Problems are for Solving

Dry-Cleaning Economics in One Lesson| The Foundation for Economic Education: The Freeman, Ideas on Liberty
Another day, another news story about economic wackiness. Gas prices rise, the dollar sinks, and stores are limiting rice sales. What could be next? Clothes hangers.

Yes, clothes hangers. Marie Sledge, co-owner of Rome (Georgia) Cleaners, states, “Hangers last year at this time were $28 a box, where now they are $56.” News reports indicate that cleaners in Springfield, Missouri; Birmingham, Alabama; and Harlem are also encountering doubling hanger prices. In response, many cleaners are posting signs in their shops encouraging customers to return used hangers.

Hangers can’t, even if combined with government subsidies, be converted into biofuels. So what is causing the rapid increase in hanger prices? Government, of course, though in this case it’s the trade bureaucrats at the Department of Commerce rather than the folks behind other debacles in the news these days.

In a March 19 news release the Department of Commerce “announced its affirmative preliminary determination in the antidumping duty investigation on imports of steel wire garment hangers from the People’s Republic of China.” Translation: The government will now impose tariffs on hangers imported from China. The tariffs vary by supplier, ranging from a lightly starched 33 percent to a truly stiff 221 percent. With hanger prices potentially tripling because of tariffs, it’s easy to understand the disruption facing dry cleaners.

As one who uses dry-cleaners a lot, I found this examination of how unintended consequences of government action affects our day to day out-of-pocket outlays. Enjoy!

Instant-Messagers Really Are About Six Degrees from Kevin Bacon - washingtonpost.com
With records of 30 billion electronic conversations among 180 million people from around the world, researchers have concluded that any two people on average are distanced by just 6.6 degrees of separation, meaning that they could be linked by a string of seven or fewer acquaintances.

I’ve heard the phrase a number of times and thought it interestingly possible. It might actually be 7 degrees (6.6), but it’s a networking phenom that reminds us that the world is smaller than it feels sometimes.

HT: Gene Edward Veith

Grantian Florilegium: Petty Tyrannies
“The most terrifying words in the English language are, I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” Ronald Reagan

George Grant has a bunch of quotes on overactive Government on his blog, and they made me laugh so I’m sharing them with you. You’ll have to click through to his to read them all–but a famous one by Reagan is above.

Douglas Wilson has a good post here (in parable form) about evaluating the media. I find his parables to be among the best of his writings—this one is well done.

On a semi-related note, my wife was laughing the other day about the irony of my writing about the Christian war on the heels of my post about the mistaken IRS letter regarding my fictitious residence in a combat zone.

Coffee Drinks Illustrated | Lokesh Dhakar

Here’s a link to some diagrams of espresso drinks. They’re missing my favorite, of course, a “redeye” which is what my lovely wife brews up for me most mornings.

It’s like the Americano, but better. We take a triple shot of espresso and water it down with coffee.

Keeps me going all morning!

Amazing Money Origami | Blogger Trail

At the link above you’ll find some really cool pictures of Origami made of federal reserve notes. The tank (first picture) is my favorite. Theresa stumbled upon this the other night and I asked her to send me the link.

Enjoy!