f/k/a archives . . . real opinions & real haiku

 

winter dusk
she paints her nails
deeper red

 

 

 

false dawn
a ruffed grouse drums
the woods awake

 

 

one seed
at a time
winter finch

 

 

   Tom Painting from The Heron’s Nest

“winter dusk” (2003); “false dawn“, “one seed”  (2004)

 

 

 

from dagosan: 

busy typing

’til the icicle lands —

pretty blue sky

                               [Jan. 31, 2005]

 

  I think the New York Times editorial got it right today: “For now at

least, the multiple political failures that marked the run-up to the voting stand

eclipsed by a remarkably successful election day.”  Nobody should be surprised

that “ordinary Iraqis” have demonstrated their preference for peaceful resolutions

to their country’s serious and difficult problems. “Message from Iraq.” (Jan. 30, 2005)

• 
  
  Thanks to Prof. Bainbridge for his extensive quotation last night from our
  
  
  reflections on the Iraq elections.

Having listened to John Kerry on Meet the Press yesterday, I’m not as sure as Prof. B

that the Messenger wasn’t the reason for the Democratic loss in Election 2004.  Many of the

issues listed by Prof. Bainbridge could readily — and realistically — have been presented to the

public in a winning way, by a Democratic Party willing to fully embrance its historic values.

 

  In his rendition, Prof. Grace only states half  of “the rule of optimal taxation:  If

it moves tax it!”  After pondering such examples as real estate and estate taxes, my

personal version has always been:  “If it moves, or doesn’t move, tax it!”  Since lawyers

regularly both “move” and “don’t move/lie” (you know, like a rug), the situation discussed by

the good RiskProf may already by covered.  In what seems like a silly idea to me, New Jersey

is imposing a tax on lawyers to help defray the cost of medical malpractice insurance.  Whether

the suit challenging the special tax is frivolous, I shall leave to experts on the laws of taxation.

                                                                                                                                                                       

  A verse from a favorite Jesse Winchester song keeps gliding through

my head lately, and I think I was meant to share the lines with you:

 

Do It

If the wheel is fixed
I would still take a chance
If we’re treading on thin ice
Then we might as well dance
So I play the fool
But I can’t sit still
Help me get this rock
To the top of this hill

Do it
‘Til we’re sick of it
Do it ’till you can’t do it no more

Comments (8)

8 Comments

1. 

   Really, your rule is the _correct_ one. I was just joshin’. Optimal taxation is based upon the notion of taxing those items with the highest elasticity of demand. Since land can not be moved and people develop strong preferences for where they live, property taxes have long been though to be the “best” tax since they induce the least amount of inefficiencies.

   Comment by Martin — January 31, 2005 @ 4:59 pm

2. 

   Really, your rule is the _correct_ one. I was just joshin’. Optimal taxation is based upon the notion of taxing those items with the highest elasticity of demand. Since land can not be moved and people develop strong preferences for where they live, property taxes have long been though to be the “best” tax since they induce the least amount of inefficiencies.

   Comment by Martin — January 31, 2005 @ 4:59 pm

3. 

   No fair taking this Optimal Taxin’ Maxim seriously, Martin.  I hate to show my economic ignorance, but I would have guessed that the optimal tax is placed on things with the highest inelasticity of demand — where the extra cost of the tax does not deter people from engaging in the taxed activity or acquiring the taxed item.  (Doesn’t high elasticity mean that the demand for an item greatly decreases relative to an increase in price?)  What am I missing, Professor? 

   Comment by David Giacalone — January 31, 2005 @ 5:30 pm

4. 

   No fair taking this Optimal Taxin’ Maxim seriously, Martin.  I hate to show my economic ignorance, but I would have guessed that the optimal tax is placed on things with the highest inelasticity of demand — where the extra cost of the tax does not deter people from engaging in the taxed activity or acquiring the taxed item.  (Doesn’t high elasticity mean that the demand for an item greatly decreases relative to an increase in price?)  What am I missing, Professor? 

   Comment by David Giacalone — January 31, 2005 @ 5:30 pm

5. 

   Your rule is the correct one –which is what I was trying to say when the evil typo knocked me dead.

   Comment by Martin — January 31, 2005 @ 8:40 pm

6. 

   Your rule is the correct one –which is what I was trying to say when the evil typo knocked me dead.

   Comment by Martin — January 31, 2005 @ 8:40 pm

7. 

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   Comment by mishel — August 25, 2005 @ 12:18 pm

8. 

   Your blog is realy very interesting. http://www.g888.com

   Comment by mishel — August 25, 2005 @ 12:18 pm

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