I received an email from a friend. The message was to straight forward and to the point to delete. Thanks to the friend and the good professor that purportedly wrote this lesson.
Bar economics lesson
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 on e day, the owner threw them a curve. '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 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, the paying customers? 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 roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
'I only got a dollar out of the $20,'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 than I did!'
'That's true!! shouted the seventh man. 'Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!'
'Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get anything at all. The 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 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 college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes 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.
David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.
Professor of Economics, University of Georgia
For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Don't dump your garbage on me!
I picked this up from another web site. The message is good and I wanted to share with others.
"How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day?
However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he/she can get back her focus on what’s important. Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab.
Here’s what happened. …… I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.
My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car’s back end by just inches! The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly.
So, I said, “Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital! And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck.
Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you.
When someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You’ll be happy you did.
So this was it: The “Law of the Garbage Truck. I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: At work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, “I’m not going to do it anymore.
Well, now “I see Garbage Trucks. I see the load they’re carrying.
I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don’t make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on."
"How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day?
However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he/she can get back her focus on what’s important. Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab.
Here’s what happened. …… I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.
My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car’s back end by just inches! The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly.
So, I said, “Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital! And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, “The Law of the Garbage Truck.
Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they’ll dump it on you.
When someone wants to dump on you, don’t take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You’ll be happy you did.
So this was it: The “Law of the Garbage Truck. I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: At work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, “I’m not going to do it anymore.
Well, now “I see Garbage Trucks. I see the load they’re carrying.
I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don’t make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on."
Friday, November 9, 2007
Schools 1967 compared to Schools 2007
Thanks to "Blindsodusbay"! Known also as Don from Rockford.
Those of us old enough to remember our school days back in the 1960's can relate to this and only look in amazement at the 2007 version. The question is what has happened during this 40 year time span?
SCHOOL 1967 vs. SCHOOL 2007
Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into high school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1967 - Vice principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his own shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, the police are called, Jack is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors are called in to assist traumatized students and teachers.
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1967 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 - Police are called, SWAT team arrives and arrests Johnny and Mark. They are charged with assault and both are expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario: David won't sit still in class, disrupts other students.
1967 - David is sent to the principals office and given a good paddling. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - David is given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra state funding because David has a disability.
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1967 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.
Scenario: Mark has a headache and takes some Aspirin to school.
1967 - Mark shares Aspirin with the school principal.
2007 - Police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is searched for drugs and weapons.
Scenario: Pedro fails high-school English.
1967 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by local human rights group. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that making English a requirement for graduation is racist. American Civil Liberties Association files class action lawsuit against school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover 4th of July firecrackers, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up an anthill.
1967 - Ants die.
2007 - Police and the Hazmat Team are called and Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. FBI investigates parents, siblings are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
Scenario: Johnny falls during recess and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him.
1967 - Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in federal prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy.
Those of us old enough to remember our school days back in the 1960's can relate to this and only look in amazement at the 2007 version. The question is what has happened during this 40 year time span?
SCHOOL 1967 vs. SCHOOL 2007
Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into high school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1967 - Vice principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his own shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, the police are called, Jack is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors are called in to assist traumatized students and teachers.
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1967 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 - Police are called, SWAT team arrives and arrests Johnny and Mark. They are charged with assault and both are expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario: David won't sit still in class, disrupts other students.
1967 - David is sent to the principals office and given a good paddling. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - David is given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra state funding because David has a disability.
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1967 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.
Scenario: Mark has a headache and takes some Aspirin to school.
1967 - Mark shares Aspirin with the school principal.
2007 - Police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is searched for drugs and weapons.
Scenario: Pedro fails high-school English.
1967 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by local human rights group. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that making English a requirement for graduation is racist. American Civil Liberties Association files class action lawsuit against school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover 4th of July firecrackers, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up an anthill.
1967 - Ants die.
2007 - Police and the Hazmat Team are called and Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. FBI investigates parents, siblings are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
Scenario: Johnny falls during recess and scrapes his knee. His teacher, Mary, finds him crying, and gives him a hug to comfort him.
1967 - Johnny soon feels better and goes back to playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in federal prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
33rd Military Police Battalion
Today the Twin Cities of Bloomington-Normal had a "Welcome Home" parade for the 33rd Military Police Battalion from the Bloomington National Guard. The parade was led by several police cars from various local and other police departments and included many supporters on motorcycles who have formed into a support the troops organization. Of course, the seventy men and women that served more than a year in Iraq were paraded in convertibles donated for this event. Starting at Illinois State University and proceeding down Center street to the Armory in Bloomington the parade appeared to be about a mile long.
I woke up this morning and heard on the local radio that this welcome home parade was to start about noon and mentally said "It would be nice to go over to Center Street and welcome the troops home". By 9:00A.M. I had almost forgotten that the event would happen, but then my middle son who served several terms in Iraq as a private contractor employed to train and handle explosive detection dogs phoned my wife. His first call was to tell us that he was heading to an Olympics for police dogs in Indiana, then a few minutes later he called back to ask if we could attend the parade and welcome home the troops for him. Needless to say a priority had been established.
Not thinking that there would be a hugh crowd we headed over to Center Street about noon and was I surprised! The street were lined with people where we had intended to park and watch. We turned South on the parade route thinking that we would find a less populated place we drove almost a mile south until we found a place to park, and we did kind of park illegally as the sign said no parking this block. Standing on the corner were a couple of veterans from prior wars waiting to welcome home the returning kids.
It was neat to see the returning young men and women as they rode on the back seats of the convertibles. This old guy had goose bumps and tears as he waived at the brave young men and women as they rode by. It was neat how they smiled and waived back, but more than that were the two young men that did more than smile and waive they yelled out to us "Thank You". I was struck with the thought how often I fail to say thank you and yet two young men returning from war had said thank you and in fact they deserved to be thanked.
I am reminded of the many incidents that my son experienced while in Iraq and the close calls he had with not returning. There was the time he and his dog were searching an incoming vehicle and the dog hit on a scent which means it is time to call the explosive detonations unit but the detonator exploded immediately, but the bomb failed. There was also the night that as the alert sounded he headed out for shelter and a incoming RPG hit about 100 yards away and he felt a twinge on his leg to only find out that a piece of shrapnel had hit his leg but only causing minor damage.
Some of the events he witnessed included the two Iraqi women that worked at the Embassy and went home one night an then were shot for not cooperating with the insurgents. The other was a lazy computer specialist that decided to go back to his "hootch", sleeping quarters, for a noon nap. For several weeks the hootches had been declare unsafe at night and this guy had been one of the first to seek the permanent shelter safety to sleep at night. This particular day he received a call from the Embassy that they had a computer problem, his last response was that he would be there in an hour. This time the enemy did not wait until night time to fire an RPG, he died in his sleep.
On the Friday before my son came home he watched an incoming RPG head toward him, not knowing where it would land. It fell short and three British soldiers lives were snuffed out. The following Sunday morning my son exited Iraq.
Some how getting out of Iraq doesn't take the experiences of war out of the minds of the brave young men and women. They can still hear the sirens, the whistles of the incoming and the explosions and gunfire, and then the memories of friends and comrades who have been wounded or came home in body bags.
No young men and women of the 33rd Military Police you do not need to thank me for coming to welcome you home, I am only doing what I should to thank you and then I should be saying how can I help you now that you are home safely?
I woke up this morning and heard on the local radio that this welcome home parade was to start about noon and mentally said "It would be nice to go over to Center Street and welcome the troops home". By 9:00A.M. I had almost forgotten that the event would happen, but then my middle son who served several terms in Iraq as a private contractor employed to train and handle explosive detection dogs phoned my wife. His first call was to tell us that he was heading to an Olympics for police dogs in Indiana, then a few minutes later he called back to ask if we could attend the parade and welcome home the troops for him. Needless to say a priority had been established.
Not thinking that there would be a hugh crowd we headed over to Center Street about noon and was I surprised! The street were lined with people where we had intended to park and watch. We turned South on the parade route thinking that we would find a less populated place we drove almost a mile south until we found a place to park, and we did kind of park illegally as the sign said no parking this block. Standing on the corner were a couple of veterans from prior wars waiting to welcome home the returning kids.
It was neat to see the returning young men and women as they rode on the back seats of the convertibles. This old guy had goose bumps and tears as he waived at the brave young men and women as they rode by. It was neat how they smiled and waived back, but more than that were the two young men that did more than smile and waive they yelled out to us "Thank You". I was struck with the thought how often I fail to say thank you and yet two young men returning from war had said thank you and in fact they deserved to be thanked.
I am reminded of the many incidents that my son experienced while in Iraq and the close calls he had with not returning. There was the time he and his dog were searching an incoming vehicle and the dog hit on a scent which means it is time to call the explosive detonations unit but the detonator exploded immediately, but the bomb failed. There was also the night that as the alert sounded he headed out for shelter and a incoming RPG hit about 100 yards away and he felt a twinge on his leg to only find out that a piece of shrapnel had hit his leg but only causing minor damage.
Some of the events he witnessed included the two Iraqi women that worked at the Embassy and went home one night an then were shot for not cooperating with the insurgents. The other was a lazy computer specialist that decided to go back to his "hootch", sleeping quarters, for a noon nap. For several weeks the hootches had been declare unsafe at night and this guy had been one of the first to seek the permanent shelter safety to sleep at night. This particular day he received a call from the Embassy that they had a computer problem, his last response was that he would be there in an hour. This time the enemy did not wait until night time to fire an RPG, he died in his sleep.
On the Friday before my son came home he watched an incoming RPG head toward him, not knowing where it would land. It fell short and three British soldiers lives were snuffed out. The following Sunday morning my son exited Iraq.
Some how getting out of Iraq doesn't take the experiences of war out of the minds of the brave young men and women. They can still hear the sirens, the whistles of the incoming and the explosions and gunfire, and then the memories of friends and comrades who have been wounded or came home in body bags.
No young men and women of the 33rd Military Police you do not need to thank me for coming to welcome you home, I am only doing what I should to thank you and then I should be saying how can I help you now that you are home safely?
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Where is Obama and Durbin????? MIA
Illinois has almost complete Democratic leadership, and yet even the Demos cannot agree on a budget for the State of Illinois! We have a crazy Demo for Gov, the house and senate are full of democrats and they cannot pass a budget that every Illinois legislative body has been able to pass annually for years, even with divided legislative bodies.
Where are our illustrious Federal Senators? One is too busy beating up on Bush, who by the way won't be running for President next term. The other is out beating the bushes, he is getting his licks in on George too, wanting to be the next President.
Couldn't one or both of our Federal boys take a day off and help the state boys compromise on a budget? If Obamha really is Presidential material he could place a feather in his cap by negotiating a budget for his state.
Makes one wonder what will happen when Hillary or Obama get elected to preside over the House and Senate of a Federal level. I can hardly wait, nothing will be accomplished as Dingy Harry and Nancy P all want to "have it their way"
Come on down Obama and show us your leadership abilities in Springfield, your home state, where you failed to do anything doing your term of office.
I like the way you state that "I was against the war in Iraq from day one". Which vote was it that you voted? Oh that's right you were not even asked to vote were you. You were still in Illinois serving as a House member. The question is a little harder when you have to place your name on the line instead of being able to use hind sight.
Where are our illustrious Federal Senators? One is too busy beating up on Bush, who by the way won't be running for President next term. The other is out beating the bushes, he is getting his licks in on George too, wanting to be the next President.
Couldn't one or both of our Federal boys take a day off and help the state boys compromise on a budget? If Obamha really is Presidential material he could place a feather in his cap by negotiating a budget for his state.
Makes one wonder what will happen when Hillary or Obama get elected to preside over the House and Senate of a Federal level. I can hardly wait, nothing will be accomplished as Dingy Harry and Nancy P all want to "have it their way"
Come on down Obama and show us your leadership abilities in Springfield, your home state, where you failed to do anything doing your term of office.
I like the way you state that "I was against the war in Iraq from day one". Which vote was it that you voted? Oh that's right you were not even asked to vote were you. You were still in Illinois serving as a House member. The question is a little harder when you have to place your name on the line instead of being able to use hind sight.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Impeach Rod Blagovich
I received an email petition to Impeach our dearly loved Illinois Govenor. Of course I signed and forwarded it back immediately, but then I thought about the issue. How can we impeach a govenor that is rarely in Springfield, seldom talks to other legislaturers, and has so much goop on his hair that it could never be wind blown?
Todays local paper told me that he blamed all the problems on one of his own Democrats, House leader Michael Madigan. It is all Madigans fault that the budget issues can't be resolved. I have actually become a little more in favor of Madigan because of his fight against the "new ideas" of Roddy Boy.
I think the issue that most miffed me was that the gov now has a plan to take away the privildeges of elected Republicans. If that isn't partison politics I guess I don't know what is. What good is it to elect official to represent you if the govenor of the state devises a plan to take away those officials voting priviledges? And how can any Democrat that supports this type of plan be anything but partison?
Maybe the only option Illinois has is to impeach the jerk! Take away his expensive airplane trips and make him fly like the rest of us waiting in line, going through security and on the puddle jumpers that fly from Chicago to Springfield. Then after he is impeached we can elect third party candidates and get rid of the partisons on both side of the aisle.
Todays local paper told me that he blamed all the problems on one of his own Democrats, House leader Michael Madigan. It is all Madigans fault that the budget issues can't be resolved. I have actually become a little more in favor of Madigan because of his fight against the "new ideas" of Roddy Boy.
I think the issue that most miffed me was that the gov now has a plan to take away the privildeges of elected Republicans. If that isn't partison politics I guess I don't know what is. What good is it to elect official to represent you if the govenor of the state devises a plan to take away those officials voting priviledges? And how can any Democrat that supports this type of plan be anything but partison?
Maybe the only option Illinois has is to impeach the jerk! Take away his expensive airplane trips and make him fly like the rest of us waiting in line, going through security and on the puddle jumpers that fly from Chicago to Springfield. Then after he is impeached we can elect third party candidates and get rid of the partisons on both side of the aisle.
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