tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-459759806781057042024-03-05T14:38:27.133-05:00Paul Michael Owens' ThoughtsPaul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.comBlogger324125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-75159077749537505512014-01-06T16:50:00.000-05:002014-01-06T16:54:19.400-05:00Save NC College Students Food - Email to Governor Pat McCrory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCES5VCmvjtLco9nSSlyC5fFavsamYh4oxyVz6NmuiRw7fXMsjOXXMfMCQbQb5mvNzxysggB5M8F5b2necXal_z03XvBOBshVMGOtTLDsuXAPuCct3Nz9UNB4Mf9j9COLcVRFmNGTZAQ/s1600/Flag_of_North_Carolina.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCES5VCmvjtLco9nSSlyC5fFavsamYh4oxyVz6NmuiRw7fXMsjOXXMfMCQbQb5mvNzxysggB5M8F5b2necXal_z03XvBOBshVMGOtTLDsuXAPuCct3Nz9UNB4Mf9j9COLcVRFmNGTZAQ/s400/Flag_of_North_Carolina.png" /></a></div>
<br></br>
Governor McCrory,<br></br>
I believe taxing college students meal plans is a poor decision and a reflection of the attitude that the role of Government which is to figure out more ways to abuse and tax the public. I am a senior at East Carolina University. Fortunately this does not affect because I am able to finish my degree off-campus through distance education, but I am concerned with the concept of taxing a program whose partial revenue comes from taxation itself. Many student's meal plans are funded through scholarships and grants, especially the Pell Grants, in where this is a fund developed from taxation. So in essence we are taxing a tax. Students will now have 7% less to eat each semester because they are having to be taxed to eat. Students will now increase the tax coffers at the expense of a cheeseburger, slice of pizza, or a salad many times by the end of a semester. It is a shame that politicians only look at the revenue stream instead of the real consequences of slighting a student of a meal. I am very disappointed in this legislation and your approval of it.<br></br>
Kind Regards,<br></br>
Paul Michael Owens<br></br>
ECU Student<br></br>
Person County Resident<br></br>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-20854018197474764692013-04-20T21:06:00.002-04:002013-04-20T21:06:40.714-04:00Where is the US Foreign Aid going? Senator Rand Paul and Secretary John Kerry discuss:<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LnDIiZsuLoo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-80643810651718070502013-03-23T23:22:00.004-04:002013-03-23T23:22:53.158-04:00Letter to Senator Hagan about Taxes and Economic Integrity<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4cTrAjWeBxIN-8f-NztKNGHVHSB5TAug-WHVbQYnd6Mna9LNXwNmlJ7CYC5dfFYhHs9twhcehOYczYJr26K1ryknpeWQf6fCca18DqbF3BaGJuYEGRywb-HNRZuxvvSYv8_9p1g4yvU/s1600/EagleonUSFlag.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF4cTrAjWeBxIN-8f-NztKNGHVHSB5TAug-WHVbQYnd6Mna9LNXwNmlJ7CYC5dfFYhHs9twhcehOYczYJr26K1ryknpeWQf6fCca18DqbF3BaGJuYEGRywb-HNRZuxvvSYv8_9p1g4yvU/s320/EagleonUSFlag.jpg" /></a>
<br></br>
Dear Senator Hagan,
<br></br>
I am writing about Taxation and Economic Integrity. Taxation is probably the most unfavorable part of citizenry, but I do understand that everyone must pay their fair share if they want government to provide services. What I do not agree with is the “Cancellation of Debt” as income tax. I have been dealing with the IRS for two letters now about a company that has filed a 1099-C form that has been applied to my IRS account. I have no knowledge of this company or the debt, in which I am handling this with the IRS. The point that this brings up is the fact that this is even an available option for the IRS to make a claim on a person’s income because of a cancellation of debt. Debt is the Antithesis of Income. The income from a debt transaction is the interest and fees made off the principal of the loan or granted credit for the creditor. There is no “income” for the recipient of the loan or granted credit, because they have to pay it all back plus interest and fees. Even if we were trying to drill down to the root of the issue, the receipt gains money only of the amount that would be the principal if the loan or credit was never repaid. For example a $500 limit credit card a person ran up to the limit only gave the person $500. But, the creditor’s interest and fees can balloon this $500 amount quickly and easily as to generate income for itself. Compound the interest and fees with the selling of debt through multiple collection agencies and that $500 is now easily $2000. The final company files losses on their tax report as well as submit this $2000 as a “Cancellation of Debt” to the IRS. How is this final amount a representation of income when it does not reflect real money gained or earned? This money was not earned, it was forgiven and the debt was cancelled. Only on the IRS Publication 4681, is there any correlation to Debt being income. How can this simple inference that John cancelled $600 of debt for Mary’s $1000, that Mary suddenly had $600 as income? This is a poor observation and a misleading diagnosis. It is a false statement that is solely made true only because it appears as letters and words on a Federal Document. A cancellation of debt is not income. This is just another demonstration of the mockery that presents itself as the IRS. Rules and regulations such as this continue to reflect poorly on the Congress who are either unwilling or too inept to correct such erroneous rules and regulations that reside within the Tax Code. Most of the reason that we are in such trying economic times is because of the lack of fortitude in Congress as well as negligent laws including the allowing of the sale of debt from company to company until one company files bankruptcy or gets bailed out by the government, ie: AIG. Writing legislation is not hard; getting legislation passed is the complicated part. We should at least see attempts from our representatives making an effort to correct erroneous rules and regulations that have been molded in favor for financial entities. Financial entities have caused enough economic challenges for America at large and need to be reigned in. This will take leadership and fortitude to take on the financial sector in which most Congressional representatives cannot demonstrate. Good Luck in your future endeavors and I hope to see positive legislation coming from your office. <br></br>
Kind Regards,<br></br>
Paul Michael Owens
Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-47433622856222362332013-03-11T23:15:00.000-04:002013-03-11T23:18:25.072-04:00Letter to Senator Burr about Exempt Labor Rules<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOypasb1WAvIckb2aguWmQDLM11CZ9LinM4XSqEoTysgTINF3l7sWbxym3wiRXhtEegfZe15f2n-inm0XdaLTbr-1txK3l-sd3O_Q6DP5LE1JYpaek0kh1US6W3hxNcqKrw7XscVGDOOU/s1600/EagleonUSFlag.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOypasb1WAvIckb2aguWmQDLM11CZ9LinM4XSqEoTysgTINF3l7sWbxym3wiRXhtEegfZe15f2n-inm0XdaLTbr-1txK3l-sd3O_Q6DP5LE1JYpaek0kh1US6W3hxNcqKrw7XscVGDOOU/s320/EagleonUSFlag.jpg" /></a><br></br>
Senator Burr,<br></br>
Thank you for your service for North Carolina. I appreciate the time that you take to speak to the public in different venues. I am writing in regards to the inconsistencies that are in the Fair Labor Standards Act specifically Section 13(a)(1), which designates an exact minimum salary an employer is allowed to make an employee an exempt employee and the exceptions put forth in this section. It specifies a minimum of $455 a week, which is less than $22,000 a year or around $11.38 an hour. In the computer section, the hourly rate is $27.63 an hour which is about $1105 a week, which equals a bit over $57,000 a year. In North Carolina being an exempt employee plays into the "Right to Work" state mantra in where an employee must complete all tasks required of the job regardless of hours required. What is lost in this low number of $455 a week is the value an employer can place on a position that otherwise should be a non-exempt position, other than the fact that the capability has been given by the Federal Labor laws to designate a position as exempt with such a low wage. The value of an being an exempt employee needs to be increased to a minimum of at least $50,000 a year or $962 a week. It would be a great change that could be offered from your office during this time of wage debate in which the President wants to increase the minimum wage to $9 an hour. This would change the ability to pay someone a minimum of $22,000 a year and potentially work them an amount of hours that could be the equivalent of less than minimum wage solely because they are an exempt employee. This would be an easy change in legislation as it only affects a few lines which a number adjustment. I look forward to hearing from you or seeing this type of legislation come from your office.<br></br>
Kind Regards,<br></br>
Paul Michael OwensPaul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-10042940421557956152013-02-15T23:55:00.000-05:002013-02-16T03:04:00.955-05:00Why is the Globe Warming?<br>The sun is why the globe is warming.</br>
<br>Take a look at Element Number 1 on the periodic table. </br>
<br>Take a look at the only place fusion works. </br>
<br>Stop the excessive taxation on the global public.</br>
<br>2013 figures:</br>
<br>[NASA Annual Budget : $18 Billion]</br>
<br>[Defense Budget : $716 Billion]</br>
<br>[United States Population : 312 Million (approx.)]</br>
<br>[Global Population: 7 Billion (approx.)]</br>
<br>[Global Population on less than $2.50 a day: 3 billion (~50%)]</br>
<br>[Global Population on less than $10.00 a day: 6 billion (~80%)]</br>
<br>How much are YOU worth a day?</br>
<br>Stop Fighting, Support Diplomacy, Support Science!</br>
<br>Remarkable footage of the sun:</br>
<script src="http://cdn-akm.vmixcore.com/vmixcore/js?auto_play=0&cc_default_off=1&player_name=uvp&width=512&height=332&player_id=1aa0b90d7d31305a75d7fa03bc403f5a&t=V0PHeRkkqVO4ulrznL0CaS40YCKbXbWxIO" type="text/javascript"></script>
<br>PS - It took me 7 times to see myself in this picture. Do you see yourself? You are there.</br>
<br>Good job NASA!</br>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-7980165601903300722012-11-17T23:51:00.001-05:002012-11-17T23:51:34.479-05:00What are Chemtrails? What in the World Are They Spraying? - Watch for the Answer<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jf0khstYDLA?fs=1" width="459"></iframe>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-68654251959605646352012-11-14T21:48:00.001-05:002012-11-14T21:48:49.779-05:00Ron Paul's Farewell Speech to Congress<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qOgg0LdgTD0?fs=1" width="459"></iframe>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-49556522944168569192012-10-30T23:03:00.000-04:002012-10-30T23:03:45.331-04:00George Lucas - $4 Billion Dollar RetirementMay the force be with you... may the force be m'f'n with you George.
That's how you retire.
And on a fresh note... Star Wars Episode VII... VIII... IX...............
and the endless Disney writing schemes..Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-89458512734099751492012-09-17T13:27:00.002-04:002012-09-17T13:27:40.092-04:00Dale Jr. speaks to his 16 year old self<embed src="http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/cbsnews_player_embed.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="425" height="279" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="si=254&contentValue=50131137&shareUrl=http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7421478n" />Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-61278578011317033872012-08-21T21:48:00.001-04:002012-09-17T13:28:01.293-04:00Merrill, Gracie, and GodMerrill puts his heart and his love for Gracie and God for everyone to see. Everyone should see and feel the Love. God is Love. When I first saw this, I was like.. what 8 minutes, and then next thing I knew.... I felt the power of love through Merrill and wanted more time. Watch it. Love. Don't forget to tell the people you love, that you love them. It is important.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MFHHPzpTvXk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-86788566710336443692012-05-19T17:40:00.003-04:002012-05-20T16:55:18.538-04:00Chelsea are the UEFA EUROPEAN FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXcz60wTvaXIduR5m9mMjPWy3dTCrzpoYO40NR9iWXEF5zfxAkOiStdxFrJzupGHprHaHXPabdbo9vCc3-tu8Lm6bOVT6n8L_imwI2kHZM7Cr2sOMZVQppW80uT-m5Rn7Qgg8oZm8mQU/s1600/ChelseaFan2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="239" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXcz60wTvaXIduR5m9mMjPWy3dTCrzpoYO40NR9iWXEF5zfxAkOiStdxFrJzupGHprHaHXPabdbo9vCc3-tu8Lm6bOVT6n8L_imwI2kHZM7Cr2sOMZVQppW80uT-m5Rn7Qgg8oZm8mQU/s400/ChelseaFan2012.jpg" /></a></div>
DROGBA SCORES THE EQUALIZER! DROGBA SCORES THE WINNER!!!!!
Chelsea admittedly did not play up to their standards with Bayern playing very hard with the most chances. But, in the end, it is the scoreboard that determines the winner. In redemption from the 2008 finals, Chelsea win on Penalties in 2012. In a nailbiter when the Chelsea Player of the Year Juan Mata misses the first penalty, the stars determine that Didier Drogba will put past the winner with the last kick of the penalty shootout.
CHELSEA ARE THE UEFA EUROPEAN FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS!!!!!!Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-85183506493822944652012-04-27T15:57:00.000-04:002012-04-27T15:57:07.951-04:00Ode to the International Space Station - Thanks NASA!<script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn-akm.vmixcore.com/vmixcore/js?auto_play=0&cc_default_off=1&player_name=uvp&width=512&height=332&player_id=1aa0b90d7d31305a75d7fa03bc403f5a&t=V0XoeeTZ2eh1pqqMgbPxZuiBKm3zPpROTE"></script>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-88216170554847521592012-03-24T18:49:00.002-04:002012-03-24T18:49:50.148-04:00Ron Paul's Ad on Romney's FRESH campainging strategy<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/d5pLrwINs1o" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-66894605016506766382012-03-09T20:39:00.002-05:002012-03-09T20:39:36.729-05:00Support KONY 2012 - Invisble Children<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/37119711?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=d13030" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/37119711">KONY 2012</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/invisible">INVISIBLE CHILDREN</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-36430930930867357072012-01-26T23:02:00.000-05:002012-01-26T23:02:55.360-05:00Big Picture - General George S. Patton | C-SPAN<a href="http://www.c-span.org/History/Big-Picture--General-George-S-Patton/10737427317/">Big Picture - General George S. Patton | C-SPAN</a>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-21051569441020597192012-01-05T18:53:00.002-05:002012-01-05T18:53:56.830-05:00US National and Everton GoalKeeper Tim Howard Scores a Goal!<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="gtk0gv6f" width="600" height="438"><param name="movie" value="http://img.widgets.video.s-msn.com/flash/customplayer/1_0/customplayer.swf" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="base" value="." /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="flashvars" value="player.c=v&player.v=fac369d7-cda9-4662-a062-1b4b3af67df7&mkt=en-us&configCsid=msnvideo&configName=syndicationplayer&from=foxsports_en-us_videocentral&brand=foxsports&fg=" /><embed src="http://img.widgets.video.s-msn.com/flash/customplayer/1_0/customplayer.swf" width="600" height="438" id="ng2mn8rg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" base="." wmode="transparent" flashvars="player.c=v&player.v=fac369d7-cda9-4662-a062-1b4b3af67df7&mkt=en-us&configCsid=msnvideo&configName=syndicationplayer&from=foxsports_en-us_videocentral&brand=foxsports&fg="></embed></object><noembed><a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/foxsoccer/video?vid=fac369d7-cda9-4662-a062-1b4b3af67df7" target="_new" title="">GOTD: Howard scores amazing Goal</a></noembed>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-77220506475456601132011-12-22T23:09:00.000-05:002011-12-22T23:09:28.088-05:00Chelsea - Tottenham 1-1 Christmas Eve Game 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMnd398Ph24FFiO1xzWp9bJoIw1z0KcrZ5v9ZJtoJu9LDNsz3K6seVvOeKNtH7P_1xiJo9xIdx_t8pbw5DmPSJ7m5h7bBaZLfk72tyAO8pUu7VgoyZFWdw0lSCULmGjPqBN13llMJSzY/s1600/ChelseaFC.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="325" width="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMnd398Ph24FFiO1xzWp9bJoIw1z0KcrZ5v9ZJtoJu9LDNsz3K6seVvOeKNtH7P_1xiJo9xIdx_t8pbw5DmPSJ7m5h7bBaZLfk72tyAO8pUu7VgoyZFWdw0lSCULmGjPqBN13llMJSzY/s400/ChelseaFC.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Torres should have come on for Juan Mata. Placed him in the center with Drogba and Sturridge coming up the flanks. Ramires has the pace, with Romeu pulling up the bottom of the diamond. Meireles and Lampard are really like for like in positional functionality. I honestly was considering Lampard to be an exchange for Mata instead of Torres. I believe that it should have Lampard in the game more than #16. John Terry definitely got the Man of the Match for his defensive performance. I believe Petr should be more aggressive in the 6 yard box. A one to one result with the Spurs is not a bad result, but it must be better. Napoli will be challenging Chelsea well in these next two matches of the Champions League. Quicker closing down and better passing from the Blues is needed, 85% possession is unacceptable for the first 20 minutes of play. David Luiz should continue to be the Central Defender if not move into the Mikel/Romeu Role. Perhaps the commentators should be regarded as such, commentators. Opinions are like, YUP!!! <br />
<br />
Great Chelsea Marketing, the last game of the season and the next to first game of the after Christmas season.<br />
<br />
Clint Dempsey fan, but GO BLUES!Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-76051612051798117492011-11-28T23:11:00.001-05:002011-11-28T23:12:51.530-05:00FIFA 12 Ultimate Team - Owens Strikers Dream TeamIf I ruled the world... and had all the coins.... yes this would be my team. But alas, it would take a lifetime to accumulate the amount of coins needed to purchase this team, and of course in reality, these players would require more playing time than would be able to be offered in one team. But in FIFA 12 UT terms, anyone knows you really have to have a deep and strong team to complete a tournament, so having good players on the bench definitely is an assist. Robben was a tough one to bench over Ozil, but I like Ozil better, and Robben is only a 1 half player, although a very good 1 half player!<br />
<br />
If you haven't upgraded to FIFA 12, from FIFA 11, it really is worth it, especially now, the gameplay and graphics are really worth this one year upgrade.<br />
<br />
Ok, and so yeah, i'm biased... but I really couldn't choose any other Manager other than AVB. Come on Roman, throw out some bucks, you could have this team! Haha!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_ikdsdUfTGhKCRa1O02KlrzUzXUODzd8ymlLroJQCVImaugb2qkhM13mxtxP7KILZiVkTca93vx3i4qG4TA-hw9dq2rdrmEPQhN7fZwYDnYwGW5KxeS1Q32u7ygPsagl81q5RnrHQHw/s1600/FIFA12UTOWENSSTRIKERSDREAMTEAM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="309" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_ikdsdUfTGhKCRa1O02KlrzUzXUODzd8ymlLroJQCVImaugb2qkhM13mxtxP7KILZiVkTca93vx3i4qG4TA-hw9dq2rdrmEPQhN7fZwYDnYwGW5KxeS1Q32u7ygPsagl81q5RnrHQHw/s400/FIFA12UTOWENSSTRIKERSDREAMTEAM.jpg" /></a></div>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-64727795084958705472011-11-27T13:52:00.000-05:002011-11-27T13:52:40.571-05:00Dale Junior finishes 7th in the 2011 Chase for the Championship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KCBzAuPgtVw5qopwxMfb3eALX6KDNSxJUQpwKEVRUdt7jxsSydC9vkA-Os9z1CeO_px4tbcpkJ4qCDxwyVOL4Hh3qzDjEUAm7FIqwnqcV9Ds-DiT9UXfPbd_KLpcy3kg2gBfKnidkUY/s1600/88DaleJrDecal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="259" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KCBzAuPgtVw5qopwxMfb3eALX6KDNSxJUQpwKEVRUdt7jxsSydC9vkA-Os9z1CeO_px4tbcpkJ4qCDxwyVOL4Hh3qzDjEUAm7FIqwnqcV9Ds-DiT9UXfPbd_KLpcy3kg2gBfKnidkUY/s400/88DaleJrDecal.jpg" /></a></div><br />
First congrats to Tony Stewart for winning his 3rd Championship. Junior showed strength in his first season with Steve Letarte. His highest finish in the championship hunt since 2006, in which he finished 5th. This year was the almost year in which Junior almost got his win. There were some strong performances in which at the minimum he was in contention to win. Throughout the season the car was able to compete, which is 2/3rds of the battle. Look at Championship Driver's like Bobby Labonte, put him back in the 18 car and i'm sure he'd be in the chase. Hopefully this is only just the beginning for Junior and this year was the building blocks for an even stronger performance in 2012. It was quite awesome being able to follow along the #88 team on RaceBuddy, the candid comments heard over air adds much excitement to the race. Ready for Daytona already! Let's go Racing boys!Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-91944838571875201302011-11-26T14:34:00.000-05:002011-11-26T14:34:35.550-05:00NASA Launches Mars Science Lab with the Curiosity Rover<script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn-akm.vmixcore.com/vmixcore/js?auto_play=0&cc_default_off=1&player_name=uvp&width=512&height=332&player_id=1aa0b90d7d31305a75d7fa03bc403f5a&t=V0QW-N1saezBq7qDn0HzOamxV3KmRqXwhU"></script><br />
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The newest feat in the exploration of Mars is Curiosity. It is supposed to land on Mars in August 2012.Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-18263856684910332982011-11-25T10:03:00.000-05:002011-11-25T10:03:09.766-05:00Duke shows resilience and strength for the 2012 Season<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcEkXxLUGP3J01LIWJXZsdIoRjUXSZs1ZOR1YefiCBuBK8guHi0dSSUtqJux9AUxU8dGJsQzRrS2NRZDPTO3McMD7liGivLr0jlRhQ0I5DfxWgq9CMK0b5YnwiiO2p0RHJGgFtKA9Xtk/s1600/DukeBasketballLogo.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 314px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcEkXxLUGP3J01LIWJXZsdIoRjUXSZs1ZOR1YefiCBuBK8guHi0dSSUtqJux9AUxU8dGJsQzRrS2NRZDPTO3McMD7liGivLr0jlRhQ0I5DfxWgq9CMK0b5YnwiiO2p0RHJGgFtKA9Xtk/s400/DukeBasketballLogo.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561817944559990322" /></a><br />
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Duke remains undefeated so far in the 2012 season. With a tremendous milestone for Coach K reached of being the most winning coach in Men's Division I basketball, 905 and counting. Duke's beginning season unlike some other ranked teams has not been easy. Michigan State, Michigan, and Kansas were all tough opponents with Kansas being the toughest so far. Belmont of course was no slouch. The rise of the "bigs" with the Plumlee's and of course we cannot overlook Ryan Kelly, who all have been instrumental in one game or another in pushing Duke through to the next level. It's hard to deny Austin Rivers some credit, although not as smooth and sublime as Kyrie Irving, his driving capabilities have definitely been noticed. Sometimes it does seem as it's a 1 on 5 games though, so those items are probably being looked at. Seth Curry has been instrumental in his role and has been a great leader for the team. Andre Dawkins still needs to gain some consistency with his shot, but still drained critical 3s to bring Duke a win. Then we get to Tyler Thornton, out of nowhere draining winning 3s to take Duke to their latest win at the Maui Invitational. There is a concern about being able to contain a big forward, with Kansas's Robinson putting up some big numbers. Mason and Ryan did have trouble pulling down rebounds although they did have a number of blocks. I think Coach K has definitely created a good balance of inside outside play. This year should be very exciting, and if Duke keeps improving as a team, there is no doubt they can take it all the way!<br />
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GO DUKE!Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-10768980070191047602011-11-23T22:00:00.000-05:002011-11-23T22:00:02.783-05:00Chelsea FC start to struggle going into the Winter 2011/2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMnd398Ph24FFiO1xzWp9bJoIw1z0KcrZ5v9ZJtoJu9LDNsz3K6seVvOeKNtH7P_1xiJo9xIdx_t8pbw5DmPSJ7m5h7bBaZLfk72tyAO8pUu7VgoyZFWdw0lSCULmGjPqBN13llMJSzY/s1600/ChelseaFC.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="325" width="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMnd398Ph24FFiO1xzWp9bJoIw1z0KcrZ5v9ZJtoJu9LDNsz3K6seVvOeKNtH7P_1xiJo9xIdx_t8pbw5DmPSJ7m5h7bBaZLfk72tyAO8pUu7VgoyZFWdw0lSCULmGjPqBN13llMJSzY/s400/ChelseaFC.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Could it be that having too many International Stars is hurting Chelsea? Not being able to finish, whether it be scoring goals or securing a draw or win seems to be the crutch of the winter... Blues... <br />
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Dropping to Leverkusen right at the end is heartbreaking. Chelsea is conceding at a very bad pace. An Arsenal pounding from someone like Man City at this point would not be surprising. Simple mistakes at the back are becoming very costly. Short of Genk, there is not light competition in the Champions League. Liverpool also showed that there is not a lack of competition in the Premier League.<br />
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Being able to defend is just as important as being able to score. Is not having Essien really causing a midfield slump? I really believe Mikel should be moved on, and perhaps even Luiz moved up to that position. Luiz loves running forward and still is a bit careless with his challenges when he is in the 18. I believe we have also not seen enough of Kalou this season. Sturridge has proven his value, and I believe will become a knight of the front line. I feel Kalou needs to be given more opportunities as well. Malouda has made his statements to the press, and seemingly performed on the field being the star player of last year. Does the cold affect the players this much? For the games that have been conceded there has been quite a bit of standing around. With only 3 subs, changes have to be made delicately, but in some regards DO need to be made.<br />
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After Wolves, the next set of games are not going to come easy. Valencia is playing very well and then Manchester City. It's time to string up those boots tight boys, closing down on the ball and first touch passing are imperative for a successful run. One must be able to find the back of the net and not pull the ball out of your own as much.<br />
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I have faith in Ramires, but when he isn't performing Kalou needs to come on. Meireles needs to start instead of Mikel, and Ivan and Terry holding central with Cole and Bosingwa on the wings. Mata and Sturridge flanking out a rotating Torres and Drogba. Kalou, Drogba, and Luiz/Alex should be used and in every game given an opportunity at the least 60 minute mark. Perhaps sometimes there is a problem with being too deep in the substitution field, with Anelka in the wings who is a proven performer. Perhaps it's time to grab some of that money back Roman.<br />
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Villas Boas is exactly right, he can only provide good training agendas and motivation. The players are the ones who must perform on the field. With outstanding performances from Lampard, the team cannot rely on one man with Petr Cech making incredible saves and believe that they will even make the Champions League next year.<br />
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December should be an exciting month to say the least.<br />
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GO BLUES!Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-9193100976778348162011-11-02T20:18:00.000-04:002011-11-02T20:18:30.158-04:00UFO Strange Sighting Dallas, Night october 23, 2011 (NBC Football)So.. the experts are saying.. insect.. yeahhhhh.<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dhfd_C2qkBs?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-80906439958193983852011-10-30T10:13:00.000-04:002011-10-30T10:13:26.198-04:00Email Response to John Locke Foundation's comments on Occupy Raleigh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxBer_k6RwUzPpMpWb-IUvhqcnhrqzYBs3KtOBh7z0F_qguG2uQIxtx6bXYjF9nIzOqElU9T0oVRYzUtEUpcfvZPkLKkejPPA3HZa0t0YlobC6lsemV2hQarAD7pzqXxcdAatD1U0N3E/s1600/Locke-John-LOC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxBer_k6RwUzPpMpWb-IUvhqcnhrqzYBs3KtOBh7z0F_qguG2uQIxtx6bXYjF9nIzOqElU9T0oVRYzUtEUpcfvZPkLKkejPPA3HZa0t0YlobC6lsemV2hQarAD7pzqXxcdAatD1U0N3E/s400/Locke-John-LOC.jpg" /></a></div><br />
(John Locke -- Library of Congress)<br />
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WTVD 11 an ABC Affiliate covered the Occupy Raleigh "protest" and received some concerning comments from the John Locke Foundation representative Mr. Kokai who basically states the protesters right to free speech ends when it costs taxpayers money. Read the article here: <a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=8410023"> CLICK HERE! </a><br />
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This is the obvious skewed government vision coming from an organization that believes in "Limited Constitutional Government".<br />
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In response to this obvious "unconstitutional" statement, I sent the following email to the JLF:<br />
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To The John Locke Foundation,<br />
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Per your Vision:<br />
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The John Locke Foundation envisions a North Carolina of responsible citizens, strong families, and successful communities committed to individual liberty and limited, constitutional government.<br />
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How does Mr. Kokai's comments to WTVD11 align with a constitutional government? His comments are supporting the imposed police state from a perspective that extra police are needed to monitor a peaceful assembly. I see no support for the peaceful assembly which is a "constitutional" right. I see no opposition to the required "permits" for peaceful assemblies, which are unconstitutional. <br />
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This demonstration of your foundation values by Mr. Kokai's statements opens the door to your true mission of further government powers separating them from its citizenry creating a form of despotism.<br />
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These types of comments coming from your organization also shows the validity of your organization because Mr. Kokai's statements are the antithesis of a constitutional government.<br />
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Government in its current state is currently an organization full of corruption and excessive spending, this is part of the problem that is being protested against.<br />
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Fulfill your vision and backtrack Mr. Kokai's comments.<br />
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Kind Regards,<br />
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Paul Michael OwensPaul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45975980678105704.post-84415309283095508622011-10-27T19:45:00.003-04:002011-10-31T22:54:29.836-04:00Equal Taxes for All<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nE24EPWpw9WFYm5CTw7eL6a9c-KXMDIAR3YNEiX7KXujrV4fhGY1s3K-RLaRWgCQMxvqOlTK-4aihKOA2o-vWO5eZBVdc1LCbJh0uidM_Q4dgY86zk3cIZ8Uuqsj8M-BK5nCqbMSDQI/s1600/John_F_Kennedy_Official_Portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nE24EPWpw9WFYm5CTw7eL6a9c-KXMDIAR3YNEiX7KXujrV4fhGY1s3K-RLaRWgCQMxvqOlTK-4aihKOA2o-vWO5eZBVdc1LCbJh0uidM_Q4dgY86zk3cIZ8Uuqsj8M-BK5nCqbMSDQI/s400/John_F_Kennedy_Official_Portrait.jpg" /></a></div><br />
(The official White House portrait of John F. Kennedy by Aaron Shikler)<br />
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Equal Taxes for All<br />
Author: Paul Michael Owens<br />
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A government must tax its citizens to maintain its deemed operations. Governments throughout history have deemed some sort of tax necessary. Ancient Egyptians paid taxes. Ancient Romans paid taxes. Taxes have been shown to be levied throughout the Middle Ages. Most historical taxation of the public involved no public input. These taxes were created by Kings and Emperors of various populations to fund their own ideas and projects. The United States Government started a historical trend with the formation of a government for the people and by the people. This put the control of how a government chooses its tax scheme theoretically back into the hands of the people. The United States Government currently uses a progressive taxation system on income that is based on the amount of income one earns (Tax Foundation, 2011). There are also other taxes on the individual such as the gas tax that is levied on the public that go to the government. Taxation is a way of life when an individual seeks protection and services from a government. A person has to look hard to find something that is not taxed one way or another. The difference on the multitude of variety of taxes would be where these taxes are going. If a person lives in a city, they will pay a city tax. One also pays a tax to the county if one has property. Income is taxed by most States and the Federal Government. When one purchases gas, it is also taxed by the State and the Federal Government. <br />
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In our current environment of total taxation, the United States Government has more expenditures than it has tax revenue. Sparing a short period from 1998 to 2001, the United States Government has been deficit spending, which is spending more than one earns (Government Printing Office, 2005). One hears many statements of needing revenue for the government to pay its bills. This is only a perspective of how the government should operate. Government needs to stop spending more than it brings in. Like every other American Family who lives within their means, the government should follow the same model. The required cuts would be a drastic change and would be too much for people to handle or even comprehend because of the amount of dependence America has on its government. Talking about how much money the government spends can be overwhelming, which is why it becomes a daunting subject. The figures that the budgets present with more than 9 zeros on the end can be remarkably scary. To make it easy, one simply has to cut off all the zeros and use that number as an example. For instance: the government spends 31,000 a year, while only earning 28,000 a year. This is reflective of the 2010 operational budget of the United States Government (Government Printing Office, 2005). This is also representative of how the Federal Government has been deficit spending since 1931. For only 10 years randomly placed in the 80 year history, the United States has been spending more than it has been taking in (Government Printing Office, 2005). This is where the difference between debt and deficit spending come into play. The United States of America is very close to being 15 trillion dollars in debt (US Department of Treasury, 2011). The United States is in this situation because of the 80 year history of spending more than earned revenue it receives through taxation. <br />
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The current conversation about change in tax strategy involves a lot of rhetoric about taxing the 1% top income earners more. The top 1% already pays over 50% of their income in taxes, while over 47% of individuals pay no federal taxes (National Public Radio, 2010). This is an inherent problem for a real change in strategy because the conversation has been redirected from appropriate spending of what tax revenue is available to creating more revenue so programs in place can continue. Americans have voiced in many polls that they do not want to see a tax increase. The soliloquies abound that the rich are getting richer and the gap between the rich and poor is growing is completely true. These comments have nothing to do with taxing rich people more and a fair tax strategy. The tremendous debt and overspending of the available government funds is a big problem that does have a direct relation to taxation. Even if the rich were taxed more, it would not correct the poor fiscal irresponsibility the current politicians practice. The practice of deficit spending needs to stop. The government needs to shrink its expenditures, and further decrease the tax burden on the public at large, and make an attempt to work on the ever increasing debt this country owes. The rich getting richer and gap growth has to do with the government facilitating bailouts for companies that otherwise would have gone bankrupt for shady deals that appropriately reviewed would have found as fraud. The government tax conversation should not be about generating more revenue at all. A government should not have an agenda of “generating revenue”. The government should be having a conversation about the scope of government operations and what is really needed from the government to service and protect its citizenry. A redefining tax strategy should be included in these conversations. <br />
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A tax strategy should be fair for every citizen regardless of their wealth. A government should be forced to operate within its means with the only exception of War. One must also include what taxes are being spent on when talking about taxes. What does the United States Government spend most of the tax dollars on? The largest expenditures the government has can fall in three big areas: Defense, Social Programs, and Treasury (US Department of Treasury, 2011). The largest expenditure is for Defense and Security of the nation. The second largest expenditure that the Federal Government spends the tax money on is social programs which means the government pays totally or supplemental for a citizen’s survival. The third largest area of the expenditures is a complete result of over 80 years of deficit spending. The United States Government has to continuously borrow money to pay back earlier borrowed money from an entity created by the United States Government to be a neutral entity to handle the United States Monetary Policy called the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve, which is a private corporation, was created in 1913. The Federal Reserve loans the United States Government money and makes a profit in return. This subject can and has been expounded on but relevant to this topic it plays a large part in the unnecessary expenditures of the United States Government. The tax policy plays a very large role in the operations of a government. In the past the government was not allowed to spend more than it generated, other than in times of war in which these cases a war tax was implemented to pay for the unexpected expenditures. Now all the government has to do is borrow money. This directly affects taxes because it creates a base the must be paid, similar to a minimum payment on a credit card. This base is now the third largest expenditure of the United States Government. Understanding what tax money is spent on is invaluable information that helps with the discussion of what type of tax strategy should be in place. <br />
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The biggest challenge in understanding taxation the American Way, is to finally understand that the current government is looking for ways to create money so it can spend it on programs that may not be nationally necessary. To further complicate the issue, a person must be able to look past the gimmick of the Two Party System. The two party system is only there to blind the general public of the real issue at hand, which is a group of individuals whose goal is to further their own agendas which is currently not the agenda of providing the general welfare of the nation. The current overwhelming public government dependency is not a fruitful path to success of a nation. A government that taxes a small group of people overwhelmingly to support a larger group of people is an unsustainable model. These are the conversations that need to be had to correct the irresponsible fiscal policies that are currently in place. The only way to get the United States Government back in-line with true American values is to shrink its programs considerably and present a fair tax plan to the citizenry that creates an equal playing field for all regardless of wealth. This fair tax plan must include forcing the Federal Government to “Live Within its means”. <br />
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Bibliography:<br />
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Government Printing Office. (2005). Historical Tables of the United States Budget. Retrieved October 19, 2011, from Government Printing Office: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy06/pdf/hist.pdf<br />
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This document is created from an Executive Office of the President of the United States. The Office of Management and Budget provides facts and figures dating back to 1789. This document provides a very good history of the tax collection and expenditures of the Federal Government. There are many tables found which include a very heavy amount of data that help expand on points created within my paper and further prove how irresponsible the government has been spending for decades. <br />
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National Public Radio. (2010, April 04). All Things Considered - Who Pays Taxes? Not as Many as You Think. Retrieved October 19, 2011, from National Public Radio: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125997180<br />
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Robert Siegel is the host of All Things Considered. All Things Considered is a nationally syndicated show that is broadcasted by National Public Radio. On April 4th, 2010 , Mr. Siegel interviewed Mr. Roberton Williams who is a Senior Fellow at the Tax Policy Center, which is a Washington Think Tank whose mission is to review all aspects around the Federal Government's tax policy. In this interview Mr. Siegel provides some interesting facts including the amount of citizens who pay no tax. This interview provides valuable facts that pertain to many points I express. <br />
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Tax Foundation. (2011). Federal Individual Income Tax Rates History. Retrieved October 19, 2011, from www.taxfoundation.org: http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/fed_individual_rate_history_nominal&adjusted-20110909.pdf<br />
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The Tax Foundation is a nonpartisan tax research group based in Washington, D.C. This is a document which provides tables on the tiered income tax structure of the United States back to 1937. This document provides statistical data of the rate of taxation and the yearly changes that have occurred through the reported history. This document provides me the evidence that I need to make valid points on the amount of taxes that people have to pay based on their income level. <br />
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US Department of Treasury. (2011). Debt Limit. Retrieved October 19, 2011, from US Department of Treasury: http://www.treasury.gov/initiatives/Pages/debtlimit.aspx<br />
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The United States Department of Treasury provides this webpage as a reference page for information about the debt limit. This page provides specific definitions of what the debt limit includes within its scope and what is not applicable to apply to the nation's debt. This page also provides an in-depth review of the nation's debt limit and provides a large amount of documentation. This page is useful in providing definitions and data that can be used for my argument.<br />
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US Department of Treasury. (2011). FY2012 Budget in Brief. Retrieved October 20, 2011, from US Department of Treasury: http://www.treasury.gov/about/budget-performance/budget-in-brief/Documents/FY2012_BIB_Complete_508.pdf<br />
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This document created by the United States Department of Treasury contains Fiscal Year 2012's operating Budget Request. This is a 125 page document that specifies how much money is requested and the anticipated allocation of the requested money. This document helps expand the argument on how much money the Federal Government is spending. The data and statistics provided in this document is very valuable to my argument.<br />
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US Department of Treasury. (2011). The Debt to the Penny and Who owns It. Retrieved October 19, 2011, from Treasury Direct: http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/BPDLogin?application=np<br />
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The Treasury Direct website is a portal which provides reports on many items regarding the Federal Government expenditures and obligations. This site provides a large amount of data and statistics in regards to the National Debt. It segregates how much the general public is responsible for and how much intergovernmental agencies are responsible for. The final current total tally provides a grossly large number that all should be aware of while the government continues to spending away. This site provides valuable information for my argument.Paul Michael Owenshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12120637976985223919noreply@blogger.com0