Brian Gongol
The G-20 economies compared to the economies of the United States
That is, the 50 states in the Union. Pretty illustrative.
Stupid plan to repeal Iowa's tax deduction for Federal taxes paid leads to chaos at the Legislature
And the Republicans opposing the plan used a couple of technological angles to get the word out about the situation. From all reasonable appearances, the audience showed up hoping for a fight and the leadership in the Iowa House overreacted by throwing everyone out. The people who attend government meetings of any type ought to behave like adults -- and the people running those meetings need to know the difference between taking a five-minute time-out and throwing everyone out of the room. Either way, the proposal still doesn't make any sense. Why should people have to pay taxes on the money they already paid in other taxes? The legislature and the governor are insulting the people of Iowa by spending far more than ever before and using back-door ways to try to spend even more. It's appalling, and it's dangerous for the long-term health of the state. And as our fiscal situation deteriorates, we should expect it to be even harder to attract young workers, who will end up paying the taxes for today's fiscal imprudence.
It's not just an American thing: Iranian newspapers are in trouble, too
Even government aid can't keep a newspaper open in Iran. Meanwhile, a think-tank in the UK says that the BBC should stop trying to act like a commercial broadcaster. That's for the British to decide, but one thing is clear: The BBC undoubtedly helps spread British influence in a way that few other tools possibly could. That's why the United States needs to beef up the Voice of America.
Baby chicks can do math
Or at least, it looks like they can. But "the chicken ate my homework" still doesn't have quite the requisite ring to it. Now, the question is: Could a chicken operate a microwave in the forest?
Podcast: It's time to get rid of "management" degrees and replace them with DPI: Development and Preservation of Institutions
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Podcast: Getting DTV inside a metal house
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Revisions to Iowa water-quality regulations remain in limbo
