Danse Macabre

This is a little jump start on the Halloween season!  Note that the solo violin has tuned down the E string a half step to create a tritone with the open A.  

Thank you Mr. Saint-Saens!  Also check out his excellent cello concerto in A minor.

How Much.....?

I think a really good exercise is to change our language about work and income.   What if we answer the question, "What do you make?" with our work, instead of with our income?  For instance, a teacher makes educated students.  A police officer makes security.    

Then our income level becomes the answer to the question "What do you take?"

I think this is a more accurate way of thinking about it.   Our income is what gives us our power to consume - to take.  Our work is what we do for others - how we serve others - what we make.

And I am not implying that there is anything wrong with taking - many people do wonderful things with the income they take, and many people deserve to take more than others because of the nature of their work.   But I think this way of thinking helps us with our priorities and how we give respect to others.

I Have Got It.

I have got it. If some people running for office are so concerned that so many American don't pay federal income tax (they are not counting payroll tax, federal fuel tax, state income tax, sales tax, etc.), then why don't they propose raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour? Sooooo many more people would be paying federal income tax.

But wait, now some are saying that some businesses cannot afford to pay that much? So basically there are businesses out there that need people to be poor in order to stay in business?

Then why are we complaining that they don't pay federal income tax again?