Soda Blog

Those Crazy Brady Kids

Q: What is the difference between semi-automatic hunting rifles and semi-automatic assault weapons?

A: Sporting rifles and assault weapons are two distinct classes of firearms. While semi-automatic hunting rifles are designed to be fired from the shoulder and depend upon the accuracy of a precisely aimed projectile, semi-automatic assault weapons are designed to maximize lethal effects through a rapid rate of fire. Assault weapons are designed to be spray-fired from the hip, and because of their design, a shooter can maintain control of the weapon even while firing many rounds in rapid succession.

BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Those Brady kids are always good for a few laughs. I'd say they've seen a few too many Rambo movies...

For more fun "facts" about "assault weapons", see the The Brady Bunch's Assault Weapons Ban "FAQ" Page. They seem to use the "Satan Playbook" - using about 90% truth and 10% BS to sucker people into thinking their way. Amazing.

Undocumented Divers

How is it that the president of Mexico can complain about foreigners being in his country uninvited?

Mexico detains rescued cave explorers

After all, these British Navy divers are just "Undocumented Divers", right? :)

Taxes

Were you aware that your employer pays Social Security and Medicare taxes to the federal government in your name. Indeed, your employer matches dollar for dollar every dollar you pay in Social Security taxes.

Given that, for these two taxes combined, you pay about 8% of your pay, so, to find out your REAL salary, take your stated yearly salary, then add 8% (we'll ignore what your employer pays you in insurance benefits, if any, for the sake of this argument, since those aren't taxes - unless the gov't mandates the employer pay those).

So, let's say you make $50,000/year. That means you really make $54,000/year. Now, subtract $8,000 right off the top for Social Security and Medicare. Now your take home is $46,000 immediately, without any other taxes.

Using the pie chart above from a friend of mine as a reference (these are his real income tax percentages), you then pay another 17.63% in federal, state and local income taxes, in this case a little over $8800. Bringing us down to $37,200/year take home.

However, now say you own a house - the American dream - and you get to pay property taxes on it! Woohoo! I wish I knew an average tax rate on a home, but according to this page:

http://www.eagletribune.com/news/stories/20040113/NH_002.htm

In this particular community (in the article) it's about $20 per $1000 of value of the home. So, let's assume that's about average. So, on a $125,000 home, that's $2500/year property taxes on the person's home. So now the person's "take home" is now $34,700 (and apartment dwellers and other renters, don't be fooled - you're paying property taxes for your apartment complex in your rent).

Let's say you have an average car (on which you're paying a loan), and you live in a decent state that doesn't charge too much property tax on it. So we'll guess at $200 for your car property taxes - depending on your car, this might be low, this is just for argument's sake and to make the math easy :) So now we're down to $34,500.

Now let's say you're good, realizing that social security is a crock, and you save/invest 10% of that (about $3500). You now have $31,000 to spend as you like (I realize this isn't a tax, but you'll see why I consider this later...).

BUT, none of the above includes sales taxes. So let's say you spend about $300/month on groceries (or $3600/year), and let's assume groceries aren't taxed in your area. Let's also assume that (not including taxes) you spend $1000/month on your home payment and car payment combined, or $12,000 a year. So, all told, you have $15,600 in house, car and grocery payments per year. Thus, subtracting that from your $31,000 left after your 10% savings (see above) and you've got $15,400. Where am I going with this? Well, let's assume that you spend the rest of this $15,400 on utilities and other bills (cable, mobile phone, phone, home repairs, etc) and toys (guns, computers, stereo equipment, house decorations, etc). Let's also assume that all those things each charge an average of 10% in taxes each (some items will be more, others less, since many of those items charge more than regular sales tax in both taxes and gov't mandated fees). So that's another $1550 off the top.

So, let's recap:

$54,000 Total Salary
($8,000) SS & Medicare taxes
($8,800) Fed, State, Local taxes
($2,700) Home/Car property taxes
($1,550) Sales taxes and fees
--------------
$32,950 = Take home, do whatever you want to, money

Meaning you're taxed, in this scenario, about $21,000/year.

So, $21,000/$54,000 = 39% that you pay in taxes each year in this scenario.

And I think I'm underestimating in some cases, and am almost certainly forgetting a tax here or there.

This, of course, is not to mention current deficit spending, which a) taxes us later, with interest, for things the government wants today and b) devalues the dollar.

Under God?

Americans overwhelmingly want the phrase 'under God' preserved in the Pledge of Allegiance, a new poll says, as the Supreme Court examines whether the classroom salute crosses the division of church and state.

Supreme Court to Take Up 'Under God'

Read my discussion of this controversy here:

One Nation, Indivisible

Added 3/29/2004

Read another well thought out reaction to the case so far:

Why the Department of Justice is wrong to support 'Under God'