Yes, It's December!!!
So, let's begin with some seasonal questions. Have you bought your tree yet? How about your Xmas/holiday cards, yet? How are you doing with gift shopping? Yes, it's December.
Just to let you all know, my answer is a big, resounding NO to all my questions! Maybe I'll do all these tasks this weekend!
Here is a suggestion for a gift certificate. The Attleboro adult education program will be starting a new series of sessions near the end of January. Photography will be one that I plan on coaching. That would probably be a good time to offer another introductory class to digital cameras.
Many lucky people will be receiving new digital cameras from Santa and still will not really know much, or anything, about all those buttons and menu functions. Whether it's a point and shoot or a $1,200 dollar interchangeable lens DSLR, many of the functions are the same.
And then, how about features of good composition, using available light, using the built in flash—on sunny days, some basic posing guidelines for individuals or family groups? Do your past snow pictures look a bit gray than a nice bright white? There is a reason for that.
Anyway, send me an e-mail if you or a loved one would be interested in the class: shoppix@photo.net . Also, if you want a more advanced class, please also e-mail me and I could possibly run two classes. Classes run for six evenings (once per week) and I usually try to do an outdoor shoot on a Saturday or Sunday, as the weather allows. That is essentially a little "extra" from me.
It will for FREE! Yes, FREE. Any families of military serving overseas and not able to be home for the holidays? Would you like to have some professional portraits and/or candids taken to send to them? E-mal me today, again, atshoppix@photo.net . Perhaps a church or civic organization would like to organize a group get-together for this purpose. I will offer my time and digital files for FREE!
And, just in today's news ... the US Supreme Court is going to seriously consider taking a case regarding, well, I guess the definition of marriage!!!! Oh boy, that's going to be one heckuva battle, discussion and then some! What do I think??? Well, make a quick decision and get on with more important issues that our country faces. I don't care what they call it, unions between gays and lesbians, but let them join together legally, collect their taxes and get on with it. And make this "union" legal in all states, not just where the ceremony took place.
So, what do you think?? Send me your yeses and nos, or your wrath and "not so good wishes." Let's hear it. Start plucking away on you computers and sound off. While you're at it, sound off to our congressional folks and tell them to continue with the middle-class tax cuts. Make them permanent, raise taxes on the wealthy by eliminating many of the applicable deductions, and taxing all, yes all, their income!
Daniel F. Devine
5:27 am on Saturday, December 8, 2012
Very Nice article Steve, except for the last paragraph. ~ I see you drank the Obama cool-aid,~ RAISE THE TAXES on thoes damn "RICH PEOPLE" ~ (and re-distribute it to the lazy & the layabouts)
Steve Hopkins
11:11 am on Saturday, December 8, 2012
Ooooh...Bull!
The wealthy need to pay a equal share of their income so that the rest of us aren't paying more - as a percentage of our income - to federal taxes. I said nothing about giving the extra $$ to anyone! That's just GOP hogwash! The gov't needs to help those who really cannot help themselves, ..and...eliminate welfare fraud. Stop the cycle from parents to children to their children etc. BUT, there must be a financial incentive beyond essentially breaking by working 40+ hours a week and being no further ahead than collecting welfare. So, that essentially means that min wage rate needs to be higher.
And we need to get in 'control' of those offshore and Swiss bank accounts used by wealthy americans to hide income from being taxed.
And the gov't must stop paying subsides to big oil and farm conglomerates.
And, medical insurance companies need to sharpen their pencils to help reduce overall medical costs, as well as going after those committing insurance fraud.
Emcee of Seekonk
11:40 am on Saturday, December 8, 2012
"...that essentially means that min wage rate needs to be higher."
What would you suggest? $20 an hour? That is what is needed for a family, because the various government taxes are going to grab nearly $7 of the $20 right off the top. Now, we are down to about $28,000 per year. Might as well take welfare and save money on gasoline and shoe leather.
The system is broken and will remain broken for the next four years. Thank you Massachusetts for contributing your 11 electoral votes for the continuation of this debacle.
Daniel F. Devine
1:39 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
Steve, I see that you've got everything all figured out. Maybe you should tell someone in Washington, they can't seem to get it right. You say "The GOVERNMENT needs to help thoes who really cannot help themselves." Why does the "GOVERNMENT" have to do it? Why not have "LOCAL" charities, churches & civic groups distribute these entitlements? They're more familar with the "TRULY" unfortunate & in need indivudals & more able to distingush them from the millions of scammers & fraud perpetrators that the entitlement systems seem to be inundated with now. ~ B.T.W. what flavor was that Obama cool-aid?
Steve Hopkins
12:19 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
Oh, give me a break!!! It's been broken for a long , long time! Big money wins elections. I'm pretty sure that most congressional member ae earning that 250,000 annual income point, and likely much more than that. Why are they going to chose higher tax rates or eliminating many deductions for that level of wage earners???
eemcee - you are leaving out a bunch of historical facts and blaming a single administration for causing an unprecedented recession! It continued to go down the tubes during his first year. NO One knew how to stop it in it's tracks!
There's much more to the 21st century financial history!
Emcee of Seekonk
12:39 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
"I'm pretty sure that most congressional member ae earning that 250,000 annual income point, and likely much more than that."
I'd say all of them... all 535 or so make $250,000 or more. Many Senators are millionaires many times over, Reps as well. Now, if they don't convert their earnings into capital gains or whatever the loophole-du-jour is to get down to a 15% rate, they might be paying 35%.
"NO One knew how to stop it in it's tracks!"
Makes me wonder why Massachusetts voted to elect 'NO One' for another four years. Seems counter productive to me.
Steve Hopkins
1:11 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
The Pres does not act alone! He has hundreds of advisors from different specialty areas. Many have been consulted during Dem & GOP administrations.
there is no manual in existence to tell them what to do, or to have done, to minimize the impact of the recession. GOP would have done same thing! No one person has all the knowledge to run a business, a school/college, or a government on their own. No even your 'holiness' Romney. You need some real world enlightenment!
Emcee of Seekonk
2:02 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
You are correct in saying the Pres does not act alone, but he is the leader of the band... he decides on policy, sets the tone, picks his staff, and in the end is responsible for the results. It becomes the Obama administration, not the Obama-Biden-Lew-Geithner-Bernanke-Clinton-etc. administration.
Romney may or may not have had all the answers to the problem, but he would have brought new ideas and new minds to the economic issues at hand. Instead we will have four more years of the same old same old raise-the taxes mantra.
Peace.
paul
2:55 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
Just like when we were stuck with W. Bush for 8 years, now you know how it feels. Romney lost and we will never know how much of a right wing agenda we missed out on. If the GOP & Democrats don't work together, the taxpayers will pay more. What else is new? Time to accept that real change is what you have in your pockets.
Emcee of Seekonk
3:51 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
"Just like when we were stuck with W. Bush for 8 years, now you know how it feels."
Payback would be great except that I never voted for Bush, and believe me when I say I was totally disgusted that he was elected for a second term. But, the incumbent has a great advantage giving us Bush and now Obama. I remember Bush saying, loud and clear, (paraphrased) "I have a mandate from the people and I intend to spend my political capital." Arrogant beyond imagining... except now. So where is Bush, today? Hiding in a hole in Texas? The GOP certainly don't want to associate with him. What a mess. Is Obama heading in the same direction?
"If the GOP & Democrats don't work together..."
Anyone with a half a brain could see this coming. The ultra Conservatives (Tea Party) were going to dig in. That is what they were elected to do. And who knows what 2014 will bring. This could be a long four years.
Richard W. Lunt
7:13 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
Taxing the wealthy will lead to more job cuts and another recession/depression. As a percentage, the wealthy are already paying more than their fair share and that doesn't count the additional huge amount of dollars that the wealthy give to charity organizations. Reducing taxes for the middle class is a good idea. Accross the board tax cuts, as well as cutting the capital gains tax are good ideas that have fallen on The President's deaf ears. Steve, you're drinking the Obama Kool Aid when you make staements such as taxing the wealthy. Taxing the wealthy will put a dent on the national debt for about a week. The government should tax less and stop spending on the unions,the freeloaders who are abusing the welfare system, and also the illegals who don't belong here.
Steve Hopkins
1:10 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
the rich do not pay their fair share. Too many deductions available to them.
they will still be wealthy and able to donate to charities as they have. Making them pay more does not affect job growth etc - no one has stated how that would make any difference what so ever!
Richard W. Lunt
7:22 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012
To further illustrate my point, take a look at this article:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/charleskadlec/2012/12/03/why-president-obamas-tax-hike-will-hurt-the-98/
Steve Hopkins
2:47 pm on Sunday, December 9, 2012
raising the tax rate will not do it...I agree and never said it would. We need to odify &/or eliminate the multitude of deductions that are typically utilized by the wealthy. I'm talking about individual income taxes, not business/corporate. Include all income! ay 15%...25% whatever...and then donate whatever yu want to charities.
If someone truly believes in a charity they will still donate!
Income needs to include investment income, swiss and offshore income accounts too. And, as I previously mentioned, clean up welfare, medicare etc fraud.
Richard W. Lunt
12:14 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
eliminating the multitude of deductions on individual income taxes will also lead to less consumer spending and less jobs created, any way you look at it, eliminating tax deductions is similar to an increase of individual income taxes. You're drinking the liberal cool aid Steve.
Amy
4:43 pm on Tuesday, December 11, 2012
I'm just curious, how much is considered paying your share? How much should I be allowed to keep from each dollar I earn? No one can give specifics and it's never enough.
Daniel F. Devine
7:38 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
TAX TO THE MAX! ~ OBAMA WANTS TO REDISTRIBUTE YOUR MONEY TO THE MILLIONS OF LAZY, ILLEGALS & ENTITLEMENT FRAUD PERPETRATORS THAT PUT HIM IN OFFICE!
Emcee of Seekonk
8:04 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
"...how much is considered paying your share?"
I'm guessing 'as much as you can carry.' Being a history buff, I'm reminded of the time just before the French Revolution when starving people were taxed for the food they produced. Be thankful the U.S. (unlike Massachusetts) is not a one-party country and that there is a loyal opposition who counters this trend of 'tax and spend' where the wealthy get richer on the taxes of others.
Steve Hopkins
1:18 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
set a tax rate and pay. eliminate deductions...Period. And that means all income - capital gains, dividends etc. If you loose money in the stock market - tough ....! You're gambling - the gov't should not cover any amount or % of your losses thru deductions.
So make a flat tax rate and all pay based on total income sources for the year.
paul
8:05 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Daniel, it's nothing new and has been going on for 30 years. Our government is too big and our politicians are the perpetrators.
Emcee of Seekonk
10:53 am on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
"Our government is too big and our politicians are the perpetrators."
Absolutely. And that includes both sides of the aisle, I might add.
Daniel F. Devine
6:40 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
My suggestion/advice is to vote the bums out at election time, ALL OF THEM, (from your local council person to the President of the U.S.). Keep voting them out untill we get it right! Also, their $alary & extensive benifits should be reduced.
Steve Hopkins
1:14 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
And ....we...you and I...are the ones who have elected them.
We voters need to become more adamant about them doing the right thing for the country..and not their political party. We need to cram that down their throats during their campaigns. and if they don't we need to harrass the hell out of them.
whe was the last time anyone here wrote to their congressional reps????
When??
Emcee of Seekonk
1:27 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012
"...we...you and I...are the ones who have elected them."
Speak for yourself, Mr. Hopkins. I vote in Massachusetts. I have no vote unless I vote blue as in Democrat. When a state sends a 35-year old with no political experience to congresss just because his name is Kennedy, we have a problem. Whether the kid is a Democrat or a Republican... we have a problem.
When was the last time any reps reacted to what anyone here said or thought? When the only qualification for being a rep is being born into the correct family, where is the accountability going to come from? He's got the job for life. I'm expecting his twin brother to run for Senate if the job opens up. Won't that be cute.
Amy
9:20 am on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Capital gains is money you earn through investments. The money you use to invest to get Capital gains has already been taxed. So, tax the money you earn, then tax the money you invest in, then tax the money you make. Then, when you die you need to pay taxes on the money you've been taxed on. Sorry kids, nothing left for you here, the Gvm't needs it more than you.
Steve Hopkins
2:07 pm on Friday, December 28, 2012
Capital gains is new income - tax iyt!