u.s. to meet value added taxes
The European Union has passed a law adding a new net tax to be imposed upon US sellers of digitally delivered products such as games, ebooks, subscription-based and pay-per-view radio and television, when these things are consumed by members of the 15 nation block. The law will go into effect in July of 2003. European sellers of such goods and services are already paying the value added taxes (VAT) on sales within the EU. The US government is taking this issue to the World Trade Organization.
Tuesday, May 07, 2002
anti-shoplifting devices more common
Radio-Frequency Identification tags (RFID) are making their way into more products in an effort to cut down on shoplifting. We've seen this type of technology used on cds in music stores for a few years. The tags are being hidden in new places, like the soles of shoes, or the lining of clothes. There's a pretty good section describing "source-tagging" and other anti-shoppinglifting devices on the Howstuffworks pages.
Radio-Frequency Identification tags (RFID) are making their way into more products in an effort to cut down on shoplifting. We've seen this type of technology used on cds in music stores for a few years. The tags are being hidden in new places, like the soles of shoes, or the lining of clothes. There's a pretty good section describing "source-tagging" and other anti-shoppinglifting devices on the Howstuffworks pages.
Monday, May 06, 2002
pure poetry
The crime logs in the Arcata, California newspaper are a little unique. The news reporter covering them for the last 16 years has a distinct style. For instance, when a number of residents of the city decided to go out for Halloween one year without costumes, or any clothing at all, and were stopped by the police, this is what appeared in the paper:
A half-dozen near-naked dudes
Were out trick-or-treating all nude.
A cop found the lads
Somewhat scantily clad
And sent them away freshly clued.
More, from the Arcata Eye.
The crime logs in the Arcata, California newspaper are a little unique. The news reporter covering them for the last 16 years has a distinct style. For instance, when a number of residents of the city decided to go out for Halloween one year without costumes, or any clothing at all, and were stopped by the police, this is what appeared in the paper:
A half-dozen near-naked dudes
Were out trick-or-treating all nude.
A cop found the lads
Somewhat scantily clad
And sent them away freshly clued.
More, from the Arcata Eye.
Sunday, May 05, 2002
law on the large and small screens
Interested in finding out how attorneys feel about the way the legal system is portrayed on TV and in the cinema? If so, visit Picturing Justice, the Online Journal of Law and Popular Culture for articles written by lawyers, law students and teachers, and others. I'll be returning to the site on a regular basis.
Interested in finding out how attorneys feel about the way the legal system is portrayed on TV and in the cinema? If so, visit Picturing Justice, the Online Journal of Law and Popular Culture for articles written by lawyers, law students and teachers, and others. I'll be returning to the site on a regular basis.
washington likes delaware beaches
It should come to no surprise to people from Delaware, who are used to meeting visitors from the nation's capitol, but the Washington Post's coverage of beaches has a lot of people pointing to the sands of the First State. An admittedly unscientific survey asked people from the Washington area which beaches they liked, and why. Delaware showed up well in the results for a number of reasons.
One of them, of course, was that there's no sales tax in the State. Other people pointed to the comparitively undeveloped nature of Delaware's shoreline. Places like Bethany Beach received praise for its small town atmosphere. And, surprisingly, when it comes to food at the beach, Delaware seemed to be an overwhelming favorite place to go to for a meal.
It should come to no surprise to people from Delaware, who are used to meeting visitors from the nation's capitol, but the Washington Post's coverage of beaches has a lot of people pointing to the sands of the First State. An admittedly unscientific survey asked people from the Washington area which beaches they liked, and why. Delaware showed up well in the results for a number of reasons.
One of them, of course, was that there's no sales tax in the State. Other people pointed to the comparitively undeveloped nature of Delaware's shoreline. Places like Bethany Beach received praise for its small town atmosphere. And, surprisingly, when it comes to food at the beach, Delaware seemed to be an overwhelming favorite place to go to for a meal.
taking/giving responsibility
Dogs, guns, driving, and children. Almost everywhere we look in society there is a critical need for adults to take responsibility, and to use it. This morning's article by Al Mascitti is right on. We need to hold people responsible for their actions. Whether it be for loosing a vicious dog on the community or by leaving a firearm unsecured, people must be accountable for the things that they do. We have allowed our society to develop to the point that teachers are afraid to fail children, and children are not afraid to fail. We have fallen down on the job of instilling within our young citizens the need to develop their sense of responsibility, and we have let each of the rest of us down in the process. I am not exactly sure where Al stands on gun control, but I think guns should be controlled by their owners. And irresponsible gun owners (just like irresponsible parents, irresponsible pet owners, and irresponsible drivers) should be held accountable in our courts.
Dogs, guns, driving, and children. Almost everywhere we look in society there is a critical need for adults to take responsibility, and to use it. This morning's article by Al Mascitti is right on. We need to hold people responsible for their actions. Whether it be for loosing a vicious dog on the community or by leaving a firearm unsecured, people must be accountable for the things that they do. We have allowed our society to develop to the point that teachers are afraid to fail children, and children are not afraid to fail. We have fallen down on the job of instilling within our young citizens the need to develop their sense of responsibility, and we have let each of the rest of us down in the process. I am not exactly sure where Al stands on gun control, but I think guns should be controlled by their owners. And irresponsible gun owners (just like irresponsible parents, irresponsible pet owners, and irresponsible drivers) should be held accountable in our courts.
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