At which point do clothes become "low-value". Goodwill? Mervyn's? Dillards? Armani? Do you place stuff as "low-value" according to an geographic area, a demographic class (which would be damn near difficult to find out who spends at what stores), or just some arbitrary dollar amount fixed to inlfation?
A poor person will not buy the half-mil 4000sqft home that a rich person does. A rich person is going to spend more on shelter, and therefore pay a higher $$ value than a poor person. The impact is the same on each. Yes, there are some rich who will live cheap and horde it all. Good for them, maybe that's how they dug themselves out of poorness if they were there. You never know what an individual does, but I can assure you that poor people do not buy mansions.
Food and medical products OTOH I agree with. Taxes should be minimal on these b/c they are a basic necessity and trying to create a varying rate on food/med is impossible.
Yes, housing and clothes are necessities, but a rich person should not be penalized for the choice to buy an expensive house and expensive clothes. A poor person can buy just the same, just less expensive versions of each. Let the taxes be the same and encourage spending. There is something called "living within your means."
I agree whole-heartedly. I fail to see how a flat rate makes things "harder" on poor people. Yes, if I make 100k and I buy my groceries, I'm paying the same amount as someone who makes 10k. Therefore is is harder on a poor person to pay that tax when looked at as a percentage of income. BUT, there's a reason that food is only taxed 1% or some tiny amount. It allows for tax to be collected, but easy on all parties. I really like your example. You could apply it to nearly everything, i.e. TV's (plasma/LCD vs. CRT), houses (big and $$, vs. small and cheaper), clothes (Armani vs. Mervyns), etc. Food and utilities are the only things where I could see a disconnect occuring.
I'll bite:
how is that so? are you telling me you think th drug dealer is going report the business exchange and pay taxes?
That's why a sales tax would help, because this money would actually get taxed.
so 500 dollar puchase is taxed at 3%, 1000 purchase taxed at 5 % 5000 purchase taxed at 8%
10000 dollars taxed at 10 % 25000+ taxed at 20%
These values are much to low, considering that where I live, regular sales tax hovers around 7-8%. Start adding your fed tax to taht, and you will get your 20% a lot lower than at $25000.
And no, I'm not trying to say what you are saying is wrong, just trying to bring some insight into the discussion;)
My stepdad always had an interesting way that he thought taxes should be implemented. He says that you should get rid of income taxes altogether and instead implement nationwide/statewide sales taxes. Yes, items will cost a lot more, but almost everybody has to buy stuff. Rich people buy more expensive stuff, poorer people buy cheaper stuff. Yet, you have a flat rate tax on the items. It is fair and legitmate. Hell, tax frauds, drug dealers, etc., can't get away with not paying taxes in this system because they still have to buy goods and services.
"Sun has delivered the first viable Microsoft Windows alternative. The Java desktop system is a more affordable, secure desktop, designed to thrive in a Windows-centric world and run thousands of Java technology-based applications."
It goes on and on, including mentioning that it comes with StarOffice, it can exchange files with MS Office, it isn't prone to viruses, etc. They really are doing a good job at selling this to the average person and letting them know that there is a pretty viable option to Windows (other than mac of course)
I think your example is spot on. I think that spreadsheets are great for that when creating an entire database, and we'll just say an HTML/PHP (for ease) frontend is overboard. Yeah, it'll be quick, fast, and keep track of everything really well, but it's extreme overkill.
Well, I think I misunderstood your OP. Sorry about that. Yes, built-in, excel is lacking many statistical functions. But, addons made by other companies, such as the Crystal Ball software are very useful and can do a lot of statistical analysis and predicitons.
No. A good statistics knowledge is fundamental in making sure that the data you are putting in is valid. As the old adage goes, "Garbage In, Garbage Out."
If you are just mindlessly putting stuff together and say "I think a median/mean/standard dev would go good here" then it's obvious that you shouldn't be doing statistical analysis. Also, after the numbers have been calculated, you need to understand what the significance of them are. I work in a highly statistical field (Reliability Engineering) and I will say that at times it really is a black art. Things may at first look good/bad, but until you sit down, and think about what it all means, you will have way of knowing whether what you just got out of your analysis is "correct."
I will disagree. The Crystal Ball software is a real statistics program. Think about this. If you are a programmer, what would you rather write? A complete program and gui, or just create the backend and let excel be your frontend? It makes it a lot easier, considering the backend will essentially be programmed the same (except for the language, yes). The caculations being performed are the same. Also, excel already has the built-in capability of creating charts, graphs, and provides many other useful functions. Because the people using this software usually know how to create excel formulas, it is very easy to create the inputs based off of many other parameters, etc. It's a really great program with a lot of funtionality.
At my engineering internship, we use the Crystal Ball software to make predictions for product reliability. We use it to simulate our future part replacements and costs that will take place. Granted, we have a much better understanding of statistics and we have the abilities to critically analyze what is being put in and what we get out of it.
Well, for really small lists, it's an easy way to store it. Especially when someone with very little computer knowledge couldn't even begin to create an SQL statement.
Also, you need to apply a force greater than your mass. If you wegih a couple hundred tons, you have to supply a constant force of a couple hundred tons. The energy expelled to do this is an insane amount, and that's why you have these huge rockets with massive amounts of propellant.
Absolutely, keep a constant velocity and you will do it. But you ever notice what happens when you throw a ball in the air? It acelerates downwards, slows its ascent, and comes back down to earth. So to retain this constant velocity requires a constant force downwards. To keep a constant force is very difficult. Just as gravity decreases with the inverse square, your energy output will be climbing by a squared value of some kind. (no time to do the math right now)
You're right, gravity is very weak, but it requires enormousamounts of energy to keep movin upwards as you said. Notice, when you jump, you are able to get only aout 6-12 inches off the ground. Now consider that you need to get about 100 miles off the ground to get into orbit, andyou run into the problem of getting enough energy to do so. You also run into problems about a propulsion system that doesn't use air the entire flight, b/c once you get into space, you wont have any air.
I have an iRiver 20gb HD player (ihp-120) and it supports the OGG format. Awesome player too. Think iPod. It costs the same, holds the same, does everything the same, except supports OGG whereas Apple does not.
yes, you can see that difference in frame rates. I can tell when a monitor is set to 60hz vs 75hz. It's easy. How is that possible though if one is 60fps and another is 75fps?? I'm sure anyone can tel l the difference between the two. You won't be able to make out details between frames above 30fps, but you can notice a difference. Things will be smoother.
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A poor person will not buy the half-mil 4000sqft home that a rich person does. A rich person is going to spend more on shelter, and therefore pay a higher $$ value than a poor person. The impact is the same on each. Yes, there are some rich who will live cheap and horde it all. Good for them, maybe that's how they dug themselves out of poorness if they were there. You never know what an individual does, but I can assure you that poor people do not buy mansions.
Food and medical products OTOH I agree with. Taxes should be minimal on these b/c they are a basic necessity and trying to create a varying rate on food/med is impossible.
Yes, housing and clothes are necessities, but a rich person should not be penalized for the choice to buy an expensive house and expensive clothes. A poor person can buy just the same, just less expensive versions of each. Let the taxes be the same and encourage spending. There is something called "living within your means."
I agree whole-heartedly. I fail to see how a flat rate makes things "harder" on poor people. Yes, if I make 100k and I buy my groceries, I'm paying the same amount as someone who makes 10k. Therefore is is harder on a poor person to pay that tax when looked at as a percentage of income. BUT, there's a reason that food is only taxed 1% or some tiny amount. It allows for tax to be collected, but easy on all parties. I really like your example. You could apply it to nearly everything, i.e. TV's (plasma/LCD vs. CRT), houses (big and $$, vs. small and cheaper), clothes (Armani vs. Mervyns), etc. Food and utilities are the only things where I could see a disconnect occuring.
That's why a sales tax would help, because this money would actually get taxed.
so 500 dollar puchase is taxed at 3%, 1000 purchase taxed at 5 % 5000 purchase taxed at 8% 10000 dollars taxed at 10 % 25000+ taxed at 20%
These values are much to low, considering that where I live, regular sales tax hovers around 7-8%. Start adding your fed tax to taht, and you will get your 20% a lot lower than at $25000.
And no, I'm not trying to say what you are saying is wrong, just trying to bring some insight into the discussion ;)
My stepdad always had an interesting way that he thought taxes should be implemented. He says that you should get rid of income taxes altogether and instead implement nationwide/statewide sales taxes. Yes, items will cost a lot more, but almost everybody has to buy stuff. Rich people buy more expensive stuff, poorer people buy cheaper stuff. Yet, you have a flat rate tax on the items. It is fair and legitmate. Hell, tax frauds, drug dealers, etc., can't get away with not paying taxes in this system because they still have to buy goods and services.
I think you mean Indianapolis. Chicago is in IL not IN.
Same for here in Arizona. Damn I love not having DST.
Red Team 10:30 AM (Shot from the Start Line)
Red Team 10:30 AM (Shot from the Finish Line
How in the heck do you get shots from the finish line if no one finished??
Actually, this was out by April 1. TheScreenSavers mentioned it.
It's called the Microsoft Knowledge Base
Yes, that's a joke
Hey, I don't write the copy, I just post it :-)
"Sun has delivered the first viable Microsoft Windows alternative. The Java desktop system is a more affordable, secure desktop, designed to thrive in a Windows-centric world and run thousands of Java technology-based applications."
It goes on and on, including mentioning that it comes with StarOffice, it can exchange files with MS Office, it isn't prone to viruses, etc. They really are doing a good job at selling this to the average person and letting them know that there is a pretty viable option to Windows (other than mac of course)
I think your example is spot on. I think that spreadsheets are great for that when creating an entire database, and we'll just say an HTML/PHP (for ease) frontend is overboard. Yeah, it'll be quick, fast, and keep track of everything really well, but it's extreme overkill.
- No comments
Umm.....Excel can add comments to individual cells, and you can rename columns/rows to something arbitrary.
Well, I think I misunderstood your OP. Sorry about that. Yes, built-in, excel is lacking many statistical functions. But, addons made by other companies, such as the Crystal Ball software are very useful and can do a lot of statistical analysis and predicitons.
No. A good statistics knowledge is fundamental in making sure that the data you are putting in is valid. As the old adage goes, "Garbage In, Garbage Out."
If you are just mindlessly putting stuff together and say "I think a median/mean/standard dev would go good here" then it's obvious that you shouldn't be doing statistical analysis. Also, after the numbers have been calculated, you need to understand what the significance of them are. I work in a highly statistical field (Reliability Engineering) and I will say that at times it really is a black art. Things may at first look good/bad, but until you sit down, and think about what it all means, you will have way of knowing whether what you just got out of your analysis is "correct."
I will disagree. The Crystal Ball software is a real statistics program. Think about this. If you are a programmer, what would you rather write? A complete program and gui, or just create the backend and let excel be your frontend? It makes it a lot easier, considering the backend will essentially be programmed the same (except for the language, yes). The caculations being performed are the same. Also, excel already has the built-in capability of creating charts, graphs, and provides many other useful functions. Because the people using this software usually know how to create excel formulas, it is very easy to create the inputs based off of many other parameters, etc. It's a really great program with a lot of funtionality.
At my engineering internship, we use the Crystal Ball software to make predictions for product reliability. We use it to simulate our future part replacements and costs that will take place. Granted, we have a much better understanding of statistics and we have the abilities to critically analyze what is being put in and what we get out of it.
Well, for really small lists, it's an easy way to store it. Especially when someone with very little computer knowledge couldn't even begin to create an SQL statement.
Also, you need to apply a force greater than your mass. If you wegih a couple hundred tons, you have to supply a constant force of a couple hundred tons. The energy expelled to do this is an insane amount, and that's why you have these huge rockets with massive amounts of propellant.
Absolutely, keep a constant velocity and you will do it. But you ever notice what happens when you throw a ball in the air? It acelerates downwards, slows its ascent, and comes back down to earth. So to retain this constant velocity requires a constant force downwards. To keep a constant force is very difficult. Just as gravity decreases with the inverse square, your energy output will be climbing by a squared value of some kind. (no time to do the math right now)
You're right, gravity is very weak, but it requires enormousamounts of energy to keep movin upwards as you said. Notice, when you jump, you are able to get only aout 6-12 inches off the ground. Now consider that you need to get about 100 miles off the ground to get into orbit, andyou run into the problem of getting enough energy to do so. You also run into problems about a propulsion system that doesn't use air the entire flight, b/c once you get into space, you wont have any air.
I'd like to point out that unfortunately Columbia broke up and scattered stuff across New Mexico and western Texas and no one got hurt from debris.
I don't know, be careful of the dolphins. You wouldn't want to piss off Snorky.
I have an iRiver 20gb HD player (ihp-120) and it supports the OGG format. Awesome player too. Think iPod. It costs the same, holds the same, does everything the same, except supports OGG whereas Apple does not.
yes, you can see that difference in frame rates. I can tell when a monitor is set to 60hz vs 75hz. It's easy. How is that possible though if one is 60fps and another is 75fps?? I'm sure anyone can tel l the difference between the two. You won't be able to make out details between frames above 30fps, but you can notice a difference. Things will be smoother.