[Held_to_Ransom]

The Amish don't believe in health insurance but doctors love them because they always pay in cash. How do they do this when they have a family income of about $12,000?

This is hard to peg. The IRS has trouble accurately accounting for barter arrangements when both parties to the barter don't report it. For instance, I know one Amish family that builds and installs 40,000 kitchens. I doubt they only make 12,000 a year at it, particularly as they are alwasy busy, and as they run a furniture store and factory to help cover the overhead...

[Dan Evans]

Do you mean 40,000 kitchens a year? That must be a big family or they have a lot of other employees. I think the $12,000 figure applies to the average farmer.

I also get the impression from my research that a favorite sport of the Amish is lying to overly inquisitive Yankees.

Terrible, though, that they confuse the IRS. Tsk.