Free Republic

NASHVILLE - When she learned the income tax was dead Wednesday, 21-year-old Erin McVay couldn't contain her disappointment. "Wow, I can't believe it," said McVay, a college student from Michigan. "This is something we've worked really hard for." McVay was among a small group of income tax supporters who demonstrated outside the Capitol around-the-clock for more than a week in the sweltering heat, even sleeping in shifts to keep their prime spot safe from the anti-tax demonstrators. They believe the state's tax structure, which relies heavily on the sales tax, is regressive because they say it takes a disproportionate share...

Forgive me the vanity post, but as someone who knows little about auto racing, I was hoping to learn why NASCAR is (by far) the most popular form of auto racing today. When I was growing up, the biggest racing event of the year was the Indianapolis 500. But, over the last thirty years, Indy car racing has plummeted in popularity compared to NASCAR---even though the Indy cars are significantly faster than "stock cars." Could some of you NASCAR fans enlighten me about what NASCAR has done right and the other auto racing groups have done wrong?

Dear Subscribers, thanks for this week's messages of yours, about the question: how do you feel tourists are treated in venice? Some of the most interesting answers can be read in our page: http://www.veniceword.com/aboutvenice2.html We publish here our response to a remark from a subscriber, who refers to our past issue: "I think for some of your American readers the word "colored" to describe African hawkers is quite offensive. I am sure that this was an innocent mistake but one that should be corrected. Simply saying "African" hawkers would be sufficient". Thanks for your remark: we apologize, it is a...

I am absolutely sick of hearing you white men complain whenever specific black men make money in this country." - An E-mail, from Ronnie Yates. Honestly, when the E-mails like this one start to fly, the temptation is to lash right back. Yes, I wrote a column about Mike Tyson. Yes, I said I didn't think Memphis should prostrate itself to get the fight. This means I'm a racist? This means I don't want black men to work? Even though this particular man is a convicted rapist? Even though Las Vegas already said no? Even though I've lobbied for Sidney...

25 YEARS AGO: March 1, 1977 NASHVILLE - This winter's energy crisis emphasized the need for tax reform in Tennessee, including a personal income tax and a lower sales tax rate, Gov. Ray Blanton said Monday night in his annual "State of the State" address to the General Assembly. Blanton said low-income workers, particularly those who were laid off, would not have been hit so hard financially if the state's tax structure had been based on what they made rather than what they had to spend to live and keep warm. "I may be dreaming the impossible dream, as some ...

Bolivar's travels cost town a bundle $60,828 spent in two years, audits show By Bartholomew Sullivan sullivan@gomemphis.com BOLIVAR, Tenn. - Mayor Charles L. Frost and a small group of public officials have spent tens of thousands of dollars traveling to Vermont, Oregon, Massachusetts, Georgia, Illinois, California, Utah, Florida and Canada in the last three years - all at the public's expense. They've stayed at some of the nicest resorts in the country, and eaten at some of the ritzier restaurants. They've played golf at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Course near Portland, Ore. A group of eight billed $6,748 to the ...

Editorial: A new role for Clinton THE MIDDLE EAST peace talks are stalemated. There is no significant movement on either side, yet the United States cannot just walk away from the negotiations. Here's one option that might break the impasse: President Bush should appoint his predecessor, Bill Clinton, as his special Mideast envoy and mediator. The former president has been at loose ends, casting around for a worthwhile project. The Israeli-Pal estinian deadlock would be a suitable outlet for his endless energy. Clinton knows the issues, the minutiae and the personalities. He has credibility among Palestinians that the Bush administration ...

THE YEAR AT SPEED 2001 Questions Line the Road for Nascar By ROBERT LIPSYTE ...... The question that was never asked is whether we really need this particular form of sporting entertainment at all. ..... Certainly, it's not asked inside this restrictively white Christian male preserve that pollutes the environment, wastes natural resources and traditionally sacrifices safety for speed. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ See remainder of article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/30/sports/othersports/30LIPS.html or in "Source" link above.

THE HEROES OF FLIGHT 93 AND HOW THEY MAY HAVE FOILED AN ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL Tom Burnett's phone call: A man named Tom Burnett called his wife in California on his cell phone from the plane. He was the Chief Operating Officer in a small company in Pleasanton, CA. He was the father of three children. Here is what he told his wife (paraphrased). "Our flight has been hijacked. The terrorists have knives and have stabbed someone. They indicate they are going to crash our plane into the capital building in Washington, DC. I know we're all going to ...

By Christine Reid Camera Staff Writer Thupten Gawa's bosses sent him home after they deemed that his show of support for a country in mourning was too showy. The 22-year-old Boulder man arrived at work Friday afternoon at John Elway Ford on 28th Street in Boulder with an American-flag bandana tied around his head. Manager Larry Martinez called the attire "unprofessional" and asked Gawa to take it off. "We ask anyone to remove articles not in compliance" with the car dealership's dress code, said Martinez. But Gawa said the request was not that simple. "He showed no sense of respect ...

Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway) Seen the lights go out Broadway I saw the Empire State laid low And life went on beyond the Palisades They all bought Cadillacs And left there long ago They held a concert out in Brooklyn To watch the island bridges blow They turned our power down And drove us underground But we went right on with the show I've seen the lights go out on Broadway I saw the ruins at my feet You know we almost didn't notice it We'd seen it all the time on Forty second street ...

Since I am the president of a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, I try to learn as much as I can about the regulations governing such charities. The IRS has recently issued new regulations imposing excise taxes (i.e., penalties) on certain persons who improperly benefit from transactions with an exempt organization. Given the recent discussions on FreeRepublic about the alleged abuse of non-profit status by some politicians who run non-profits, this article may be of interest. The link is above and here: http://www.runquist.com/article_intermedsancts.htm

After reading about how Bill Maher made that joke about killing Katherine Harris, I went to the ABC website to see who sponsored Maher's show. It turns out that Radio Shack sponsors Maher's ABC website: http://abc.go.com/primetime/politicallyincorrect/pi_home.html I then wrote to Radio Shack and told them that I thought that Maher's actions were shameful and that Radio Shack should speak out against what Maher said---and see that he was fired. Below is the answer I received from Radio Shack: "Thank you for your e-mail. It is RadioShack's policy to advertise on television programs which yield audiences reflective of RadioShack customers. We ...

I seem to recall that the deadline to challenge the results was 10 days after the certification. Well, if Miami-Dade and PBC had sent new certified results yesterday as the FSC expected, the deadline wouldn't run for another 9 days or so. But, since these counties *didn't* meet the deadline, wouldn't the 10 day challenge deadline have already expired since it would date from the original certification more than 2 weeks ago? It seems that to be safe Gore should have challenged the original certification and then, if the counties filed an amended certification, challenged that one too. But he ...