Break It Down

The Drunk Cyclist continues to write some of the best commentary I have read in a long time.

In other news Germans are just as corrupt as everyone else, especially when they’re loaded. Maybe more so.

Germany has begun an investigation into tax evasion using information from an anonymous informant, who was reportedly paid 5m euros(£3.75m; $7.3m).

Prince Alois von und zu Liechtenstein, the country’s leader, said Germany had broken the law by buying the data.

Liechtenstein considers the informant a criminal and is conducting its own investigation into the affair.

Well, Im sure the millions that are owed in back taxes… no, wait… BILLIONS will go to something worthwhile. In other tax-related news let me throw this out there; While Europeans are taxed at much higher rates (as high as 50% in France) think of it in this frame. They all have health insurance. They all can go to college (if they choose). They all have the equivalent of Social Security for when they retire and are old and dying. Not some 401K gamble that can disappear in the blink of an Enron.

Looking at it in that frame, how much of your check goes to Soc. Sec? Then how much do you pay for insurance? How much do you set aside for your retirement? If you do the math and it gets to something akin to 50% of your paycheck, then you’ll see that its NOT that expensive nor it is prohibitive. It’s pain, to be sure, but changing for the better is in many ways.

Another $300 check Mr. Bu$h? No thanks. Even though I could use a Brooks saddle for each of my bikes.