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#53705 01/27/02 06:07 AM
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Carpal Tunnel
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Like them fellers said.

One of the main avenues for legitimate accrual of wealth from holding or having held high political office in today's world seems to be the appearance/guest speaking/lecture circuit, mostly in the US. If you have been a politician of some note during what the Chinese like to term "interesting times" (an old Chinese curse says "May you live during intereting times"), you seem to be able to cut fancy book deals, too.



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
#53706 01/27/02 03:35 PM
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wow Offline
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Yes, Cap K there is quite a few dollars to be made in the lecture circuit and through book deals ... IF people want to hear or read what you have to say. Iffy business that!

As to taxes : before WWII it cost a child 10 cents to go to a (double feature) movie with cartoons and a newsreel to boot. In 1942 a penny tax was added to "help the war effort." It was increased a couple of times and is still being collected.
Reminds me of the time I was crossing a toll bridge on the only road to our summer vacation spot ... I asked the toll taker "Haven't we paid for this bridge yet?" And he responded. "You sure have, but now we need to paint it."



#53707 01/28/02 04:21 AM
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veteran
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WOW, I have to relate the latest brilliant idea of the government of Maryland.

There have been tolls on I-95 ever since it was built. The toll has been $1.00 per automobile (more for trucks) for quite a few years. Last year, in an economy move, it was decided to raise the toll to $2.00, but collect it on only one side of the highway. So the tollbooths were removed from the southbound side and you pay the toll on the northbound side. This means it's free to enter the state (from Delaware) but it costs you to leave. I think there is a deep meaning here, but not sure what it is.


#53708 01/28/02 07:14 PM
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Carpal Tunnel
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deep meaning

It's the same here in Wales Bob - costs about $10 to cross the wonderful suspension bridge over the tidal race River Severn to get into this green and pleasant land, but escaping into the squalid grime of England is free... market economics, really!


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old hand
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Same deal with the Golden Gate bridge... you don't pay for the privilege of Sausalito & Marin County, but if you want back into the city, fork it over!


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Carpal Tunnel
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New Jersey. You can get in for free but it costs to get out.


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of troy Offline OP
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Well thats a no brainer-- every one is willing to pay what ever it costs to get out of New Jersey!

(just the usually ny/nj rivally--WO'N, as i am sure you know..)


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Carpal Tunnel
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Hey, I can honestly say I know the feeling ... clock this:

http://www.bacchus-marsh.com/Files/Part 24.htm

About halfway down ...



The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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I think it's not the parochial NY/NJ competition but even more so: getting into Manhattan (AM) - from Jersey, Yonkers, the Island, whatever - vs leaving (PM). If I recall the tollbooths correctly (pay to get in, sail right through going home), it means relief during the evening rush hour -- one less delay on the trip home, when everyone is more tired, and more hu/arried, and more impatient...At least that's the rationalization for the direction of the unilateral toll gates I've always accepted. Maybe I'm naive.

Alternatives?


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Carpal Tunnel
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It's also the same procedure between the Philadelphia area and New Jersey now...$3 to cross from NJ to PA over the Ben Franklin, Commodore Barry, and Walt Whitman (yeah!) bridges, no charge coming back. Traffic management it was called...not to mention the salaries saved by trimming half the tolltakers, and slowly raising the fee, like an insidious salestax. It started out as $1, then $2, now suddenly it's $3...be $5 before ya know it! Gotta keep painting those bridges! Just like the NJ sales tax they introduced somewhere around '70'-'72..."TEMPORARY 2% for budgetary relief GUARANTEED to be repealed in 2 years time"...now 6%, thank you.

And Helen, how much will it cost me? Get me oudda here, PLEASE!!!!
"GET OFF THE TURNPIKE!"®


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