extracting resources dry

This weekend I heard a quote on a movie that sticks in my mind. it went womething like this:
"humans are the only creatures that profess a god, and the only one that acts like it doesn't have one, using up the world as if its all theirs."

Coincidentally, a new book has been published that provides a more reasoned description of our behavior. In "Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty", authors Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson present the idea that a country's power structure is designed to extract resources from its masses.

Why stop with natural resources? Why not squeeze me and my neighbors for as much as you can too? Uhmm, let's see: I pay 8% in sales tax, 28% in federal income tax, another 4% in local income tax, 3% in gross profits/business privilege tax, and 2% in county earned income tax. Additionally, each year I pay $6000+ in licensing fees and business registration fees, $5995 in professional (E&O) insurance (required by the laws of the states I practice in), and $7000+ in health insurance (also required by my home state). Let's see, the gas I purchase to get from job to job includes anywhere from 30 to 60 cents per gallon in taxes. The one most private spot on the face of this earth, my home, is subject to $4550 property tax per year, and "the church" and the cops have invaded it at least a dozen times in the last year, each time under the false/fictitious claim that I owe them even a minute of my time, or that they can enter upon my property whenever THEY see fit, or that this most private sanctuary of mine is their backyard through-route to a neighbor's house or their religious preaching place.

Identity Theft

Mari Frank, an attorney AND a victim of identity theft, experienced first hand how difficult our society has made it for the little person to fight the big companies: it took her a year almost just to show that someone else stole her identity to obtain a loan. Since then, she has created many resources to assist victims of ID theft. Check out this site:
http://www.identitytheft.org/

Pickpocket offers advice to travellers

The Arnos have done something brilliant. They have taken a unique and creative approach to an age-old profession and were apparently able to make a great living and a fun life from it. They have filmed, interviewed, and taught themselves the art of things like pickpocketing and turned these into comedy routines, books, security briefings to police, tourists, etc. I have often thought that the same things could be done with other topics. That a fun and interesting living may be had from showing people how your insurance company forges your signature or magically creates waivers and selection forms that youhave never seen before, or how attorneys, judges, and cops fake documents, and ways to protect yourself against such shenanigans.
Check out their website at:
http://bobarno.com/thiefhunters/theft-thwarter-tips/