Merry Saturnalia, или откуда ноги растут

A Brief History of Christmas
The Elizabethans partied hard. The Puritans banned it. Now comes the ACLU.

BY JOHN STEELE GORDON
Tuesday, December 25, 2007 12:01 a.m. EST

Christmas famously "comes but once a year." In fact, however, it comes twice. The Christmas of the Nativity, the manger and Christ child, the wise men and the star of Bethlehem, "Silent Night" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" is one holiday. The Christmas of parties, Santa Claus, evergreens, presents, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Jingle Bells" is quite another.

But because both celebrations fall on Dec. 25, the two are constantly confused. Religious Christians condemn taking "the Christ out of Christmas," while First Amendment absolutists see a threat to the separation of church and state in every poinsettia on public property and school dramatization of "A Christmas Carol."

A little history can clear things up.

( Read more... )

В противовес предыдущему постингу :-)

(  Mrs. Laura Bush joins Rabbi Mendel Minkowitz, left, Rabbi Hillel Baron and Rabbi Binyomin Taub, right, during the koshering of the White House kitchen Monday, Dec. 10, 2007, in anticipation of Monday night's lighting of the Menorah and Hanukah reception. )

Налоговая система Израиля

Что-то мне труднее обычного составить о ней представление по Гуглю. Вот какие прямые налоги платит, скажем, рядовой программист? Один мой знакомый уверял, что в целом получается около 55% с зарплаты около $60,000 в год. Действительно так, или это только с бездетными такое обращение?