Chicago has the highest sales tax in America at 10.25% (and this is old news).
I do realize there is a bottled water tax, which I support, to curb excessive use of plastic.
I rarely pay attention to the calculation of taxes on my receipts, I just noticed that there are 3 additional percent on soft drinks. That means 13.25% tax on the soft drink! Isn't that outrageous?
There are tax on cigarette and alcohol, well only those addicted are affected.
But soft drink is such common thing! Is it designed to curb excessive sugar and aluminum? No it is just outrageous new burden on common people! Parking meters increased too. Now 1 quarter only buy you 15 minutes of parking in Chinatown... Property tax is of course also outrageous.
The government better make good use of that tax money. But yikes, is there any watchdog on how that money is spent? There better be.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Too many programming languages
Got my hand on a copy on a few months old MSDN magazine.. I am impressed with paper quality of this magazine. Smooth paper! It has nice layout. If you are not anti-Microsoft tools I think you'll like this magazine...
In the magazine I learned about that there is IronRuby as one of Microsoft's .NET language for its CLR. (CLR reminds me of this cleaning product in department stores). Ruby starts out as a toy language for enthusiasts and now Microsoft grab it and include it in its own language packs.
Microsoft likes to have lots and lots of languages doing similar things for its .NET platform. Sure, it has its own Java-like C#, and Visual Basic has major face lift to fit that platform... There are so many! The world does not need too many programming languages really, unless it is a breakthrough. Since Java's breakthrough out of hairy C++, I really don't see new breakthroughs needed....
Oh my, in the list of CLR languages, there is a Spanish oriented one (called Lexico), there is even a language called Boo... Boo is a Super Mario ghost character!
In the magazine I learned about that there is IronRuby as one of Microsoft's .NET language for its CLR. (CLR reminds me of this cleaning product in department stores). Ruby starts out as a toy language for enthusiasts and now Microsoft grab it and include it in its own language packs.
Microsoft likes to have lots and lots of languages doing similar things for its .NET platform. Sure, it has its own Java-like C#, and Visual Basic has major face lift to fit that platform... There are so many! The world does not need too many programming languages really, unless it is a breakthrough. Since Java's breakthrough out of hairy C++, I really don't see new breakthroughs needed....
Oh my, in the list of CLR languages, there is a Spanish oriented one (called Lexico), there is even a language called Boo... Boo is a Super Mario ghost character!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Spanish Billboard
I live close to the highway. Pro: easy access to it. Con: noise from late night trucks. Ok, the noise is fairly minor, I am not complaining. Every time I go home, I see is a billboard for the highway. This is a Budweiser billboard. Besides that name Budweiser, all other words are Spanish.
That means I live in a Spanish speaking neighborhood? Perhaps so. But the billboard is denying all non- Spanish readers to understand. I am sure not all highway users come from Spanish speaking neighborhoods.
It is not being fair to speakers of other languages, such as English.
Although most countries have official language (or languages), United States does not. (See the wiki article if you don't believe me). Although I won't go as far to say Spanish is for ghettos, it just feel uncomfortable to see a public sign I don't understand.
If I go to an ethic town in Chicago, such as Greek town or Korean town, and see a restaurant with signs and menus written only in the ethnic language, I won't mind going in and have an authentic meal.
The difference is this: I volunteerly go inside that restaurant, but I involunteerly see the billboard. Budweiser does not seem to care rather any non-Spanish speaker drink their beer or not.
Opinion: public billboards should at least contain English in America.
That means I live in a Spanish speaking neighborhood? Perhaps so. But the billboard is denying all non- Spanish readers to understand. I am sure not all highway users come from Spanish speaking neighborhoods.
It is not being fair to speakers of other languages, such as English.
Although most countries have official language (or languages), United States does not. (See the wiki article if you don't believe me). Although I won't go as far to say Spanish is for ghettos, it just feel uncomfortable to see a public sign I don't understand.
If I go to an ethic town in Chicago, such as Greek town or Korean town, and see a restaurant with signs and menus written only in the ethnic language, I won't mind going in and have an authentic meal.
The difference is this: I volunteerly go inside that restaurant, but I involunteerly see the billboard. Budweiser does not seem to care rather any non-Spanish speaker drink their beer or not.
Opinion: public billboards should at least contain English in America.
Monday, April 6, 2009
"Spring" needs to be revisited
March 20 or Vernal Equinox as first day of Spring?
This needs to be revisited. Three inches of snow fell last night, and it is a few days into April.
It is not random aberration. Frequently we get snow in April. I don't associate "spring" with snow.
I remember in college days, during Spring Break we get snow: perhaps it is better named as Winter Break II, or Almost Spring Break.
Is it because of Global Warming that weather go out of whack? We had 60's days before the so-called first day of Spring.
Well the label on the calendar is not so important, just test the temperature outside and dress accordingly.
Who cares what the calendar says? Perhaps the farmers do, to plan when to put seeds in and all that.
I am glad I am not doing the hard labors of farming.
This needs to be revisited. Three inches of snow fell last night, and it is a few days into April.
It is not random aberration. Frequently we get snow in April. I don't associate "spring" with snow.
I remember in college days, during Spring Break we get snow: perhaps it is better named as Winter Break II, or Almost Spring Break.
Is it because of Global Warming that weather go out of whack? We had 60's days before the so-called first day of Spring.
Well the label on the calendar is not so important, just test the temperature outside and dress accordingly.
Who cares what the calendar says? Perhaps the farmers do, to plan when to put seeds in and all that.
I am glad I am not doing the hard labors of farming.
Friday, April 3, 2009
More shooting in America
Another gunmen shoot innocent and shoot self. This time in New York where people taking citizenship exam. See this news.
This is happening way too often in America! and only America.
The president ought to say something about it. Enough talk about the economy.
What is justice? Oh someone do something bad? They get punished: restrict their freedom in jail or take away their life in extreme case.
But what do you do to crazy people with guns who didn't want to live anyway? There is nothing to do after they start shooting.
Please, put gun control in America. Crooks will always have guns you say? Well it is not the crooks that is often doing the killing, but the psychologically troubled guys that are doing it.
This is happening way too often in America! and only America.
The president ought to say something about it. Enough talk about the economy.
What is justice? Oh someone do something bad? They get punished: restrict their freedom in jail or take away their life in extreme case.
But what do you do to crazy people with guns who didn't want to live anyway? There is nothing to do after they start shooting.
Please, put gun control in America. Crooks will always have guns you say? Well it is not the crooks that is often doing the killing, but the psychologically troubled guys that are doing it.
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