Brian Gongol
Warren Buffett's annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders
Wasabi: The greatest threat to space security today
Radio show notes from March 4, 2007
Small piece of advice to a candidate
Mitt Romney is one of the few 2008 Presidential candidates who has actually worked in the private sector, and that's a "plus" in his column...but someone should tell the people at MyManMitt.com that "Mittheads" rhymes with a much less favorable thing you could call people. Kind of like "Fuddruckers"...it's interesting enough to get people's attention, but devious enough that you have to wonder about the judgement of the people coming up with the name.
Which cigarette-tax hike will win out?
Add HF 555 to the list of cigarette-tax increases that are being considered. The most serious issue with any of the proposals remains that when cigarette taxes are high, they subsidize organized crime. Related: The 2007 Iowa Legislative Scorecard.
A bigger state EITC
HF 531 would make Iowa's earned income tax credit more than twice as big as it is today, which is a fine way of helping the poor -- much better than raising the minimum wage. But does the EITC need to be hiked? Related: The 2007 Iowa Legislative Scorecard.
Skyrockets in flight...afternoon delight?
Missile test caught on Google Maps
You can beat a speed camera, but only if you're going 170 mph
(Video) And at the opposite end of the speed scale is the slow-motion Amazon water lilly, which is fascinating in its own right
Buying beer? Big Brother wants to know.
Iowa HF 56 would require anyone selling kegs of beer to keep track of the people who bought those kegs for 90 days. Meanwhile, Senate File 292 would impose new state rules on house parties. Related: The 2007 Iowa Legislative Scorecard.
Building a hotel with tax dollars can only end with taxpayers saddled with debt
The first rule of making money is to not lose money. That's a Benjamin Graham lesson. A city that plunks down public dollars to build a private enterprise (like a convention-center hotel) is just asking to lose money. Yet that's what some people want Des Moines to do.
