes that he’s the only Hall of Famer to have served in two wars. To put it simply, Ted Williams was, “The greatest hitter that ever played the game, a true individual in every sense of the word, and one of the greatest Americans,” says Nick.

Williams made hitting a science. Indeed, he wrote a book on it, The Science of Hitting. In true Far Middle fashion, science then continues as a recurring theme across this episode’s connections.

Those connections begin with a bit of political science and geopolitics in terms of what people in prominent positions often say or backtrack from once said, highlighting JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon’s comments regarding communism (and indirectly China) as one recent example.

On the topic of China, Nick calls out Climate Czar John Kerry for doing everything in his unelected power to destroy domestic energy and manufacturing jobs, while helping bolster the Chinese workforce in the “interest of tackling climate change.”

The episode’s lineup delivers back-to-back-to-back hits on topics ranging from America and the West’s policies on climate and energy, and the resulting heavy price being paid by the developed and developing world; to, examining science as a philosophy that challenges consensus, versus science as an institution driven by ideology.  

And with college basketball season having tipped off, Nick heads to Durham, NC, to close out the episode. Nick discusses Duke and Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final game as an example of how much of the dysfunction discussed in this installment’s connections is rooted in academia.

“Do you think our rivals in China are focusing on the same things that our supposed best and brightest at Duke are focused on,” asks Nick; concluding that instead of treating American academia as the authority on all things policy and science-related, we should rather be demanding academia’s reform.

Notes from the Far Middle: The great Ted Williams was born on August 30, 1918, and was considered for dedication this past August 30^th for the release of episode 119. However, legendary Boston Celtics Coach and Executive “Red” Auerbach earned the episode’s honors. As Far Middle connections are a constant, Coach K turned down an opportunity to join the Celtics (and Auerbach) as coach in 1990. He’d go on to win five NCAA Championships, second only in all-time wins to UCLA Coach John Wooden’s ten-championship tally, whose greatness was recognized in episode 121.

Nick highlights Billy Conn’s bouts and relationship with Joe Lewis, in particular their legendary match from June 18, 1941, when Conn attempted to become the first World Light Heavyweight Champion to win the World Heavyweight Championship. For more on Conn, Nick recommends the Sports Illustrated article, “The Boxer and the Blonde.”   

The outcome of a boxing match is decided either by knockout or by the judges. “Scoring by judges is often subjective,” says Nick. “But you always have the eye test and objective data to compare to the official decision in both boxing and in life.” From there the episode’s connections begin—linked under the theme of the real-world scoreboard and commonsense eye test, versus the manufactured optics of the elite and expert classes.

Nick highlights several examples revealing how the divide between reality and manufactured optics sits in plain sight for all to see.

The state of America’s cities begins the conversation, a topic regularly addressed by Nick and at length in Precipice. “Our cities are sick, and the decisions urban leadership are making on behalf of urban America is making us sicker,” says Nick, highlighting San Francisco’s new central subway, Pawtucket's under-construction professional soccer stadium, and Chicago’s structural deficit.

Ultimately, poor decisions from urban leaders and their ensuing costs will result in taxpayers footing the bill.

Next, Nick turns to global energy and climate policy. “The expert judges assured us that if we pour trillions of dollars into the energy transition, carbon use and carbon dioxide emissions would plummet, saving the globe.” However, despite all the unprecedented energy transition spending, carbon emissions tick up with rising energy consumption, but so too does GDP growth, longer life expectancies, and quality of life.

“Based on the scorecard, ask yourself what passes the eye and the smell test,” says Nick. “Are climate change and global warming the biggest threats to the U.S. economy, or do they pale in comparison to things like China, nuclear proliferation, technology running amok, banking failures, and so on. It's the elite optics versus real-world scoring constant listeners.”

Like Conn and Lewis, the punches continue as Nick examines: the causes resulting in the cost of food and food inflation both domestically and across the globe; attitudes towards the state of America’s economy, and whether things are great (manufactured optics) or do we have a fiscal crisis (reality); experts’ geopolitical missteps on Russia and Ukraine; and, a CIA whistleblower alleging the agency rigged a report on the origins of COVID-19 to clear China's name.

In closing, Nick wishes a happy birthday to the late Milton Bradley and foreshadows a top-ten list of his favorite board games (and includes a few likely to make the list).

Moving from Chuck Cooper breaking down barriers, Nick calls out the following quote from Thomas Sowell: “Freedom is not simply the right of intellectuals to circulate their merchandise. It is, above all, the right of ordinary people to find elbow room for themselves and a refuge from the rampaging presumptions of their ‘betters.’”

Nick explains that Sowell is speaking of the power and benefits associated with capitalism, free markets, and the individual reigning supreme. “Despite the overwhelming data over centuries that prove the superiority of capitalism, the Left continues to make concerning inroads across societies and economies rolling back all that hard-earned progress in the process,” says Nick. “Today the popular trend is toward omnipotent government.”

The theme of omnipotent government then permeates the episode’s topics. Nick notes the term is the title of a great book by economist Ludwig von Mises, which you can read more about in Nick’s essay, “Heed the Historical Rhyming of Ludwig von Mises’ Omnipotent Government.” And for further reading, see Precipice, specifically chapter two on “The Deep State.”

Nick goes on to examine a host of recent developments illustrating the expanding and intrusive presence of government today, touching on: banking sector regulations, the administrative state’s growth, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget Circulars, President Biden’s regulatory actions and their cumulative costs, the cost to operate and maintain vacant federal government buildings, and more.

In closing, Nick offers a birthday shout-out to someone who in many ways represented omnipotent government and then ended up paying a heavy price for it when arrogance got the best of her. This individual also ties back to episode 81  Who is that individual? Press play and find out!

While Marshall’s gaffe 59 years ago today is one of the NFL’s most famous screw-up plays, Nick argues Marshall’s body of football accomplishments most certainly earns him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Incidentally, Marshall was a key piece of the Vikings Purple People Eaters defense, which ranks among Nick’s ten greatest NFL defenses of the Super Bowl era.

From Marshall, Nick connects to public figures lecturing on how individuals should live their lives and act, while at the same time those same figures’ behavior and lifestyles differ from what they preach. Nick’s case study is Jane Fonda.

“This is not a hit piece on Jane Fonda,” says Nick. “But the discussion is designed to expose the utter inconsistency between what she advocates for and what she does, because the stakes are high for society and each of us.”

Nick proceeds to expand upon his recently authored essay on Fonda, “Jane Says ‘End Fossil Fuels Now’…But Jane’s Addiction Is to Fossil Fuels.”

In his examination of Fonda, Nick discusses a serendipitous moment earlier this year between seeing she’d be speaking in Pittsburgh, while at the same time coming across a lifestyle interview she gave to the Wall Street Journal. Nick then provides an assessment of how her political action committee’s goals, her environmental views and rhetoric run counter to her daily routine and personal behavior. “When one considers the carbon footprint and fossil fuel inputs that come with a day in the life of Jane Fonda, I’m afraid I've got some bad news for the Code Red crowd,” says Nick.

As the conversation concludes, Nick dedicates the episode to all those who served in Vietnam, reflecting, “Vietnam vets are getting up there in years these days, and we need to honor them while some of them are still around to enjoy the respect that they so deserved and were so wrongfully denied for too many years.”

In closing, Nick wraps with a positive connection to Jane Fonda, highlighting her Oscar performance in Klute, “a dark thriller done right.”

Fun Far Middle connection: Jim Marshall and Jane Fonda were born nine days apart back in December 1937.

Following last week’s lightning round episode, the format for The Far Middle episode 126 returns to a special singular focus on a World War II battle that’s often overshadowed by the European Theater’s bigger and more famous Allied campaigns. That battle is the Battle of Hurtgen Forest.

Nick proceeds to analyze the battle, its timeline and lessons, building upon his recently released essay, The Battle of Hurtgen Forest: Costly Failure and Lessons Learned.

“When it was all said and done, 120,000 American troops were deployed in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, suffering 33,000 casualties,” says Nick, addressing all that went wrong in the Hurtgen. “The battle’s lessons, they should be remembered if we're to honor those who paid the ultimate price, and thousands of Americans paid that ultimate price.”

Those lessons include:

• Leadership matters, and poor leadership negates inherent advantage.
• Preparation and homework are prerequisites to success.
• Avoid terrain and environment that neutralizes your strengths.
• Supply chain weakness will hamper success in modern warfare and economy.
• Success demands teams have the proper tools and equipment.
• Underestimate your adversary’s capacity and will at your own peril. 

“The Hurtgen Forest was a battle from hell, a disaster Allied leadership should have seen coming,” says Nick before making one final connection to a lighter topic, Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell, an album no one saw coming that was released this week in 1977.

While recent Far Middle episodes have concentrated on singular topics (mentoring young adults, the wisdom of Václav Havel, effective leadership, and speculative natural gas research), this installment is a lighting round episode, catching up on several developments from the last few weeks.

Nick leads off the episode highlighting the work of John Ioannidis and his research on the issue of what's become of science and the scientific method. Among Ioannidis’ views, Nick points out his notion that you don't need a Ph.D. in a technical scientific field to play the role of a scientific skeptic.

Next, Nick examines the United Nations Development Programme’s iVerify platform, an “automated fact-checking tool.” Nick references author Michael Schellenberger and how iVerify fits into what Schellenberger calls the Censorship Industrial Complex.

Staying within the realm of the United Nations, Nick calls out a couple frightening quotes from Piers Forster, a professor of climate physics at the University of Leeds who has helped author Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.

“The United Nations' efforts these days serve as a great connection to what's going on at the World Bank,” Nick continues. “The World Bank has a new leader, Mr. Ajay Banga…he is going to be leading the charge of an effort to expand lending capacity through the World Bank to fight climate change.”

Nick moves from the World Bank lending to nations to help their climate change fight, to the Federal Reserve’s compounded annual growth rate, to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s pursuit of a global minimum tax.

The theme of government and institutional overreach runs throughout the episode, and comes to a head as Nick reviews consumer product regulations that have come about this year; spanning light bulbs to gas stoves and home furnaces to vehicles. Pivoting off the topic of transportation, Nick addresses congestion pricing in Manhattan, to then commenting on New York City’s iconic Roosevelt Hotel becoming an asylum seeker arrival center.

In examining government inefficiency, Nick points out the 2.2 million civilian employees in the federal government. These are career bureaucrats not elected by the American people, but who are making more and more major policy decisions that are affecting everyone. “When the bureaucratic state realizes that there's not going to be a culture of accountability or consequences for things like expanding power base or mission creep, then you start to see illogical outcomes,” says Nick.

As the episode winds down, Nick addresses our federal government investing in the Democratic Republic of Congo, climate change negotiations between China and the U.S., China’s growing control of strategic ports, and the benefits of limited government.

In closing Nick salutes the late great jazz drummer Art Blakey whose birthday falls on the release date of episode 125. Blakey, “a polyrhythmic percussion powerhouse,” passed away on Oct. 16, 1990, two months after Joe Morgan’s induction into the Hall of Fame.

On Oct. 4, 2021, Barry Bonds hit his 70^th home run to tie Mark Maguire for the most home runs in a single season. And then a year ago today, Aaron Judge broke Roger Maris' American League single season home run record with his 62^nd blast. While the achievements were notable, Nick sees them as a product of professional baseball’s evolution—"making what was once exceptional, the home run, the norm.”

By stacking the deck for a favored outcome, Nick suggests baseball has demoted the essence and purity of the game, becoming more contrived and manufactured entertainment.

With that observation, Nick stays on the topic of optics and manufactured outcomes, and pivots from baseball to the episode’s principal topic: the recent University of Pittsburgh’s (Pitt) studies on public health impacts from natural gas development in southwestern Pennsylvania.

This episode’s discussion expands upon Nick’s commentary, “Natural Gas Development and Human Health in PA: Let’s Get the Facts Straight.”

“The Pitt studies, they left much to be desired and suffered from fatal design flaws, many of them self-inflicted by the research team, despite having the benefit of a $2.6 million taxpayer budget for the effort,” says Nick. He proceeds to examine the studies’ results that found no causation linking natural gas development to health problems, but you wouldn’t know that from the media coverage.

Nick highlights the massive body of prior health and environmental research on natural gas development from the last several years before delving into the flaws and limitations of the Pitt studies. Further, Nick addresses reactions from various parties upon the release of the studies, and how, “they provide a window into how this type of research has been co-opted to fulfill predetermined views of the natural gas industry by those opposed to it.”

The studies’ release, the ensuing media headlines, and subsequent calls from study authors for more taxpayer-funded research, is another example of the positive feedback loop that perpetuates a desired storyline.   

Nick concludes by first offering few refreshing doses of truth, and then makes one final connection to Rembrandt who died on October 4, 1669.

Nick calls out Rembrandt’s masterpiece, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp, which, “shows a doctor performing a dissection of a body to instruct other medical colleagues as they looked on,” explains Nick. “I think that this is a fitting final connection for this episode as we’ve dove deep on dissecting a process designed to create opportunity by stoking baseless innuendo when it comes to the health of residents and industries that drive quality of life in western Pennsylvania. This episode in many ways served as an anatomy lesson consistent with the Rembrandt painting and its title.”

And in a Far Middle series first, the full episode is also available as a video to highlight these words of leadership wisdom, which as a group, holistically define effective leadership.

For the episode’s dedication, Nick honors Coach Vince Lombardi: “What sports figure has a better association with effective leadership than Lombardi,” says Nick. “Lombardi saw winning as a mindset and a habit that had to be cultivated through leadership.”

Nick goes on to quote many others, ranging from Jack Kerouac to Vincent Van Gogh and from General George Patton to Nipsey Hussle. With each quote, Nick helps interpret the lesson to be had. Takeaways include: 

• If you're looking to do something extraordinary, then it's almost a certainty, there are going to be missteps and failures along the way.
• Effective leaders must be willing and become very good at striking a balance when it's right to move on an opportunity.
• Just like with a competitive sports team, personnel change from time to time. Winning organizations are ones that are always looking at any opportunity to upgrade their talent level to be the best they possibly can be.
• What are initially challenges—convert them into opportunities.
• Great leaders are constantly looking to improve, to advance the state of the art, to get better, and to continually improve.
• You've got to go make things happen.
• Too much focus and too much attention beyond learning from a failure—to the point of obsession—can create a paralysis with respect to decision-making, achieving, and getting better.
• Your words start to lose value when your actions don’t match.

Nick closes with an adage from Steve Mehr to think about often: “You get what you focus on. So focus on what you want.”

“What do you focus on, what's your team focused on, is it consistent with what you want,” asks Nick. “And if they're not, then that's an opportunity. I wouldn't get frustrated by it as much as I would see as an opportunity to redirect the attention into the appropriate channels and onto the appropriate tasks.”

While now 45 years ago, Charlie Hustle’s consecutive game-hitting streak remains the closest to overtaking Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game record. Despite coming up short, Nick recalls the never-short-on-confidence Rose saying during his 1978 streak that he “might go on forever.” Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case, and DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting remains one of the unlikeliest MLB records that will ever be broken.

Shifting from baseball, Nick continues his recent theme of exploring one central and significant topic in this episode. “I get to settle into one of my ideological North Stars, a person whose thoughts and impact I didn't awaken to until a few short years ago,” explains Nick. That North Star’s name? Václav Havel.

Nick proceeds to reflect on Havel’s contributions as an author, poet, dissident, and statesman. Nick connects back to 1978 as he explores Havel’s essay released that year, “The Power of the Powerless.” Nick highlights the essay’s importance at its release, its connections to today, and defines Havel’s concept of “living in truth.”

“By deciding to live within the truth, one breaks the rules of the game and then you expose the game as the ruse that it is,” says Nick. “It becomes clear that living a lie is just that. It's living a lie…For the post-totalitarian system, or for government run by the Left in the West today, the ultimate fundamental threat to its power will be individuals daring to live within the truth.” 

In closing, Nick notes the episode’s release follows Constitution Day, celebrated this past September 17. “I like to think that the Founders in the late 1700s and their product, the Constitution, inspired Havel in the late 1970s in his product, 'The Power of the Powerless,' so that you, constant listeners, and I, have the conviction to be dissidents living within the truth in America in 2023,” concludes Nick. 

Nick’s discussion in this installment expands upon his recent commentary, “A Dose Of Dissidence And A Pinch Of Living In Truth: Remedy For Troubling Times.”

The “Wizard of Westwood” was not only one of the greatest basketball coaches ever and a Hall-of-Fame player, but also a teacher and mentor to countless student athletes. “He was as much Harvard Business School professor as he was UCLA hoops coach,” says Nick. Wooden’s teaching tools and tactics, such as his Pyramid of Success, not only apply to basketball but business, personal success, and organizational leadership.

The building blocks of Wooden’s Pyramid of Success—from self-control to initiative and from confidence to competitive greatness—are central focus areas of the CNX Mentorship Academy.

Nick proceeds to discuss the Academy’s origins and its aim to assist students from urban and rural economically disadvantaged communities in Western Pennsylvania who don't intend to pursue a college degree right after high school.

As the Academy is gearing up for its third year and third class, Nick attributes many keys to its success, including partners spanning the building trades, energy industry, manufacturing, hospitality/ travel, real estate, construction, health care, and more. And then there are the mentors, which Nick describes as, “the glue that holds everything together…no mentors, no success, it’s that simple.”

In closing, Nick observes, “I can say without hesitation that every student that enters the Academy, and shows up over the course of the year, they will be in a markedly better place when it comes to life skills, awareness, and confidence than where they were when they came in. It all comes down to how you define success. It's measured in different ways in this thing we called life, and I wish it were more ideal, but this is how it is.”

And as the boys of summer prepare for fall and postseason play, Nick turns to baseball for this week’s sports dedication. While some listeners hoped “The Miracle Mets” of 1969 would earn honors for Far Middle episode 69, the Mets receive dedication honors this 120^th episode. However, it’s for an unfortunate record: the Mets’ 120 losses tallied during their 1962 inaugural season.

Nick adds that the 1962 Mets’ starting pitchers recorded just a combined 23 wins all season, which is less than Don Drysdale’s 25 games won—alone—that ’62 season for the Dodgers. And despite the record of the 1962 “lovable losers,” the Mets would of course bloom come the 1969 season for their first World Series Championship. For more on Drysdale, check out Far Middle episode 53.

While on the topic of losing in epic fashion, Nick connects to the topic of climate predictions and climate change alarmism.

In a unique Far Middle exploration, Nick reviews a century of highlights by “the experts’” climate predictions—beginning in 1923 with the New York Times reporting that Arctic ice was melting and “a radical change in climatic conditions, and hitherto unheard of temperatures in that part of the earth.”

Nick then goes decade-by-decade, discussing numerous climate predictions by media, experts, and elites; including the late 1970s shift from predictions of catastrophic global cooling to unavoidable global warming.

After examining a century of inaccurate doomsday predictions, Nick offers four takeaways: 1) science is not about consensus; 2) we should not be setting policies impacting decades and trillions of dollars aiming for something we should have zero confidence in being able to accurately know; 3) why aren’t those making these past dead-wrong predictions held accountable; and, 4) where are present-day journalists reporting on the trends identified in this episode.

In closing, Nick pays tribute to Diana Ross, who this week in 1980 reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with her hit “Upside Down”—a fitting song title for this episode’s discussion on expert predictions. 

Nick then moves from Ohio State to Stanford, noting Cardinal quarterback Jim Plunkett would earn Heisman honors a few years prior to Griffin’s back-to-back trophies. He then examines Stanford University President Marc Tessier-Lavigne’s forthcoming resignation following “serious flaws” found in his research.  

“The controversy at Stanford highlights another connection we can jump to which interestingly still involves Stanford, but it also ties to a much broader topic that cuts across the entire western world,” says Nick. He discusses the big difference between science and “The Science,” and the ramifications of scientific journals wading into subjective politics and eroding their reputation of objectivity.

Next, Nick explains the “inside out” phenomenon, using examples from Alexis de Tocqueville and the idea of soft despotism, as well as the Spanish Civil War.

The theme of “inside out” runs throughout episode 118. From Archie Griffin’s ground game to a Stanford student reporter breaking news of data manipulation to the outside world, and from the Left gaining control from the inside of government, academia, and media to turn society from the inside out. The theme also applies to Nick’s recount of the story of Jonah and the whale (or big fish), as well as his discussion of Big Tech letting in the Left and their subsequent aims to now turn Big Tech inside out.  

And for a fitting close, Nick looks back on Phil Collins’ single “Inside Out,” from the 1985 album No Jacket Required (released the same year Archie Griffin was closing out his professional career with the USFL’s Jacksonville Bulls). Nick recites the song’s lyrics to take to heart: “Now everybody keeps on telling me how to be, and everybody tells me do what they say, oh I'll help myself it's up to me and no-one else, but till I'm ready just keep out of my way.”

“It seems as if every time we do a dedication on The Far Middle of an exceptional athlete, like a Frank Gifford, it brings to mind a few truths in life,” says Nick. “One being that in competitive worlds and arenas, there is always going to be an inevitable cycle.”

In sports, that cycle is players rising to greatness, declining, disappearing, and replaced with the next generation. It’s a cycle also evident in business, technology, empires, and global leadership. Nick proceeds to connect to Europe’s recent sharp economic/societal decline while India is on the rise.

After providing numerous indicators of Europe’s regression, including the Eurozone economy only growing about 6% over the past 15 years, Nick pivots to India, and specifically the megacity of Mumbai. “India and Mumbai, in many ways, parallel the United States and its cities a few generations ago,” says Nick.

He profiles Mumbai’s challenges, from infrastructure to affordable housing, as well as its bright future. “Few things, actually no things in real life, including progress, are ever going to be perfect, and Mumbai's journey stands to be a net positive to millions of residents, both current and future,” says Nick. “But that journey will also harm many people in its path, that’s always been the case in human history, and that's always going to remain the case.”

Nick’s discussion of Mumbai today then pivots back roughly 80 years ago to examine the complicated life and legacy of Indian nationalist Subhas Chandra Bose. While Frank Gifford was turning 15 in Bakersfield, Calif., Bose would pass away this week, on August 18, back in 1945. Nick breaks out a Far Middle Yogi-ism in describing Bose as, “one of the best-known individuals you’ve never heard of.”

And in a final connection, episode 117’s release date—August 16—also falls on the anniversary of the passing of two well-known individuals you’ve definitely heard of, Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin. As Nick paid homage to “The King” in episode 111, he closes by celebrating the “Queen of Soul” and sharing his four favorite Aretha Franklin singles.

From George Brett and his dominance of the left side of the Kansas City infield, Nick connects to the Left’s dominance over many large American cities, including Portland, Oregon. “In Portland, it’s not clean, safe, or even hip anymore—it’s downright dangerous,” says Nick.

He adds that one constant during Portland’s demise has been Mayor Ted Wheeler. Wheeler’s been at the helm during Portland’s escalating homeless and violence crisis, and its eroding livability and declining economy. Read more on Portland in Precipice, specifically chapter eight, “Leech Power Centers: Urban Hell.”

Next, Nick addresses urban public education—“one of the biggest problems facing our big cities.” He cites public teachers unions protecting bad teachers as part of the problem. Using California as an example, Nick calls out that fewer than 0.002% of teachers in California are dismissed for unprofessional conduct or poor performance in any given year. Asking what or who the education system is designed to benefit, it appears the answer is poor performing teachers, public unions, and politicians.

“If you really, really wanted to improve the standing of minority students within the broader education system, don't worry first about college admissions, instead let's focus intensely on public education reform and choice in the K-12 arena in our big cities,” argues Nick.

While many American cities crumble, “many mayors and other leaders remain steadfast on obsessing about tackling climate change, even though the cumulative action of any city in America will have negligible impact on climate, and may in fact end up doing more harm than good,” says Nick. This leads into a data- and fact-based look on the myth of Code Red.

Staying on energy and climate, Nick spotlights research from the Copenhagen Consensus Center, wades into the Snake River and the debate on removing its dams (a source of reliable and clean hydropower), and then addresses the latest moves in the UK to allow oil and gas production to expand in the North Sea.

In closing, Nick gives the smooth sands of monotony a few more stirs as he wishes a happy birthday to the late Peter O’Toole.

The connection serves a fitting opportunity to dedicate this Far Middle installment to the legendary Lawrence Peter Berra, baseball’s “best all-around catcher.” Nick reflects on Berra’s baseball career, military service, his mentorship to young players, and more. All told it was a crazy, remarkable life—an “exemplar in absolute excellence.”

From Berra, Nick makes a unique connection, the likes of which you’ll only find on The Far Middle, discussing the Unabomber—Ted Kaczynski—who died last month in prison. Nick examines Kaczynski’s Manifesto, now nearly 30 years later: “Kaczynski was quite the ecowarrior and radical environmentalist. Back then, those environmental views, along with all his other rantings, were viewed as crazy. But today, his views on science and tech and anti-progress and the environment, they’re basically mainstream.”

Moving on, Nick adds, “When the state controls decisions, and religions of the Left like environmentalism take root in policy, the crazy becomes the norm. And it's not just with the Unabomber Manifesto. Consider the next connection of what’s going on with Iran and energy.”

Nick dissects America’s failing appeasement approach with Iran. Appeasement leads to weakness, leading to more geopolitical risk, which has been evidenced throughout history. Nick then offers three current examples where appeasement and weakness by the U.S. and Biden administration is going to lead to major problems for the planet.

These three examples include America’s response to the escalating tensions between China and Taiwan. “China is astute,” says Nick. “It watches this clueless administration, along with Western Europe, on the issues of Iran and Russia-Ukraine, and China begins to think, 'I can certainly take Taiwan right now. And what is the United States or the West going to do about it?'”

Discussing America’s trending decline, its lack of leadership, and the Left’s presence everywhere today, Nick comments on the Roman Empire’s decline and fall—making the case that the Empire fell from within.

Crazy is this episode’s recurring theme, which allows the episode to land on a high note as Nick presents his Mount Rushmore of best songs/compositions with crazy in the name (along with a few honorable mentions).

Nick describes Cy Young as the ultimate exemplar of pitching, and begins the episode’s connections, highlighting that California and Los Angeles, not long ago, were viewed by many as the exemplars of the American dream. Nick then proceeds to summarize his address last month to the Los Angeles County Lincoln Club – Downtown Chapter.

Explaining how the event came to fruition, Nick comments, “I remain fond of California and LA, and I'm deeply troubled about both, and I'm troubled about America and my hometown as well. So, I wanted to explain why to these leaders at the Lincoln Club out in Los Angeles.”

In recapping the presentation, Far Middle listeners will recognize many themes from recent episodes, such as the Left’s three-pronged attack on today’s domestic energy industry and their “convenient energy myths,” that together, result in energy scarcity, energy inflation, general inflation, and carry geopolitical consequences benefitting America's adversaries.

During his talk, Nick reviewed topics from Precipice. He illustrates how, albeit sadly, California and Los Angeles both served as inspiration for his writing the book. After walking through his speech, Nick ends by noting one attendee’s question on how America can course correct. While America can indeed alter its course, he notes that like many once-great empires, America isn’t unbreakable.

“Yeah, there is still time to change the road we're on, to paraphrase Robert Plant in Stairway to Heaven,” concludes Nick. “But we better move quick, or else this is not going to be a Stairway to Heaven. Instead, it's going to be a Highway to Hell.”

Nick next transitions to present day, moving eastward from England to discuss Russia and Ukraine, exploring the asymmetrical nature of the war that differs from other historical conflicts. The Russia/Ukraine war leads to the question of whether America supports nations resisting our adversaries, or do we instead stay out of foreign entanglements and invest those resources domestically. Subsequently, Nick examines how the federal government budget is evolving quickly—and not in a good way. 

“Nearly 60 % of the federal budget each year is now going to three things: Social Security, healthcare entitlements, and interest on the debt,” says Nick. “And all three are going up faster than tax receipts are going up, which is going to balloon the deficit. And without entitlement reform, the math can't work. And without higher taxes or less tax credits and less subsidy, the math can't work.”

Nick shifts from our federal debt troubles to California, where Governor Newsom wants to remove red tape for the development of favored energy projects—a situation where the Left is trying to save itself from itself. 

Next up, Nick calls out many potential causes of action for today's youth when it comes to having a bone to pick with government and its policies. But today kids aren't suing governments in America for these wrongs, rather, they're suing over climate change. “Juveniles are stressed about climate, and they want to sue the government,” says Nick. “Stay tuned on this one as time unfolds because we know for sure the Left will ratchet up the intensity and the plaintiffs bar will persistently run down any chance they see for value appropriation.”

While talking climate, Nick discusses a recent interview with former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, who has a new book out, The Yellow Pad. Nick says Rubin recently delivered a “climate change sermon from the altar of environmentalism.” On the topic of books, Nick notes that today’s episode release date, July 5^th, marks the anniversary of the publication of Isaac Newton’s Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica. “Principia might just be the most important work in the history of science,” says Nick. He adds that, “We could spend an entire episode or a month's worth of episodes diving deeper on how the climate change racket of today violates Newton's rules time and again.”

In closing, Nick celebrates the career of Elvis Presley, who recorded That's All Right on July 5, 1954, making rock history. Listen as Nick lists his Mount Rushmore of Elvis songs from the late 60s and early 70s era. 

“Flag Day is as American as it gets, and so is baseball,” says Nick, proceeding to present this episode’s unique sports dedication, which goes to a constellation of six baseball perennial all stars for their historic June 14^th accomplishments; spanning Gehrig in 1933 to the “Wizard” in 1992.

Nick moves from great ball players to not-so-great transportation policy. He says traffic is increasingly being used as justification to tax the driver to the point of no longer driving—highlighting the Biden administration allowing New York City’s proposed congestion pricing plan to proceed. Nick discusses the irony of the plan as the politicians/environmentalists/bureaucrats who advocate the congestion pricing tax to reduce traffic congestion are the same people who created the congestion problems to begin with. He then offers three lessons to learn from the congestion pricing movement. And read more on the dumpster fire that is the New York public transportation system in Nick’s book Precipice.

Staying in the transportation lane, Nick examines recent news from Ford on its EV business losses. “Ford is losing more on each EV it sells than most people pay for a new gasoline, combustion engine vehicle,” says Nick as he delves into EV demand trends. 

Congestion pricing and EV mandates are tactics within the larger portfolio of the Left, which leads into a look at what happens when the Left gains control of the political, bureaucratic, and regulatory process or processes in states. And what happens is people (typically higher-income residents) leave high-tax states for low-tax states like Florida and Texas.

Going from data on migration to survey data on renewable energy deployment, Nick highlights a March poll finding 79% of Americans say renewable energy should be rolled out slowly, rather than quickly, and that the conservation of land and wild animals should be prioritized above rapid greenhouse gas reductions. Nick predicts a growing and mounting resistance to wind and solar projects, and examples to that resistance are mounting. 

“A great leading indicator where you can see how sentiment is catching up to reality, can be found with how shareholders are voting on anti-fossil-fuel proxy proposals at big Wall Street banks’ annual meetings,” says Nick. He calls out several climate-oriented proxy proposals failing to gain traction during recent shareholder votes.

While on fossil fuels and climate change, Nick looks back at a few doom-and-gloom climate predictions from the past that didn’t exactly pan out the way the experts predicted. And in closing, Nick moves from talking heads in the Church of Climate to an iconic talking head and one-of-a-kind voice who passed away this week back in 2014—Casey Kasem. Keep reaching for the stars!

As the episode’s connections begin, Nick explores a recent column on America’s minimum wage by Duke University Professor Michael Munger. Munger puts into surprising context the percentage of U.S. workers who earn the minimum wage and where that puts them in the world income distribution. “Most Americans including myself, are a bit clueless on fundamental, economic matters,” says Nick after learning that fewer than 2 percent of U.S. workers earn the minimum wage, which places them in the top 15 of the world income distribution.

After discussing the clear benefits of capitalism and a free market versus those systems that focus on value re-appropriation, Nick connects economic power and strength to the economic, military, and geopolitical rivalry between America and China. Specifically, Nick analyzes a speech from April by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on the U.S. - China economic relationship.

“Any interconnections economically between 'us and them,' to quote a Pink Floyd song, should not be given the benefit of the doubt and instead should undergo a thorough analysis and diligence to pass muster under the lens of national security interests,” says Nick. “And if we perform such an analysis, guess what? Most, much of those economic ties between China and the United States, they would be viewed as destructive to U.S. interests and would need to go.

“What I see is that a drastic lessening of current economic ties between the West and China would not be disastrous for the West and the United States as Dr. Yellen indicates, but it would be advantageous and helpful to our interests. It would make the West stronger, and this is coming from a free trade and capitalism advocate.”

Continuing off Secretary Yellen’s remarks, Nick revisits a frequent Far Middle theme: how Western climate change policies strengthen China, and work against America’s economic, military, and geopolitical interests. Nick then takes the conversation into the European/U.S. trade war over subsidies for wind, solar, and electric vehicles. “Expect the EU to double down on their level of subsidy in the energy transition, if they can afford it,” says Nick.

Staying on the energy transition, Nick lays out the big three math problems with EV mandates and subsidy. “Climate change policies are being exposed as the commandments of an ideological religion that rejects science.”

In closing, Nick reflects on the career of jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal, a Pittsburgh native and “one of the pioneers of the cool jazz movement.” While we lost Ahmad this past April, his work and inspiration live on. Add At the Pershing to your Spotify playlist and continue "always seeking."

Nick sets the stage by reminding listeners that The Far Middle embodies literary great John Steinbeck’s view that “the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world.” 

As Memorial Day nears and the start of summer, Nick links this episode’s sports dedication to the boys of summer and a great sports question: If you could attend one game from any sport, from any era, which game would it be for each sport and why? For baseball, Nick’s choice would be going back 95 years today to watch the Yankees take on the A’s at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. Listen as Nick runs down the legends that were featured in the game’s lineup cards—a game that was a true Field of Dreams. 

Beginning this week’s connections, Nick moves from self-made greats like Gehrig and Ruth (who played in that May 1928 classic) to President Abraham Lincoln who “stated numerous times that there's no more trustworthy person than an individual who rose from poverty because they respected what honestly was earned,” explains Nick. 

Delving into Civics 101, Nick describes the dereliction of duty by our elected Congress today where vague/cloudy/general laws are passed, which then bolster the size and power of the administrative state as they’re given wide latitude to interpret the law. It’s a devious scheme where politicians enjoy plausible deniability by allowing bureaucrats to unravel vague laws. Nick argues that Congress’ dereliction of duty to lead on straightforward statutes has been the single-biggest contributor to government’s growth and skyrocketing debt—a thesis you can read more about in Precipice. 

Continuing, Nick asks what would happen if this dereliction of duty by the elected Congress, along with a willing/usurping of legislative power by the administrative state, was coupled with a president who was of Leftist leaning. The answer is what's happening with the current Administration. Nick presents a host of examples where the bureaucratic state is usurping congressional power, thereby killing the private sector, free enterprise, meritocracy, capitalism, and individual achievement. 

Next, Nick explores a passage by Francis Fukuyama, observing, “how eerily similar today's United States feels and looks compared to Fukuyama’s description of a failing society.” He proceeds to recall the Greek concept of thymos, discussed in episode 97, and sees a system in America today that is increasingly fixated on squelching thymos both individually and as a society. 

In closing, Nick returns to the topic of summer, reflecting on both the Grease soundtrack and Van Halen’s album 5150. These albums were in many ways the soundtracks to Nick’s respective 1978 and 1986 summers. Whether you’re sittin’ home tonight or out until the mornin’ light, hope you enjoy episode 105!

After kicking things off with a little “donkey talk,” Nick dedicates the episode to his Mount Rushmore of the most iconic sports photos, as well as offers a few honorable mentions. The superfecta of legendary pictures includes Ray Lussier’s photograph of Bobby Orr’s overtime goal in game four of the 1970 Stanley Cup finals, which took place 52 years ago today. 

Next, Nick talks historical versus modern-day geopolitical irony, highlighting that Japan was the most anti-communist nation during World War II. However, it was their aggression into China that gave rise to the Chinese Communist Party, leading to the CCP prowling the planet today. “Let’s hope that the mistakes and the ironies of World War II don't lead to a World War III,” says Nick. 

Staying in present day, Nick examines outsized impacts in the capital markets. He points out that the market cap weights of Apple and Microsoft, which are in the S&P 500, are double the weights of the entire energy and materials sectors in the S&P 500 combined, “and that's amazing.” Nick says this defies logic, and it’s “a blaring, flashing warning light that something is very wrong with the capital markets and key indices like the S&P.” 

Continuing on the topic of the energy transition, Nick homes in on the OECD, who’s “starting to figure out there are a plethora of massively large challenges facing the unimaginable scale up its envisioned for wind and solar and electric vehicles across the planet.” He highlights six truths on the energy transition, several of which should be familiar to constant listeners. 

Nick then pivots to the topic of artificial intelligence, asking several thought-provoking questions, and categorizing his views into three areas: AI’s opportunities, risks, and the threat of government intervention in the field. 

Connecting artificial intelligence to genuine intelligence, Nick notes the quote by Freddie Mercury: “We are in the golden age of music. There will be a time when technology becomes so advanced that we'll rely on them to make music rather than raw talent. Music will lose its soul.” Nick examines who “them” are, and how that word is defined will again have outsized impacts on the future of society. 

Nick closes with a unique connection from Freddie Mercury to the “Piano Man,” welcoming Mr. Billy Joel to the stage (who coincidentally celebrated his 74^th birthday yesterday). If it’s been a while, give a listen to Joel’s 52^nd Street—what are Nick’s two favorite tracks from the album? Press play on this episode!

After reviewing the track record of Havlicek, Nick proceeds to examine the track record of the Federal Reserve over the past 25 years and where it’s placed the American economy. “What's amazing, is how bad the Fed’s crystal ball has been at the most crucial of moments,” says Nick. He adds that as government regulation and intervention via Fed policy gets more invasive and pervasive, it's making markets more volatile. 

Moving from the track record of the Fed, Nick looks at where the track record ends and where future predictions begin in the world of energy demand and carbon emissions. Nick calls out two competing projections: net zero carbon pledges on one hand, with energy demand growing globally for the foreseeable future on the other. Nick says these projections can’t both be true, and we know which one is false. 

“Despite the zero carbon by 2050 myth being busted by science and reality, the policy insanity with respect to that, it marches on,” says Nick, taking the conversation to the Empire State where state lawmakers are looking to ban natural gas hookups in new buildings. Should the ban be enacted, Nick says it’ll chop off whatever remaining economic activity is left in New York. 

“Blind adherence to ideology at the expense of logic and science, it exacts a heavy toll and not just when it comes to energy policy,” says Nick. We're seeing the same price being paid in the arena of geopolitics and foreign affairs. Nick proceeds to discuss the current administration’s twisted definition of democracy, that being a nation who subscribes to the correct ideology. “Our government would rather have an ally nation not hold democratic elections but back progressive values, instead of an ally holding open fair elections that doesn't back progressive values. That's not supporting democracy.” 

Next, Nick recounts a recent evening in Waynesburg, Pa., with VFW Post 4793. Nick says he’s all-in with supporting the region’s veterans through VFW and American Legions; read more about the evening with Post 4793 at nickdeiuliis.com. And staying on the topics of the military and geopolitics, Nick examines the Battle of the Coral Sea as we mark the Battle’s 81^st anniversary. “For me, the key to this Battle is that it was the first time the Japanese were turned back since the start of the war,” says Nick and adds that it had implications for the Battle of Midway. And for the episode’s final connection, Nick highlights Jason Robards, the acclaimed actor who also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

Nick underscores the importance of tracking data and statistics of baseball players as he then tosses a change up and moves into the efficacy—or lack thereof—of public education. Like ball players, he comments on the importance of tracking students; highlighting a recent Stanford University and Associated Press study that found more than 240,000 students living in 21 states and the District of Columbia have gone missing since the start of the pandemic. Nick suggests it might be time for wholesale change for the public education lineup, front office, and ownership.

Staying on the topic of data and statistics, Nick examines two arenas where statistics are telling an interesting, albeit unsettling, story. In California, the state’s precipitous drop in personal income tax revenue signals difficult decisions loom for the Golden State. And nationally, America’s $31 trillion (and climbing) national debt, its balance sheet, and overall budgetary health have put the nation and economy on a course towards unprecedented and unchartered waters. The data are all staring us in the face, as easy to read as baseball box scores.

Next, Nick connects the discussion of statistics, math, government finances, and ill-advised policies to what’s happening in France, and how that might be a harbinger of things to come in the U.S. Nick delves into President Macron’s efforts to reform French pension laws, which isn’t as simple as it appears on the surface and explains why France’s pension situation is going to get much worse pretty quickly. 

Returning to the U.S., Nick revisits the gloomy fiscal forecast that has more bad weather on the way. Those storms are government’s terrifying off-balance sheet liabilities and commitments of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. When you add it all up, the financial reality our nation is facing is putting us in a serious predicament. Nick foresees us heading toward a level of government austerity the likes of which we’ve never seen. 

Nick closes by connecting back to the episode’s release date of April 26, and reflects on the valor and inspiring story of Medal of Honor recipient Michael Estocin. Estocin represents the best America has to offer and the motivation to do the hard work that lies ahead.

In conjunction with the milestone episode’s late April release, Nick pays homage to legendary heavyweight boxer Rocky Marciano who retired from professional boxing on April 27, 1956. Marciano’s 49-0 record (43 of which were by knockout) easily puts “The Brockton Bomber’s” incredibly strong chin on Nick’s Mt. Rushmore of boxing. 

Moving from the ring, episode 100 centers around the ever-expanding role of the administrative state and big government’s continued encroachment on individuals’ personal freedom—two themes synonymous with The Far Middle since the series’ inception. 

Nick begins in New Zealand, discussing a new government initiative representing a new extreme in nanny state intervention. “When you see national governments in Western republican democracies subtly taking on role of relationship therapist for teenagers, you know things have gone too far,” says Nick. 

Next, Nick presents the concept of a two-dimensional matrix, where on one axis are issues ranging from deeply personal to universal, and on the other axis are local government ranging to national and international governments. Nick references such a matrix in examining the issues of pandemic policy, the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-2009 (GFC), and climate change. Big issues fitting for a big episode. 

Further, Nick looks at the media’s coverage of these issues, and how the media’s omission of a single word in their headlines turns the journalist from objective truth teller to propagandist for the Left or for government. What’s the word? Give a listen! 

In closing, Nick goes back to another historic late April event: Elbe Day, which occurred on April 25, 1945, when Soviet and American troops met at Torgau, Germany. “1945 and Elbe Day are the last time Western republican democracies, led by America, and the communist or Leftists worked together on anything; only fascism created a common interest and mutual goal,” says Nick. Why the last time? It’s because America and the Left have DNAs that dictate one another are mortal enemies—a fitting close that speaks to Nick’s advocacy efforts on The Far Middle and beyond.

In making this episode’s first connection, Nick links Wayne Gretzky to two asset classes that have undergone bubble-type inflated valuations: sports trading cards and the value of currency itself. Nick warns that if current trends continue (skyrocketing government spending, ballooning debt, stifling free enterprise with regulations, continuing to print money, and setting interest rates at negative real rates relative to inflation) we can expect a devaluation of the American dollar, which isn’t going to bode well for the U.S. economy.

Next, Nick addresses free speech and those describing themselves as liberal, however, these individuals would be better characterized as the thought police.

He then reflects on the Twitter Files, where big tech censored speech and users with subjective political and ideological filters, while the mainstream media pretended to not know what was going on. And worst of all, before the Twitter Files news ever broke, the FBI was exercising “constant and pervasive” contact with Twitter. Nick goes on to explain how the FBI/Twitter relationship is an example of “the iron fist covered by the velvet glove” theory.

Moving into the episode’s next connection, Nick once again defines Liberal versus Leftist ideology—and how it’s wrong to interchange the two ideologies. He then summarizes the Left’s grinding long-term game: “The Left develops its ideology, the Left and that ideology infiltrate government and its bureaucracy, and the Left and its ideology and government then come together to infiltrate public institutions such as colleges and universities and nonprofits, and then all those stakeholders come together to begin to influence and ultimately control the private sector, free enterprise, and last but not least, the individual.”

Where was this “game” conceived? Look no further than Antonio Gramsci. Who was Gramsci? Listen and learn why he’s a man impacting every American today, and how his ideological views have come to the brink of conquering Western society.

In closing, Nick pivots to a few optimistic words from Ayn Rand, followed by reflecting on the unbelievable history of Williamsburg, Virginia.

Following a look at the strange issues surrounding the long-ball record, Nick transitions to the legislative and political dynamics leading to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 (that also includes a unique baseball tie-in). Next, Nick offers a sobering analysis of America’s federal debt—a liability that has climbed rapidly over the past 40 years to more than $31 trillion today.

“Something that would help dig our government out of this massive debt crater would of course be economic growth,” says Nick. “And for economic growth, a prerequisite is job growth. People work and business booms, and government ends up seeing more tax revenues and it also experiences less outflows for entitlements—pretty basic stuff.” This leads Nick into a review of U.S. jobs statistics, followed by an analysis of the Congressional Budget Office’s latest Budget and Economic Outlook released in February.

Nick describes the state of the federal government’s finances as trapped within a “squeeze play,” and says spending austerity is the only way out of the mess we’re in. Entitlement reform—even modest—won’t be easy. France’s move to raise its retirement age from 62 to 64 and the ensuing public revolt is a prime example.

In closing, Nick goes back to 1941 and Joseph Stalin’s false sense of security, refusing to listen to the data that Germany was preparing an offensive on the Soviet Union. That refusal led to millions of deaths and pushed his nation to the brink of existence. “It didn’t have to be that bad if Stalin would have paid attention to the reality and facts,” says Nick. In comparing to our federal government’s fiscal mess, Nick says he hopes it’s not a matter of millions of lives at stake, but in some ways it is, because if we don’t fix the mess then millions of lives will be materially impacted.

Nick moves from the hypothetical Mount Rushmore of hockey to the actual Mount Rushmore and two of its faces, former presidents Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. Nick proceeds to describe Lincoln and Roosevelt’s similar views on wider U.S. presidential power during times of crisis. “The view of wide presidential power is a very dangerous, slippery slope,” Nick warns. He explains that he leans towards lesser presidential power rather than more.

Expanded executive power results in an attack from the whole of government on individual freedoms and free enterprise. Nick argues that this is exactly what’s happening with the current administration using the epically convenient global crisis of climate change to expand its influence.

The expanded power of the executive branch and administrative state would horrify the Founding Fathers, which leads Nick to a discussion on the trait of courage. Nick delves into the evolution of our system of checks and balances and says it’s time for the Supreme Court and Congress to start doing their jobs.

Meanwhile, a different evolution is happening in the arena of sports gambling in the U.S. today. Nick notes that last year Americans wagered nearly $94 billion on sports. He then comments on the industry’s advantage on live “prop betting.”

From Connor McDavid to U.S. presidents, driven individuals are a consistent theme of episode 97. Nick connects such individuals’ drive to the philosophical concept of “thymos,” the drive and pursuit for recognition. “Humans want others to recognize their individual significance,” Nick says. “Humans can never thrive while feeling emptiness in their soul.” Nick shares how thymos can be both positively and negatively impactful. And he explains why thymos is a necessary ingredient in any society that values the individual and that desires a high quality of life.

In closing, Nick celebrates the career of Clint Eastwood, an actor and director who harnessed his inner thymos for decades. Like many other Eastwood fans, Nick’s favorite Eastwood period was his Spaghetti Westerns. Nick concludes episode 97 with his recommendation for an underrated Eastwood movie you might not have seen. And separately, it’s worth noting—in another instance of The Far Middle’s unique connection web—Eastwood’s political thriller, “Absolute Power,” came out in 1997.

Going back to 1996, for episode 96, when no baseball players were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Nick offers a thoughtful look on players that aren’t in Cooperstown, but who have the career accomplishments to warrant induction.

Nick then transitions from America’s pastime to the time of Teddy Roosevelt during his tenure at the Civil Service Commission. Nick discusses Roosevelt’s efforts to upend the spoils system, and replace it with a meritocracy in terms of hiring government employees. The idea was to go from who you knew, to what you knew, explains Nick.

Related, Nick examines government today and how key positions are staffed. “I fear that our government has steered far, far away from where Teddy Roosevelt was looking to take it in the late 1800s,” says Nick. He asserts governmental decisions are not being made by those with the most experience and best skillsets, resulting in ineffective government being exposed at the worst possible times during crises.

The discussion of meritocracy is connected to America’s regional power grids, and the need to let competition drive the best generation sources to power our energy systems. Nick focuses on the PJM grid, and revisits Winter Storm Elliot that hit the mid-Atlantic on Christmas Eve this past December. Nick underscores that natural gas, in particular Appalachian natural gas, didn’t just save the PJM grid, it saved lives. Despite the facts, there are environmental groups looking to fool the public and force an agenda. Environmentalists are executing their new sneaky two-step technique, which Nick dubs their “tame and blame” campaign.

“If we allow natural gas to fairly compete and grow with private investment and innovation, then no more grid weakness, anywhere,” says Nick. He then presents six stark truths about wind and solar at scale on our power grid, which Winter Storm Elliot again exposed.

When climate policies of the Left start to infiltrate the infrastructure of the power grid, cracks are going to appear quickly. And the same can be said of office real estate today in America’s major cities. Nick explains how climate change policies are stressing both grid capacity of power pools as well as balance sheets of urban office tower companies.

In closing, Nick recalls Led Zeppelin’s best-selling album, Led Zeppelin IV, and in particular the track, “When the Levee Breaks.” In a similar vein, Nick argues that if, “the Left keeps ruling, the grid is going to break, and if the Left keeps ruling, the debt portfolio is going to break.”

Leaving the ballpark, Nick proceeds along this episode’s string of connections, a format that's the hallmark of The Far Middle and an ongoing tribute to the great Dr. James Burke.

“Cal Ripken is in the history books because of math; math has the ability to clarify the exceptional and to bring truth to a situation,” explains Nick as he delves into the math of externality accounting in the energy sector. Externalities look to capture the true net costs or benefits of an activity to society, quantifying direct and indirect impacts, both positive and negative.

The subject of externalities has always interested Nick. And that interest was recently reawakened following the request by a professor performing a study on externalities, asking Nick to offer his view on competitor natural gas-producing companies that tend to understate their companies’ environmental impact. “I saw this request as an opportunity to take a holistic view of the energy landscape and the context of energy externality accounting,” says Nick as he begins to walk through his response to the professor (explore further in Nick’s commentary, “Crunching the Numbers: Energy Source Externality Accounting”).

As a precursor to the professor’s request, Nick argues that externalities should be first analyzed on an energy source-versus-energy source basis, in other words, domestic natural gas compared to wind or solar energy sources.

Following the discussion of energy externality accounting, Nick springs backward to 1961 and the movie, Judgment at Nuremberg. “The movie deals with heavy, fascinating themes,” says Nick, analogizing the film to “a mental tennis match,” and suggesting it be required viewing for every American high school student.

In a Far Middle first, Nick dedicates this episode to a day, specifically the memorable sports headlines from June 17, 1994, which included Arnold Palmer playing in his final round of a U.S. Open, Ken Griffey Jr. launched his 26^th long ball of the season to tie Babe Ruth for the most home runs before June 30^th, the World Cup got underway in the U.S., a tough-to-watch New York Rangers ticker tape parade, the Knicks and Rockets played game five of the NBA Finals, and the day culminated with the low-speed O.J. Simpson chase.

That day was the outset of what would be the trial of the century, and the start to when we began seeing some statements from O.J. that just didn’t add up. Those statements set the stage for this week’s Far Middle connections. Fast forward to today, and there’s something else not adding up: the zero carbon commitments by global corporations.

Nick proceeds to examine a survey by Bain & Company of 137 global companies from the fourth quarter of 2022. The survey found less than a quarter of those surveyed plan to buy carbon credits to meet their emissions pledges. At the same time, 90% of respondents pledged zero carbon commitments by 2050. Nick delves into how these two results expose a serious math problem and the underlying sham of carbon pledges.

All business and economic activity has a carbon footprint on a scopes 1 through 3 basis, and there’s no way global corporations will be net zero carbon without buying massive volumes of carbon offsets and credits, argues Nick. And if all these companies were to buy credits, credit prices would dramatically increase, and those costs would ultimately trickle down to those who can least afford higher-priced goods and services.

In the second half of episode 94, Nick looks at the evolution of Scientific American, and moves on to a few unconventional Far Middle topics.

Nick explains his opposition to the death penalty, using a wrongful execution surrounding serial killer John “Reg” Christie as an example why. Incidentally, if you haven’t seen the film 10 Rillington Place, based on Christie’s murders, add it to your watch list, recommends Nick. Staying on the topic of death, Nick recounts the strange worldwide tour and eventual burial of Eva “Evita” Perón’s embalmed body.

In closing, Nick looks back at the film Clue and its all-star cast. By the way, keep an eye and ear out for a future “best board game list” from Nick!

Moving on to this episode’s dedication, Nick honors Mario Lemieux’s 1992-1993 season. It was a season by the Penguins’ Center that embodied athletic achievement, personal endurance, and one “you could make a movie about.” Lemieux’s perseverance that season is, “Motivation for all of us, as we continue to achieve in our endeavors, and as we face life’s unpredictable challenges,” says Nick.

Nick stays on the ice as he moves from Penguin statistics to polar bear statistics. Referencing a study by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Nick highlights that the world’s population of polar bears has risen from the 1960s to today, while at the same time, carbon dioxide emissions have also increased. It’s an inconvenient fact that runs counter to the beliefs of the Church of Climate parishioners.

“The dynamic that we see, where an ideology insists on ignoring or suppressing facts and certainties that inconveniently counter its core beliefs, leads to quite damaging consequences, and they stretch beyond polar bears,” explains Nick as he next examines public education leadership not recognizing individual achievers in those education officials’ pursuit of “equal outcomes.”

Nick argues that if our public education leaders are intent on holding back the recognition of high-performing students, not only is our public education system doomed, but so too is our future economic competitiveness, and further, the viability of the U.S. is in serious peril.

Next up is a signature Far Middle trifecta connection, albeit one that illustrates the incompetence of government intervention under the cover of “saving the planet.” Electric vehicles are at the intersection of that trifecta connection.

Nick delves into contradictory federal policies that mandate and subsidize electric vehicles, while on the other hand prohibit the domestic mining of the vital materials for EV battery production, and then at the same time the State Department pledges to help build foreign EV supply chains—effectively offshoring environmental destruction and human rights abuses.

“As bad as it might be in the U.S. with our dysfunctional federal government, it could be much, much worse,” says Nick. “You don’t need to look beyond the Americas to see situations today that are indeed much worse.” This brings the conversation to Colombia where its new president, Gustavo Petro, is another faithful worshiper in the Church of Climate, an ex-guerilla, a 2023 Davos attendee, and at his side is a Minister of Mines and Energy who’s a professor and environmental activist. The path these two are prescribing for Colombia is about to make things much worse for the country’s residents, its economy, and its environmental health.

Leaving Bogotá, Nick heads to New York City to close this episode, connecting to the film Gangs of New York and two of its stars, Daniel Day-Lewis and Liam Neeson.

Nick shifts from the subject of tenacity for sports greatness to America’s tenacity for scientific greatness. On the surface, America’s scientific prowess looks better than ever, but unfortunately, the data reveals a different state of America’s scientific efficacy. Specifically, Nick looks at Consolidation-Disruption Index data trends, or CD Index, which measures the impact of research once published.

Nick cites three root causes of why scientific research and innovation are declining in America—causes analyzed at length in Precipice.

Meanwhile, something not on the decline in America is government spending, “a crisis of simple math,” says Nick. Government debt has increased by $8 trillion since February 2020, and we now find ourselves in a brutal, self-inflicted cycle. Nick lays out the options we face: either raise taxes, dramatically cut spending and entitlements, or default on our debt obligations.

And to those who argue that the Fed lowering interest rates is the key to reducing the federal debt burden, Nick says that’s merely a delay tactic that kicks the can of much-needed fiscal reform down the road.

Nick next offers an example of federal fiscal responsibility and compromise, going back to President Lyndon Johnson and Democratic Senator Harry Byrd of Virginia who came together to cut taxes and reduce spending in the FY 1965 budget. Nick contrasts the $100 billion federal budget of the early/mid-1960s to today’s budget of more than $6 trillion—questioning if listeners believe government today is 60 times more effective than it was during LBJ’s presidency.

Nick concludes by bringing the episode’s connections full circle as he highlights another individual who had a tenacity for greatness and who enjoyed the apt nickname, “The Great One.” Nick reflects on the legendary career of Jackie Gleason in conjunction with the anniversary of his birthday, which falls on February 26.

Nick looks back to the start of the Industrial Revolution to present day, examining a range of metrics over that time period. These include life expectancy, infant mortality rates, income per capita, and global population. These indicators have all trended in a positive direction over the last ~200 years. While advancements in medicine and agriculture have contributed to society’s progress, the single biggest contributor is mankind’s harnessing the power of the carbon atom through energy, says Nick.

He notes that nations such as the U.S. and those in western Europe that have embraced republican democracy, free markets and capitalism, individual rights, and fossil fuels have seen these metrics yield even greater gains.

Given society’s track record of innovation over the past 200 years, buttressed by the carbon atom, Nick questions the motivation of global elites at the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) who want to apply reparations theory based on fossil fuel consumption.

Nick argues the whole idea of reparations tied to energy use or carbon utilization smacks of trying to pull down success and demoralizes innovators, instead we should be establishing pathways and policies to pull up the areas that might be lagging to improve their quality of life.

Nick returns to domestic energy policy to examine the story behind a recent headline that read, “Georgia Gets Big Solar Investment.” Nick says a more fitting headline, albeit longer, would’ve been, “Over Half a Billion Dollars a Year Appropriated from the Middle Class to Offshore Conglomerate Corporation Under the Protected Graft of U.S. Climate Policy.”

Nick moves from the Peach State to the Golden State to discuss California natural gas prices next, then returns to the global stage with commentary on the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. “This past year has provided clear evidence that ‘Davos Man’ and ‘Davos Woman’ may represent the single biggest risk to humanity in the near term,” says Nick. “Sometimes I get the feeling that if we canceled the annual Davos escapade it would be an instant upgrade for the condition of humanity.”

In closing, Nick returns to 1991 to highlight several of the great alternative rock albums that came out that year. Give a listen to hear Nick’s favorite.

Nick continues the themes of disruption and innovation throughout episode 90, beginning with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s late 2022 comments on the Uyghur Policy Act. Nick says her speech was quite good, but her words don’t mesh with Congress’ energy and environmental policy actions over the past several years. Those actions have worsened the planet's environmental health, strengthened the oppressor's hand, weakened Western democracies, and are crushing the freedom of the individual. The words from former Speaker Pelosi were great, but unfortunately, her and Congress’ policy actions speak much louder.

Nick then rewinds the clock to a May 1941 radio address by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, drawing similarities to FDR’s comments on Germany to the threat we face today from China. “It’s like a voice from the past is warning us about the dangers of the present,” says Nick. He notes he’s not FDR’s biggest fan, as you can read about in Precipice, but commends the former president’s ability to inspire.

Next, Nick addresses the confluence of influences and forces that have come together to indoctrinate our next generation into believing climate change is the country and the world’s most pressing problem. The information campaigns that have led to these beliefs are the same that has led to two major mid-Atlantic natural gas pipelines being delayed/canceled by their developers—projects that would have reduced carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 400 million tons.

While the U.S. strangles natural gas infrastructure investment, China welcomes it with open arms—to the tune of $2 trillion. And those trillions in state investment are attracting private investment from banks, investors, and private equity. Nick moves from China to the Eurozone, continuing to discuss dollars and illogical sense, as Eurozone government spending is now more than half of the region’s economic output.

Nick concludes by noting that February 11, a few days after this episode’s release, marks the day Nelson Mandela was released in 1990 from prison after serving 27 brutal years of incarceration. Nick closes with three inspirational quotes from Mandela. And in Far Middle connection-serendipity, February 11 (2015) also marks the anniversary of Jerry Tarkanian’s passing.

Nick begins this episode’s connections by noting that individuals like Gino are rare today, much like the political moderate, whether that’s a moderate Republican or moderate Democrat. Nick proceeds to revisit his recent commentary, “America Needs a Third Party.” A third party would put pressure on the two-party cartel that exists today, resulting in the inevitable moderation of the Democratic and Republican parties.

“I’m not a politician and don’t desire to be one, but I do want to be able to choose the very best of options when it comes to selecting our political leaders,” says Nick. “That’s what the founding fathers envisioned, and I think that’s what America deserves.”

Evidence that Americans are rejecting extreme positions can be found in domestic population moves this past year. Nick discusses census data showing Americans are rushing to the exists from states like California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. These states, coincidentally led by some of the most Leftist leaders you’ll find, are seeing an exodus as residents look for something more moderate and more normal.

Nick moves from extreme ideology in the U.S. to similar ideology in Europe. That ideology, along with climate change policy, has led to skyrocketing electricity prices and situations where the cost of charging an electric vehicle is more expensive than fueling a gasoline-powered vehicle. Meanwhile in Europe a larger problem looms.

European governments are in the process of or preparing to flood the market with new bonds and debt issuances, explains Nick. He criticizes these governments for borrowing more to shield consumers, attempting to mask the economic consequences of the policies these governments are responsible for.

Nick closes by recounting a recent Bob Dylan interview where Dylan discussed how he spent his time during the lockdown of the pandemic—including restoring his 56 Chevy, painting, reading, and perhaps opium if laying around. While Nick is a Dylan fan, he counters that if we all take the Dylan lockdown approach the world is going to come to a grinding halt. And that government actions that aim to take us there are not the path forward. The sooner that we realize that the better.

There’s a crazy, scary trifecta facing our country’s fiscal health and government finances, explains Nick. That trifecta is a federal debt of $31 trillion and quickly growing, paired with continuous budget deficits and raging inflation. As interest rates are raised to fight inflation, the cost of servicing debt increases, thereby increasing debt, resulting in a serious math problem that doesn’t compute.

Nick then points out where we’re seeing this trifecta come to light, adding concern is the fact tax revenues are near all-time highs. Should tax revenues decline, our fiscal situation will only worsen. Nick goes on to explain that government spends endless amounts of money not just to help the poor, or to right a wrong, but to now also to save the planet. This leads to a look at GM who expects its EVs will be profitable in 2025, thanks to recently enacted federal subsidies. As billions of tax dollars go from the middle class to multi-billion-dollar corporations, Nick says, sarcastically, that’s a price worth paying because it’s going to tackle climate change and save the planet.

Nick next passes the puck from GM to FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried. Nick looks at how the crypto sham company duped investors for billions, doing so in part by ESG manipulation and virtue signaling. Nick juxtaposes GM and FTX to Vanguard, who has quit the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative, as well as the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero. Vanguard’s decision is a refreshing affirmation that Milton Friedman’s teachings are alive and well.

Transitioning overseas, Nick comments on French President Emmanuel Macron who says he has backed a strategy of “absolute defense of Ukraine.” However, Nick calls out France’s energy policies, which have not done anything over the past decade to help Ukraine. While France’s words ring hollow, sometimes words matter greatly and to the benefit of all mankind, which leads to this episode’s conclusion: a reflection on Martin Luther King, Jr.—a master of the written and spoken word.

Nick crosses over from the hard court to America’s military, stressing the importance of focusing on the best military equipment, contractors, and systems. He calls out a new rule proposed by the Department of Defense and NASA that aims to require defense contractors to disclose their CO2 footprints, reduction plans, and their climate risks. Nick suggests our government is more concerned about our military’s carbon footprint than its efficacy, which is great for our enemies, as are all America’s climate policies. Such a strategy would’ve spelled loss for the Celtics and Lakers in 1984, and Nick fears it could spell loss for our military in an increasingly hostile world.

Next up, Nick discusses BP considering ending the publication of its Statistical Review of World Energy. “Another symptom of how the energy space is being driven, more and more, by the mystic and not by the science,” says Nick.

While some in the energy space yield to mysticism, CNX Resources is not. That’s why the company has recently launched its “Positive Energy Hub”—a new forum for energy related facts and resources. Nick proceeds to delve into CNX’s recently announced vision for the Appalachian region, aka “Appalachia First.” It’s a chaotic world when it comes to energy, but Appalachia should be ground zero for a better energy future. The CNX vision is a strategic roadmap, leveraging low-carbon-intensive natural gas to transform key sectors of America’s economy and workforce while also changing the world for the better.

Why Appalachia? Nick says it all centers around location-location-location, including Appalachia’s workforce, existing infrastructure, and decades of energy supply. Nick concludes by looking at the motivators behind constructing the Appalachia First vision.

Visit www.positiveenergyhub.com/appalachia-first to learn more, and for a detailed presentation narrated by Nick.

Happy New Year!

For those new to The Far Middle, Nick reminds listeners the podcast’s format is modeled after the TV series Connections. Hosted by science historian James Burke, “each episode of Connections would start with a modern innovation, and then jump back in time to show how one event linked to another, sequentially, connecting dots and making connections, hence the name of the series,” explains Nick. That innovative format serves as the structure for each Far Middle episode.

As such, Ted Hendricks embodied durability, evidenced by playing in over 200 consecutive games. Durability is also important when considering what type of car to purchase, which brings us to Consumer Reports’ latest rankings on vehicle reliability. Those rankings find that electric vehicles are among the least reliable cars and trucks in the automotive industry today. Nick counters Consumer Reports’ outlook that EV reliability will improve with time. He argues that when government protects markets and subsidizes products like EVs, innovation is stifled, and continuous improvement is restrained as there’s reduced incentive for automakers to drive towards excellence.

Subsidies for prodcuts like EVs are often justified under the taglines of “green is good” and “doing good by doing well.” Nick next applies these taglines in the context of LEED-certified green buildings and analyzes a new real estate report, “Green Is Good: The Enduring Rent Premium of LEED-Certified U.S. Office Buildings.” Nick reveals how the report’s title and summary don’t exactly reflect the data provided in the study. Read more on the report in Nick’s essay, “Mis“LEED”ing: Fact Versus Fiction for Green Buildings.”

The next dot in this week’s Far Middle connections is the United Nations’ announcement that the world’s population has reached 8 billion, as well as unprecedented growth in life expectancy and fertility rates. Nick notes the UN attributes the growth to improvements in public health, nutrition, personal hygiene and medicine, but the UN conveniently failed to mention the leading driver, which is the importance of access to reliable and affordable energy. “Utilization of things like natural gas improves the human condition, particularly and drastically in poorer areas of the developing world,” says Nick.

In closing, Nick looks back at a December 1988 address by Mikhail Gorbachev to the United Nations General Assembly. Nick shares two ironic excerpts that illustrate where Gorbachev was taking his nation in 1988, juxtaposed to where America’s leaders are taking us today.

“Gorbachev in his speech, proved once again, there’s a big difference between being a leader and leading. The former is such because they simply hold power. But leading occurs only when a leader inspires, making others want to follow,” concludes Nick.

Shifting from rivals in the ring to geopolitical rivals, Nick highlights the historic agreement between Israel and Lebanon to develop natural gas in the Mediterranean Sea. Nick notes the irony of the Biden administration mediating the dispute, thereby supporting foreign natural gas development while suffocating natural gas domestically.

Nick moves from the Mediterranean to Britain, discussing a warning from the head of the U.K.’s electronic intelligence agency that China has “deliberately and patiently set out to gain strategic advantage by shaping the world’s technology ecosystems.” While Nick agrees that of course, China is beefing up its technological and surveillance prowess, he questions the inconsistency of the elite and expert class when it comes to judging China’s strategic positioning and tactical maneuvers. While there’s concern over China’s technological threat, the same concern doesn’t exist in their strategic positioning when it comes to energy.

Next, Nick examines how science has evolved from a virtuous cycle of value creation to scientific consensus that stifles innovation. On the topic of scientific consensus, Nick unpacks California’s Assembly Bill 2098, signed into law this past September. The law authorizes California’s Medical Board to punish doctors who share COVID-19 “misinformation” with their patients; it defines “misinformation” as anything that “is contradicted by contemporary scientific consensus.” Nick says, “If you like science, and you like saving lives, and you like the Constitution, you cannot like this California law.”

Moving back to foreign policy, Nick explores the potential invasion of Taiwan by China, and the follow-on effects that it would have on the global economy, specifically the control China would gain over the semiconductor industry. Nick contrasts the inconsistent logic of America protecting and nurturing Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, versus America’s actions toward investing and protecting its own domestic energy sources.

Nick returns to 1982 to close episode 82. He looks back on the career of the great Quincy Jones who took home five Grammy Awards that year, including Producer of the Year. If December clouds have you down, give a listen to Jones’ albums Walking in Space and The Dude.

Nick transitions from trains to rivers and lands at Marietta, Ohio.

Marietta, which sits at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, is the setting of this week’s episode as Nick reviews three recent presentations he delivered last week while in southeastern Ohio. The first two talks were delivered to students at Marietta College, followed by a third address to members of the Economic Roundtable of the Ohio Valley.

Listen as Nick reviews the rich history of Marietta before delving into his question-and-answer session with students. “You’re going to be me in 30 years,” Nick explained to the young adults in attendance, telling them to expect twists and turns along their career journeys.

Next, Nick summarizes his remarks given to a class on ethical leadership. “The way I approached this opportunity was to talk about baking a cake, and the cake we’re going to bake is how you build ethical leadership within a team, or a company, or an industry,” describes Nick as he walks through the steps and “ingredients” to baking a cake of ethical leadership. “Make your values come alive each and every day through your decision-making.”

Finally, Nick looks back on his address to the Economic Roundtable of the Ohio Valley, entitled, “Milton Friedman isn’t running the show anymore. And therein lies the problem.” Nick’s address reviewed six commonsense recommendations to broadly improve American society and our economy, concepts he first offered on The Far Middle in October 2021. Nick asks if we’ve made progress on these proposals this past year, or rather regressed, and then closes by tying them to Milton Friedman.

While innovation represents growth, Nick zeroes in on the elitist organization, The Club of Rome, and their best-selling environmental book, The Limits to Growth. Nick looks at how the Club and its anti-capitalism/industrialization tenets have matriculated to the Church of Climate today and anti-growth initiatives disguised under the mask of sustainability. Nick notes the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, “outright prescriptions to stop growth and regress or reduce growth,” says Nick. He then questions how the term sustainability, a term so nebulous and hard to define, became so prevalent across society today.

What’s not hard to define is the anti-growth, anti-free market ideology of the Left, and the linear sequencing of their trap. Nick proceeds to walk through how that sequence begins with a major policy that can impact almost everything across the economy, using the slew of energy and climate policies pushed by the Left as today’s biggest example. These policies create energy scarcity, which in turn leads to energy inflation and then overall inflation as the cost of energy is an input in nearly every product and service.

Overall inflation leads to central banks fast and furiously raising interest rates. And when interest rates are raised, so too is the cost of carrying government debt. Skyrocketing debt service leads to either: increased deficits; higher taxes; and/or, reining in discretionary spending. Nick asks which of these three outcomes do you see happening as America experiences this sequencing in real time, and explains this is the trap of the Left’s no-growth approach.

Nick concludes that policies coming from the elite class—whether it be The Club of Rome or the UN—have created a situation where society is checking in but can’t check out, which brings to mind the Eagles’ December 1976 release of Hotel California.

Trenches, while not the most hygienic, have served as the method of choice for sewer systems across civilizations, and the modern toilet isn’t to be taken for granted. The discussion turns to San Francisco where the city recently announced one public toilet is going to cost $1.7 million with an estimated completion in 2025. Nick outlines the root causes why one public toilet costs seven figures and years to complete—causes that tie into many of the topics explored in Precipice.

From big city public toilet bungling, Nick next tackles big city public transportation messes, specifically the New York City Subway’s increasing crime and decreasing ridership. On crime and public safety, Nick addresses the overused soundbite of “be aware of your surroundings.” For individuals in bigger cities—if they truly are aware of their surroundings—then they likely realize it’s not safe to live there anymore, and it’s time to move, but that assumes the person has the job skillsets and finances to relocate. But what if they don’t have the means to move? “The poorest pay the steepest price when public institutions and public leaders don’t lead and they’re not accountable,” says Nick.

On government leadership and accountability, Nick asks if government isn’t focusing on the basics for taxpayers and citizens, then what is government obsessing about? The answer, negotiating away our national interests and leverage to further the favored ideology. A big example is what’s happening with climate change policy and related accords and regulations.

“Today, the highest levels of our governments are negotiating pacts with other nations that promise to benefit the climate in 50 years, but that clearly damage US interests today and that support our adversaries,” says Nick. He asks if such policies are doing the right thing, are a conflict of interest, a dereliction of duty or even treasonous? How many climate treaties, accords, regulations hurt America’s security, economy, and citizens, but at the same time benefit an adversary’s security, interests, and economy?

Staying on energy, Nick counters the president’s criticism of American energy companies being profitable, and their alleged refusal to increase oil and gas supply. Ironically, it’s been damaging government intervention pushing a “dog’s breakfast of a policy mess” that’s resulted in a constricted energy supply.

Nick’s final stop in episode 78 reconnects back to the New York City Subway as Nick pays tribute to musical genius Billy Strayhorn.

While baseball celebrated many milestones in 1974, America at large was struggling with horrible inflation and energy crises, situations we’re seeing repeated today. While most Americans recognize what’s going on, our elected leaders unfortunately do not. After noting skyrocketing costs in the U.S., Nick says we should count our blessings we’re not facing the inflation and energy insecurity that Europe is. The state of energy instability and unreliability in Europe today is evidence that the elite and their policies have now been exposed across continents.

Transitioning from EU ineptitude, Nick looks at another bungling of a big moment by the elite: pandemic management and related draconian shutdowns. Nick then examines New York City’s fiscal health, where Escape from New York is evolving from a fictional big-screen account to real-world reality.

Next, Nick explores whether we, society, are hardwired for destruction, and examines the stages of civilizations laid out by Sir John Glubb in his essay, “The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival.” Discussing America today, Nick observes, “You can’t help but feel we are sitting in one of the final two stages in a terminal decline.”

Nick then pivots to commemorating the teachings and work of Reverend Ike. “Go save yourself and go achieve on your own behalf,” says Nick, referencing Reverend Ike’s philosophy and message.

In closing, Nick wraps with a great Far Middle connection. Circling back to 1974, Reverend Ike, and one of the reverend’s listeners, John Lennon (who incidentally comes in at number three on Nick’s ranking of the Fab Four).

Moving from teamwork on the field to teamwork in business, Nick discusses the special partnership between his company, CNX, and Jerome and John Bettis. Beginning as a business relationship, today it is one anchored by a focus on making a tangible, local, and impactful difference in their communities. The relationship most recently led to the creation of the “Wifi On Wheels” Cyber Bus.

Staying on the theme of partnerships, Nick examines how partnerships were key to America’s shale revolution and the ongoing economic opportunities natural gas provides, as well as the critical role natural gas plays in foreign policy (topics further discussed in Nick’s essay, “The Premeditated Murder of the Greatest Story Never Told”).

Next, Nick discusses a recent study on ESG investing and the ultimate winners of ESG marketing. He notes there are good, bad, and ugly sides to ESG. Nick pivots from the marketing of ESG to a final segment exploring how names are used in marketing. This includes a look at the use of the umlaut—and who was the first rock group to use it in their name? Listen for the answer!

This Far Middle installment focuses on Nick’s remarks from last week’s 2022 Shale Insight Conference, which looked at the next chapter of the natural gas revolution, “Shale 3.0.” Nick analyzes the opposing views of whether natural gas is a bridge fuel or a catalyst fuel. “Catalysts live in the world of truth, science, reality, and fact,” says Nick. “Our approach is the right one.” 

Next, Nick walks through the bridgers’ four-step manipulation recipe, which was “so elegantly defined” by German scholar Victor Klemperer. Nick concludes by noting the bright future we have thanks to the awakening to Shale 3.0, “a better way than the bridgers’ road to certain ruin.”

In closing, Nick pays tribute to Queen, who 42 years ago this month had their song “Another One Bites the Dust" reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. He notes Queen guitarist Brian May is among his list of top-ten rock guitarists. Check out their 1985 Live Aid performance and May will be on your top-ten list as well.

Transitioning from Evgeni Malkin, who is Russian, Nick discusses the recent string of suspicious deaths of several executives of major Russian energy and industrial corporations. This leads to a look at European Union energy policy as bureaucrats panic to secure a grid and crumbling energy network that’s destroying economies across the European continent—unfortunately, the bureaucratic panic is only making things worse. Nick explains that the EU bureaucrat is engaged in a game of intervention versus intervention, and in the end, everyone will end up a loser.  

Shifting from the pitfalls of state intervention, Nick notes Elon Musk’s comments that the world needs more natural gas and oil. Musk recently left California for Texas, to which Nick calls California dreaming in 2022 is more akin to a nightmare when it comes to their energy insanity.

Connections continue with another example of the expert class taking the normal person for a fool; this time it’s misleading Covid statistics from John Hopkins. And Nick closes with an analysis of the numerous parallels between Aldous Huxley’s 1932 masterpiece, Brave New World, and society today. Although written 90 years ago, Huxley’s view into the future is frighteningly accurate. Read more from Nick on Brave New World in his commentary, “When a Blinded 1930s Writer Saw the 2022 Future.”

Next, Nick presents an interesting look at American household income when you normalize the data (i.e., deducting taxes paid and adding transfer payments received). “There’s income equality, not income inequality, across 60% of the U.S. population,” says Nick.

Nick closes with a few comments on the lack of self-awareness by "eco-warriors," highlighting a recent speech by Harrison Ford.

The Lakers' star-studded lineup (including Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Pat Riley, and Jerry West) not only won the NBA championship that year but also 33 straight games—a record that stands today.

Staying in the late 60s and early 70s era, Nick discusses the final years of Pablo Picasso’s life, a colorful and expressive point in the artist’s perpetual changing career when he was massively prolific. Also at that time, in 1969, French writer Henri Charrière published Papillon, which Nick highly recommends. The book would be made into a movie starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman the year after the Lakers' 69-win championship season. And just as critics panned Picasso’s works at the end of his career, they similarly panned Papillon’s screen adaptation. Nick says to be your own expert when it comes to film and literature.

Nick then transitions into an overview of the CNX Foundation Mentorship Academy, which is nearing the start of its second year. Nick describes the Academy’s mission, its first year, and an exciting summer that most recently included a cookout with prospective second-year students. Follow Academy updates at nickdeiuliis.com and at cnx.com.  

Staying on education, Nick next discusses students, parents, and taxpayers finally starting to hold colleges accountable for the quality of education delivered during the pandemic.

Nick closes with a one-of-a-kind, multi-part Far Middle connection going back to the early 1970s and linking Papillon, Pablo Picasso, and “winging-it.”

In this Far Middle installment, Nick presents his second-ever “lightning round” episode covering a wide range of topics. “It’s unbelievable how much material stacks up for Far Middle discussion,” says Nick, which is exciting but also concerning.

Leading off is the Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr., who has to be better off the field otherwise the pressure on him will continue to build. On the topic of pressure, Nick travels from San Diego to across the globe to examine the latest on Russia’s geopolitical and energy pressure on the EU.

Staying in the EU, Nick calls out the impact of “Natura 2000,” and specifically the program’s effect on the Dutch agriculture sector which will only increase already high food prices. On the topic of radical environmentalism and their disdain for the human condition, Nick is reminded of Professor Paul Ehrlich’s quote that, “giving society cheap, abundant energy at this point would be the moral equivalent of giving an idiot child a machine gun.”

Nick next addresses: 180-degree position reversals from environmental groups through their divide-and-kill strategy; the role of capitalism catalyzing science; the comical Inflation Reduction Act; and, the truth when it comes to energy subsidies. Nick counters the claim that wind and solar are cost-competitive with other fuels, calling out their massive level of subsidy while only providing 7% of the U.S. energy supply.

The lightning episode continues with: ESG investing; public pension funds increasingly investing in riskier, non-liquid assets; Florida’s “Stop Woke Act” and free speech; the BLM playing politics with water; and, “hearing” some surprisingly good news from the FDA.

In closing, Nick returns back to 1990—the year Jagr was drafted by the Penguins—to reflect on George Michael’s masterpiece album Listen Without Prejudice, released 32 years ago this past September 3.

Transitioning from equity valuations, Nick looks at what’s driving professional sports team valuations and the entrance of private equity minority ownership in professional sports franchises. He also highlights the allure of investing in a professional sports team, noting that over the past 20 years they’ve outperformed the S&P 500.

On the topic of sports, Nick revisits the episode’s connection to 1967 sports milestones, noting that 1967 was also the year John Wooden and the UCLA Bruins won their first of seven consecutive NCAA titles. Nick then presents his theory on why southern California sports teams never seem to draw huge attendances, “Every game of every team in every sport should be sellouts,” says Nick.

Concluding episode 67, Nick highlights a few of his favorite bookstores, from Pittsburgh to San Francisco and from Washington D.C. to Asheville. And he closes by reflecting on the passing of David McCullough, “Pittsburgh native, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he accomplished it all in his field…he may be gone, but far from forgotten.”

After looking back on “Super Mario’s” astounding playing career, including overcoming cancer, his purchasing the Penguins, and community work through his foundation, Nick presents the four faces that would be carved on his Mount Rushmore of best-ever NHL players.

Nick steps off the hockey train to next discuss the reasons ridership is plummeting on most urban public transportation networks, which today are clearly broken business models. Nick says it’s time we stop funding propositions that are denying the inevitable and we must drastically reimagine public transportation.

“And that shaky math of public transportation systems in our cities, it mirrors the shaky math of the Federal Reserve when it comes to interest rates and inflation,” says Nick connecting the next dot: Fed policy around inflation. Nick adds that government spending also factors into the inflation equation. It’s been pouring gasoline on the inflation fire for some time now and recent spending bills—exceeding $700 billion—illustrate it has no intention of putting the gas can down anytime soon.

Continuing on the recent spending bills, Nick examines how the media reported on their passage: “creative writing bordering on economic fiction.” Further, Nick discusses the new competing definitions of recession, and how economic indicators have been hijacked by the thought police just like the scientific ones with energy, climate and pandemic have been. Similarly, Nick delves into how scientific credibility has been taken over by political science.

In closing, Nick shifts from science to sci-fi, highlighting one of his favorite shows growing up, Rod Serling’s “Night Gallery.” He offers two timely Serling quotes, including, “We're developing a new citizenry. One that will be very selective about cereals and automobiles, but won't be able to think.”

In this special Far Middle installment, Nick addresses a range of questions received from listeners over the past year. Nick leads off by discussing one of the most frequent questions: how he develops each episode and chooses his topics. Listen as Nick explains the process that includes featuring topics rooted in the themes discussed in Precipice. Nick also previews a few format changes to watch for in the weeks ahead.

Additional listener questions and topics addressed include the asset class he has the most concern over; which central bank has done the most damage over the past roughly dozen years; a new concert review (per constant listener demand); and, the state of the Colorado River, western U.S. drought and water consumption.

And while Nick would love to answer requests for his list of top 20 movies of all time (perhaps to be revealed in a future essay on nickdeiuliis.com), he does offer one from the list in closing with happy birthday wishes to Robert De Niro. Which De Niro movie? Press play and enjoy!

After discussing a few tournament stats and sharing a few tournament memories, Nick connects the tournament’s expansion to 64 teams in 1985 to the inflation we see today—something we similarly haven’t seen since the early 1980s.

The construction industry is in focus this episode, as Nick examines how construction firms are navigating inflation and how they’re being forced to either build price contingencies into bids or altogether pass on opportunities due to uncertain risk. He explains our inflationary situation is both self-fueling and self-fulfilling and explains that “current expectations on the future determine the future.”

Next, Nick steers into the automotive sector, where bureaucratic fantasy, government spreadsheets, and environmentalists’ dreams are all coming to fruition to result in chaos, inefficiency, and pain.

Switching gears, Nick reflects on how the mainstream media seems to regularly ignore public officials switching core positions on the biggest of issues, in particular school choice. On school choice, Nick looks at the return on investment students, parents, and taxpayers are getting (or not getting) from our public education system, and the potential student academic improvement and tax dollars saved if public education dollars were going to private schools.

Following education, Nick provides another example of how the capital markets (specifically credit rating firms) are orbiting closer to the political and ideological and further from the quantitative and the objective.

Concluding this episode is a critique of “elite” economists, including Dr. Janet Yellen, on being horribly wrong on the most basic economic items.

Listen as Nick recounts the 1968 AFC Divisional Playoff when Upshaw and Lanier went head-to-head, and where Lanier and the Chiefs won the matchup’s coin toss and chose to defend the South goal line. On returning to the Oakland bench, Upshaw told his teammates: “Buckle up your chinstraps. We’ve just been insulted.”

Nick then starts connecting dots, starting with the insults the Biden administration continues to hand down on Americans, highlighting the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act amidst broader inconsistent U.S. trade and energy policy. “What gets interesting is when all these points come together,” says Nick. “We have all of these U.S. government intentions and desires colliding and conflicting into a massive and incoherent and illogical mess.”

Next, Nick discusses how dependent and interconnected everything is to energy, and the natural gas shortage facing the EU. He then transitions to the mounting risks and concerns surrounding public pensions—a topic discussed at length in Precipice, in the chapter, Funding Sources Part 2: Unwitting Retirees (AKA “Other People’s Money”).

Nick concludes by commenting on the four political parties he sees in America today, and then closes by reflecting on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in conjunction with the upcoming 59^th anniversary of his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Specifically, Nick looks at media coverage of energy exports and fuel prices, as well as Russia using as energy as a force multiplier as it curtails natural gas flows to Europe. And he questions why there’s not more journalistic focus on the current administration’s regulatory attack on domestic energy, which is increasing fuel prices and hurting Europe. 

Next, Nick examines the current state of American energy and environmental policy after 17 months of the Biden Administration, followed by a discussion on the Federal Reserve (and its army of economists) continuing to be behind the inflation curve. 

And in a Far Middle first, Nick examines the flow of the Ganges River in India. While a topical first, the takeaway is a continuing Far Middle theme—stay vigilant in separating fact from fiction. Last up this episode is a Far Middle real estate update examining Malibu, Cal., where the median price for a single-family home reached $6.99 million in the first quarter of 2022. 

And Nick closes with a Far Middle signature connection, linking Roger Marris to “Robert Zimmerman” to George Kaiser.

American schools are dropping proficiency exams, class rankings, the SATs, and erasing meritocracy—going the exact opposite of the Chinese educational system. The only winners in the watering down of America’s educational system are the academic complex’s bureaucrats and administrators.  “Who has the more virtuous and meritocracy-based education system, China or the United States,” asks Nick.

Next, Nick calls out the “America COMPETES Act,” which he says would weaken us against China and perpetuate our educational system monopoly—doing nothing for great teachers, students, parents, or taxpayers. Nick then addresses the benefits and growing popularity of school choice, as well as education being a pivotal issue in the recent Virginia gubernatorial election.

Shifting from education, Nick discusses Russia’s invasion into Ukraine. While Russia is all-in on their attack, the West isn’t even half-in. “Russia, I fear, is going to win,” says Nick. “If Russia prevails in eastern Ukraine, it’s energy dominance over the EU will have grown, and the EU and the US will continue to chase damaging energy policies that will put even more power in the hands of Russia and China, and that power will be wielded, and we will not like the results.”

Next up are “fraudsters and big business,” as Nick examines the Elizabeth Holmes/Theranos scheme. Then, Nick questions why NY Gov. Hochul is offering New Yorkers with prior marijuana convictions the state’s first retail marijuana licenses. And while in a New York State of Mind, Nick closes with a few thoughts on greatest hits albums.

Next, Nick comments on the foolishness of John Kerry, as well as President Biden’s recent State of the Union address. Nick explains how Russia’s invasion into Ukraine has cornered President Biden and the Left. He reiterates Putin’s invasion, as well as inflation, supply chain issues, diminished energy security, are all symptoms of the deeper underlying root cause: the West’s climate change policies. Nick also addresses Iran, Saudi Arabia, the Federal Reserve and much more. In closing, Nick wishes a happy birthday to guitarist and Pittsburgh native George Benson, “the greatest jazz guitarist of his generation.”