Eclectopedia

The Gainesville Tea Party had an interesting idea: Treat the Federal budget like a family budget: U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000 Federal budget: $3,820,000,000,000 New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000 National debt: $14,271,000,000,000 Recent budget cut: $ 38,500,000,000 Remove 8 zeros and pretend it’s a family’s budget: Annual family income: $21,700 Money the family spent: $38,200 New debt [...]

Mises vs. the greatest artists of our age. (Hint: Mises loses big time.)

I wrote the first version of this note in answer to a young writer on the discussion board of my novel revision course. (http://howtoreviseyournovel.com/ by fantasy writer Holly Lisle.) It was in answer to her- but it was really for me- to remind myself, as I go through this novel-writing and revision process again, all [...]

A wonderful article from Tim Kastelle: “Ten Great Women to Write About for Ada Lovelace Day” has gotten me started on reminiscences. I first met Ada Lovelace sometime in the ’70′s. I was in my early 20′s and had begun a frantic scramble to escape the unwelcome recognition that I was not who I was [...]

Americans are generally seen as being open and friendly. At the same time, we’re often viewed as rude and uncouth. How can that be? The explanation dawned on me when I was studying Hungarian. Our Hungarian teacher remarked at how off-putting she found it that she was greeted by total strangers with, “How are you?” [...]

The Czech bead making industry had become well established in the 16th century, and by the time trade was established in North America it had become world renowned.