mattd

It's been earned, like he said. Pension plans are money you and your employer save up. I think any interest or capital gains should be taxed off of it. Social Security is the same thing.

It's been earned, like he said. Pension plans are money you and your employer save up. I think any interest or capital gains should be taxed off of it. Social Security is the same thing.

The British are just jealous of us, and wish their Rolling Stones were as good as our Beatles.

The British are just jealous of us, and wish their Rolling Stones were as good as our Beatles.

If you caught the Frontline that was on tonight, it was all about Walmart and how they are steamrolling their competitors. An economics professor mentioned "creative destruction" and talked about about the concept briefly. I thought it was very interesting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_destruction

If you caught the Frontline that was on tonight, it was all about Walmart and how they are steamrolling their competitors. An economics professor mentioned "creative destruction" and talked about about the concept briefly. I thought it was very interesting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_destruction

I follow what you're saying. Then we shouldn't mess around with the income tax laws we already have?

I was talking to a friend this morning about this subject. He believes in a national sales tax as well. His belief too, was that a nst would case upward mobility (i.e. encourage individuals to try and better themselves instead of become complacent by going out and educating themselves and getting better jobs and such). His feeling was that income (in regards to earned vs unearned) shouldn't be taxed. However, he felt unearned income (capital gains, interest, and unordinary) should be taxed. I like that. It's more along the lines of Lincolnian philosophy, where a person's work shouldn't be taxed. I agree with that kind of philosophy. However, people who make all their money off of bets and leverage should be taxed. Unfortunately, a NST replacing all other forms of tax will not do that, and that's why I don't support it.

I'm exceptionally naive on this subject, but find it nonetheless fascinating as hell. Regarding tachyons: If tachyons theoretically are traveling "backwards" in time, and if we were ever able to detect and maybe study these theoretical objects, wouldn't we be able to detect certain things from our own future by some sort of forensic examination? Kinda like archeologists, but futurologists? Sounds weird, I know...

I'm mattd. Howdy.

Aztecs smoked the leaves But it was Cadbury's who Really got it right

It would be cool if we could "vat grow" just the portions we want. yum yum, cloned filet mignons from the filet vat.

What would a good example of a flat tax be?

The way I typically look at it money is as a unit of work and time (time is money). Example: Person A makes 10 dollars an hour shoveling gravel. He spends 100 dollars at a store to buy necessary housewares. A ten percent tax on these items amounts to 10 dollars bringing his total expenses to 110 dollars. Now this guy has to work 11 hours in order to purchase everything. Person B makes 100 dollars an hour managing a company. He spends 100 dollars at a store to buy necessary housewares. A ten percent tax on these items amounts to 10 dollars bring his total expenses to 110 dollars. This guy has to work 1.1 hours in order to purchase everything. Person B doesn't have to work as hard as Person A to pay the exact same amount of tax, thereby giving Person B more purchasing power and the ability to use his leverage to get even farther ahead thn Person B. Doesn't this have a negative effect on upward mobility?

I agree with Lucid also, but my main concern is regarding a national sales tax. It may look like a flat tax, but is it? A dollar is worth more to a poor person than to a rich person, so does this make it truly a flat and fair tax system? I'm really open minded about this debate and am looking for answers with quantitative qualities.

I don't think something like this could actually form in nature. But "maybe" manmade, like a dyson sphere. I would imagine gravity would destroy it altogether.

One of the more weirdest theories in science, the hollow earth theory has to be my favorite. History: Now, I ask all of you, whether you think this theory is possible (and if so, how likely) in the realm of other worlds? I'm entirely sure that the Earth is very thick with stuff in the middle.

So there is nothing that breaks that law.

Tax reform is a big deal in the US right now. In fact, a big change may be inevitable here in the next few years with a strong GOP legislature in effect. The way the system currently works is fairly mind boggling. I can see why one would want to go to a simpler system, but we shouldn't sacrifice fairness for simplicity.

That scoundrel!

When matter and antimatter collide, do they not mutually annhilate each other? Doesn't this null the law of conservation?