Curated playlist

American libertarians

Rupert MurdochRupert Murdoch kept a bust of Lenin in his rooms at Oxford. Peers called him "Red Rupert".
Clarence ThomasClarence Thomas was born on the 23rd of June 1948 in a wooden shack in Pin Point, Georgia. Nothing about that tiny dwelling suggested a seat at the highest court in the land. Since 1991 he has sat on the Supreme Court of the United States,…
David LynchDavid Lynch began as a painter who just wanted his canvases to move. That wish led him to film.
Ron PaulRon Paul delivered the Tejano singer Selena as a baby. He was a Texas obstetrician before he ran for president.
Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Clint EastwoodPresident Reagan quoted Clint Eastwood's line "Go ahead, make my day" to Congress.
Eliezer YudkowskyA 2023 Time op-ed by Eliezer Yudkowsky reached the White House press briefing room.
Hunter S. ThompsonHunter S. Thompson's Gonzo style began as a Kentucky Derby deadline scramble. He mailed pages ripped from his notebook.
Poul AndersonPoul Anderson's typewriter now sits in a Berkeley bookshop. His widow donated it after he died in 2001.
Rand PaulRand Paul began speaking on the floor of the United States Senate on the 6th of March 2013, and he did not stop for 12 hours and 52 minutes. The occasion was the nomination of John O. Brennan to run the Central Intelligence Agency. Paul…
Kid RockKid Rock, born Robert James Ritchie in Romeo, Michigan, was 17 when he signed with Jive Records. Years later, his album Devil Without a Cause sold 14 million copies. Both facts belong to one career, and little else about that career is…
Milton FriedmanMilton Friedman argued the Federal Reserve let the money supply shrink by one-third between 1929 and 1933.
Ludwig von MisesNazi troops raided Ludwig von Mises's Vienna apartment and took his papers. He was already in Geneva.
Alan GreenspanIn October 2008, Alan Greenspan told Congress his faith in free markets had a flaw.
Frank ZappaAs a boy, Frank Zappa spread mercury across his bedroom floor with a hammer. His father brought it home from work.
James M. BuchananEconomist James M. Buchanan argued that politicians act from self-interest like everyone else.
Robert E. HowardRobert E. Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian, died at thirty with almost none of his work in a book.
Jonathan DavisKorn singer Jonathan Davis was a coroner's assistant at sixteen. He also worked as a professional embalmer.
Gary BeckerEconomist Gary Becker argued that criminals are not irrational. He said they weigh the risks and rewards of a crime.
Erik PrinceErik Prince, the founder of the private military contractor Blackwater, once defended his company with a line that has followed him ever since. "No one under our care was ever killed or injured. We kept them safe, all the while we had 30…
Billy CorganRolling Stone once called Billy Corgan and his Smashing Pumpkins bandmates "ruthless virtuosos." Corgan was born William Patrick Corgan Jr. in Chicago on the 17th of March 1967. He is the singer, lead guitarist and chief songwriter of the…
Julian SimonJulian Simon bet Paul Ehrlich that five metals would get cheaper. All five did.
Roger VerRoger Ver was arrested in Spain in April 2024 on a U.S. tax evasion indictment.
Mark CubanIn 2002, Mark Cuban told the world that the NBA's manager of officials, Ed T. Rush, "wouldn't be able to manage a Dairy Queen." The restaurant chain took offense. Its management answered with an invitation to prove the point. Cuban…
Jesse VenturaJesse Ventura, born James George Janos, stood before a crowd in November 1998 and declared, "We shocked the world!" He had a point. A man known to millions as a loud, villain-loving wrestling announcer had just won the governor's office of…
Palmer LuckeyPalmer Luckey once built a virtual reality headset meant to kill the person wearing it. Announced in November 2022 as a tribute to the anime Sword Art Online, it appeared to be a modified Meta Quest Pro. Several explosive charges were…