Sisters Cause Reflection on the Death Tax

Two South Korean sisters were arrested by Japan for evading inheritence taxes on $58 million. The sisters hid the cash in shoe boxes in a shed. It is unclear in this AFP article what claim Japan would have on South Korean nationals but my guess is that there father was a Japanese national or that maybe somehow the sisters were at one time citizens of Japan.

The real issue that this story reminds us of is the issue of Death Taxes.
There are probably quite a few people around the world that wonder how a government can tax a person all of his life on income and property and capital gains and things purchased (sales tax) and then when that person dies and manages the feat of actually leaving some savings to his family; tax the money that he gives to his family. It is something to think about.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080311/od_afp/japancrimetaxoffbeat;_ylt=Ai1GDQHjsb_RHl1c71g0EwIDW7oF

New Airport Cameras Defy Logic

You would think that a camera that allows you to see drugs or bombs hidden on a person from 80 yards away would also reveal anything else that you may be covering up, like your private parts, but, according to billing this camera can see drugs and bombs from 80 yards away but not your privates. I am suspicious. After all, a lot of these science guys were deprived of seeing privates and kind of sneaky about catching a peek. It just sounds like a bunch of guys standing around explaining to some gorgeous gal "no, we can't see a thing, maim. Just drugs and bombs, nothing else." "No, really: just drugs and bombs." "Well, let me take one more look. Nope. Just drugs and bombs." You know the flaw here: drug dealers and bomb makers will just start disguising their stuff as private parts.

I am sure that the science is astounding and the claims are all true. It is fun to question it though.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,336287,00.html

Direct from the Vatican: "Recycle or Else!"

Today the Vatican has announced that it is a sin not to recycle. That is taking a good cause to a whole new level. This reminds me of the humor of a particular episode of Family Guy (Season 2, Episode 2) that is centered around Grandpa Griffin's retirement and his lack of outward affection for his son, Peter. This Family Guy episode is funny in large part because of Grandpa Griffin's over-the-top intolerance. Grandpa Griffin is a staunch Catholic who believes all who commit the smallest of transgressions and all non-Catholics are going straight to hell. While this Family Guy episode is intended as humor, today's edict from the Vatican is to be taken quite seriously. Wonder if we are to expect more edicts on other specific environmental issues? I thought somewhere in the Bible it is written that God will eventually scrap this world for a much better place. That still doesn't mean that we should avoid our responsibilities of being good stewards of this world. Recycling is definitely a good issue and I am glad to hear that God is weighing in on this one. We are all going to have to rely on the grace of God for many transgression and this is yet another issue for which I am glad that grace exists. I do recycle but occasionally on this issue, I sin. Watch what you toss away. If you don't, it is a one way ticket to hell. You have to admit this is odd news.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/03/10/eavatican110.xml