If you read the headlines, and the grasp the talking topic of the news media....Trump didn't pay a penny of tax for almost a decade.
The curious thing? Last year (2018)....sixty Fortune 500 companies avoided all federal taxes (ZERO), because of the tax code on the books. Most of them can readily show that not just for 2018, but for numerous years, they paid no taxes.
The system.....the code.....allows for that.
Who wrote the tax code (80,000 pages)? Wise Senators and Congressmen.
If you ask, the Times, by putting that story out there.....now might generate public interest in finally dumping all 80,000 pages and going to a 10-page regulation that requires you to pay a tax, period. Will the wise Senators and Congressmen do so?
No.
Wednesday, 8 May 2019
Tuesday, 7 May 2019
Med Story
I came upon this topic about a month ago, and it's been on my mind. A number of states have to medical marijuana being legal.....oddly then saying that if you had a gun license or a concealed gun situation....that the legal weed situation would invalidate your gun situation.
Naturally, if you sat and thought about this enough....then logic would dictate that you'd avoid medical marijuana and just going to 'Curtis' (your weed dealer on 3rd Street), and buy the illegal stuff.
But this also brings up additional questions about medical marijuana.
If you use the stuff....can you still operate a car with your regular license? Shouldn't that right be taken away as well?
If you owned a riding lawn mower.....shouldn't that mower be taken away because of your medical marijuana situation?
If you liked to play with lawn darts in the front yard.....shouldn't your dozen lawn darts be taken away?
If you used medical marijuana, how can you be allowed to apply for home loans? You might be too doped up to realize what you were doing.
If you used medical marijuana, can we even allow you to attend Baptist revivals? You might be too doped up to realize demons are just six feet away, or that dump into the pool with the reverend might accidentally drown you.
If you ask you....we need to go back to the old system....where 'Curtis' down on 3rd Street sold you all the weed you wanted....no chatter about government regulations....and he didn't care about your nervous twitch, your knee issues, or your gun license. It was just a deal.
Naturally, if you sat and thought about this enough....then logic would dictate that you'd avoid medical marijuana and just going to 'Curtis' (your weed dealer on 3rd Street), and buy the illegal stuff.
But this also brings up additional questions about medical marijuana.
If you use the stuff....can you still operate a car with your regular license? Shouldn't that right be taken away as well?
If you owned a riding lawn mower.....shouldn't that mower be taken away because of your medical marijuana situation?
If you liked to play with lawn darts in the front yard.....shouldn't your dozen lawn darts be taken away?
If you used medical marijuana, how can you be allowed to apply for home loans? You might be too doped up to realize what you were doing.
If you used medical marijuana, can we even allow you to attend Baptist revivals? You might be too doped up to realize demons are just six feet away, or that dump into the pool with the reverend might accidentally drown you.
If you ask you....we need to go back to the old system....where 'Curtis' down on 3rd Street sold you all the weed you wanted....no chatter about government regulations....and he didn't care about your nervous twitch, your knee issues, or your gun license. It was just a deal.
Ten Observations on Switzerland
I spent a couple of days traveling around Switzerland in the past week....checking out Lucerne, Bern, and Zurich. I came to note ten things:
1. I rode the trains extensively, which regard as one of the finer railway systems in the world. At some point (in Zurich), we were ending the day and needed to return to Lucerne (it would be a normal 45 minute ride). We boarded the train, sat down and the departure time came up....but we weren't moving. A minute or two passes, and this teenage female voice (probably 18 years old, but sounding like a 10-year old kid) comes on the speaker system, and suggesting a technical 'default' had occurred with the engine, and they were working on the problem.
She was careful not to suggest a safety issue, or broke engine. But between the voice and use of wording, it was obvious that she was trying to be careful without saying the worse-case scenario. Five minutes pass, and the worse-case scenario has occurred....in a squeaky teenage voice.....we were broke, and needed to move onto the next train (leaving in 20 minutes).
One of the odd features of Switzerland that you learn is that they really have an abundance of technician jobs, but not enough in population to fill them. So they often recruit from outside of the country, or go and force kids into trades that they'd typically never think about (like a 17-year old girl being recruited to be an engineer driver).
2. There are Chinese tourists all over Switzerland, and carefully noting lots of things to copy. The comical side of this is that a lot of the knife sales (something the Swiss were famous for in the 1980s).....have been bought by Chinese companies, and when you buy what appears to be a high quality knife....it's actually made in China, and shipped to Switzerland to sell.
3. The finest hash browns in the world (called rostis)....are made in Switzerland. They are served primarily for lunch and dinner.
4. Maybe for burgers or pizza, you can still eat for $10 or less....but if you walk into any real restaurant and order a table dinner.....don't expect to get anything decent for less than the equivalent of $25.
5. With one single exception, over five days....I saw the cops only once. It doesn't matter if you are talking about train stations or shopping districts.....you just don't see the cops.
6. Head Shops. Legally, weed is still illegal. However, just about everything around the use of weed is sold. So, one might take this to suggest that twenty-percent of the population is using marijuana in some form, and the cops are just looking the other way.
7. E-scooters. In Bern and Zurich, I probably noted around 10,000 e-scooters being used or parked around the two cities. I saw older retirees riding them, and kids down around the age of ten. There's rapid growth going on, and it's a part of the landscape now.
8. Tourism appears to be booming. It's not just bus travel....people are using the railway system to travel around, and go select their own choice for a hotel (like I did).
9. You see an awful lot of housing via the train lines, in rural areas.....which were built in the past ten years. Ten miles....even twenty miles outside of a metropolitan area.
10. You just don't see dirt-poor or welfare-type people around on the streets.
1. I rode the trains extensively, which regard as one of the finer railway systems in the world. At some point (in Zurich), we were ending the day and needed to return to Lucerne (it would be a normal 45 minute ride). We boarded the train, sat down and the departure time came up....but we weren't moving. A minute or two passes, and this teenage female voice (probably 18 years old, but sounding like a 10-year old kid) comes on the speaker system, and suggesting a technical 'default' had occurred with the engine, and they were working on the problem.
She was careful not to suggest a safety issue, or broke engine. But between the voice and use of wording, it was obvious that she was trying to be careful without saying the worse-case scenario. Five minutes pass, and the worse-case scenario has occurred....in a squeaky teenage voice.....we were broke, and needed to move onto the next train (leaving in 20 minutes).
One of the odd features of Switzerland that you learn is that they really have an abundance of technician jobs, but not enough in population to fill them. So they often recruit from outside of the country, or go and force kids into trades that they'd typically never think about (like a 17-year old girl being recruited to be an engineer driver).
2. There are Chinese tourists all over Switzerland, and carefully noting lots of things to copy. The comical side of this is that a lot of the knife sales (something the Swiss were famous for in the 1980s).....have been bought by Chinese companies, and when you buy what appears to be a high quality knife....it's actually made in China, and shipped to Switzerland to sell.
3. The finest hash browns in the world (called rostis)....are made in Switzerland. They are served primarily for lunch and dinner.
4. Maybe for burgers or pizza, you can still eat for $10 or less....but if you walk into any real restaurant and order a table dinner.....don't expect to get anything decent for less than the equivalent of $25.
5. With one single exception, over five days....I saw the cops only once. It doesn't matter if you are talking about train stations or shopping districts.....you just don't see the cops.
6. Head Shops. Legally, weed is still illegal. However, just about everything around the use of weed is sold. So, one might take this to suggest that twenty-percent of the population is using marijuana in some form, and the cops are just looking the other way.
7. E-scooters. In Bern and Zurich, I probably noted around 10,000 e-scooters being used or parked around the two cities. I saw older retirees riding them, and kids down around the age of ten. There's rapid growth going on, and it's a part of the landscape now.
8. Tourism appears to be booming. It's not just bus travel....people are using the railway system to travel around, and go select their own choice for a hotel (like I did).
9. You see an awful lot of housing via the train lines, in rural areas.....which were built in the past ten years. Ten miles....even twenty miles outside of a metropolitan area.
10. You just don't see dirt-poor or welfare-type people around on the streets.
Water and Cost
I sat in a restaurant and had reviewed the menu to order something 'safe'. That typically means while in Switzerland, to avoid anything saying 'Tartar' (which means it'll be delivered to the table 'uncooked').
But at some point, being dehydrated, I ordered the beer, and noted that I really needed some water, so I asked the guy.....for a bottle of water.....'still' water, meaning without the bubbles.
So he comes out with this Arkine water bottle.
Later, I'm looking at the receipt, and realize that the water was actually just as expensive as the beer I ordered (around 5.5 SF, meaning around $5 for a bottle of water). I felt silly (being Alabama where spring-water is typically free).
I will admit, it was fine water, but probably not in the $5 range for a 10-ounce bottle. Course, maybe it was refreshed and poured from the spring-site by naive innocent virgin ladies.
Saturday, 4 May 2019
Legal Chatter
Over the past month or two, I've noticed a couple of 'blue' states which have worked up draft laws (and passing them), which would require you (as a Presidential candidate) to release your tax submissions to the IRS. No release? No path to the state nomination process for President.
Legal? Well, it'll be challenged, and the chie problem I see is that they made this feature ONLY for people running for President. If they'd said everyone (from dog-catcher to city councilman) would have to do the same.....it might withstand legal issues. I think the big court folks will just laugh and throw this out.
But somewhere along the way, some state (maybe Alabama) will get into this game, and add blue-state-like tactics as well.
For example: mandate that you have to be five-foot six inches tall to run for President and show up to be measured by the State Attorney General.
For example: provide all social media commentary for three years, if running for President.
For example: provide evidence of a driver's license being current, if running for President.
For example: provide your shoe size, preferred breakfast menu, and a photo of your favorite teacher....if you want to run for President.
It's silly but we are evolving into a silly society.
Legal? Well, it'll be challenged, and the chie problem I see is that they made this feature ONLY for people running for President. If they'd said everyone (from dog-catcher to city councilman) would have to do the same.....it might withstand legal issues. I think the big court folks will just laugh and throw this out.
But somewhere along the way, some state (maybe Alabama) will get into this game, and add blue-state-like tactics as well.
For example: mandate that you have to be five-foot six inches tall to run for President and show up to be measured by the State Attorney General.
For example: provide all social media commentary for three years, if running for President.
For example: provide evidence of a driver's license being current, if running for President.
For example: provide your shoe size, preferred breakfast menu, and a photo of your favorite teacher....if you want to run for President.
It's silly but we are evolving into a silly society.
Wednesday, 1 May 2019
If the Census Avoids Counting Illegals?
In general, two states (California and Texas) will likely (based on various statistical displays) will lose two representatives and districts. Florida, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey stand to lose one district/representative. Georgia, North Carolina and Arizona would be on the list but those have some gains in number population, and might survive this.
The real pain here? Redrawing the districts, and the amount of suffering that the Supreme Court has to go through over the next decade.
In the case of Texas, with enough GOP in the state house....the redrawing would eliminate two Democratic districts (my suspicion). In the case of California, they'd work to eliminate two GOP districts.
The gainers? There are differing views on this. Most believe that the illegals will be counted, and that California, Texas, Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, and Oregon will be the gainers. If you subtract out the illegals....zero gain for California, Florida and Texas (perhaps one less). But all of this assumes some numbers in the California population (if these people haven't packed up and left).
This idea by Senator Jones of Alabama to go ahead and count illegals in Alabama? Well, based on a count in 2014, the state has at best....around 65,000 illegals. Some will dispute that number and suggest it's more (closer to 100,000) and others will say down to around 30,000. That's the problem with this whole game of counting.
And the international students in various Alabama colleges? Well, no one has brought that up. Most universities in the state will not advertise their number or publicly announce the trend. My humble guess is that more than 15,000 foreign students exist in the state. Those kids are on a visa, and probably should be counted.
The real pain here? Redrawing the districts, and the amount of suffering that the Supreme Court has to go through over the next decade.
In the case of Texas, with enough GOP in the state house....the redrawing would eliminate two Democratic districts (my suspicion). In the case of California, they'd work to eliminate two GOP districts.
The gainers? There are differing views on this. Most believe that the illegals will be counted, and that California, Texas, Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, and Oregon will be the gainers. If you subtract out the illegals....zero gain for California, Florida and Texas (perhaps one less). But all of this assumes some numbers in the California population (if these people haven't packed up and left).
This idea by Senator Jones of Alabama to go ahead and count illegals in Alabama? Well, based on a count in 2014, the state has at best....around 65,000 illegals. Some will dispute that number and suggest it's more (closer to 100,000) and others will say down to around 30,000. That's the problem with this whole game of counting.
And the international students in various Alabama colleges? Well, no one has brought that up. Most universities in the state will not advertise their number or publicly announce the trend. My humble guess is that more than 15,000 foreign students exist in the state. Those kids are on a visa, and probably should be counted.
Tuesday, 30 April 2019
Smart Story
I noticed in car news today....that Smart (the sub-brand off Mercedes) was ending sales in the US at the end of 2019.
Chief reason? Well....when they started US sales in 2008....they sold a fair number of the vehicles (in the 25k range). It'd been drifting downward for five or six years, and last year.....they went with only the battery version. That was a total failure....barely selling 1,200 Smarts. The range of that battery Smart? 108 miles on one charge.....dismal.
I owned a Smart for three years....all of 51 hp.
It was a death-trap. No spare-tire. Hot as heck in the summer with the marginal AC unit, and the glass roof. The thing had no real suspension. If you pumped the gas hard, you might get up to around 65 mph. The gas tank barely held four gallons of fuel.
The list went on and on. I think at one point toward the end, I had forty issues with the car. Just changing a lightbulb on the front.....I required the services of a 8-year old kid with small hands. Changing the oil was next to impossible because it had to be 'sucked' out (there was no drain plug).
It made sense if you were just living in a small town, and wanted something to haul groceries, or get your dog to the vet. Oh, and the mpg situation was terrific, but since you had only room for four gallons, you still had to refuel about every five days.
Chief reason? Well....when they started US sales in 2008....they sold a fair number of the vehicles (in the 25k range). It'd been drifting downward for five or six years, and last year.....they went with only the battery version. That was a total failure....barely selling 1,200 Smarts. The range of that battery Smart? 108 miles on one charge.....dismal.
I owned a Smart for three years....all of 51 hp.
It was a death-trap. No spare-tire. Hot as heck in the summer with the marginal AC unit, and the glass roof. The thing had no real suspension. If you pumped the gas hard, you might get up to around 65 mph. The gas tank barely held four gallons of fuel.
The list went on and on. I think at one point toward the end, I had forty issues with the car. Just changing a lightbulb on the front.....I required the services of a 8-year old kid with small hands. Changing the oil was next to impossible because it had to be 'sucked' out (there was no drain plug).
It made sense if you were just living in a small town, and wanted something to haul groceries, or get your dog to the vet. Oh, and the mpg situation was terrific, but since you had only room for four gallons, you still had to refuel about every five days.
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