If sand were the only input to glassmaking, perhaps. But energy is also a large input, glass furnaces run up to 1500 degC. It takes less energy to melt existing glass than it does to make new glass.

Waste glass (which is called cullet) can also be recycled into other products. This typically replaces sand, so what's the point? While sand may be plentiful, it must also be collected, refined/sorted, and shipped to the point of manufacture. Glass is used everywhere, and in many parts of the country we're already doing the collection/sorting.

If you buy bottled water on a weekly basis, YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE.

You got some issues with "hipsters", that's for sure.

Why would you even bring in race when it has nothing to do with the discussion? Somehow I doubt you were "sorry to say" it, especially given the rant below.

Doesn't change GP's point one bit. In order for legislation to pass the House, a minimum of 17 Republicans must vote for it.

Since when does "salary" = AGI?

Payroll taxes are a deduction (automatically done on W-2). State taxes are a deduction. Property taxes are a deduction. Actually paying 60% is extremely difficult... in fact I would bet that it's impossible, aside from ridiculous situations like not claiming any deductions/exemptions.

AGI in your scenario is something like $179k on which you'd pay ~$43,600 in federal income tax (making the total federal tax rate 22.3%). Adding back the payroll tax, state tax, and (absurd) $40k property tax you get ~$115,000 total taxes, or 46% (50% with the absurd $10k in sales tax). That's with no other deductions like mortgage interest, charitable donations, children, etc.

Nothing. People having problems putting together IKEA furniture is a classic case of PEBKAC.

Wrong.

It would not count on its own. But taken with the other two it is most certainly circumstantial evidence.

Obamacare had to be modified because of objections from right-leaning Democrats, and 34 House Dems still voted against it. Kind of puts a huge hole in your theory of well-organized Dems with total compliance.

Fact is that on most issues the public leans towards the Democratic position (nb: 'leans towards' does not mean 'agrees completely with'). The public supports legal abortion, tax increases with spending cuts, healthy food in schools, (very slightly) stronger gun control, has pretty much come around on gay marriage, some form of immigration amnesty, a minimum wage increase, believes global warming is real and influenced by humans, etc, etc.. The GOP's big advantage, national security, was wiped out by Obama (basically by coopting or extending the Bush policies, plus bin Laden).

But yeah, it's all a media conspiracy and because you're not conservative enough.. please proceed.

That's not always what it's about, though. Dunno about every state, but many systems will increase the employer's UI tax rate when they put workers onto UI, so there is a pressure to have 'cause' for firing.

orly? Look at the BLS data on workers who are "part-time for economic reasons" over the past 5 years.. it basically doubled at the height of the recession vs. prior.

I always find it amusing when people act like they're the only one paying taxes.

In law one cannot just run to a dictionary and pick any meaning. The intent is that hunches, 'gut feeling', etc., are not acceptable, one must describe specifically what raises a suspicion. It's a well-understood concept.