Dog Parks and Strip Joints

Two government entities-- Norway's High Court and the USA's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -- issued decisions recently (Norway in late November/early December and the FDA on January 5th that I found to be both entertaining and thought provoking.

The Norwegian ruling concluded that strip clubs will no longer have to pay the country's 25% Value Added Tax (VAT) because the court believes "striptease was an art form and therefore exempt from the tax." (Source - The Week magazine).

As for the FDA, they announced their approval of Slentrol which is a prescription drug designed to combat obesity levels in America's pet population. (Source - Pioneer Press newspaper).

Personally these two government decisions generate several questions for me including:

1.) What is "art" and can supporting the arts reduce even more taxes?
2.) Will supply side economics be proven true via an increase in lap dances in Norway?
3.) If there is a consumer demand for products to fight pet obesity what is next, nursing homes for pets?
4.) Does the FDA really need to spend its limited resources on such issues as pet obesity?
5.) If Norway joins the European Union will strippers continue to be exempt from the 25% VAT ? Wow, I am a complete policy geek with that one!!
6.) Will airlines start charging passengers for the extra fuel costs driven by obese pets on flights?

What a world,

Todd