This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Guest Post: Get Ready To Start Paying These Taxes Too
Submitted by Simon Black of Sovereign Man
Get Ready To Start Paying These Taxes Too
In the pre-dawn darkness of a chilly LA morning, my day started off with a chuckle. A friend in the reforestation business sent me an email detailing the US Department of Agriculture’s new ‘Christmas Tree’ tax that was approved yesterday. I thought it was a joke. It wasn’t.
One can only laugh at the absurdity of the government getting involved in such a matter. But it’s happening more and more.
You see, the United States is on a one-way collision course with its financial judgment day; the country long ago passed the historical point of no return– the point at which it has to start borrowing money simply to pay interest on the money it has already borrowed.
Throughout history, countries that passed this point of no return soon defaulted on their debts, entered into extended periods of severe inflation, or both. This is nothing new– the idea of a government going bankrupt is practically as old as the concept of government itself.
Along the way as they slide down the slippery slope of economic calamity, governments typically hit the accelerator by resorting to financial repression; rather than making the economy open and attractive to talented people and investment capital, they instead confiscate, inflate, and overregulate.
These tactics include oldies but goodies like civil asset forfeiture, capital controls, and a host of whacky new taxes. Like a Christmas Tree tax, for example.
Sumptuary laws (regulation and taxes over lifestyle habits) are quite common, dating back to the Renaissance period ‘beard taxes’. If you wore a beard during the time of Peter the Great in Russia, or Henry VIII in England, you paid a tax to the government for the privilege.
There are many modern day equivalents of the beard tax– taxes on cigarettes, mobile phones, vehicles, luxury goods, etc. We should expect the introduction of even more– a national sales tax, an Internet tax, a carbon emissions tax, and a financial transactions tax.
After this, the next mind-boggling category of taxes that will be introduced are ‘social taxes’. In other words, you get taxed on what everyone else is doing… like an anti-terrorism security tax, or better yet, national healthcare where you pay for other people to go to the doctor.
During the Tokugawa period in feudal Japan, they called this ‘honto mononari’. Village peasants were taxed by the local daimyo on the basis of the entire village’s rice yield for that season. Even if you didn’t grow a single grain, you still paid.
Perhaps the most heinous forms of taxes to come, though, are asset taxes. And at roughly $5 trillion in total value, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are the lowest hanging fruit that the federal government can grab.
It’s not that far-fetched. Argentina has done it. Hungary and Ireland have done it. Even France passed a law last year authorizing the government to use pension fund assets to pay off its debts. And if you recall, the US Treasury raided public pensions this year to tide itself over during the budget debacle.
The next step will be for the government to nationalize a portion of IRA assets. They’ll wait for a severe market downturn that wipes a huge chunk from most IRA accounts, blame capitalism for the failure, and then pass a law requiring that X% of IRA funds be held in the ‘safety and security’ of government debt.
If you think this can’t happen, then I encourage you to do absolutely nothing. Keep your IRA funds parked with a big, conventionally-thinking financial institution that has absolutely no interest in your financial security.
If, on the other hand, you can see the writing on the wall, then one of the biggest no-brainers you can undertake is establishing an Open Opportunity IRA.
This is a structure where YOU take control over your own retirement funds, opening up your savings to a world of possibilities and protecting against government confiscation.
»
- 18805 reads
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -
Don't Comply, Don't Buy!
are TPTB trying to force the 99% into anachrocapitalism...
into a barter society...
WHAT ARE THEY THINKIN'....
taxing the hell out of christmas???
Agreed, Obama the Grinch.
We must tax Christmas trees, or the terrorist will try to bomb them.... err.... wait.... sorry.
Oh Tannenbomb, oh Tannenbomb...
You know who I blame and it isn't the "Christmas Tree Checkoff Task Force”. They steal our education, media and politicians. Fuck just leave Christmas alone. Its the only time I get to spend worthless dollars buying shit I get bored of by January 3rd.
Fight the government! Cut you own tree!
Its not a tax on Christmas trees, its an industry surcharge that was not going to be passed on to the consumer.
"The USDA said most growers are in favor of the fee because it would ultimately help their bottom line. Agriculture Department spokesman Michael T. Jarvis told FOXNews.com that there are over 20 similar promotional campaigns supported by the department, which have helped their respective industry grow.
"We have good reason to believe it [would] be successful for our industry," Betty Malone, an Oregon tree farmer and president of Christmas Tree Promotion Now, told the Miami HeraldTuesday. "We looked at what other industries have done, and how successful they've been."
See this link for your self. I'm afraid Simon Sovereign Guy is talking his book again, which is to get you to buy his crap. And he has a lot of that to offload onto someone.
Employee Notice
Due to the current financial situation caused by the slowdown in the economy, Congress has decided to implement a scheme to put workers of 50 years of age and above on early, mandatory retirement, thus creating jobs and reducing unemployment.
This scheme will be known as RAPE (Retire Aged People Early).
Persons selected to be RAPED can apply to Congress to be considered for the SHAFT program (Special Help After Forced Termination).
Persons who have been RAPED and SHAFTED will be reviewed under the SCREW program (System Covering Retired-Early Workers).
A person may be RAPED once, SHAFTED twice and SCREWED as many times as Congress deems appropriate.
Persons who have been RAPED could get AIDS (Additional Income for Dependents & Spouse) or HERPES (Half Earnings for Retired Personnel Early Severance).
Obviously persons who have AIDS or HERPES will not be SHAFTED or SCREWED any further by Congress.
Persons who are not RAPED and are staying on will receive as much SHIT (Special High Intensity Training) as possible. Congress has always prided themselves on the amount of SHIT they give our citizens.
Should you feel that you do not receive enough SHIT, please bring this to the attention of your Congressman, who has been trained to give you all the SHIT you can handle.
Sincerely,
The Committee for Economic Value of Individual Lives (E.V.I.L.)
PS - Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas and oil, as well as current market conditions, the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off.
Now that's funny!
and yet i'll always miss the train.
Will this be tax deductible for Goldman Sachs?
I hope so, anything to help the banking system in times of need...
lol
i kinda like to be on the SHIT program. special high? ohhhhhhh yeahhhhh...
Best post on ZH I read in a while:)
While this is certainly funny, the results from Tuesday's election where most incumbents kept their jobs was not. The "my corrupt politicians is better than your corrupt politician" thinking will definitely sink this country.
So an involuntary "surcharge" that must, according to law, be paid by everyone in the industry that sell or imports a certain number of trees isn't a tax? It's mandatory (So the government stepped in to mandate a fee to support the promotion board)
and is used to create a government board called the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. Some in the industry tried to fund this in the past voluntarily, but it didn't work so they enlisted the government to compel participation. Sounds like a tax to me and only an idiot thinks it wouldn't get passed on to the consumer in the end. Idiot.
You'd be surprised at how many people have never heard of Christmas and have no fuckin clue what a Christmas tree is...
I'm all for it... I think it's a great idea, stimulates the economy and all that...
Figures
and whilst we're at it, why don't we tax them little white hats so that Muslims can contribute to the national coffers too? If anyone needs an advertising campaign, they do. It's then only one step away from boosting GDP by letting more Muslims in...
and I can't see anything wrong with that.
see, fixed it. No more budget deficit and lots of happy advertisers...
Can I be President now?
If they had good reason to believe it would help the industry then why didn't they just do it themselves without involving the federal government in a marketing program for Christmas Trees? No this was an effort to elicit the help of the government to squeeze out the smaller growers reducing the competition for the larger growers. Another example of government corporatism run amok. If it is a mandatory fee (regardless of the size) then it is a tax and all taxes have to be approved by Congress unless we are completely ignoring the Constitution (shocking!!).
yeah...fuck you, weres your brown spider free certificate motherfucker...prove this wood wont be used for a guitar...i have a fucking machine gun mister guitar man give me your wood....you too xmas treeman...
There's obviously some deep and meaningful message in there somewhere that is frankly, beyond me...
Oh how great is thy taxes, oh how great is thy taxes!
ot maybe, who the fuck knows anymore....i have a half a ear towrds the debates......when the fuck did it become a game show....anyhow i have ron paul for the big showcase....and remember to spay and neuter your citizens...
Obama introduces a Christian Tax? Hmmm.
Next they will want to tax Christian Church Donations.
Anarchocapitalism and the barter system are two very different things. Check definitions before you shoot your mouth.
uh...
i know...
thats why i put them on different lines...
Actually, they misspelt it anachrocapitalism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anachronism
An ironic mistake, considering the government already seems to have been practicing a form of this for some time now...
sorry, pleb,
my bad on the spellin'
How can government possibly practice anarcho-capitalism?
.
arachnocapitalism
capitalism for the black widow government, er , spider
... and back in 2007 and 2008, we had an "inflation tax". Consequently, not only did people stop buying, they quit paying their mortgages, too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation_tax
Barack Hussein,DECIDED TO NOT GO W/THIS TAX,
Isn't it swell just one administrator an decide such things on a whim? ;-)
Yes he can!
dont buy capital strike; dont shop dont invest;
black underground economy only....
see ya in two years.
More like ten years. Both republicans and democrats shit on the middle class every chance they get. The kleptocracy will not end without a revolution.
the tax man comeith
Bitchez.....
A christmas tree tax IS pretty ridiculous ... but just wait until they start putting a "goods and services" tax on your tax payments.
THEN, you know that the end is nigh. :-)
They do...in Canada, in some provinces it's called HST right now and my understanding from US cousins that visit it is near impossible to get back versus GST
Damn, what was I thinking when I did not get one of those raidable things?
Look elsewhere gummint rats! Fukk off!
christmas tree tax. really? what so barry can play more golf?
" No Christmas for You ! "
+1 for soup nazi reference
ron paul says...bring it all down
ok he said "liquidate" but i heard "bring it all down"
on the fake ones, too?
Why not Menoras? All them candles put off so much CO2, ya gotta do it!
Exactly what I was thinking. Since that evil tribe is behind most of the problems and scams anyway!
Luckily my family already owns a fake tree. Wait..why did I just put that on the internet?
Shit..where do I send the fifteen cents?
The problem started in the 90s. You had the internet bubble, so tax revenue ballooned, and government believed they could take on more debt, since the debt:gdp would be about the same. However, it was a bubble, and once it popped, tax revenues fell off a cliff, but you had all that legacy debt.
Then Greenspan allowed a real estate bubble, and Bush used the extra tax revenue for 2 wars, bush tax cuts, and medicare. Increasing the deficit throughout his two terms. But that bubble popped, and your left with more legacy debt.
Throughout the last 2 decades wallstreeet has been horrible at pricing assets, and risk. They were at the helm of 2 of the world's largest bubble. and bust. The mechanism of wallstreet is broken. It must be fixed before capital can flow its institutions
#occupywallstreet.
The problem started in the 1960's with the US trying to fund the war in Vietnam. Nixon ended the silver standard and the gubmint printed all the money needed to pay for bullets and stuff. Immediately addicting, congress has been doing this for 50 years to fund whatever they wanted. It's been a good run for them and the banksters, time to pull the chute on their escape and screw the public one last time(s).
it started in 1913
"...on a Christmas day..."
Hey - hey!
Hey! Hey!
FUCK THE FED!
Uh, I think you're about 8 decades off.
It starts and ends with the federal reserve, doesn't it.
Fiat money was around long before the Federal Reserve...
You are right, and what has happened to each and every one? The same thing that is going to happen to the Euro and FRN$.
True, it is a mathematical inevitability. The Fed is just the latest in a long line of bit part players...
DormRoom, I think the problems run considerably deeper than you alude to here...
The Irishman makes another public video expressing his current views. He still doesn't get the grand scheme on central policy making. Still give him a +10 for great vulgarity and effort by explaining a thin layer of the problem to mouth breathers.
Wall Street Wankers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bw2C_XR64Y
With Open Opportunity IRA, "Get Ready For An Audit" my friend.
OT: PMs and Prenuptial Agreements
Can you recommend whether I should include gold/silver physical metals I own and have purchased the past 3 years on my prenuptial agreement? I'll be getting married very shortly.
Also, any recs on whether to use a brick 'n mortar lawyer vs. an online prenup "generator" vs. writing a simple 1 pager up myself are much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
brick and mortar, to be sure you're covered in your state.
Personally, after having had one divorce and one runaway bride, I'd advocate taking the PMs and burying them and never say a word to the future ex. (Apologies for my cynicism.) Putting it in a prenup is creating legal documentation of its existence, and if you talk to any guy who's gone through the coming home to an emptied house scenario, the last thing you want is a highly valuable, highly portable asset that can be taken and denied -- and then she can go after you twice, 1st time she takes it, second time she claims you're hiding it and demands payment.
Really, the best course of action is make is disappear.
I respect your cynicism, have fought marriage about as long as I could but have a couple kids now. I think we'll make it work at least till they're of age, but honestly who knows.
First you said brick 'n mortar but then had convincing arguments against mentioning them at all. Can you give more details? I have not much else other than a (maximum-ly drained) 401k.
Hmm, good points, I gotta admit.
Diatribe...
Ever hear someone say "We know it will never last, but we are getting married anyway." IF you inherit money, do not comingle, if she does, put it in joint account, shared ownership whatever.... the odds are against you, invest $200 an sit for an hour with a divorce atty before you get married. No one ever does, but that is some of the best dough you will ever INVEST
Agreed on the inheritance issue. A good friend got really screwed by his ex-wife on that one. Also on spending time on a good attorney now because as it has been pointed out, it's far cheaper to do it with the prenup than with a bad divorce.
if she already knows about the pm's include them in the prenup, if she doesn't know don't let her find out.
get a shovel and bury deep. what she don't know about can't hurt you.
Wow, lots of input on this!
I said brick and mortar and then not mentioning. To explain:
The ideal is to bury them and STFU. I would make sure I had documentation that I possessed the PMs prior to the wedding, just in case.
If she already knows or there is any other issue, she's making a stink, whatever, then go to a brick and mortar lawyer. A full prenup will likely cost more than $500, but ask. In every case where I've needed a contract/legal ass covering, I do my best to keep something simple and write it on one page, and hand it to lawyer to be legalesed and anti-loopholed, and this usually costs about $500.
You need to use a brick-and-mortar because state laws vary a lot. In my state, for example, prenups are flat out null and void.
The other issue is those PMs are a nice asset. Once you're married, you can have joint debts, and if/when marriage blows up, they'll be looking at those assets, even if they came before the marriage, to cover the debt -- debt you might not have agreed to. Forget about whether it's right, moral, or hell, even legal -- once the marriage turns south, if the woman sees a lawyer expect a world of pain, expense, and dirty tricks. Even if she likes you, if her lawyer smells money, he'll be an ass just to get his part of it. #1 Rule to financial well being: keep your shit off of anyone else's RADAR.
I'll pass on a quote from my run-away bride, who'd posed this question to me:
"Do you know any man personally, who was better off financially after getting into a relationship than before, or if he was in a relationship, do you know any man that was better off after being married?"
It's great if a marriage lasts, but if it doesn't and you're the guy, no one is looking out for your interests. So you have to, ahead of time.
Hate to tell you, but lawyers are not held to any standards of the practice of law, especially if they can convince you to sign the document. Later, when you discover that your lawyers have totally screwed up..not some esoteric ,obcsure law or case precedent, but mainstream law 101, you will have no recourse.
I know. I tried to sue my divorce attorneys, whose representation for me was so bad, they couldn't even get an expert to testify on their behalf, and the trial court "after having reviewed the record, depositions and having made all reasonable inferences, concluded(s) the defendants were negligent..."
But in KY, there was this obscure get out of jail free card: Mitchell v Transamerica which allowed the trial court to throw out any case involving legal malpractice, even though a more recent case by a higher authority, (KY Court of Appeals), Steevest v Scansteel, which was the standard for summary judgment, was not cited, and applied squarely to my case.
When I tried to appeal to the State Supreme Court, my new attorney got it wrong again: I had to appeal in 20 days, not 30 days.
I won't even get into my other attorney who failed to notify ther KY Licensure Board in a timely manner (3 years) that the medication error was not intentional on my part, but rather had been mishandled by the operating room nurse, who allowed an unauthorized tech to draw up the medication, which of course, was the wrong one.
The Board launched a full blown lawsuit against my license because they thought I had knowingly administered the lethal drug, when in fact I had been unwittingly handed a medication that an unauthorized tech had selected and drawn up, and I was scapegoated by the Board. But no matter to my attorney. He was too far away in the top corner office of the biggest law firm in Louiville enjoying his status as senior partner to care about my situation. Had he made a timely dsiclosure to the Board of this critical factor, circumstances in KY at the time would have allowed the Board to call off "disciplinary" action. Instead, three years later, the sentiment had turned against doctors when the head of the KY Medical Association, in a very high profile case involving molestation of patients, the KY medical board had to serve up a scapegoat immediately.
To make matters worse, a special hearing officer who had never disagreed with the Board was brought in to hear the case. The KY Medical Board's counsel was this young twerp, a little shit, right out of law school, who was trying to cut his teeth on a future legal practice involving medical malpractice by first getting a position as counsel for the Medical Board.
All reports to the KY Bar of these slime balls returned with a review by a three man tribunal, names unknown, with a one sentence reply stating that no evidence of misconduct was found and the matter was concluded, and that was that.
The legal profession rales about us doctors committing medical malpractice, but let me tell you, what should be legal malpractice is rampant as far as I can see, and you are powerless to get recourse.
FUCK YOU ALL YOU LAWYERS OUT THERE!!!!!
OK Tyler, you can remove this rant. It will be coming out in a book anyway.
"Kill the lawyers." Hamlet
I never actually read Shakespeare
augmister
Henry VI Part 2 actually:
http://www.shakespeare-literature.com/Henry_VI,_part_2/13.html
DICK
The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.
Hubbs - thanks for sharing this. It's amazing how many different ways our society, government and control systems can screw us over. You're either in the system or screwed by it... it's remarkable.
Hehe.
Dude you and your wife just need to swap with other couples every once in a while. Why divorce? Have your cake and eat it too.
Works great in my marriage. We love each other and never get bored or fight much. She can bitch about me to her boyfriend, get it off her chest, then we get it on the next night.
It helps you remember to treat your wife just like any new girl you are trying to fuck, like you are trying hard to make a good impression.
You break out of old ruts. You never again take them for granted, and you and her are always trying to outdo each other's lovers.
Stale routines, taking your relationship for granted, and failing to treat your spouse like a first date each time you go out leads to failed marriage.
Sounds like good advice to me.
Gotta shovel and a good memory?
Got a shovel and GPS. No land I "own" however..
You can bury it on my back 40. I promise I won't tell.
If you're getting a prenup, why wouldn't you include an asset that could change radically in value over time? I don't know much about attorneys but it would seem like a real one would be a better idea than an online prenup generator for something this important. Ask people you trust for a referral.
FWIW, I've been happily married over twenty years, and I hope you have the same luck. Congratulations!
Thanks for the reply. First off, I don't know how specific prenups need to be. And I'm hesitant letting anyone, even a lawyer, know that I have PMs if it's required to inventory them all. I'd prefer just a blanket statement "any assets owned prior to <marriage_date> are mine" which maybe I can do.
I'm hoping this won't cost more than $500 either; really want to do it for piece of mind, as marriage is such a bitch for the breadwinner. Thanks for the well wishes, any marriage tips to survive?? (Note I'm brilliant, handsome, and always right ;)
One way, is in the prenup to state that assets in your name, or those that you can, if necessary, prove at a later date a la bill of sale that you have title to remain yours ( same for your other half ) - there should be no need to itemize assets like a contents insurance policy.
Don't forget the ZH donation...
$500 - you are an idjit.... just my buddy's atty and forensic experts cost him $300,000 for his part of the divorce; wifey's part was another major chunk of change.
You are sweating $500 - Earth to Diatribe: your current situation may not be the same when you divorce - you may become very successful inspite of utter stupidity and ignorance.
I am not kidding - THE MOST IMPORTANT CLAUSE IN THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMNT IS THE DISSOLUTION CLAUSE. Marriage is a tricky partnership with innumerable implied obligations and liabilities.
I am trying to be rude to make a point with you - "oh we are getting married, should I tell her I have a bunch of PMs???? Fuck no! So she can badger you to sell them to buy a new couch, a new GM Volt, or whatever???Dude, get a clue. Its a legally binding partnership - get legal advice NOW!
BTW,
Vaginamony is the most onerous tax ever dreamed up by anybody
Of course you're brilliant, handsome and always right. That goes without saying! Marriage tips, sheesh! It's all so subjective and it sounds as though you've been together for a long time already. You might want to be prepared for the possibility that actually being married will change your relationship. I hear that even for long-time couples, it tends to do that so you might want to talk about it just in case. TCT's solution wouldn't fly for a lot of people but he does have it right that lots of sex is very important. (And I know that it's hard with kids, especially for women but it is essential in a satisfying marriage, IMO.) Unless you see yourselves being roommates, you need to keep the connection alive. (Some people consider sex a topic for the prenup.)
Putting each other's best interests first, seeing the other as the most important person in the world: I guess that's why we're together, not just why we're still married.
Maybe the PMs could go in a safe deposit box at a bank separate from your joint accounts. Can you have a letter with an attorney specifying the location of an asset in the event of something happening to you, so it isn't mentioned in a prenup or a will that anyone else (including the attorney) would be privy to? As your heir, she could get access to it if you died but she wouldn't know about it otherwise.
If anyone is watching the debate Jim Cramer looks crazy. Why is he YELLING!
When is he not yelling? Also, Cramer really wants the U.S. to bailout Italy, it sounds like.
can anyone explain why people care or even watch his show, at all? I mean, people who follow zh. Why even discuss him? this is a mystery to me.
First a white man tax on guys like the Speaker of the House that want to tan to look like the Messiah..
Now a Christian tax on a symbol of the Nativity Holiday.
Geezus H... does the discrimination and financial oppression never end?
.. the wife said she knew he was a bigoted muslim all along.
if taxes could end this fukin xmas crap then for the first time in my life i say taxes forevah!
tax that stupid shit into a deep ditch and bury it.
Even better, dump Israel and save a couple trillion while making friends all over the world.
just back from Israel eight day holiday. really cool country. nice people and very productive, inventive people. unfortunately for them they are surrounded by a sea of racists who cannot stand to let them survive as a free people on their little patch of land. it is really amazing that israel can create so much tech and science and arts under those conditions.
Anyway, do you really think those "friends all over the world" you claim would arise would really change their intentions and hatred towards the usa, democracy, human rights, gay rights, womens rights, secular rule of law, etc., if israel were dumped as you suggest? not a chance from what I saw. Like they say, with friends like that, who needs enemies. usa is smart to stick with israel. the jews have held onto that land for four thousand years and usa is only, what 250 years old? usa is not stupid.
You need a history lesson.
presumably from a source edited by...you?
Here you go....get a brain. You got your facts ass-backwards. The Jews LOST possession of the lands that comprise modern day Israel for over 2000 years. The facts are that those now known as Palestineans owned this land for 10's of generations, and it was only after WW2 that this property was taken from them and given to the Jews.
If you want to comment about anything related to the ME and especially Israel, you really should spend some time with a history book. Just pick one up from your local libray. Here is a brief synopsis.
The State of Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948 after almost two millennia of Jewish dispersal and persecution around the Mediterranean. From the late 19th century the Zionist movement worked towards the goal of recreating a homeland for the Jewish people. Israeli independence has been marked by massive immigration of Jews, by conflict with the Palestinians and by wars with neighbouring Arab states. Since about 1970 the USA has been the principal ally of Israel. In 1979, an uneasy peace was established with Egypt and in 1994, with Jordan. About 42% of the world's Jews live in Israel today.
Modern Israel is roughly located on the site of ancient Jewish kingdoms which were the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity and contains sites sacred to all of the world's principal monotheistic religions. The Jews were mostly driven out of the country by the Romans over the course of centuries of conflict, although some Jews remained. In the Middle-Ages, the area formed the focal point of conflict between Christianity and Islam. The expulsion of the Jews from Spain led to an increased, though still small, Jewish presence. In modern times, persecution in Europe led to the creation of the Zionist movement, which was able to win international support and establish the world's only Jewish-majority state.
you are pretty selective about your "facts"
Fist of all the Jews were not disperssed until WWII. More than half of Israel's population were displaced jews from the middle east (Arab) countries, refugees in fact, in the 1940's
No doubt the Romans regret what they did to the jews now. One of the greatest mistakes of history was, in my opinion, what the romans did to the jews (and early cristians), and the mongol's failure to get every last muslim when they had the chance. But, hey, that's just my take on things.
If you look at the Ottomans census of "Palestine" or read Mark Twains diary of travels there (Innocents Abroad) you will find there were less than 150,000 arabs in the entire land, just another minority among minorities. Most of the modern day Palestinians date from Yassar Arafat's importation of muslims from as far away as Africa, to bolster the islamic claim to the land.Take a look at some historical photos of israel, like Rachel's tomb, the land is nearly deserted. There are very few people there, mostly because of lack of water.
Fact is, that land you call palestine is Judea and summaria, Israel. The jews never left that land, they were still there hanging on under romand and then muslim genoicde. Anyway, the Palestinians siding with Hitler during WWII is what cost them their claim on that part of Israel. Their attack on Israel during the six day war is what cost them the rest.
Well, one of us is pretty selective in his facts.
The historical post I made above is from Wikipedia, and it agrees with what I already know. Why don't you just cruise on over there and make your historical corrections. Then see how fast your 'facts' are challenged.......adios.
wikipedia? Why am I not surprised? No wonder you are so well informed.
Quote from Charles Krauthammer - The Weekly Standard, May 11, 1998
The people of Israel (also called the "Jewish People") trace their origin to Abraham, who established the belief that there is only one God, the creator of the universe (see Torah). Abraham, his son Yitshak (Isaac), and grandson Jacob (Israel), are referred to as the patriarchs of the Israelites. All three patriarchs lived in the Land of Canaan, that later came to be known as the Land of Israel. They and their wives are buried in the Ma'arat HaMachpela, the Tomb of the Patriarchs, in Hebron (Genesis Chapter 23).
The name Israel derives from the name given to Jacob (Genesis 32:29). His 12 sons were the kernels of 12 tribes that later developed into the Jewish nation. The name Jew derives from Yehuda (Judah) one of the 12 sons of Jacob (Reuben, Shimon, Levi, Yehuda, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Yisachar, Zevulun, Yosef, Binyamin)(Exodus 1:1). So, the names Israel, Israeli or Jewish refer to people of the same origin.
The descendants of Abraham crystallized into a nation at about 1300 BCE after their Exodus from Egypt under the leadership of Moses (Moshe in Hebrew). Soon after the Exodus, Moses transmitted to the people of this new emerging nation, the Torah, and the Ten Commandments (Exodus Chapter 20). After 40 years in the Sinai desert, Moses led them to the Land of Israel, that is cited in The Bible as the land promised by G-d to the descendants of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Genesis 17:8).
The people of modern day Israel share the same language and culture shaped by the Jewish heritage and religion passed through generations starting with the founding father Abraham (ca. 1800 BCE). Thus, Jews have had continuous presence in the land of Israel for the past 3,300 years.
The rule of Israelites in the land of Israel starts with the conquests of Joshua (ca. 1250 BCE). The period from 1000-587 BCE is known as the "Period of the Kings". The most noteworthy kings were King David (1010-970 BCE), who made Jerusalem the Capital of Israel, and his son Solomon (Shlomo, 970-931 BCE), who built the first Temple in Jerusalem as prescribed in the Tanach (Old Testament).
In 587 BCE, Babylonian Nebuchadnezzar's army captured Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and exiled the Jews to Babylon (modern day Iraq).
The year 587 BCE marks a turning point in the history of the region. From this year onwards, the region was ruled or controlled by a succession of superpower empires of the time in the following order: Babylonian, Persian, Greek Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine Empires, Islamic and Christian crusaders, Ottoman Empire, and the British Empire.
I guess you really don't undersand the difference between living someplace and controlling the country.
The American Indians still live here, but few would call America an Indian nation.
Anyway, no point in arguing with a fanatic, so believe what you like, but if you want to start carving up new territorial boundries based on what happened a few thousand years ago yuou are little more than an impractical fool.
HA HA the bitchez are broke ass like a 3rd world country like Cuba.
also new $5.50 border entry fee for Canadians;
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1075222--u-s-won-t-b...
Ya that will help them get out of the deficit.
It would probably be hard to do, but if they could get the majority of Canadians to stop crossing the border for a month (think of the dollars that the US would lose from the lack of tourism), I'm pretty sure they'd wise up and not charge people $5.50 to enter a bankrupt nation.
Meanwhile the East & South Asians laugh at us, the developed world, whilst buying cheap gold available due to the Wetern ponzi & paper games.
piling on the bernank...
Rick Perry says, "If you are too big to fail then you are too big"...........awkward silence......lol
he's hilarious
if by hilarious, you mean hilarious, then yes, hilarious.
Tax Wall Street until it dies.
Little Cindy Lou Who, who was no more than two, why Santa?...lol...Barry the Grinch .
grope 'em if you got 'em!
- herman cain
allegedly
"allegedly"
Which brings up a "different point"...lol.
One of these women said he reached up her dress & forced her head toward his crotch. Where I come from thats sexual assault...not sexual harassment.
Wonder why she never filed charges?
i'm guessing there was a settlement
Not with the one in question...not that I know of.
I know one thing...if it would have happened to one of "my ladies" there would have been a settlement right then and there...and it wouldn't have been monetary...lol.
cheeky bastard
He's missed. I imagine him sitting back LHAO on this stuff.
You forgot to mention 401k's. They are in the same bucket as traditional IRA's. That's several trillion more of raidable assets.
Gut your 401K buy taking a loan out against it, as many plans allow. Buy some shiny and pay the loan back with worthless FRNs.
They will delay the XMAS Tree tax.....it is after all, an election year
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/11/obama-administration-to-del...
But those 401Ks, IRAs, pension plans......Uncle Sam is gonna fuck you over, there. My preidiction? Govt will cry poor, and offer you to either withdraw 50% (and still pay the 10% tax) or have them "buy" it toward your SS.
Its gonna be lulzy!
Shizzmoney,
My, your really an Optimist.
Govt will cry poor, and offer you to either withdraw 50% (and still pay the 10% tax) or have them "buy" it toward your SS.
No, they will seize control over 100% of it, and by the time you think you can start making withdrawals, it will have been long spent.Just like SS.
You have IRA's, and a 401k?.
Pay the taxes NOW(they are just going up),so get what liquidity you can out NOW, and put it into something that MAy produce revenue.
Otherwise you will lose it all, and your kids will NOT get whats left if you pass away.................just like SS.
You got that right, DZ. I expect 100% conversion of our 401k's into treasuries to "protect" us from Wall Street. My last early withdrawal from the 401k will be in Jan. Yes, I'll pay the 10% penalty, again, but will pay historically low income tax on it (thank you Mr. Bush).
10% of my gross now goes into "savings" instead of the 401k. And those savings go into physical assests as quickly as possible.
Get ready to start paying internet sales tax too. Just reported on Slashdot:
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/11/11/09/2236224/bipartisan-internet-sales-tax-bill-introduced
The "Christmas Tree Tax" is nothing more than a checkoff that was created by federal law.
This checkoff is on the producers of these trees and is used for research and promotion. Just like the Beef checkoff and the Soybean checkoff.
The insidious part in all of this is that the funds collected must be invested in Treasury notes with a handling fee that is larger than the interest rate given. And they are Treasury notes!
Just another way to skim off the top.
"This checkoff is on the producers of these trees and is used for research and promotion. Just like the Beef checkoff and the Soybean checkoff."
Which is insidious, like an excise tax that is included in the price of an object for sales tax computations.
How about us beef producers that purchase soybean meal? What if a tree producers buys cattle to harvest the manure as an organic fertilizer? When do the checkoffs end?
Checkoff? Is that the guy from Star Trek?
GOT MILK?
It's NOT a tax. It was never a tax. Taxes have to be passed by Congress.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/11/09/merry-christmas-agriculture-department-imposes-christmas-tree-tax/
As usual it is just the big tree growers trying to get some enhanced visibility to market trees, just like the dairy, beef, chicken, pork and egg industries do through the Dept. of Agriculture.
Does anyone honestly believe that Obama has time to sit around and dream up a scheme to tax Christmas trees?
It's a scheme by some growers to get money from other growers. Why does the USDA need to be involved at all? Why can't those tree growers pool their money on their own without the government instituting a tax? Because they want other people's money for the advertising. It is a tax.
Tax, fee, sticker, permit, license. What's the difference?
Not a whit to the goon with a gun they'll send after you to throw you in a cage until you see the man in a robe....
newt's a shithead...william gates iii founded microsoft with the help of a million dollar trust left to him by his grandfather...horatio alger?? not exactly...
there is no money, there is no spoon.
Who is John Galt?
Cut down your own tree and shove it up their arse.
My Neighbor did just that. Cut down a small evergreen tree right in MY Woods.
Good thing I'm an atheist. I buy a "holiday tree" instead.
You'll love Godless Socialism ! There are no atheists in a foxhole and damn few in a financial holocaust ! Monedas 2011 Comedy Jihad In Gold We Trust
you are right, the foxWHOLE is filled with the idiots that fought for god as if he needs their help.
You're right ! Millions of atheists died in fox holes for the Glory of Communism ! An atheist is a terrible thing to waste ! Monedas 2011 Comedy Jihad Spank Myself
One might suppose that there are no Christians in foxholes but then one recalls the human capacity for hypocrisy.
I think the message in this old maxim is.....when you're scared shitless.....you will believe in something.....even if it's just your plaid thermos bottle ! Monedas 2011 Comedy Jihad Back To Basics
god don't give a crap , humans have one overriding quality and it is that they think they KNOW damnit that they are a special little fuker.
If they crawled into the foxWhole god don't care for they have cast him aside, but that doesn't stop the human from crying for his sky daddy to save him.
a joke only a human could comprehend.
That's just what I feel like sometimes....one of God's "special little fukers" ! I tried crawling into my foxhole....but I ended up with my head down at the bottom and with my feet sticking out the top ! Karzai_Luver ? Do Atheists have any special days where they celebrate their Atheism ? For example: Friday the 13th or December 21st (the shortest day of the year) or February 29th (only comes every 4 years) or any other life affirming celebrations ? Do you guys party ? Just curious ! Monedas 2011 Comedy Jihad Angry Muslim Converts to Angrier Atheist
Atheists celebrate Xmas.
E Pluribus Anus ! Translation: Out of many....there's always one asshole ! Monedas 2011 Comedy Jihad Proctology Census (PS I'm not refering to you, atheist friend in PMs, I had to invent a joke to replace a redundant post !)
you joked???
really where.
I've got some good Taliban jokes ! Well, there just recycled Polish jokes ! Monedas 2011 Comedy Jihad Tense Sphincter Moment
that's ok , you would be a great recruiting poster, as if it was your jokes or a taliban with the promise of virgins, well comedy only gets you to the front door.
sorry.
You get the last word ! Good night ! Monedas 2011 Comedy Jihad Beddy Bye Time
Less than chicken feed. If Obama really want to tax everyone in US. I recommend he tax toilet tissue paper. Everyone need to shit and everyone will use toilet tissue paper.
You wanna shit, you gotta pay tax to wipe your ass. double tax for 2-ply tissue.
You will pay for the deficit in no time.
"Everyone need to shit and everyone will use toilet tissue paper."
Until Ben Bernanke hits GO on the printing press, and then we'll all use FRN's for that.
How do you value a tax on money? Besides, when they come for the tax, hand them the newly "used" FRN's.