Beer and Taxes

THE TAX SYSTEM EXPLAINED IN BEER

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100...

If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this...

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7..
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do..

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve ball. "Since you are all such good customers," he said, "I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20". Drinks for the ten men would now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes. So the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men ? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his fair share?


They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer.

So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by a higher percentage the poorer he was, to follow the principle of the tax system they had been using, and he proceeded to work out the amounts he suggested that each should now pay.

And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% saving).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% saving).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% saving).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% saving).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% saving).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% saving).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But, once outside the bar, the men began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20 saving," declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,"but he got $10!"

"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar too. It's unfair that he got ten times more benefit than me!"

"That's true!" shouted the seventh man. "Why should he get $10 back, when I got only $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!"

"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison, "we didn't get anything at all. This new tax system exploits the poor!"

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had their beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and government ministers, is how our tax system works. The people who already pay the highest taxes will naturally get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas, where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

Passing the Gavel

Arizona Tragedy

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords

I'm sure many of you have heard the news of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords being shot in the head today.  As of this evening she's clinging to life, but the doctors are optimistic for her recovery, perhaps even a full recovery.  Let us remember her in our prayers.

The Honorable Judge John Roll, a friend of Giffords, had just left morning Mass and heard Representative Giffords was doing a "Congress on the Corner" (a town hall-like meeting, she was fond of doing), so he decided to stop by and say hello.  Judge Roll ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  A 22 year old gunman opened fire on the small crowd.  It is estimated there were 24 to 36 people there - and 19 of them were shot!  Judge Roll, may he rest in peace, is among 6 who died today, another was a 9 year old girl - and we don't know anything more, yet, of the other 4 who were gunned down.  

For those who lost their lives today we pray, eternal rest grant unto them, o Lord; may your Perpetual Light shine upon them; may they rest in peace.  Amen.

John McCarthy Roll (February 8, 1947 – January 8, 2011)

Jack Bauer Interrogates Santa

Knowing What's Behind You

Somebody sent me this mail.  I don’t know who this guy is but you should know who’s behind you.

This is freaking scary.  As you know I was alone when I downed this elk in ND.  I was using my camera’s timer attached to my shooting stick to give me enough time to get into the picture.  I knew there were a lot of cats in the area but had no idea they would come in this close to people.  He had to be within 10 feet of me and I didn’t even know it.  I about messed my pants when I looked at the pictures the next morning and saw he was there.

Take The Survey

"PLEASE DON'T PEE ON MY LEG AND TELL ME IT'S RAINING."


Absolutely No Profiling! Pause a moment, reflect back, and take the following multiple choice test.  These events are actual events from history.. They really happened!  Do you remember? 
  
HERE'S THE TEST 
  
1. 1968 Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by: 
a.. Superman   
b. Jay Leno 
c. Harry Potter       
d. A Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by : 
a. Olga Corbett       
b. Sitting Bull       
c. Arnold Schwarzenegger 
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
3. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by: 
a. Lost Norwegians       
b. Elvis       
c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women 
d . Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
4. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by: 
a. John Dillinger       
b. The King of Sweden         
c. The Boy Scouts 
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
5. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by: 
a. A pizza delivery boy       
b. Pee Wee Herman       
c. Geraldo Rivera 
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
6. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by: 
a. The Smurfs       
b. Davey Jones       
c. The Little Mermaid 
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
7. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens , and a US Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by:   
a. Captain Kidd       
b. Charles Lindberg 
c. Mother Teresa 
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
8. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by: 
 a. Scooby Doo       
b. The Tooth Fairy       
c. The Sundance Kid 
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
9. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by: 
a. Richard Simmons       
b. Grandma Moses       
c. Michael Jordan 
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
10. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by: 
a. Mr. Rogers       
b. Hillary Clinton, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems       
c. The World Wrestling Federation

d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
11. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take out the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by: 
a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd 
b. The Supreme Court of Florida       
c. Mr. Bean 
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
12. In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against: 
a. Enron       
b. The Lutheran Church         
c. The NFL 
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
13. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by: 
a. Bonnie and Clyde         
b. Captain Kangaroo       
c. Billy Graham 
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40 
  
No, I really don't see a pattern here to justify profiling, do you?  So, to ensure we Americans never offend anyone, particularly fanatics intent on killing us, airport security screeners will no longer be allowed to profile certain people.. They must conduct random searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, secret agents who are members of the President's security detail, 85-year old Congressmen with metal hips, and Medal of Honor winner and former Governor Joe Foss, but leave Muslim Males between the ages 17 and 40 alone lest they be guilty of profiling. 
  
Let's send this to as many people as we can. 
  
Foot note: Fort Hood Texas .......another Muslim, 39 years old killed, 13 people and wounded 30 some odd others... Does this fit the profile! 
  
NOW OUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF IS TELLING EVERYONE THAT THE YOUNG MUSLIM THAT ATTEMPTED TO BLOW UP A NORTHWEST/DELTA JET AS IT APPROACHED DETROIT ON CHRISTMAS DAY WAS (QUOTE) "AN ISOLATED INCIDENT". 
  
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME OR WHAT!!!  MY FATHER USE TO SAY: "PLEASE DON'T PEE ON MY LEG AND TELL ME IT'S RAINING."

From Morning to Mourning

1984:



Now consider: