Random notes

1. Here's a short, well-written story about buyng beer that illustrates what journalists so often get wrong about tax policy: when you cut taxes, the rich will always benefit in "absolute" terms. (Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan)

2. Here are two stories that suggest the Iran hostage crisis may be thawing ever so slightly:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/02/world/middleeast/02cnd-iran.html?hp

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070402/ap_on_re_mi_ea/british_seized_iran

Let's hope those soldiers get home soon.

3. NCAA prediction: Ohio St. 76, Florida 74.

4. If you aren't a Seahawks fan, you won't care about this one, but the NFL has cancelled the Hawks-Patriots preseason game scheduled for August in China. Most of us in "Hawk" nation are pleased -- preseason games are pointless injury risks, and this trip would have been exhausting.

5. Make sure you see "The Lives of Others" before it leaves the indie film circuit. Deserved to win the Best Picture Oscar, not just Best Foreign Language film.