Slaving for Uncle Sam First of all, I thank all the well wishes from my friends all over the world and also their remembering of my birthday. It was very touching for all these messages you sent me. However, these birthday wishes arrived too early. You see, the birth date that I put on italki is, unfortunately, not the real thing. I just put that date as a sort of identity theft prevention device; though everything else is true. Anyway, I always believe that it is the thought that counts - I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. The parties are over. The holidays of the past year came to an end. Today is the starting workday of the year. In the US, Tax Freedom Day for last year (2012) is April 12. I see no early sign for early release for this year but may even be prolonged. For those who do not know what is a Tax Freedom Day is... "The first day of the year in which a nation as a whole has theoretically earned enough income to fund its annual tax burden." In another words, working free for Uncle Sam. Yes, a slave until we are released after that day. You thought the US is the land of the free... Guess again. It's the modern form of slavery. I know, there are countries worse than the US, namely certain European countries but then their nation was not founded on a tax revolt. So of course, I am not always a jolly person around this time. Hopefully the cartoon included may add some cheer.