Life's Better Ideas

Occasional links to, and comments on, ideas that I think will make this a better world, and remarks about things that need fixing, too.

Name:
Location: Denver, Colorado, United States

Thursday, December 29, 2005

Sacco and Vanzetti

may have been guilty after all, according to Upton Sinclair. HT janegalt

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Ten Worst Americans

allthingsbeautiful has started a roundup of Ten Worst Americans. Here's five:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt - he gave a big push to big government.

The Founding Fathers - they didn't require immediate constitutional review of all new laws by the Supreme Court. I know. That's an easy decision in hindsight.

Horace Mann - he appears to be a major force in public/government schools.

Albert G. Hart and Beardsley Ruml sold congress on income tax withholding by your employer.

Big Stories of 2005

The anchoress has a few suggestions.

Public schools

might be unconstitutional. Why? Because they're public. HT walterindenver

Saturday, December 24, 2005

ANWR Myths

Exposed. HT betsyspage

Read this

and find out what one Democratic woman has to say about her party. T'ain't good. You can just see the steam rising.

12 Days of Christmas

Liberal style. Don't miss Monopoly Eminent Domain, Inflatable Nanny State Companion Doll, and the Ted Kennedy Bathtub Playset, among others. HT riehlworldview

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

4th Amendment, Wiretapping, etc

New Sisyphus weighs in with the latest. It seems like Bush does have the authority to wiretap without a warrant anyone connected with 9/11.

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Darfur

Deteriorating. If you thought things couldn't get any worse, well, they did. HT instapundit

Tea Party

Walter lets us know that today is the 232nd anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. I recall reading somewhere that Thomas Jefferson said we should have a revolution about once every four generations. We're long overdue. Throw the bastards out!

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Required Reading

From Norman Podhoretz on Iraq. HT Richard Combs

Monday, December 12, 2005

Budgeting

Well, Well, Well. Maybe the Democrats will do something intelligent in the Colorado Legislature this year. Rep. Bernie Buescher (D Grand Junction) is pushing to introduce "metrics" into the budgeting process, according to a Denver Post story in today's paper.

I spent about 8 years back in the 80's and 90's writing budgeting software for Boulder Community Hospital that was heavy on budgeting by units of service. Every department measured both costs and revenues by how much each metric produced. Some departments used FTE's (full time equivalent people), some used operations performed or services delivered, some used square footage, and so forth. It worked very well in holding down costs. You can use the same technique to reduce errors, too. When you see your cost per service delivered drop 5 percent, you can give yourself a pat on the back. Might get a raise, too.

I hope Bernie is successful in this endeavour.

Prisoners

Is that where the left is coming from?

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Service

Need to speak with a real human? Try this list. HT newmarksdoor

Republican whores

I've never had much respect for the Republican party, and even less for the Democrats, but this takes the cake. Republicans were perceived to have some respect for the Constitution. No longer. "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face," Bush screamed back. "It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!"

A Communist Christmas Carol!

Here.

Market failure?

In rebuilding New Orleans? There's a couple of interesting solutions in the comments.

Financial advice

Good stuff, from someone who knows what they're talking about.

Miscarriage of justice

If you haven't read about Cory Maye, do so now. This is outrageous. HT instapundit and talkleft

Ask Jeeves

Here's a new use for Ask Jeeves.

Friday, December 09, 2005

Middle East news

from Jordan's King Abdullah.

Predictions

from a long time ago.

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Pick up band

I went to the contra dance last Friday and Jeff, who is part of the Grouchy Geezers made a little speech about how the band that evening came together. Jeff told us that at 5pm (the dance started at 8) he found out that two of the four band members had other committments. So he called Larry, who was at the airport picking up another musician who was coming into town for some reason or other. Jeff convinced them to show up for our dance and the music turned out great! One of the top 10 evenings for music in the 5 years I've been contra dancing.

Monday, December 05, 2005

Required Reading

Here. HT neo-neocon

Sunday, December 04, 2005

Underreported news

Here. HT vodkapundit

Emergency Response

A must read article on responding to emergencies. HT instapundit

Saturday, December 03, 2005

Education

Linda Seebach writes about private education in poor nations which leads me to suggest that private schools here could attract more students by changing their business model to allow students (or their parents) to pay by the month. It's pretty tough for the poor to save up a year's tuition, but many, I suspect, might be able to scrape up a month's worth.