Nick Renton:

These controversial essays and other material include interesting items from my own web site and edited versions of chapters in some of my numerous books.

Many people have told me that they have enjoyed reading this material, so it seemed worth while to put these essays together and put them on permanent record.

The principles discussed have universal application and will provide food for thought for readers everywhere.

Each chapter starts with a pithy quotation.

The essays deliberately cover a wide field, thus hopefully providing something of interest for everybody.

Richard G McCrossin, former general manager of the Australian Resources Development Bank Ltd.:

Nick Renton has had a lifetime of experience in various aspects of the financial investment scene. In addition to an orthodox academic training as an actuary, he has also been a chief executive in life insurance and acted as a spokesman for the industry in Australia in its public and political relations.

Since stepping down from these activities he has become a well-known media commentator on economic and financial affairs and, more recently, an author.

His combination of experience in technical know-how, together with a unique capacity to explain complex matters in simple and down-to-earth terms, has proved successful in the series of books in which he has described various sections of the economy.

Contents:

• About the Author
• By the Same Author
• Prologue
• Preface

•    Part I: Politics
• Chapter 01 The United States Is a Backward Nation
  - Some Examples
  - Nipplegate
  - Astrology
• Chapter 02 The US Government Could Learn Lessons From Business
  - Background
  - The Private Sector
  - The Public Sector
  - A Bit Of History
• Chapter 03 Politicians Love Diversions
  - Playing Voters For Suckers
  - Reason And Science
• Chapter 04 Blind Trusts
  - Conflicts Of Interest
  - Illusory Benefits
  - Personal Rights Of Others
• Chapter 05 Some Strange Ethics In Politics And Business
  - Changes Over Time
  - Ethics
  - Education
  - The Courts
  - Elections
  - Unfair Taxation Concessions
  - Iraq

•    Part II: Law Reform
• Chapter 06 The Law, the State And the People
  - Background
  - Certainty
  - Other Aspects
• Chapter 07 Time For Australia To Get Some User-Friendly Laws
  - Plain English
  - Legislation
  - Do Some Laws Have To Be Complex?
  - Parliament
• Chapter 08 Does Australia Need A Bill Of Rights?
  - Freedom Needs Eternal Vigilance
  - Consumers
  - The Australian Constitution
  - Privacy
  - The Victorian Charter Of Human Rights
  - Elections
  - Other Aspects
• Chapter 09 Law Reform Commissions: Good Or Evil?
  - The Concept
  - The Problem
  - Computer Aspects
  - The Wording Of Legislation
  - Management Aspects
  - Codification
  - Criticisms
  - Conclusion

•    Part III: Taxation
• Chapter 10 Equity Demands Tax Indexation
  - Inflation
  - Bracket Creep
  - The Tax On Interest - The Problem
  - The Tax On Interest - A Solution
  - Depreciation
  - Stock Values
  - Choice Of Index
  - The Taxation Of Businesses
  - Boards Of Directors
  - Inequities In the Private Sector
• Chapter 11 A Negative Payroll Tax
  - Background
  - A Solution
  - Further Benefits
  - Cost
  - The Market
• Chapter 12 A Flat Rate Tax System
  - Background
  - The Problem
  - Possible Solutions
  - The Flat Rate System
  - Practical Application
  - An Alternative Approach: A Negative Income Tax
  - Conclusion
• Chapter 13 A Net Worth Tax Has Appeal
  - Background
  - Application
  - Advantages
• Chapter 14 The Myth Of the GST And the Black Economy
  - Background
  - Analysis
  - Other Aspects
• Chapter 15 Numerology And the Media
  - The Love Of Nice Round Numbers
  - The Fascination With Size
  - A Major Tax Case
  - Irrelevant Trivia
  - Ambit
  - The Laffer Curve

•    Part IV: Investments
• Chapter 16 Profit Is Not A Dirty Word
  - The Role Of Profits
  - Risk And Reward
  - Proper Bookkeeping Needed
  - Benefits To the Community
• Chapter 17 Negative Gearing Defended
  - Background
  - Effect On the Revenue
  - Drawing the Line
  - Investors Can Get Burnt
  - The Housing Market
• Chapter 18 Bad Tenants
  - Background
  - Major Defaults
• Chapter 19 Employee Share Schemes Are A Mixed Blessing
  - Background
  - Alternative Approaches
  - Advantages
  - Disadvantages
  - The Greatest Danger
  - The Watering Of Capital
  - Discrimination
  - Company Performance
  - Employee Morale
• Chapter 20 Corporate Donations
  - Donations To Charity
  - Mixed Motives
  - Formal Schemes
  - The Present Scene
  - Sponsorships
  - Art Galleries And Museums
  - Donations For Political Purposes
• Chapter 21 Investors Need Democracy, Too
  - Corporate Governance Issues
  - Corporate Senates
  - The Ideal Size For A Board
  - Maximum Terms In Office
• Chapter 22 Some Challenges For Company Directors
  - Background
  - Tax Avoidance
  - Watering Of Capital
  - Changing the Character Of A Company
  - Takeovers
  - Elections Of Directors
  - The Media

•    Part V: Language
• Chapter 23 Is Tax Simplification Feasible?
  - Background
  - An Intolerable Situation
  - Plain English
  - The Courts
• Chapter 24 Using Gender Neutral Language
  - The Present Position
  - Stereotyping
  - Word Order
  - Chairmanship
  - Redrafting
• Chapter 25 The Living English Language
  - Metaphors
  - Computer Aspects
  - Duplications
  - Plays On Words
  - Emphasis
  - The Need For Precision
  - Overlap
  - Negative Expressions
  - Nonsense Expressions
  - Colloquialisms
  - Sexist Language
  - Double Metaphors
  - Words Are Fun!

•    Part VI: Miscellaneous
• Chapter 26 The Gregorian Calendar Is Badly Out Of Date
  - Background
  - Pope Gregory XIII
  - The World Calendar
  - Easter
  - The United Nations
• Chapter 27 The Dating Game
  - The Problem
  - A Solution
• Chapter 28 Some Aspects Of Education In Australia
  - A Clever Country?
  - Comparative Religion
  - Superstition
• Chapter 29 Telephone Charges Need Rational Debate
  - Background
  - Revenue Neutrality
  - Economic Aspects
• Chapter 30 Religious Intolerance
  - Simplistic Beliefs
  - Fanatics Are Often Quite Illogical
  - Islamic Extremism
  - Blasphemy
  - The Danish Cartoons Of 2006
• Chapter 31 Losers All Round
  - A Case Study
  - The Results
• Chapter 32 A Major Public Relations Blunder: Charging For Propaganda
  - Background
  - Ignoring the Value Of Free Publicity
  - Rudeness
  - Researchers

• Appendix A: Gobbledegook
  - Background
  - Examples
• Appendix B: Nobody Uses Latin Any More
  - Background
  - The Story
• Appendix C: The Cost Of Justice
  - Suggested Solutions
• Appendix D: The Greatest Public Relations Disaster Ever
• Appendix E: Some Minor Reminiscences From A Long Life
  - A Visit To Darwin
  - Channel 0
  - A Company Annual Meeting
  - Politics In the Street
  - Politics On A Tram
  - Politics In A Minister's Office
  - Security At Parliament House
  - The Cabinet Room
  - A Problem For Authors
  - State Aid For Motorists
• Appendix F: Style Manuals - Masters Or Servants?
  - What Is A Style Manual?
  - Descriptive Versus Prescriptive?
  - Official Guidance
  - Businesses
  - Takeovers
  - Overseas Owned Companies
  - Publishers
  - Informal Approaches
  - Specialist Guides
  - United States
  - A Lack Of Logic
  - International Aspects
  - Conclusion