Keith shows us how to use semaphores.
Great info from the Wall Street Journal on the double taxation of dividends, which it seems is very unfortunately not in the current legislation making its way through congress.
The disappointment is that Mr. Thomas has refused to budge on ever getting to a zero tax rate on dividends. He never did warm to Mr. Bush's proposal, in part because he wasn't consulted on its design. Instead he has consented only to cutting the top dividend tax rate to 15% from 38.6% and the top capital-gains rate to 15% from 20%. This is a lot better than nothing, and certainly better than what we'd get if today's Democrats were running Congress.
But it is missing an opportunity because it is so rare that a President is willing to invest his own political capital on behalf of cutting taxes on economic capital. Even Nebraska's Ben Nelson says that he prefers the zero rate on dividends, putting the Senate Democrat to the right of the chief House Republican tax writer. Mr. Thomas appears to us to be leaving some tax money on the political table.
The zero rate would also establish an important principle that all income should be taxed only once, a precedent that could be applied to tax reform in the future. As a political matter, it is also harder to reimpose a tax that has been eliminated than it is to raise the rate of a tax that still exists. By leaving the dividend tax in place, even at a lower rate, Mr. Thomas is all but guaranteeing that some Congress will raise it in the future.
The article says there's still a chance that the cut can make it in, so... here's hoping.
Update: An even better article from Representative Ron Paul, MD, via Oliver, The False Tax Cut Debate:
The truth is, government officials can't know what consumers and investors will do if they get a tax cut. Plugging tax cut data into a computer and expecting an accurate projection of the economic outcome is about as reliable as asking Congress to project government surpluses.
Two important points are purposely ignored:
1. The money people earn is their own and they have a moral right to keep as much of it as possible. It is not Congress' money to spend.
2. Government spending is the problem! Taking a big chunk of the people's earnings out of the economy, whether through taxes or borrowing, is always harmful.
Two points to remember:
1. Whether or not people can keep what they earn is first a moral issue and second an economic issue. Tax cuts should never be referred to as a "cost to government." Tax cuts should be much bigger and come much sooner for everyone.
2. The real issue is total spending by government, yet this issue is ignored or politicized by both sides of the aisle in Congress.
The political discussion about whether to cut taxes avoids the real issues and instead degenerates into charges of class and party warfare, with both sides lusting for power.
Of course the real issue for the ages, namely, "What is the proper role for government in a constitutional republic?" is totally ignored. And yet the bigger question is: "Are the American people determined they still wish to have a constitutional republic?"
Freaking awesome.
The Ninjai Gang is turning out a new thing called KarmaKula. and it looks cool. I'm not really sure what it is yet, but here's their FAQ about it:
Q: Is KarmaKula Flash animation like Ninjai?
A. No. It's a unique style of storytelling which you’ll just have to see! KarmaKula is its own thing and we hope that you will judge it without reference to how great Ninjai is. We feel that Ninjai is great and we hope you feel the same. We feel that KarmaKula is great and we hope you like it as much.
Plus, neat info about Ninjai:
We are still working on Ninjai Chapters 11, 12 and 13, but we're slowed up a bit because we're simultaneously working on the story for a Ninjai movie as well as potential television episodes.
That's awesome. They say the new episodes will be out soon, but I don't know when that was written 
Thursday, May 22, 2003
Permalink
new⇒Free image hosting sites
Well, TinyPic has this in itsFAQ:
> Images and videos is inyour accoun...
Keith: Dec 1, 1:13am