Alan K. Henderson's Weblog

Today's chart: per-pupil education expenditures since 1919, corrected for inflation.

Labels: Education, Politics

At NRO's The Corner: WH Slips Up Trying to Show How Easy It Is to Apply for Obamacare

Labels: Politics

Buzzfeed headline: 6 Castles That Cost Less Than An Apartment In NYC.

Labels: Cool stuff, Economics

The nightstand is par of the Laguna collection sold by Walmart - a discontinued model similar to this 2-drawer version.

On eBay I bought the 10-inch version of these (only the 7-inch version is listed currently). Underneath each of the nightstands I placed 2-by-4 trimmed to the proper height, to provide a surface wide enough to support the legs. Results turned out quite nicely.



Now if I can figure out how to get my camera (Kodak Easyshare 580) from browning out the greens in indoor pictures...

Next Big Future has an idea of what a moon base could look like.

The shape looks kinda familiar...

Labels: Humor, Space

So, now the House has voted to defund Obamacare.

Karl Rove is concerned that the defunding bill lacks "a credible chance of [passage] or affecting broad public opinion positively." His argument regarding the latter claim:

But won't voters be swayed by the arguments for defunding? The GPS poll tested the key arguments put forward by advocates of defunding and Mr. Obama's response. Independents went with Mr. Obama's counterpunch 57% to 35%. Voters in Senate battleground states sided with him 59% to 33%. In lean-Republican congressional districts and in swing congressional districts, Mr. Obama won by 56% to 39% and 58% to 33%, respectively. On the other hand, independents support by 51% to 42% delaying ObamaCare's mandate that individuals buy coverage or pay a fine.

Glenn Reynolds has another theory: "I think the GOP can win even by losing, forcing vulnerable Democrats to vote in favor of ObamaCare, which is even less popular than it was when it was rammed through."

Blogger Jim Tymen says now that the deed has been done, the Republicans can't back down without looking like "Obama and his red line in Syria."

Labels: Politics

By Rush Limbaugh:

American exceptionalism...does not mean that we're better people.  And it does not mean that we're special, more qualified, smarter, any of that, than anybody else in the world.

...

So what is it?  Well, if you know the history of the world... Read your Bible, read whatever historical account of humanity you hold dear, and what you'll read about is human tyranny.  You'll read of bondage. You'll read of slavery.  The vast majority of the people, the vast majority of the human beings who have lived and breathed and walked this planet have lived under the tyranny of despots, the vast majority.

...

The US is the first time in the history of the world where a government was organized with a Constitution laying out the rules, that the individual was supreme and dominant, and that is what led to the US becoming the greatest country ever because it unleashed people to be the best they could be. Nothing like it had ever happened.  That's American exceptionalism.

Senator Marco Rubio touches on what American exceptionalism means to the rest of the world: "History teaches us that a strong and engaged America is a source of good in the world. No nation has liberated more people or done more to raise living standards around the world through trade and charity than the United States. We remain a beacon of hope for people around the world."

Labels: Philosophy, Politics, World

Labels: History, War on Terror

Quiz is here.

You Scored as "Small L" libertarian Small l libertarians are libertarians, usually of the minarchist variety, who do not particularly identify with the official Libertarian Party or are not active in it, or may even actively oppose it. Small l libertarians are likely to view the Libertarian Party as moving in too moderate of a direction. Small l libertarian may tend to be more radical than many official Libertarian Party members. Some small l libertarians eventually transition to agorism, a completely apolitical approach to libertarianism. "Small L" libertarian 92% Neo-libertarian 75% Minarchist 67% Paleo-libertarian 67% Agorist 50% Geo-libertarian 25% Left-libertarian 25% Anarcho-capitalist 25% Libertarian socialist 0%

Labels: Politics

Shark Bite Bathing Suit.

And as grilling season winds down...the hamburger bed.

Labels: Cool stuff

Arctic icecap makes a comeback.

Labels: Science

When your blood alcohol exceeds the Major League Baseball batting average by a wide margin, you have had too much to drink.

Labels: Crime, Culture

Heh.

Labels: Humor, Sports

Then:



Now: EU plans to fit all cars with speed limiters.

Labels: Europe, Politics

(An annual blog tradition continues - original 2003 post here.)

The US Department of Labor has a webpage on the history of Labor Day. The DoL describes the spirit of the holiday thus:
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
Why do we have a holiday dedicated to only one element of commerce? The "strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country" is dependent on five factors:

• Liberty. Laws regarding commerce and property rights are relatively fair and consistent. Taxation levels, while far from ideal, are such that (except in a few areas) they do not choke out business startups and growth. The streets are free from warfare and from government pogroms.
• Culture. Society generally encourages private-sector employment; in several African nations, by contrast, the college-educated gravitate heavily toward government jobs. The rate of crimes against person and property, except in various urban neighborhoods, is not so high that businesses are driven away.
• Entrepreneurs. These are the people responsible for the organization of an entire company, the establishment of its entire product line, and the assumption of the risk inherent in the venture.
• Investors. Businesses must be financed. Outside sources such as banking institutions and stockholders routinely invest in established businesses, and occasionally provide capital for startups. Investors assume some degree of risk.
• Labor. Traditionally this term is used to signify all non-managerial positions within a company. I use it to refer to include all non-entrepreneurial positions in a company. The common usage of "labor" and "management" insinuates that managers (including entrepreneurs) don't really do anything, that their organizational duties isn't really "work." I use "entrepreneur" and "labor" to distinguish between those responsible for an entire company and those responsible for portions of it.

Happy Commerce Day! Drink a toast to the Bill of Rights, peaceful citizens, Bill Gates, Wall Street, and all your coworkers.

Labels: Blog traditions, Holidays