Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Virgin Blue is expected to make a 11 million dollar loss to 6 months, whilst Qantas is expected to announce a 700 million dollar profit on Thursday, way short of one billion as forcasted earlier in the year, thanks due to skyrocketing fuel prices. Bet VB hedge fuel costs next time eh Bloody bean counters who think they know it all . pffffft You have to have the cash to do so. That is why Southwest and JetBlue in the USA are heavily hedged, and United, Delta, America, Northwest and Continental are not. They don’t have the cash to buy the forward contracts (and technically because US and UA are in Bankruptcy, they are prohibited from buying any sort of speculative contracts, such as forward Jet A contracts).

Matt this is true in part but look at it in real cash flow terms at the time VB was offered a hedge premium was a mere 5% and on a formulae to be triggered in 6 months if price went above x premium adjustment again but still cheaper fuel and payments in advance  for sure . Like all provisions in accounting land  if not used cost / savings reverts back to cash . They had the margin  but it appears chose to spend the ‘cash" elsewhere This is not 20/20 hindsight it is a fact. They took the punt and blew it . Management decision  based on what i believe was almost criminal flawed advice  and turns out to have been wrong decision . Lesson learned  (I hope) Thats the trouble with some of the new breed whiz kids  The books  do not substitute for street smarts gained by previous bloody noses and experience . You can also insure as well as forward positions as I am sure your no doubt aware . Although  now the actuarys would   really give you a hit to cover their tails . Cheers

Response:

Virgin Blue is expected to make a 11 million dollar loss to 6 months, whilst Qantas is expected to announce a 700 million dollar profit on Thursday, way short of one billion as forcasted earlier in the year, thanks due to skyrocketing fuel prices. Bet VB hedge fuel costs next time eh Bloody bean counters who think they know it all . pffffft

You have to have the cash to do so. That is why Southwest and JetBlue in the USA are heavily hedged, and United, Delta, America, Northwest and Continental are not. They don’t have the cash to buy the forward contracts (and technically because US and UA are in Bankruptcy, they are prohibited from buying any sort of speculative contracts, such as forward Jet A contracts).

Response:

Virgin Blue is expected to make a 11 million dollar loss to 6 months, whilst Qantas is expected to announce a 700 million dollar profit on Thursday, way short of one billion as forcasted earlier in the year, thanks due to skyrocketing fuel prices.

Response:

Virgin Blue is expected to make a 11 million dollar loss to 6 months, whilst Qantas is expected to announce a 700 million dollar profit on Thursday, way short of one billion as forcasted earlier in the year, thanks due to skyrocketing fuel prices.

Bet VB hedge fuel costs next time eh Bloody bean counters who think they know it all . pffffft

Response:

Question:

                     $ Sub-Account A – $1,400,000 Sub-Account B – $1,400,000 Sub-Account C – $1,400,000 Total           $4,200,000 Now expressed in millions, if rounding is done at the end              Millions Sub-Account A – $1 Sub-Account B – $1 Sub-Account C – $1 Total           $4 It does not add up!

Even if expressed as "millions of dollars" you can have a fractional part:               Millions  Sub-Account A – $1.4  Sub-Account B – $1.4  Sub-Account C – $1.4  Total           $4.2 It comes down to materiality, if the fractional part is immaterial it can be dropped but 29% of the total is definitely material.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve got the proverbial rounding question but not at the parts of cents but millions of dollars. We are trying to produce financial statements for a bank that has millions of dollars in the GL from software, no hand adjustments. Unfortunately, the financial statements are stated in millions of dollars. So, here’s the simple problem. Three sub-accounts that roll up to a total. All the accounts are in dollars and cents.                     $ Sub-Account A – $1,400,000 Sub-Account B – $1,400,000 Sub-Account C – $1,400,000 Total           $4,200,000 Now expressed in millions, if rounding is done at the end             Millions Sub-Account A – $1 Sub-Account B – $1 Sub-Account C – $1 Total           $4 It does not add up! If rounding is done before the addition, then you get             Millions Sub-Account A – $1 Sub-Account B – $1 Sub-Account C – $1 Total           $3 It adds up but I’m now out by $1.2 Million, $1M rounded. You can see the problem if I have 150 sub accounts rounded to millions. My additions could either be way off, or the totals could be out by millions from the real total.

If you have 150 sub accounts and million rounding is appropriate then in the end there usually is no problem. An equal amount of line items will be rounded up as those that round down. First question, what’s the SEC or other accounting bodies say? What is the accepted approach?

I believe common sense should come into play. The degree of rounding should be at a level that is approprioate for the amounts being reported. Second question, how the hell can a piece of software sort out what to do? I’m led to believe that at the end of year the accountants fiddle slightly to get everything to add up properly. Really???

What software are you using? In the end it really does not matter if the statements are generated by software or done manually. Statements that are rounded usually need to be plugged somewhere to get them to be in balance.

Response:

I’ve got the proverbial rounding question but not at the parts of cents but millions of dollars. We are trying to produce financial statements for a bank that has millions of dollars in the GL from software, no hand adjustments. Unfortunately, the financial statements are stated in millions of dollars. So, here’s the simple problem. Three sub-accounts that roll up to a total. All the accounts are in dollars and cents.                      $ Sub-Account A – $1,400,000 Sub-Account B – $1,400,000 Sub-Account C – $1,400,000 Total           $4,200,000 Now expressed in millions, if rounding is done at the end              Millions Sub-Account A – $1 Sub-Account B – $1 Sub-Account C – $1 Total           $4 It does not add up! If rounding is done before the addition, then you get              Millions Sub-Account A – $1 Sub-Account B – $1 Sub-Account C – $1 Total           $3 It adds up but I’m now out by $1.2 Million, $1M rounded. You can see the problem if I have 150 sub accounts rounded to millions. My additions could either be way off, or the totals could be out by millions from the real total. First question, what’s the SEC or other accounting bodies say? What is the accepted approach? Second question, how the hell can a piece of software sort out what to do? I’m led to believe that at the end of year the accountants fiddle slightly to get everything to add up properly. Really???

Response:

In any rounding exercise, whether it be rounding to dollars, thousands or millions, one of the accounts in each financial category has to be adjusted to make it balance.  The bottom line can never become more or less than the actual amount rounded.  In other words you can’t make extra/less profit from rounding other than the amount by which the bottom line itself is rounded. — Ken Russell .

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve got the proverbial rounding question but not at the parts of cents but millions of dollars. We are trying to produce financial statements for a bank that has millions of dollars in the GL from software, no hand adjustments. Unfortunately, the financial statements are stated in millions of dollars. So, here’s the simple problem. Three sub-accounts that roll up to a total. All the accounts are in dollars and cents.                     $ Sub-Account A – $1,400,000 Sub-Account B – $1,400,000 Sub-Account C – $1,400,000 Total           $4,200,000 Now expressed in millions, if rounding is done at the end             Millions Sub-Account A – $1 Sub-Account B – $1 Sub-Account C – $1 Total           $4 It does not add up! If rounding is done before the addition, then you get             Millions Sub-Account A – $1 Sub-Account B – $1 Sub-Account C – $1 Total           $3 It adds up but I’m now out by $1.2 Million, $1M rounded. You can see the problem if I have 150 sub accounts rounded to millions. My additions could either be way off, or the totals could be out by millions from the real total. First question, what’s the SEC or other accounting bodies say? What is the accepted approach? Second question, how the hell can a piece of software sort out what to do? I’m led to believe that at the end of year the accountants fiddle slightly to get everything to add up properly. Really???

— Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

Response:

Question:

If I was to obtain my CPA here in America, and work for a little while then move to either the UK or Australia would being a CPA carry any weight over there?  Would it be laterally transferrable, or would it just be recognition (if that)?  Is there a test similar in the UK or Australia to the CPA in America? Thank you, Geoffrey

Response:

Would advise you visit http://www.icaew.co.uk/ http://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/cps/rde/xchg http://www.icaa.org.au/ and review the relevant section.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If I was to obtain my CPA here in America, and work for a little while then move to either the UK or Australia would being a CPA carry any weight over there?  Would it be laterally transferrable, or would it just be recognition (if that)?  Is there a test similar in the UK or Australia to the CPA in America? Thank you, Geoffrey

Response:

I guess it depends what work you do. Clearly, the tax & corporate laws are different. Also, the accounting standards are different (Australia is moving to European standards on 1 Jan 2005). But then, I see the occasional advert for accountants who know a bit about American standards. You’re lucky that so many multinationals are domiciled in the US! Here are three good job search engines from Australia www.seek.com.au www.mycareer.com.au www.cajobs.com.au

Response:

Recently met a CPA working for PwC. Shortage of accountants down under…maybe   it’s worth considering joining one of the big firms, get your CPA and ask for a secondment. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I guess it depends what work you do. Clearly, the tax & corporate laws are different. Also, the accounting standards are different (Australia is moving to European standards on 1 Jan 2005). But then, I see the occasional advert for accountants who know a bit about American standards. You’re lucky that so many multinationals are domiciled in the US! Here are three good job search engines from Australia www.seek.com.au www.mycareer.com.au www.cajobs.com.au

Response:

Question:

I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids?

Response:

Shop around before you buy any hearing aid, but the good ones aren’t cheap. Check out some different audiologists, and get estimates.  Does she need two, or only one?  Cost is also affected by the type of aid you buy (behind-the-ear, in-the-canal, etc.) But then, what kind of price tag have you put on your Mothers hearing?  It may be expensive, but in the end, it’s worth it. ST. "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:akdmqf$h7$1@plonk.apk.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. > I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. > Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids?

Response:

Hearing aids are like anything else Al, you get what you pay for. "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:akdmqf$h7$1@plonk.apk.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. > I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. > Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids?

Response:

I don’t think so.  I think you get much less. I am a mechanical engineer who happened to take Electronics I from the electrical engineering  department when I was in school.  I had no interest in hearing aids at the time, but about 10 years ago for some reason I actually read an ad for a hearing aid in the local newspaper.  I was shocked at the price. Some months later I happened to be at the old alma mater and bumped into the Electronics I prof.  I said to him "I can’t see how an analog hearing aid could possible cost more than $25."  He said, "No, you’re wrong (again).  They shouldn’t cost more that $5." One can buy an entire notebook computer for less that $1000 which has many times the computing power of even the most powerful digital hearing aid plus a LCD Screen, Hard Drive, Large Battery, CD ROM, Floppy Drive and about $100 to Gate$ — all of which hearing aids, of course, don’t need. I think older people are really being taken by the hearing aid industry. I would really like to see a justification of the prices they charge. Go ahead. Make my day. "maree" <mare…@bigpond.com> wrote in message

news:CNEa9.16062$g9.50518@newsfeeds.bigpond.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hearing aids are like anything else Al, you get what you pay for. > "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:akdmqf$h7$1@plonk.apk.net… > > I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. > > I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. > > Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids?

Response:

"Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message <news:akdmqf$h7$1@plonk.apk.net>… > I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. > I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. > Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids?

Try www.hearingplanet.com.  Such services will yield discounts of around 30% on national brand HAs from a local dispenser. Mike McC

Response:

> One can buy an entire notebook computer for less that $1000 which has many > times the computing power > of even the most powerful digital hearing aid plus a LCD Screen, Hard Drive, > Large Battery, CD ROM, > Floppy Drive and about $100 to Gate$ — all of which hearing aids, of > course, don’t need. > I think older people are really being taken by the hearing aid industry. > I would really like to see a justification of the prices they charge.

They say that it’s because hearing aids aren’t mass market.  There are more people in the world using computers, and much less that need hearing aids. The more you sell, the cheaper the price can be.  The lower your client base, the more expensive the product.  I don’t know if that’s right or not, but that is how it’s been explained to me. Unfortunately, I’m an addict.  But my addiction isn’t smoking or drugs,….. it’s HEARING.  I’m addicted to it.  So if I have to pay more for a decent set of aids that won’t break down every week, I’ll gladly do it!  I paid $2000 CAN for my aids 5 years ago, and they have only been in for repairs once!  Right now, I’m hoping the price of digitals will drop so I can upgrade my analogues. I look at it as an investment.  I’ve paid more in the past for my car, computer, etc. Do I think that the price should be lower?…… of course I do!  But right now, hearing aids are expensive.  So, ……I’ll pay whatever they want for a decent hearing aid. Am I being taken?….. maybe so, but I don’t really care.  When I can actually hear my kids call me Daddy,….. that’s ALL I care about! ST.

Response:

Thanks, but the prices are outrageous.  Price Range $607 – $1295 Something really has to be done about this.  Somebody is getting a 1000% mark-up. "Mike McC" <sprts…@conpoint.com> wrote in message

news:40d2438a.0208270714.674a3d9e@posting.google.com… > "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message

<news:akdmqf$h7$1@plonk.apk.net>… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> > I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. > > I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. > > Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids? > Try www.hearingplanet.com.  Such services will yield discounts of > around 30% on national brand HAs from a local dispenser. > Mike McC

Response:

"Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:akgbv1$ehr$1@plonk.apk.net… > Thanks, but the prices are outrageous.  Price Range $607 – $1295 > Something really has to be done about this.

What do you suggest? Mark Twain said everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it. Why don’t you do something about hearing aid prices? Michael

Response:

Of course these are all concerns raised and debated many times but if you could make a good hearing aid yourself for $5 worth of materials, you would be doing it just as I would. In the case of your mother, I would suggest contacting a elder care home or nursing home nearby and ask who does the hearing aid services for their patients.  Sometimes dispensers have returned BTEs that they can sell for a lower price because they are "used" and the manufacturer can’t or won’t take it back for whatever reason.  Many of these aids have only been used for a few months and will be available for a lower price, but you are still going to get what you consider a huge "mark up" in terms of cost of the parts vs the cost of the aid. When you compare the aid to a computer, I remember reading a thread on the board where someone pointed out that you can’t wear a notebook computer to hear better.  There’s no point in cursing the darkness when your goal is to help your mother anyway. Terri On Tue, 27 Aug 2002 10:49:44 -0400, "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I don’t think so.  I think you get much less. >I am a mechanical engineer who happened to take Electronics I from the >electrical engineering  department >when I was in school.  I had no interest in hearing aids at the time, but >about 10 years ago for some >reason I actually read an ad for a hearing aid in the local newspaper.  I >was shocked at the price. >Some months later I happened to be at the old alma mater and bumped into the >Electronics I prof.  I said to >him "I can’t see how an analog hearing aid could possible cost more than >$25."  He said, "No, you’re >wrong (again).  They shouldn’t cost more that $5." >One can buy an entire notebook computer for less that $1000 which has many >times the computing power >of even the most powerful digital hearing aid plus a LCD Screen, Hard Drive, >Large Battery, CD ROM, >Floppy Drive and about $100 to Gate$ — all of which hearing aids, of >course, don’t need. >I think older people are really being taken by the hearing aid industry. >I would really like to see a justification of the prices they charge. >Go ahead. Make my day. >"maree" <mare…@bigpond.com> wrote in message >news:CNEa9.16062$g9.50518@newsfeeds.bigpond.com… >> Hearing aids are like anything else Al, you get what you pay for. >> "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message >> news:akdmqf$h7$1@plonk.apk.net… >> > I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. >> > I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. >> > Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids?

Response:

Unfortunately, I have a bunch of irons in the fire.  If I found a couple of guys to help, I would. "occam" <oc…@fish.net> wrote in message

news:nESa9.19321$Or1.1094639@news2.east.cox.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:akgbv1$ehr$1@plonk.apk.net… > > Thanks, but the prices are outrageous.  Price Range $607 – $1295 > > Something really has to be done about this. > What do you suggest? Mark Twain said everybody talks about the weather but > nobody does anything about it. > Why don’t you do something about hearing aid prices? > Michael

Response:

<terri231> wrote in message news:3d6bfecd.2387888@news.starnetinc.com… > Of course these are all concerns raised and debated many times but if > you could make a good hearing aid yourself for $5 worth of materials,

That was 10 – 15 years ago.  It would probably be $15 now. > you would be doing it just as I would.

I don’t have the time and I don’t have the contacts in the Far East. > In the case of your mother, I would suggest contacting a elder care > home or nursing home nearby and ask who does the hearing aid services > for their patients.  Sometimes dispensers have returned BTEs that they > can sell for a lower price because they are "used" and the > manufacturer can’t or won’t take it back for whatever reason.  Many of > these aids have only been used for a few months and will be available > for a lower price, but you are still going to get what you consider a > huge "mark up" in terms of cost of the parts vs the cost of the aid.

I think that is correct — a huge mark-up. I think it is dispicable. Here is another example of the mega-rip-off that hearing aids are. http://www.songbirdhearing.com/consumer/solution.asp At the above site they have a rip-off that is only a minor rip-off. They have a modern hearing aid with digital circuitry that is selling at $80 — only 2 to 3 times a reasonable price instead of the more tyipical 50 times. Great, right?  Well, there is a rip-off catch to this one, too.  The battery lasts for 70 days, the you THROW THE WHOLE THING AWAY. This establishes that an modern digital hearing aid can be manufactured and sold for less than the rip-off prices of many hundreds to thousands of dollars. People that prey on the elderly ought to go to jail as, finally, some of the nation’s CEOs will. > When you compare the aid to a computer, I remember reading a thread on > the board where someone pointed out that you can’t wear a notebook > computer to hear better.  There’s no point in cursing the darkness > when your goal is to help your mother anyway.

That was an analogy. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Terri > On Tue, 27 Aug 2002 10:49:44 -0400, "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> > wrote: > >I don’t think so.  I think you get much less. > >I am a mechanical engineer who happened to take Electronics I from the > >electrical engineering  department > >when I was in school.  I had no interest in hearing aids at the time, but > >about 10 years ago for some > >reason I actually read an ad for a hearing aid in the local newspaper.  I > >was shocked at the price. > >Some months later I happened to be at the old alma mater and bumped into the > >Electronics I prof.  I said to > >him "I can’t see how an analog hearing aid could possible cost more than > >$25."  He said, "No, you’re > >wrong (again).  They shouldn’t cost more that $5." > >One can buy an entire notebook computer for less that $1000 which has many > >times the computing power > >of even the most powerful digital hearing aid plus a LCD Screen, Hard Drive, > >Large Battery, CD ROM, > >Floppy Drive and about $100 to Gate$ — all of which hearing aids, of > >course, don’t need. > >I think older people are really being taken by the hearing aid industry. > >I would really like to see a justification of the prices they charge. > >Go ahead. Make my day. > >"maree" <mare…@bigpond.com> wrote in message > >news:CNEa9.16062$g9.50518@newsfeeds.bigpond.com… > >> Hearing aids are like anything else Al, you get what you pay for. > >> "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message > >> news:akdmqf$h7$1@plonk.apk.net… > >> > I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. > >> > I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. > >> > Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids?

Response:

As viewed from this (technically-oriented) consumer’s perspective, hearing aid prices are not unreasonable: There’s rapid technological evolution in the industry, and the cost of each stage of development must be amortized across the product life of that specific design. Engineering costs are among the highest cost factors in determining an aid-maker’s expenses. Actual production cost of a good digital aid is under $100. Add to that all burdens and overheads, including professional (legal, accounting) fees, marketing and market communication, packaging, etc. Also factor in the return percentage, which is probably 25%, and warranty repair costs. The unit is then sold to the audiologist for $1,100 – and to the consumer that keeps it for about $3,000. To dispense that aid, the audiologist must advertise, speak to about two potential clients for each audiological workup, perform the workups, and sell to about half of those who get that far. Earmolds are in there somewhere, too… All those costs must be absorbed by the successful transactions. My audiologist gave me some of the numbers and insights. Her practice is successful, with a lower-than-average return rate and a higher-than-average sales rate, and she operates at an overall GROSS MARGIN of about 50%. That is, her cost of a $3,000 sale is about $1,500, after which she must pay all office labor, advertising, rent, utilities, liability insurance, other overheads, depreciation of $250k in test equipment, etc. And, she must include after-sale service, such as tweaking visits, repairs, etc. As I saw it, her NET PROFIT BEFORE TAX averages about $500 on a $3,000 transaction, or a bit under 17%. Figuring 260 days and one new sale per day, that’s $130k annual profit – which flows directly to her because she’s a Sub-S corporation so it’s taxed only once. Does $130k sound like a lot to you? She has a master’s in audiology plus 20 years of experience. I understand that she worked for a salary for another audiologist her first five years, starved for the next five years, and only in the last decade has she enjoyed "success." Her competitor down the street is a non-audiologist dispenser, with a high school diploma and a sign that says DISCOUNT HEARING AIDS. He also wears a white coat, and undercuts her price by 10%. Back to the issue: What’s it worth to you and your mother for her to HEAR!?!?! END OF RANT <<<<jmarsince2.at.yahoo>>>>

Response:

Of course. That’s why they cost what they do. Nobody can actually make any money at it with a low price, so they don’t try. If hearing aid prices dropped by 50%, there would be no one to fit them. Then you’d be crying about the time you have to spend sitting in the lobby while the goverment dispenser goes out to have her nails done, after you waited for an appointment for months. Most people get what they pay for. Michael "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:akh7ut$sap$1@plonk.apk.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Unfortunately, I have a bunch of irons in the fire.  If I found a couple of > guys to help, I would. > "occam" <oc…@fish.net> wrote in message > news:nESa9.19321$Or1.1094639@news2.east.cox.net… > > "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message > > news:akgbv1$ehr$1@plonk.apk.net… > > > Thanks, but the prices are outrageous.  Price Range $607 – $1295 > > > Something really has to be done about this. > > What do you suggest? Mark Twain said everybody talks about the weather but > > nobody does anything about it. > > Why don’t you do something about hearing aid prices? > > Michael

Response:

In the U.S., there are factors that do not apply in some other areas. For example, Russia may be treated as an "incremental market." That is, the cost of corporate management, product development, engineering, product liability insurance, facility overheads, etc. etc. may not be allocated to products shipped to a distributor there. That distributor may not permit returns. And, once you factor in lower Russian labor costs, the end-user price drops precipitously. The trick is to figure out a way to take advantage of that pricing structure. Surely the Russian distributor’s contract prohibits shipping outside that country. And, once you have such aids in your hands, how do you program them? Get an earmold? Get service? I’ll (painfully) pay the price for the red/white/blue edition.

Response:

Steve B. wrote: > I said: > > I’m a MA user… > That should have read "HA user…

Thanks for clearing that up. I just got my first hearing aid a week ago(an auroa950) .I was wondering what a MA was. > Steve  = : ^ ) > — > Not my real email address of course but true all the same. Reply to > the newsgroup, please.

– Quote of the month It’s not paranoia. It’s fear and you should be afraid, because some very bad people are out to get us. One of Sarges’ rules for a better life.

Response:

I have had success with a Russian company www.melfon.com I got a pair of Oticon Ergo aids, programmed, for US$554 total. Considering I was quoted US$800+  *each* here in Australia, I got them at about 1/3 the price of locally. Cheers A "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:akdmqf$h7$1@plonk.apk.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. > I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. > Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids?

Response:

I said: > I’m a MA user…

That should have read "HA user… Steve  = : ^ ) — Not my real email address of course but true all the same. Reply to the newsgroup, please.

Response:

Al Smith said: > Some months later I happened to be at the old alma mater and bumped into the > Electronics I prof.  I said to > him "I can’t see how an analog hearing aid could possible cost more than > $25."  He said, "No, you’re > wrong (again).  They shouldn’t cost more that $5." > One can buy an entire notebook computer for less that $1000 which has many > times the computing power > of even the most powerful digital hearing aid plus a LCD Screen, Hard Drive, > Large Battery, CD ROM, > Floppy Drive and about $100 to Gate$ — all of which hearing aids, of > course, don’t need.

Would it cost more to make a PC if it had to fit in your ear? Would the components be more expensive? The construction more difficult? I’m a MA user and was amazed at what my Siemens Prisma CIC aids could do in such an incredibly small package. Steve  = : ^ ) — Not my real email address of course but true all the same. Reply to the newsgroup, please.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Zaf wrote: >Of even cheaper, the ~$50 or so contraption sold at radio shack, it >even comes with a 5 (?) band equalizer!!! >If you had a bad heart valve would you be shopping for the lowest >price on this too? >OOR…@USMC.net wrote in message <news:3D6C4560.B3571408@san.rr.com>… >>You think $607-1295 is "outrageous?" Those numbers are at the bottom of the >>scale, and describe analog solutions. >>Okay… here’s a low$$ solution: buy the Songbird. Then buy it again. And >>again. >>Or, enroll your mother in a speechreading course. >>. >><<<<jmarsince2.at.yahoo>>>>

Of course, there are disposable hearing aids on the market. Songbird makes them. They are cheap, one or at least a couple of sizes to fit all, but they work, just not as well. You can buy them in the pharmacy at Sam’s clubs in some Texas stores. They are the future. Are they good? You decide, but they are cheap, at first. But after they wear out after a month or two, you must buy another and so on. I do think heraring aids are priced way too high. I would rather pay an audiologist for their professional fitting time and then pay a realistic fee for the hearing aid. That way you can monitor the cost better. Less markup can be hidden. Will it happen any time soon. Maybe when the baby boomers accept that they need  hearing aids and start to pressure to bring the cost down where most folks can afford themt. I think the technology will get better too. The feedback issue is still out there big time. Anyway, some thoughts.

Response:

And this response explains everything. — Howard N. Gutnick, Ph.D. Atlantic Coast Ear Specialists, P.C. doct…@earaces.com www.earaces.com <tlsh…@concentric.net> wrote in message

news:cu2qmuk9doui3vq2j8hipdgvbcr4cqp239@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> On Wed, 28 Aug 2002 02:13:57 GMT, OOR…@USMC.net took a very strange > color crayon and scribbled: > >Does $130k sound like a lot to you? She has a master’s in audiology plus 20 > >years of experience. I understand that she worked for a salary for another > >audiologist her first five years, starved for the next five years, and only in > >the last decade has she enjoyed "success." > Yeah, $130K sounds like a lot to me. It’s more than 6 times what I’ve > ever made, and I don’t care how much education she has, no one should > make that much, that’s why we have such a huge divide between a few > rich people and everybody else. But then, I’m a socialist at heart. > — > Therese Shellabarger / The Roving Reporter – Civis Mundi > tlsh…@concentric.net / http://www.concentric.net/~tlshell

Response:

On Wed, 28 Aug 2002 02:13:57 GMT, OOR…@USMC.net took a very strange color crayon and scribbled: >Does $130k sound like a lot to you? She has a master’s in audiology plus 20 >years of experience. I understand that she worked for a salary for another >audiologist her first five years, starved for the next five years, and only in >the last decade has she enjoyed "success."

Yeah, $130K sounds like a lot to me. It’s more than 6 times what I’ve ever made, and I don’t care how much education she has, no one should make that much, that’s why we have such a huge divide between a few rich people and everybody else. But then, I’m a socialist at heart. — Therese Shellabarger / The Roving Reporter – Civis Mundi tlsh…@concentric.net     / http://www.concentric.net/~tlshell

Response:

Mr. Smith, Ok, you’ve been able to buy the components of the hearing aid for about $25. Now would you please be so kind as to outline the additional costs you would expect to incur to go from a circuit board design to a real product that your mother could and would wear. I’d appreciate it if you could be as detailed as possible in this mental exercise. Thanks — Howard N. Gutnick, Ph.D. Atlantic Coast Ear Specialists, P.C. doct…@earaces.com www.earaces.com "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message

news:akg3iu$ab2$1@plonk.apk.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I don’t think so.  I think you get much less. > I am a mechanical engineer who happened to take Electronics I from the > electrical engineering  department > when I was in school.  I had no interest in hearing aids at the time, but > about 10 years ago for some > reason I actually read an ad for a hearing aid in the local newspaper.  I > was shocked at the price. > Some months later I happened to be at the old alma mater and bumped into the > Electronics I prof.  I said to > him "I can’t see how an analog hearing aid could possible cost more than > $25."  He said, "No, you’re > wrong (again).  They shouldn’t cost more that $5." > One can buy an entire notebook computer for less that $1000 which has many > times the computing power > of even the most powerful digital hearing aid plus a LCD Screen, Hard Drive, > Large Battery, CD ROM, > Floppy Drive and about $100 to Gate$ — all of which hearing aids, of > course, don’t need. > I think older people are really being taken by the hearing aid industry. > I would really like to see a justification of the prices they charge. > Go ahead. Make my day. > "maree" <mare…@bigpond.com> wrote in message > news:CNEa9.16062$g9.50518@newsfeeds.bigpond.com… > > Hearing aids are like anything else Al, you get what you pay for. > > "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message > > news:akdmqf$h7$1@plonk.apk.net… > > > I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. > > > I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. > > > Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids?

Response:

Of even cheaper, the ~$50 or so contraption sold at radio shack, it even comes with a 5 (?) band equalizer!!! If you had a bad heart valve would you be shopping for the lowest price on this too? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -OOR…@USMC.net wrote in message <news:3D6C4560.B3571408@san.rr.com>… > You think $607-1295 is "outrageous?" Those numbers are at the bottom of the > scale, and describe analog solutions. > Okay… here’s a low$$ solution: buy the Songbird. Then buy it again. And > again. > Or, enroll your mother in a speechreading course. > . > <<<<jmarsince2.at.yahoo>>>>

Response:

You think $607-1295 is "outrageous?" Those numbers are at the bottom of the scale, and describe analog solutions. Okay… here’s a low$$ solution: buy the Songbird. Then buy it again. And again. Or, enroll your mother in a speechreading course. . <<<<jmarsince2.at.yahoo>>>>

Response:

I wish you luck in find a suitable solution for your mother. Terri On Tue, 27 Aug 2002 21:29:15 -0400, "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -><terri231> wrote in message news:3d6bfecd.2387888@news.starnetinc.com… >> Of course these are all concerns raised and debated many times but if >> you could make a good hearing aid yourself for $5 worth of materials, >That was 10 – 15 years ago.  It would probably be $15 now. >> you would be doing it just as I would. >I don’t have the time and I don’t have the contacts in the Far East. >> In the case of your mother, I would suggest contacting a elder care >> home or nursing home nearby and ask who does the hearing aid services >> for their patients.  Sometimes dispensers have returned BTEs that they >> can sell for a lower price because they are "used" and the >> manufacturer can’t or won’t take it back for whatever reason.  Many of >> these aids have only been used for a few months and will be available >> for a lower price, but you are still going to get what you consider a >> huge "mark up" in terms of cost of the parts vs the cost of the aid. >I think that is correct — a huge mark-up. >I think it is dispicable. >Here is another example of the mega-rip-off that hearing aids are. >http://www.songbirdhearing.com/consumer/solution.asp >At the above site they have a rip-off that is only a minor rip-off. >They have a modern hearing aid with digital circuitry that is >selling at $80 — only 2 to 3 times a reasonable price >instead of the more tyipical 50 times. >Great, right?  Well, there is a rip-off catch to this one, too.  The battery >lasts >for 70 days, the you THROW THE WHOLE THING AWAY. >This establishes that an modern digital hearing aid can be manufactured >and sold for less than the rip-off prices of many hundreds to thousands of >dollars. >People that prey on the elderly ought to go to jail as, finally, some of >the nation’s CEOs will. >> When you compare the aid to a computer, I remember reading a thread on >> the board where someone pointed out that you can’t wear a notebook >> computer to hear better.  There’s no point in cursing the darkness >> when your goal is to help your mother anyway. >That was an analogy. >> Terri >> On Tue, 27 Aug 2002 10:49:44 -0400, "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> >> wrote: >> >I don’t think so.  I think you get much less. >> >I am a mechanical engineer who happened to take Electronics I from the >> >electrical engineering  department >> >when I was in school.  I had no interest in hearing aids at the time, but >> >about 10 years ago for some >> >reason I actually read an ad for a hearing aid in the local newspaper.  I >> >was shocked at the price. >> >Some months later I happened to be at the old alma mater and bumped into >the >> >Electronics I prof.  I said to >> >him "I can’t see how an analog hearing aid could possible cost more than >> >$25."  He said, "No, you’re >> >wrong (again).  They shouldn’t cost more that $5." >> >One can buy an entire notebook computer for less that $1000 which has >many >> >times the computing power >> >of even the most powerful digital hearing aid plus a LCD Screen, Hard >Drive, >> >Large Battery, CD ROM, >> >Floppy Drive and about $100 to Gate$ — all of which hearing aids, of >> >course, don’t need. >> >I think older people are really being taken by the hearing aid industry. >> >I would really like to see a justification of the prices they charge. >> >Go ahead. Make my day. >> >"maree" <mare…@bigpond.com> wrote in message >> >news:CNEa9.16062$g9.50518@newsfeeds.bigpond.com… >> >> Hearing aids are like anything else Al, you get what you pay for. >> >> "Al Smith" <ecare…@yahoo.com> wrote in message >> >> news:akdmqf$h7$1@plonk.apk.net… >> >> > I am looking to find a hearing aid for my mother. >> >> > I am appalled at the cost of hearing aids. >> >> > Where can I find reasonably priced (aka cheap) hearing aids?

Response:

Question:

How would one modify the check layout in Great Plains 5.5/6.0? I can see "User Defined Check 1" and 2, but cant change them. TIA Mike

Response:

Is this in eEnterprise or Dynamics?  If the former, hit Alt-F9, which takes you to the same menu as Tools-Customize-Report Writer.  Highlight the check form you want to use in the left pane, hit Insert (not Copy), and double-click on the instance that appears on the right pane.  Hit the Layout button to open up the layout modification screen.  Note that this screen is NOT to scale, which makes it a cumbersome environment.  You can print an alignment form, or print from the Report Writer app to see what the changed form looks like (yes, this can be time consuming).  After modifying the report, don’t forget to grant access to the user printing the checks, because they are not automatically given access by default. Good luck, WB

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – How would one modify the check layout in Great Plains 5.5/6.0? I can see "User Defined Check 1" and 2, but cant change them. TIA Mike

Response:

Is this in eEnterprise or Dynamics?  If the former, hit Alt-F9, which takes you to the same menu as Tools-Customize-Report Writer.  Highlight the check form you want to use in the left pane, hit Insert (not Copy), and double-click on the instance that appears on the right pane.  Hit the Layout button to open up the layout modification screen.  Note that this screen is NOT to scale, which makes it a cumbersome environment.  You can print an alignment form, or print from the Report Writer app to see what the changed form looks like (yes, this can be time consuming).  After modifying the report, don’t forget to grant access to the user printing the checks, because they are not automatically given access by default. Good luck, WB

How would one modify the check layout in Great Plains 5.5/6.0? I can see "User Defined Check 1" and 2, but cant change them. TIA Mike

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Response:

Question:

Hey guys, I wasn’t sure where to get advice for this so I thought I’d pester you guys I’m a new business owner (as of late Sept) and am preparing to take on my first batch of inventory, and I’m not sure how to record it, especially in regards to COGS, in the books. When I put the cost down, does the cost of shipping get included into the cost of the item somehow? Or do I record the cost of the shipping and the inventory as separate items? Any advice you could give would be helpful. Thanks!

Response:

Hey guys, I wasn’t sure where to get advice for this so I thought I’d pester you guys I’m a new business owner (as of late Sept) and am preparing to take on my first batch of inventory, and I’m not sure how to record it, especially in regards to COGS, in the books. When I put the cost down, does the cost of shipping get included into the cost of the item somehow? Or do I record the cost of the shipping and the inventory as separate items? Any advice you could give would be helpful.

My advice is that you hire a local accounting/tax professional who specializes in small businesses. A CPA would be ideal. There are many issues besides recording inventory that you need to address BEFORE the end of your first tax year. Regards, Bill

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hey guys, I wasn’t sure where to get advice for this so I thought I’d pester you guys I’m a new business owner (as of late Sept) and am preparing to take on my first batch of inventory, and I’m not sure how to record it, especially in regards to COGS, in the books. When I put the cost down, does the cost of shipping get included into the cost of the item somehow? Or do I record the cost of the shipping and the inventory as separate items? Any advice you could give would be helpful. My advice is that you hire a local accounting/tax professional who specializes in small businesses. A CPA would be ideal. There are many issues besides recording inventory that you need to address BEFORE the end of your first tax year.

As best I can recall without doing any research,  the cost of inventory can include the cost of inbound shipping (landed cost). I strongly agree with Bill.  You need a small business accountant. — Jim Hudspeth, CFE, CPA http://survivalworks.com Washington, USA

Response:

"DITTO" Peter

Response:

Peter has the right idea, for simplistic sake.  I tend to expense freight, but put it as a COGS "expense" part of the income statement.  but as everyone else has mentioned, if you are having issued with this, you are in for some very long nights if you try to do this alone with little or no bookkeeping background. andrew accountant

Response:

Question:

I’m not really comfortable discussing the distribution system, but I do have access to all the codes around the system.

What Mark is trying to say is that HE’S the keeper of the system, and the distribution method is that the codes are encrypted into messages that appear to be about airline travel matters and posted to RTC. * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Response:

posted to RTC.

DOH! RTA. My bad. * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!

Response:

I was at LAX last week.  In the UA terminals there were guards sitting at card tables near some of the alarmed doors with signs saying "codes changed".  I assume they would check the airline ID then give  you the new code?

Due to a security breach at LAX, the code has been changed to match the code of another airport in the system.  That’s a way to immediately change the code, while waiting for the paperwork to catch up with a new code.  The guard may or may not tell crews the code; he or she would tell them to use the code for the other airport. And Anonymous, yes I agree with you.  If I wasn’t going to talk about the code distribution system, I didn’t need to say that twice. –Mark Rogers

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Well, I wasn’t asking for specific codes… Just the philosophy behind it. So basically all gates are controlled by the airport and not by airline ? No, the airline controls the codes, but they are different for each airport.  Most codes are a numerical combination.  There are exceptions, as KRC points out, where the code also requires some personal numbers, or requires a swipe badge or key.  In the last two cases, we need an agent to let us down the jetway.  Those are the exceptions rather than the rule, however. Are the codes given to pilots in the briefing room prior to a flight ? I assume airlines collect them from each airport authorities to distribute to their own pilots ? The codes are not given to pilots directly before the flight; the pilots already have access to the codes.  I’m not really comfortable discussing the distribution system, but I do have access to all the codes around the system.

Geez, enough already.  If you don’t want to discuss it, then don’t! You’ve said it twice already. Secretary of Defense:  "Mr. President, we’ve had a serious breach of National Security.  Mark Rogers has been discussing jetway codes in the newsgroups again.  Shall we send in the troops?" POTUS:  "Yes, annihilate the bastard."

Response:

says… Geez, enough already.  If you don’t want to discuss it, then don’t! You’ve said it twice already.

To a point, I agree. I’ll never doubt Mark’s dedication to integrity and responsibility. But it should fairly be pointed out that despite Mark’s best efforts, he ain’t gonna clean up this one horse town. Gate codes are a deterrent and by no means an absolute solution. At best, at some stations they merely allow an accounting of *who* had access as opposed to who gets in/out or doesn’t. A good case in point are several terminals at LAX: there are vendor employees who are privy to what may be considered "secret codes". With so much construction and terminal upgrading going on, there are often times three or more times the amount of staff engaging access be they airline station employees, domiciled employees of that particular station, city (department of airports) employees, constructions workers, etc. All they can really expect to do is keep track of *who* has already gained passage. And they ask that each individual pass his or her card/code. No more group of four and one uses their key for all four… Of course what they want and what they get are two different things. So while Mark is being responsible and has the right and obligation to maintain that, and proper security is utmost, it really should be known that in many respects it’s not a big deal behind it all. — Karl

Response:

Leo, you psychotic f**k. Are you too retarded to realize that nobody here wants to hear your crap. Your mental problems are getting way too un-checked. You are not the only one who has people "figured out" and yet you still have to verbalize your rantings to try to justify how smart you THINK you are. I usually avoid getting involved in flames, rarely post at all (I, like most people are here to enjoy discussion about commercial aviation and trip reports), but you have been a waste of bandwidth too long.  You should consider calling that 800 number in the phone book and get some help. And certainly stop clogging the discussion with your s**t.  Sincerely, another Richard! (y’know, like the other people who don’t have to hide behind anonymous)   *To the regulars, sorry for the off-topic, but I have a low tolerance for stupidity that doesn’t eventually evolve like humans have ;-} Rich~* – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This thread reminds me of amusing scenes at Delhi (DEL) in recent years where none of the airline folks appeared to have any codes, and the doors from the departure "lounge" (DEL has this one big central aera to wait in before you walk to the actual gate jetways) could only be opened by police/military guys (dudes in uniforms with guns, at any rate ). Oh, he’s so American.  "Dudes" in uniforms with guns.  Yeah, he’s a regular guns ‘n ammo Texan. I recall seeing a UA crew Of course, it wouldn’t be a post from Richard without mention of a UA crew.

Response:

I was at LAX last week.  In the UA terminals there were guards sitting at card tables near some of the alarmed doors with signs saying "codes changed".  I assume they would check the airline ID then give  you the new code? Robert Johnson – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Each airport has specific codes, and they change regularly. These codes are provided to flight crews (I’m sorry I’m not really comfortable being more specific, J.F.). Well, I wasn’t asking for specific codes… Just the philosophy behind it. So basically all gates are controlled by the airport and not by airline ?   It might depend on the airport.  We used a badge access system at OKC on most doors with a PIN number specific to you.  The jetways had the code locks, but we needed a airline rep or a police officer to go with us when we used them.  I only had to go on the ramp once using the jetway doors, and that was with a cop to clear Nolan Ryan who was returning to Houston after putting in a charity appearance with the OKC baseball team.  A couple of my co-workers went down to United to clear Jennifer McVeigh (sister of OKC bomber Tim McVeigh) when she was in town to testify before the Grand Jury, and it was the same deal, although they cleared her once in the jetway itself.   At OKC, the airlines owned their jetways, so I’d assume they created the codes.  There were a few that were leased – Western Pacific and later Reno leased from Continental, and Sun Country leased from American and then United.  We did ramp patrols for American, but we used the ramp-level doors that could be opened with our personal badges, or we just came in with the ramp agents through the operations area. Are the codes given to pilots in the briefing room prior to a flight ? I assume airlines collect them from each airport authorities to distribute to their own pilots ?   They could get them from dispatch when they arrive if the airline owns the bridges. KRC

Response:

The other day, I noticed a pilot escaping from the cockpit, go down the jetway stairs and actually inspect the aircraft ! On the way back, he climbed the stairs, entered a secret code on the lock, re-entered the jetways and probably proceeeded back to the sheepskin comfort of his plush pilot’s reclining lazyboy But this got to to wonder: How do pilot and crew learn about the door lock codes for each jetway they get to dock at ? Does an airline use the same code at all the jetway it uses system-wide ? Or is there a single code for all jetways at a particular airport ? In the later case, how the the pilot get in possession of the current code for such doors ?

Response:

Does an airline use the same code at all the jetway it uses system-wide ? Or is there a single code for all jetways at a particular airport ? In the later case, how the the pilot get in possession of the current code for such doors ?

Each airport has specific codes, and they change regularly. These codes are provided to flight crews (I’m sorry I’m not really comfortable being more specific, J.F.). –Mark Rogers

Response:

Each airport has specific codes, and they change regularly. These codes are provided to flight crews (I’m sorry I’m not really comfortable being more specific, J.F.).

Well, I wasn’t asking for specific codes… Just the philosophy behind it. So basically all gates are controlled by the airport and not by airline ? Are the codes given to pilots in the briefing room prior to a flight ? I assume airlines collect them from each airport authorities to distribute to their own pilots ?

Response:

Each airport has specific codes, and they change regularly. These codes are provided to flight crews (I’m sorry I’m not really comfortable being more specific, J.F.). Well, I wasn’t asking for specific codes… Just the philosophy behind it. So basically all gates are controlled by the airport and not by airline ?

  It might depend on the airport.  We used a badge access system at OKC on most doors with a PIN number specific to you.  The jetways had the code locks, but we needed a airline rep or a police officer to go with us when we used them.  I only had to go on the ramp once using the jetway doors, and that was with a cop to clear Nolan Ryan who was returning to Houston after putting in a charity appearance with the OKC baseball team.  A couple of my co-workers went down to United to clear Jennifer McVeigh (sister of OKC bomber Tim McVeigh) when she was in town to testify before the Grand Jury, and it was the same deal, although they cleared her once in the jetway itself.   At OKC, the airlines owned their jetways, so I’d assume they created the codes.  There were a few that were leased – Western Pacific and later Reno leased from Continental, and Sun Country leased from American and then United.  We did ramp patrols for American, but we used the ramp-level doors that could be opened with our personal badges, or we just came in with the ramp agents through the operations area. Are the codes given to pilots in the briefing room prior to a flight ? I assume airlines collect them from each airport authorities to distribute to their own pilots ?

  They could get them from dispatch when they arrive if the airline owns the bridges. KRC

Response:

This thread reminds me of amusing scenes at Delhi (DEL) in recent years where none of the airline folks appeared to have any codes, and the doors from the departure "lounge" (DEL has this one big central aera to wait in before you walk to the actual gate jetways) could only be opened by police/military guys (dudes in uniforms with guns, at any rate ).

Oh, he’s so American.  "Dudes" in uniforms with guns.  Yeah, he’s a regular guns ‘n ammo Texan. I recall seeing a UA crew

Of course, it wouldn’t be a post from Richard without mention of a UA crew.

Response:

Well, I wasn’t asking for specific codes… Just the philosophy behind it. So basically all gates are controlled by the airport and not by airline ?

No, the airline controls the codes, but they are different for each airport.  Most codes are a numerical combination.  There are exceptions, as KRC points out, where the code also requires some personal numbers, or requires a swipe badge or key.  In the last two cases, we need an agent to let us down the jetway.  Those are the exceptions rather than the rule, however. Are the codes given to pilots in the briefing room prior to a flight ? I assume airlines collect them from each airport authorities to distribute to their own pilots ?

The codes are not given to pilots directly before the flight; the pilots already have access to the codes.  I’m not really comfortable discussing the distribution system, but I do have access to all the codes around the system. –Mark Rogers

Response:

This thread reminds me of amusing scenes at Delhi (DEL) in recent years where none of the airline folks appeared to have any codes, and the doors from the departure "lounge" (DEL has this one big central aera to wait in before you walk to the actual gate jetways) could only be opened by police/military guys (dudes in uniforms with guns, at any rate ). I recall seeing a UA crew rather frustrated trying to get to their plane, and their Indian gate agents trying to attract the attention of the lone sentry at the other end of the area to open the various doors to their jetway. It was very interesting to watch, but vastly ineffecient.   Of course this is the same airport where they get upset with you for not having a bag tag on carryons and who don’t seem to understand the idea of a transit passenger… but that’s another story! -richard —         Richard A. Muirden, UNIX Systems Administrator and aviation nut!   Cybersource Pty. Ltd. – Systems Administration and Windows/UNIX Integration

Response:

Question:

I am looking to upgrade our MAS90 software from an older DOS version to the current Windows version, level 3.3 or so.  I have eight (8) modules including Bill or Materials and Library Master.   Does anybody out there: 1.  Know of a MAS90 user/company who is dropping that software and maybe would sell it at a good price? 2.  Resell MAS90 software at a good price? THANKS in advance!!  PS:  I will be leaving town early June 3 and gone for 12 days.  I am hoping to make a decision before a pending price increase June 4.  Please call if you have a valuable tip…I’m leaving my toll-free number below.  Open 9 to 5 Pacific Time, or voice mail the rest of the time. Tommy Rainey Emergency Lifeline Corp (800) 826-2201 (714) 558-8940

Response:

RAINEY – I would call SAGE at 1-800-447-5700 (which is the Business Works division) go to the operator and ask for SAGE MAS90 Sales – then ask for resellers in your area and call them.  I would also ask SAGE if what you want is even possible.  I have worked with some packages that will not allow re-registering product. DeeDee Heyne D.B.H. ENTERPRISES – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am looking to upgrade our MAS90 software from an older DOS version to the current Windows version, level 3.3 or so.  I have eight (8) modules including Bill or Materials and Library Master. Does anybody out there: 1.  Know of a MAS90 user/company who is dropping that software and maybe would sell it at a good price? 2.  Resell MAS90 software at a good price? THANKS in advance!!  PS:  I will be leaving town early June 3 and gone for 12 days.  I am hoping to make a decision before a pending price increase June 4.  Please call if you have a valuable tip…I’m leaving my toll-free number below.  Open 9 to 5 Pacific Time, or voice mail the rest of the time. Tommy Rainey Emergency Lifeline Corp (800) 826-2201 (714) 558-8940

Response:

Unfortunately SAGE is as bad as State of the Art:  They advocate and support those dealers charging LIST.  List price for this upgrade just isn’t in the cards, hence my post to this newsgroup.  I’m looking for a good deal and SAGE wouldn’t tell me about one if they knew it. Thanks anyway!  Tommy

Response:

Negotiate a deal with a reseller or get a list of 5 resellers around the country.  Fax them a RFP stating that you want a cut from list of at least 10%.  You will only deal in FAX back and take no calls.  I have done this in purchasing cars and it’s a snap.  They cut the cock and bull stories and you save $. Good luck from another end user! — __Stephen Russell Memphis VFP User Group

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am looking to upgrade our MAS90 software from an older DOS version to the current Windows version, level 3.3 or so.  I have eight (8) modules including Bill or Materials and Library Master. Does anybody out there: 1.  Know of a MAS90 user/company who is dropping that software and maybe would sell it at a good price? 2.  Resell MAS90 software at a good price? THANKS in advance!!  PS:  I will be leaving town early June 3 and gone for 12 days.  I am hoping to make a decision before a pending price increase June 4.  Please call if you have a valuable tip…I’m leaving my toll-free number below.  Open 9 to 5 Pacific Time, or voice mail the rest of the time. Tommy Rainey Emergency Lifeline Corp (800) 826-2201 (714) 558-8940

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Thanks for your suggestion.  I’ll send out some messages! In the meantime, would you have any thoughts on any other vehicle I could use to try and locate an organization DUMPING MAS90 for some other package? I know somewhere out there somebody is deciding for some reason to drop MAS90 and move to another package…..a corporate consolidation, a change of requirements, whatever….and this would free up a MAS90 license/software. Sure wish I could find that group, because their interest in setting a "good" price would probably be greater than any reseller I could find….even resellers have a COST from SAGE/State of the Art.  A company dumping MAS90 has a zero incremental cost and much more incentive to deal. Ideas anyone? Tommy Rainey

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Sage will not re-license MAS90 from one company to another. So even if you could find someone, you wouldn’t own a legal copy. If you go to the Excite, Hotbot or Infoseek search engine and search on the keyword MAS90 you’ll come up with so many resellers that you could keep busy for a week calling. Also try, http://www.mas90resellers.com or http://www.123accounting.com Sage is starting to crackdown on these types of over the Internet sales. Not because they are afraid of price competition, but because some companies have purchased the software and then called Sage thinking that Sage would help them with any problems. Dealing with a discount source of MAS90 over the Internet carries a certain amount of (manageable) risk. Wayne PS – We are not a discount source. — Schulz Consulting is an authorized consultant/reseller for the popular MAS90 accounting software. Visit us online at http://www.s-consult.com Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

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Sage will not re-license MAS90 from one company to another. So even if you could find someone, you wouldn’t own a legal copy.

WOW.   That’s good to know.  Thanks, Wayne.

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That is definitely something everyone should check no matter what the company is.  I know some will not relicense, some will for a small fee and some will for a fee that makes almost as much sense to just buy it new. Alan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sage will not re-license MAS90 from one company to another. So even if you could find someone, you wouldn’t own a legal copy. WOW.   That’s good to know.  Thanks, Wayne.

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Question:

I don’t think it can be done in QB or PT. What you need is a Multi-currency accounting software which you should look at Pastel Partner at http://www.1usi.com

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Hi, I’m working in international trade company and we have transactions (purchases and sales) in US$ and CA$. We also operate w/t two bank accounts and term deposit accounts in US$ Does anyone have any suggestions how to integrate this in the last version of QB Pro 6.0 ? Thanks in advance, Chris

First you have to keep your books in one of the currencies. Even though it is typical to keep books in the home office currency, one could take into account special concerns related to the relative volume of transactions in each currency and the relative stability of each currency. I would suggest a review of Advanced Accounting text books. Many of them had detailed presentations on accounting for foreign currency transactions. Being an old coot, I studied from Finney and Miller’s. But that was in the late fifties. — Frederick E. Jorden http://fejcpapc.com/ Frederick E. Jorden, CPA PC (804) 320-6210 FAX (804) 320-6211

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I worked for a Greek travel agency with offices in the US and GREECE, you will run into a number of transactions. You will need to convert all transactions into US funds, before entering them.  I would suggest using a weekly exchange rates in your local newspaper, you will need to keep a copy of these weekly rates. Thanks, Steve – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I’m working in international trade company and we have transactions (purchases and sales) in US$ and CA$. We also operate w/t two bank accounts and term deposit accounts in US$ Does anyone have any suggestions how to integrate this in the last version of QB Pro 6.0 ? Thanks in advance, Chris

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Hi, I’m working in international trade company and we have transactions (purchases and sales) in US$ and CA$. We also operate w/t two bank accounts and term deposit accounts in US$ Does anyone have any suggestions how to integrate this in the last version of QB Pro 6.0 ? Thanks in advance, Chris

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Hi, I’m working in international trade company and we have transactions (purchases and sales) in US$ and CA$. We also operate w/t two bank accounts and term deposit accounts in US$ Does anyone have any suggestions how to integrate this in the last version of QB Pro 6.0 ? Thanks in advance,

With QB 6 (or any version)  you’ll have to do all conversions to one currency or the other prior to entry. QB doesn’t support multi-currency.

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Question:

: Really? Sam Walton used to drive a red chevy pick-up.  (He doesn’t drive : anything now)  Warren Buffet still lives in the house he bought some 9 : billion dollars ago.  Bill Gates often go out to pizza or hamburger and : pay the same price as you or I.  I suppose it isn’t unfair that the : difference between the taxes they pay and the taxes I pay under a : consumption tax approach is not even proportional, on a logarithmic scale, : to our relative wealths?                   ^^^^^^^ oops. Should have said "incomes".  I am against taxing wealth.

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: Consumption taxes are more socially fair than income taxes.  The wealthy : spend more and buy more expensive items than others.  Anyone buying a : $1 million yatch would pay $180,000 in sales tax.  However, anyone investing : $1 million to start a new business (and pay workers) would pay no sales tax. Really? Sam Walton used to drive a red chevy pick-up.  (He doesn’t drive anything now)  Warren Buffet still lives in the house he bought some 9 billion dollars ago.  Bill Gates often go out to pizza or hamburger and pay the same price as you or I.  I suppose it isn’t unfair that the difference between the taxes they pay and the taxes I pay under a consumption tax approach is not even proportional, on a logarithmic scale, to our relative wealths?

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Kurmudgeon) writes: : But you HAVE NO CHOICE! With a sales tax, you can be a little : discriminating about how much tax you give them, and how much you save. It : would be a very good incentive to save. : You currently have very little insentive to save, and when you do, the : returns (and the already taxed income) are then taxed. You might as well : spend it and enjoy it now. First, I have never refrained from buying anything just because I didn’t want to pay the sales tax.  Second, while the idea that the return on my savings is taxed is not palatable, I have never spent any money just because investing it would result in me paying tax.  All in all, I don’t think I need to change these habits.   Are people here different?

A national sales tax would be a misstake for the following reasons; 1.  A national sales tax would have to be in the order of 30 to 40% on top of state and local sales tax to produce enough revenue to replace the present income tax.  This high a tax would be a huge incentive for cheating and evasion requiring a bureaucratic army of auditors and enforcers. 2.  A national sales tax would be regressive in the extreme.  It would massively increase the cost of living adding millions to the number of people in poverty, on welfare and on income supplimentation schemes. At the very time we should be shrinking welfare and all of it’s problems we would be increasing it. 3.  This tax is popularily called a consumption tax to encourage savings.  Why should we tax consumption?  Consumption is not bad. Consumption is just another phrase for prosperty and high standard of living.  Consumtion provides emplyment. Why do we save?  We don’t save just to fill our matress with money.  We save to invest, increase productivity and production so we can CONSUME MORE! 4.  The most logical and direct way to encourage adequit saving is to stop punishing it by taxing it.  We tax the interest on savings and the specious interest that is inflation.  We double tax investment in businesses by taxing their profit and then taxing the dividends paid to the stock holders.  We tax capital gains punishingly by not allowing for inflation which can and does result in taxing fictious profit and in some instances taxing an actual loss! 5.  If we are worried about the rich not paying enough tax make sure we don’t tax the rich (the productive) so high that we reduce productivity thereby hurting everyone.  If we need more taxes from the wealthy tax their estates after they die.  This has the added advantage of slowing the growth of a wealthy and too powerful aristocracy. Bill Mechlenburg

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So, if a national sales tax were added on, but at a rate of 25%, you’d notice it in a hurry, and start to figure out how to avoid it (illegally, of course)! Remember, a national sales tax, if enacted, would still have to raise the same amount of revenue, so the rate would have to be extremely high to do so, especially if some things were exempted.

You are right except that the percentage would be closer to 10-15%. I’m in favor of a national sales tax because my pay would increase dramatically. As would everyone elses. You would no longer have to worry about such things as do you have enough exceptions on your W-2 you would only have to worry as to how much you spend. Those that say it would be unfair to the poor are misguided. If the national sales tax was done like Conn. were it doesn’t apply to food, housing, and other Nessaccitys then that part of the equation would be balanced and if you need something you would spend according to your income and be able to make your own choices as to how much you are taxed. Using it in this manner would save pepole alot of money. Think of it this way. If it is a producer based tax. Then they raise prices by 10-15%(depending on the tax rate), But they save money due to the new system so they drop prices 5-10% due to this fact and with inflation at a avearge of 3% we would end up with virtually a wash and not have to pay income taxes to boot. THe whole economy would take a dramatic bounce from all this. If you make $1000 bi-weekly, and it goes up to $1300 bi-weekly youd be estatic and buy some of the things you were putting off, even if they cost a little more. Which getting back to the comment that the ecnomy would boon from it. Sincerely, Charles Goin "There is nothing like looking at any issue with a open mind – Me"

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Consumption taxes are more socially fair than income taxes.  The wealthy spend more and buy more expensive items than others.  Anyone buying a $1 million yatch would pay $180,000 in sales tax.  However, anyone investing $1 million to start a new business (and pay workers) would pay no sales tax.

You have confused dollars with shares of the tax burden, and made a totally useless comparison. Those wth incomes over $200,000 save 40% of their income, which means 40% percent of their now-taxed income would become untaxed. The difference must be made up by somebody, and the only ones left to do so are the poor and middle-class, who consume MORE than their income. Michael J. Hihn,Editor/Publisher, Liberty Issues

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: But you HAVE NO CHOICE! With a sales tax, you can be a little : discriminating about how much tax you give them, and how much you save. It : would be a very good incentive to save. : You currently have very little insentive to save, and when you do, the : returns (and the already taxed income) are then taxed. You might as well : spend it and enjoy it now. First, I have never refrained from buying anything just because I didn’t want to pay the sales tax.  Second, while the idea that the return on my savings is taxed is not palatable, I have never spent any money just because investing it would result in me paying tax.  All in all, I don’t think I need to change these habits.   Are people here different?

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: :    If people can actually *see* what the government tax bite is, : :    rather than having it painlessly spirited out of their paychecks, : :    then it will be much easier to rally for a decrease in taxes : :    (and the necessary shrinking of government which would : :    accompany decreased tax revenues). : I don’t understand what you mean.  Every time I get my pay check, I see : exactly how much went to the government.  Every time I file my tax : return, I see exactly how much the government took from me the past year. : Is it not the same for other people?         Heck no! You are seeing exactly only a small part of the bite. For example, your employer matches your FICA contributions – which fact is not noted on your paycheck. Nor is the amount which your employer pays in taxes noted, nor the amount paid by the shareholders.         When you purchase many goods ( alcohol and gasoline being well-known examples ) you pay taxes which are not listed on the price sticker. When you buy almost any imported good, you pay taxes which are not listed on the sticker.         There be hidden taxes laid upon you almost every time you spend your money. You haven’t the foggiest notion how much of a bite the gov’t is taking, until you add up all the many ways in which they dip into your pocket. — Libertarian Harry Browne For President – http://www.HarryBrowne96.org/

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   Heck no! You are seeing exactly only a small part of the bite. For example, your employer matches your FICA contributions – which fact is not noted on your paycheck. Nor is the amount which your employer pays in taxes noted, nor the amount paid by the shareholders.

Maybe I miss something will the Nat. sales tax also take care of Social security? Steve D

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       Heck no! You are seeing exactly only a small part of the bite. For example, your employer matches your FICA contributions – which fact is not noted on your paycheck. Nor is the amount which your employer pays in taxes noted, nor the amount paid by the shareholders. Common fallicy:  That "matching" "contribution" by the employer

comes straight out of the compensation he could pay you IF he were not required to withhold by the SS act.  When a prospective employer sits down to calculate the cost to his business of hiring another person. Unless he’s running a charity, his "contribution" to SS had better find its way into that bottom line.  He’s just retaining what he could otherwise send home with you and sending it to the feds to out into your SS "trust fund" account.  (And, sorry guys, but that "trust fund" ain’t — it’s been papered over with government IOUs.) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Maybe I miss something will the Nat. sales tax also take care of Social security? SS is a separate — but vital — conversation we’d better have very soon! Steve D

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        When you purchase many goods ( alcohol and gasoline being well-known examples ) you pay taxes which are not listed on the price sticker.

     That’s funny; every gas station I’ve been to has had an "Includes Federal and State Taxes of xx.x cents" sticker somewhere in plain sight. True, I can’t readily get a breakdown of how much is federal and how much is state, but at least I can get a reasonable idea of how much of the cost is gas and how much is taxes.  (And don’t get me started on my belief that the gas tax should be much higher than it is anyway…) — o If you’re interested in books/stories with transformation themes,o  oplease try <URL:http://www.halcyon.com/phaedrus/Menu.html, or    o  /o/anonymous-ftp to ftp.halcyon.com in /local/phaedrus/translist.    /o/ /o/ Comments and submissions to this list are always welcome.        /o/

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Re: National Sales Tax – An Alternative? anyway taxes on consumption aren’t socially fair since wealth is more detectable among those who save than among those who save olivier mancy

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: Re: National Sales Tax – An Alternative? : anyway taxes on consumption aren’t socially fair since wealth is : more detectable among those who save than among those who save : olivier mancy Consumption taxes are more socially fair than income taxes.  The wealthy spend more and buy more expensive items than others.  Anyone buying a $1 million yatch would pay $180,000 in sales tax.  However, anyone investing $1 million to start a new business (and pay workers) would pay no sales tax. So, how are things working under socialism?  Everyone happy with the fairness over there?

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I don’t understand what you mean.  Every time I get my pay check, I see exactly how much went to the government.  Every time I file my tax return, I see exactly how much the government took from me the past year. Is it not the same for other people?

But you HAVE NO CHOICE! With a sales tax, you can be a little discriminating about how much tax you give them, and how much you save. It would be a very good incentive to save. You currently have very little insentive to save, and when you do, the returns (and the already taxed income) are then taxed. You might as well spend it and enjoy it now. -Quentin

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But you HAVE NO CHOICE! With a sales tax, you can be a little discriminating about how much tax you give them, and how much you save. It would be a very good incentive to save. You currently have very little insentive to save, and when you do, the returns (and the already taxed income) are then taxed. You might as well spend it and enjoy it now.

     But that wouldn’t change with a sales tax.      Yes, you could save as much as you want, and not pay tax while you were saving it.  But the problem here is that money is inherently a valueless product; I suppose you could burn dollar bills as fuel or use them as toilet paper, but there are better products available for both.  So eventually, the only thing you can do with your saved-up money is to spend it on something that you want; and when you do that, you’ll get taxed.  Under the current system, if I save $10000 until it becomes $20000 and then spend it, I’ll pay taxes on $20000; under a sales tax, if I save $10000 until it becomes $20000 and then spend it, I’ll pay sales taxes on $20000.  The tax is still getting paid; the only difference is when it’s getting paid.  (And if I give my money away, or die without spending it, when whoever winds up getting it will get taxed just the same when they spend it.) — o If you’re interested in books/stories with transformation themes,o  oplease try <URL:http://www.halcyon.com/phaedrus/Menu.html, or    o  /o/anonymous-ftp to ftp.halcyon.com in /local/phaedrus/translist.    /o/ /o/ Comments and submissions to this list are always welcome.        /o/

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Kurmudgeon) writes: :    If people can actually *see* what the government tax bite is, :    rather than having it painlessly spirited out of their paychecks, :    then it will be much easier to rally for a decrease in taxes :    (and the necessary shrinking of government which would :    accompany decreased tax revenues). I don’t understand what you mean.  Every time I get my pay check, I see exactly how much went to the government.  Every time I file my tax return, I see exactly how much the government took from me the past year.  Is it not the same for other people?

Not only that, but how often do you notice the add on sales tax on the end of a purchase?  Probably not at all, unless it’s huge, like sales tax on a car purchase.  Talk about hidden out in the open (a sales tax)!! So, if a national sales tax were added on, but at a rate of 25%, you’d notice it in a hurry, and start to figure out how to avoid it (illegally, of course)! Remember, a national sales tax, if enacted, would still have to raise the same amount of revenue, so the rate would have to be extremely high to do so, especially if some things were exempted.

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What I would prefer is a flat tax on the amount earned ABOVE the "poverty" level. Of course I would consider the poverty level a bit higher than it currently set at, say $25k for a familly of 4. If a flat tax rate of 28% of the amount above $25k was put in place, then I would pay the same in taxes I do now. What this would mean to the income of the Feds I have no idea. Brian

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: You’ve got to be kidding.  This just shifts more of the : burden of collecting taxes over to businesses (as if they : don’t already bear enough of the burden).   A small price for eliminating your corporate income tax don’t you think? : And all the talk of exempted product categories makes for just as : bad special interest groups.   Exactly.  So don’t exempt anything.  Every company involved with getting a loaf of bread to your table currently adds their income tax to your bill. If you replace the corporate income tax with a national sales tax, what you pay for a loaf of bread, including the sales tax, will go down. Is it correct that the corporate income tax is 33%?  I’ve seen estimates the last couple of days that this adds anywhere from 30% to 50% to the end cost of goods.  Even at 30% with an 18% sales tax you save $10 on every $100 spent. : Not to mention the amount that the black market would grow in an effort to : evade the tax. How much?  The IRS cannot locate the 10 million taxpayers who did not file last year.  The IRS looses $100 billion to tax cheats every year. : A NST may be better than what we have now, but don’t try : to pretend that it doesn’t suffer from many of the same : problems. : problem is that it seems only the flat tax is getting all the publicity : One major reason is that a flat income tax is still a vast : improvement over what we have now, and that imposing a NST : would suddenly cause all existing savings (which has already : been taxed when it was income) to be taxed AGAIN when it : is spent. Savings in tax deferred plans do not suffer this problem. : How would you go about fixing that? Time.  This is a one-time problem so it goes away. I was very skeptical about this NST thing so I read the suggested material on http://www.intac.com/~gbaren/cats.html.  Now I have to say I’m all for it.

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What I would prefer is a flat tax on the amount earned ABOVE the "poverty" level. Of course I would consider the poverty level a bit higher than it currently set at, say $25k for a familly of 4.

Actually, the exemption which seems to be being thrown about is higher even than that.  $36k for a fam of 4. And the flat tax above that being mentioned seems to range from 17 to 23% depending on whether home-mortgage interest is still allowed to be deductible.  Also, interest and dividends and cap-gains are exempt.  I’ll have to dig up a couple of references — there seem to be about half a dozen flat tax proposals flying about from congressmen to presidential candidates. Bear in mind that "flat tax" is still a misnomer.  All of these proposals are still basically progressive taxation, execpt with two levels instead of the half dozen we have now.  The real cleanup and "flattening" comes from the elimination of the zillion loopholes and exemptions. –D — "Any technology distinguishable from magic  is insufficiently advanced."

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Is it correct that the corporate income tax is 33%?  I’ve seen estimates the last couple of days that this adds anywhere from 30% to 50% to the end cost of goods.  Even at 30% with an 18% sales tax you save $10 on every $100 spent.

How can this be true? The corporate income tax applies to profits only, which are a small fraction of revenues -usually less than 10%. (Just asking) — Enrique Diaz-Alvarez                    Office # (607) 255 5034 Dept. of Electrical Engineering         Home #   (607) 758 8962 112 Phillips Hall                       Fax #    (607) 255 4565 Cornell University

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: Is it correct that the corporate income tax is 33%?  I’ve seen estimates the : last couple of days that this adds anywhere from 30% to 50% to the end cost : of goods.  Even at 30% with an 18% sales tax you save $10 on every $100 spent. : How can this be true? The corporate income tax applies to profits only, which : are a small fraction of revenues -usually less than 10%. (Just asking) The numbers were not explained to me.  My guess is that there are many businesses involved with (sticking to my example) getting a loaf of bread on your table.  Not only do you have the direct line of businesses; farmer, grain elevator, mill, bread maker, wholesaler, supermarket and whatever else I missed, but all of the businesses they deal with are passing on their taxes.

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: Is it correct that the corporate income tax is 33%?  I’ve seen estimates the : last couple of days that this adds anywhere from 30% to 50% to the end cost : of goods.  Even at 30% with an 18% sales tax you save $10 on every $100 spent. : : How can this be true? The corporate income tax applies to profits only, which : are a small fraction of revenues -usually less than 10%. (Just asking) The corporate income tax is 48%. Whether or not it’s 10% of the revenue depends on what business you are in.  Intel has a gross margin of more than 50%.  I suppose their effective tax rate is probably 35%.  

   If people can actually *see* what the government tax bite is,    rather than having it painlessly spirited out of their paychecks,    then it will be much easier to rally for a decrease in taxes    (and the necessary shrinking of government which would    accompany decreased tax revenues).    –jim

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:    If people can actually *see* what the government tax bite is, :    rather than having it painlessly spirited out of their paychecks, :    then it will be much easier to rally for a decrease in taxes :    (and the necessary shrinking of government which would :    accompany decreased tax revenues). I don’t understand what you mean.  Every time I get my pay check, I see exactly how much went to the government.  Every time I file my tax return, I see exactly how much the government took from me the past year. Is it not the same for other people?

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I believe he means if we had to write a check to the government, instead of having them take it through extortion, it would be much more painful. Stop the Income Tax. :    If people can actually *see* what the government tax bite is, :    rather than having it painlessly spirited out of their paychecks, :    then it will be much easier to rally for a decrease in taxes :    (and the necessary shrinking of government which would :    accompany decreased tax revenues). I don’t understand what you mean.  Every time I get my pay check, I see exactly how much went to the government.  Every time I file my tax return, I see exactly how much the government took from me the past year. Is it not the same for other people?

 san francisco, california

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: Is it correct that the corporate income tax is 33%?  I’ve seen estimates the : last couple of days that this adds anywhere from 30% to 50% to the end cost : of goods.  Even at 30% with an 18% sales tax you save $10 on every $100 spent. : : How can this be true? The corporate income tax applies to profits only, which : are a small fraction of revenues -usually less than 10%. (Just asking) The corporate income tax is 48%. Whether or not it’s 10% of the revenue depends on what business you are in.  Intel has a gross margin of more than 50%.  I suppose their effective tax rate is probably 35%.  

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Newsgroups line trimmed substantially. No forms.  No lawyers of accountants to hire.  No payroll withholdings.

You’ve got to be kidding.  This just shifts more of the burden of collecting taxes over to businesses (as if they don’t already bear enough of the burden).  And all the talk of exempted product categories makes for just as bad special interest groups.  Not to mention the amount that the black market would grow in an effort to evade the tax.   A NST may be better than what we have now, but don’t try to pretend that it doesn’t suffer from many of the same problems. problem is that it seems only the flat tax is getting all the publicity

One major reason is that a flat income tax is still a vast improvement over what we have now, and that imposing a NST would suddenly cause all existing savings (which has already been taxed when it was income) to be taxed AGAIN when it is spent. How would you go about fixing that? — "Any technology distinguishable from magic  is insufficiently advanced."

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