Übergeek 바둑이: The church should NOT be taxed. What you describe may be true for some churches, but it's a gross overgeneralization. Most churches are small and operate on a very tight budget. There are thousands of small communities with small churches scatter here and there. There are no mega churches within 50 to 100 miles of me.

People who give to the church are giving of money that has already been taxed.
And if people like you (atheists) continue to cry out for the seperation of church and state, then you ought to mean it in every way. Or do you only want their money?

Better is to have certain restrictions on churches (and they have them here) that in order to remain tax free, they have to meet certain criteria. Otherwise you lose it.

Übergeek 바둑이: Why are you so eagar to have the government forcefully take other people's money?

A Stampede of Support!

We are thrilled to be given the opportunity to help support our soldiers serving overseas, now our goal is to get the soldiers as many remote controlled trucks as we can, and get them there as soon as possible. These trucks are not just toys, they can help save lives. With your donations, we will continue to send these trucks to support our troops.

http://www.fuelmybrain.org/index.html

Bernice: Only sales taxes I suppose. I know a lot of people that work "under the table" and pay nothing. There are many ways to hide one's income. Probably many people who say that the rich should pay more, pay nothing themselves. I know this is true in many situations. But even some of the rich say they should pay more. But when pressed (only Fox News presses them on this) they back down. Seems there are actual government agencies where you can both "donate" extra cash into the general fund or to help pay down the debt. The fat cats in Hollow-wood, when told of this, never take advantage of it.

Because they really don't want to pay it themselves. They want others to pay it and they want the government to confiscate this extra cash by law! Scoundrels!!!

The vast majority of people who escape federal income taxes still pay
other taxes, including federal payroll taxes that fund Social Security
and Medicare, and excise taxes on gasoline, aviation, alcohol and
cigarettes. Many also pay state or local taxes on sales, income and
property.

So do the rich who pay their federal taxes.  So they pay more.  It's a myth that the rich don't pay their fair share (generally speaking) 

Where there are loopholes, that's on the government.  Close em up.  Don't blame people with money for the incompetence of government.  The tax laws were designed by lawmakers, not CEOs.

A person making 400 thousand a year would pay ALL THEIR WAGES TO THE GOVERNMENT up until May 31. That's nearly half a year of working and getting nothing for it.

That's a verifiable fact that the left ignores.

In New York, you have MORE taxes than just Federal to worry about. In Texas there are no State taxes. So in SOME states, the rich pay even MORE than they would in other states. They pay MORE than their fair share and many at the bottom pay NOTHING>

Better would be a national tax. Everybody must buy something. The rich buy more stuff. Tax that. Get rid of the IRS and income tax. It's such a sham anyway.

Yes, OBAMA LIES.

because what he says is NOT TRUE


We ALL have loopholes. They are legal. Fix the loopholes. But the stats I offered are TRUE.

But ignored.

The top 10% pay 70% of the taxes. The top 2% pay 38%. The bottom 51 % pay NOTHING.

Those are facts.

So Obama LIES when he talks about those who do not pay their fair share. Shouldn't the bottoms pay at least something?

AND, since we can make MORE MONEY in taxes with a flat tax, why isn't that happening?

answer: Lobbyists.

Übergeek 바둑이: Ha! We agree on that one. It's the safest way. Too many people get all bent out of shape when he says it and when he doesn't. Better not to say anything at all and only have one side mad at you. Eventually they shut up about it.

I've read some good books on history recently and am convinced that while America was guided by Judeo - Christian principles, in no way was this nation founded as a Christian nation. There were religious differences from the beginning and if you didn't belong to a certain sect, you were ostracized. Israel is a secular country. So is America. Iran is mostly a religious country (guided by their religious beliefs and laws etc). So what I mean is that America is not a Christian nation in the same way that Iran is a Muslim nation. I'm not bothered by saying that. That said, we are a good nation (when you get down to the "folks.") We're a nation that gives billions of our dollars away each year to the needy (I'm talking about the folks giving their money away - not the government doing it for them). The biggest problem in America's image is all the kooks get the press and the people that do good don't get noticed. Just as there are morons out there acting in the name of Christ, there are people actually doing very good things in the name of Christ. AND the key to understanding which is the more consistent example of Christian charity, one only needs to read the message of Jesus and see what he said. He said LOVE your enemy, take care of widows and orphans. There are millions of people doing just that. Just as an example, our community of churches work together (Catholic AND Protestant) to help the needy in our community. That's how it should be.

And it certainly isn't necessary for any president to wish us happy holiday this or that. I for one don't care about it. I just want him (the prez) to do his / her constitutional duty. Wishing me a Merry Christmas isn't one of them. ;)

Obama Issues Statement Marking The Beginning Of Ramadan, But Hasn't Issued Statement For Easter Since Elected To Office

From CNSNews.com (via BigPeace, emphasis mine):

(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama on Monday issued a statement marking the start of Ramadan, the month devoted to prayer and fasting in the Muslim religion.

“As Ramadan begins, Michelle and I would like to send our best wishes to Muslim communities in the United States and around the world,” the statement reads. “Ramadan is a festive time that is anticipated for months by Muslims everywhere.”

Obama did not issue a statement marking Easter this year [...]

A review of presidential statements documented at whitehouse.gov indicates that Obama has apparently not issued a statement specifically about Easter since taking office in January 2009.

Obama issued Ramadan message and hosted a special Ramadan White House dinner in 2009 and 2010.

Übergeek 바둑이:  Lobbying should be outlawed.

Bernice:  I love that monkey pic.  Obama kinda looks like that but he has more teeth. 

She got mad at Bill once and walked off the set.    But later they made up.  I was watching the whole thing unfold on TV and as you can see, I was glued to the set! 

Bernice: I love Lucy?    There's no mistaking Joy Behar.  She's so nasty.  I love it when Bill O'reilly comes on The View and her body language is SO LOUD.  Bill tells her to smile and live up to her name.  She hates that.  Once he told her to be quiet and listen and she might learn something.   She has her own talk show now.  It's a hoot.   I'll give her this though:  She has a great smile and she IS funny!

Bernice: I thought so too. Gotta love how so many pieces fit together so perfectly.

The Fibonacci Sequence has to be a bit of a puzzle for atheists to solve.

http://youtu.be/e9MwNm0gXd8

Pedro Martínez: exactly

On Monday, Glenn Beck wrote an op-ed for The Blaze that had a simple warning: despite an impending debt deal, the U.S. could still be downgraded, and probably would be. No plan out there “comes close to solving our long-term problem,” he wrote. Guess what? A major rating agency agrees.

Debt Deal Delivered

President Obama signs bill raising debt ceiling into law


Read more: http://dailycaller.com/#ixzz1TuVQH7J5

President Barack Hussein Obama today issued an official statement "U.S. President on the Occasion of Ramadan." Most of it is the mushy, post-Orwelllian P.C. that has sadly become part of our daily political discourse. You can read the text here.

What is particularly fascinating to me is the last paragraph, in which Obama ascribes one of the fundamental tenets of Christianity to Islam:


"Times like this remind us of the lesson of all great faiths, including Islam -- that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. In that spirit, I wish Muslims around the world a blessed month, and I look forward to again hosting an iftar dinner here at the White House." (Emphasis mine).

All great faiths teach us to "Do unto others?" That sounds a lot like Mt 7:12 to me: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

Or perhaps Luke 6:31: "Do to others as you would have them do to you."

And what does the Quran say about "doing to others?" Let's see:


Quran (3:151) - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers..."

Terror? Really...


Quran (5:33) - "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement."

Murdered and crucified? Indeed!


Quran (8:12) - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them..."

And who could forget the famous Sura 9:5, which Osama bin Laden cited as justification for killing "all Americans, civilian and military" in his 1996 manifesto "Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders"?


Quran (9:5) - "So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush..."

The question is this: Is Obama deliberately lying about the nature of Islam, or is the commander-in-chief really that ignorant?

(V): Yeah, you guys always march as ONE. That's laughable. You have multiple parties, and people there disagree on policies just like everywhere else.

You need sense to understand sense. Just saying.

(V): No you don't. That's a laugh. I can read ya know. You're such an expert on so many things.

(V): YEah, Britain does this so much better.

rod03801: exactly.

Übergeek 바둑이: Well clearly the current powers aren't going to do that. So what's your solution?

The head of NBC works for Obama FOR REAL.

Nice try though.

Bernice: True. Obama apparently has changed his tune via his excessive borrowing. But then he is facing reelection and he must pander to the independents. Those are the folks that got him elected. The far left is a huge minority but they have the biggest mouths.

Bernice: Look at how Obama, in just a short time, went crazy in debt!

Übergeek 바둑이: I totally agree with what you said about the debt ceiling. It's really no celiling at all when you stop to consider that all they have to do is agree to raise it which they seem to do without regard to the future consequences.

We truly need a balanced budget amendment. I don't agree that we ought to curb military spending. We need a strong military. We need to stop throwing money away and eliminating pork spending will be one way to curb that.

The president needs to use his veto pen on a regular basis when it comes to spending. Bridges to nowhere, studies of the sex life of a frog, money to build airports that no one uses - it needs to stop. The ONLY real hope for change is a third party. Both the old wing of Dems and Repubs are corrupt.

Übergeek 바둑이: It's not just Obama it's ALL OF THEM. But Obama is clearly the worst in terms of the US debt. He's nearly tripled the daily debt since Bush. And he wants MORE debt for the US. Any individual who manages his finances that way would find themselves going bankrupt in no time. It's irresponsible and both parties share the blame. The Dems don't have the solution and neither do most Repubs. The only smart solution is to cut the spending, put a cap it, and balance the budget. Obama doesn't want a balanced budget.

For the record, my views of Bush have changed the more I learn of how he has led this country down the debt path, among other things. So I don't think he is innocent when it comes to the matters of the US debt. He tripled the daily debt that Clinton had. So Bush was WORSE than Clinton when it came to the United States' debt. Obama is worse than Bush and plans to make even MORE debt. It has to end.

I have got to clear this up. Mika heard two days ago on Capitol Hill Democrats all saying the same thing. And that is, this president has been invisible, he is not a leader. They said this all behind closed doors. Democratic leaders, Democratic rank-and-file. In fact, 40, 50 of the most powerful Democrats on the Hill. I will just stop right there. The complaints were all the same. The president has vanished. He has left us here alone again like he did with health care. Where is he? Now, they didn't call him a loser, but they sure as hell didn't call him a leader."

Peggy Noonan of the WSJ was once fully behind in support of Obama. But now she has completely changed.

"...nobody loves Obama....Nobody smiles when they talk about Mr. Obama... He has supporters and bundlers and voters, he may win. But his support is grim support."

"Here are the words of a hard-line progressive and wise veteran of the political wars: "I never loved Barack Obama. That said, among my crowd of those who did 'love' him, I can't think of anyone who still does...He "doesn't exude any feeling that what he says and does is genuine.""

"..(Obama) is losing a battle in which he had superior forces-the Presidency, the U.S. Senate. He is not a devil, an alien, a socialist...He is a loser. And this is America, where nobody loves a loser."

No wonder America is on its way down the toilet.

As of Thursday afternoon, the federal government has less money to spend than Apple.

The Financial Post dug into the U.S. Treasury’s daily reports and found that the federal government has a remaining operating balance of $73.768 billion before it hits the debt ceiling next Tuesday.

In stark contrast, Steve Jobs’ company has cash reserves of $75.876 billion, according to its recent and record-breaking second quarter earnings report.


The reason for this? Apple doesn't spend more than it takes in. Obama could learn from this. He's brought more debt to this country than ANY president and he plans on adding trillions more.

SL-Mark:

NASA satellite data from the years 2000 through 2011 show the Earth's atmosphere is allowing far more heat to be released into space than alarmist computer models have predicted, reports a new study in the peer-reviewed science journal Remote Sensing. The study indicates far less future global warming will occur than United Nations computer models have predicted, and supports prior studies indicating increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide trap far less heat than alarmists have claimed.

Study co-author Dr. Roy Spencer, a principal research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and U.S. Science Team Leader for the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer flying on NASA's Aqua satellite, reports that real-world data from NASA's Terra satellite contradict multiple assumptions fed into alarmist computer models.

Bernice: he's currently playing to the middle and really ticking off the far left. The House just passed a bill so it will be interesting to see how the Dems handle it. Obama cannot afford to veto the only bill that passes through the House and Senate. If he does, it's all on him!!!

(V): That could be taken as a flame. You know it's bad manners to flame even is it's a subtle one. Especially when someone isn't in the room. (I was offline when you posted that) tsk tsk

The fact is, you can't discuss it because we both know that you are wrong and are incapable of proving your point other than to keep restating it (which isn't proof you know). You made the claim, back it up (I won't hold my breath because I know you'll only try to weasel out of it as you can't prove you are right since you're not only wrong, but completely wrong.

(V): And now ladies and gentlemen, since He (jules) cannot prove his point, he now utilizes chapter four: change the subject!!!

(V): Just prove your point by showing a link where that rule is stated (since it's been known for over 100 years).

instead of conceding that, Jules and Tuesday decided to pick on his use of the word "she."


Obama making less than a quarter of Senate votes

November 02, 2007

Sen. Barack Obama makes a campaign stop at Iowa State University on Saturday.

Sen. Barack Obama has missed the most votes of any Democratic presidential hopeful in the Senate over the last two months, including a vote on an Iran resolution he has blasted Sen. Hillary Clinton for supporting.

The Illinois Democrat has missed nearly 80 percent of all votes since September.

The other Democrats in the Senate running for president have missed a high percentage of votes as well.

Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware has missed 68 percent of the votes during the same period, Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut 65 percent and Clinton of New York 63 percent.

(V): So what your saying is you can't actually prove what you are claiming. And also you have interviewed everyone in the UK and they all agree with you.

Justaminute: This forum is an informal conversation "room." Jules was clearly referring to Tuesday in his rejoinder to Rod. Rod replied using the pronoun she that clearly referred back to Tuesday. In the context you are describing, you are correct. In the situation here, Jules and Tuesday are wrong. And they will fail at proving that because there is no such rule against such use of pronouns in a discussion forum.

(V): Nonsense. The antecedent was clear in the context of the discussion. Therefore the use of the word "she" was not only proper but its use is more common than is the restating of the antecedent. That's why we have rules for pronoun antecedent. When the antecedent is clear, the pronoun is almost always used.

But enlighten us, show us where this is the case and also defend your own use of the word "she" where several hundred times you yourself used that exact pronoun.

Pedro Martínez: I wonder if it's still proper to call them typos since a typo refers to the mistake one makes when hitting a wrong key on a typewriter. I'm using a keyboard so maybe my mistakes are actually keyos.

Pedro Martínez: We also get lots of spell checking here. Taht's whi I alwaze check mi speling.