Merit, Money, and the Death Tax

Some people may have found it an inspiring example of social conscience when various super-rich people, such as the Rockefellers, came out publicly against repealing the taxes that the federal government levies against the property left by people who have died. But it...

Backstreet Boy’s Off-Key Junk Science Crusade

If you thought the musical offerings of the Backstreet Boys were hard on the ears, wait’ll you hear them croon about their political pet causes. One member of the famous pop singing group, Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson, has established an environmental...

Chips on the Dips?

You may have heard of the “chips on the dips” investment strategy. The idea is to buy stock in the major semiconductor firms whenever their shares fall more than 50 percent below their previous highs. While the computer-chip business is famously volatile,...

Taxing the Living and the Dead

The all-out attempt in the media to scare us away from tax cuts was epitomized by a Newsweek cover with the caption: “Bush’s $1.6 trillion gamble.” In other words, it is a gamble to let people keep their own money, but apparently it is safe to put...