foxbat

The road or Katie? Lord, I apologize for that.

So now that a year has come and go, folks are getting a chance to see the implications of the tax cuts. It's looking like, from the individual taxpayer side, it's not turning out like it was expected. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trumps-tax-scam-some-taxpayers-get-unwelcome-surprise-after-filing-returns-201206749.html?.tsrc=bell-brknews While refunds aren't the whole issue and can be changed by several issues, here's some general observations as I delve into the tedious task of working on my annual taxes. These are specific to my situation ... your mileage may vary: Exemptions are gone. Caused some $28,000+ to disappear from consideration in lowering the taxable income. Yes, standard deduction went up, but only $12,000, so the net impact was more than $16,000+ to the negative ... not including the fact that I always had enough to itemize, so the impact ends up being more. Taxable income is up considerably this year despite making less total income. No changes in any lifestyle issues, etc., with the exception of one more kid in college, outside of the tax cut legislation. Increased tax credits for kids, but not anywhere close to make up for the removal of exemptions. Initial taxes, before deductions/credits was higher than last year despite making less total income. Refund this year will be, in absolute terms, substantially lower despite having an additional kid in college which should have had both the absolute and relative refund increase. Bottom line, at least for me, is I'm not seeing the direct positive impact that was promised and, in fact, are experiencing a negative hit. What I have noticed, in both my own and other anecdotal stories is that, at best, what most folks are seeing is that the paycheck increases that many folks saw was mainly a shifting of part of their year-end liability showing up in their paychecks. In other words, someone who would usually get back $2,400 in a tax refund, may well have seen a $100/month increase in take-home pay, but their refund is likely to end up being $1,200 or less. In other words, they didn't actually get a tax cut; just a tax shuffle. Just curious as to others' experiences.

Look's like it's not just Melania who likes to borrow from former First Ladies ...

You might try the free account first and see if you can still get access to this specific database before plunking down the cash on it. You can always upgrade the account at anytime without losing any data that you've put in prior to upgrading.

Actually, that's more specific to Black Virginians. A related poll shows Virginians split 47-47 with Democrats at 40% to resign and 57% not to resign and Republicans at 56% to resign with 42% not to resign. I would not consider 57% as indicative that the party forgives its own given that, if you ask about other issues facing Democrats, the numbers end up in the 70s, 80s, and maybe even 90s. For example, only 30% of Democrats approved of Trump's SOTU ... which is only 10% difference than those that think that Northam should resign. In another words, 10% more Virginia Democrats think Northam should resign than Democrats who liked Trump's SOTU speech. In related news, that of Virginia Lt. Gov Fairfax, that issue of forgiveness doesn't seem to have foundation as Democrats both inside and outside the state are pushing for Fairfax to resign. https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/08/politics/dems-justin-fairfax-resign/index.html FTA: But now that a second woman, Meredith Watson, has accused the Virginia lieutenant governor of rape, prominent Virginia and national Democrats are not holding back and are roundly calling on the 39-year old African-American politician to resign. He lost a major bloc of support Friday night when the Democratic members of the Virginia House of Delegates and state Senate issued a joint statement calling on him to step down. "Due to the serious nature of these allegations, we believe Lieutenant Governor Fairfax can no longer fulfill his duties to the Commonwealth," the statement read. "He need to addess this as a private citizen. The time has come for him to step down." And in another major moment about an hour later, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus wrote that its members "believe it is best for Lt. Governor Fairfax to step down from his position." "While we believe that anyone accused of such a grievous and harmful act must receive the due process prescribed by the Constitution, we can't see it in the best interest of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the Lieutenant Governor to remain in his role," the group added. Late Friday night, both of Virginia's powerful Democratic US senators -- Tim Kaine and Mark Warner -- called on Fairfax to resign in separate statements. ... National Democrats also had held off calling for Fairfax to step down after Tyson's allegations. But, like their Virginia counterparts, they have now called on him to leave office. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey had described Tyson's allegations as "deeply disturbing" and said they "should be thoroughly investigated." But he did not call for Fairfax to step down. After Watson stepped forward, however, Booker ratcheted up his call. "The multiple detailed allegations against the Lt. Gov. of Virginia are deeply troubling," he tweeted. "They are serious, credible, and corroborated by others. It is no longer appropriate for him to serve. He should resign." Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, after calling for an investigation into Tyson's allegations, said the accusation by Watson was "sickening and horrendous" and should end Fairfax's time as lieutenant governor. "I believe Meredith Watson and Dr. Tyson, and it was extremely brave for them to come forward," she said. "Mr. Fairfax should resign and no longer serve the Commonwealth of Virginia." Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, echoed her colleagues' calls. "These credible and troubling allegations from Dr. Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson make it clear that Lt. Gov Fairfax should resign. My heart goes out to these brave women and their families," Warren said on Twitter. Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a prospective 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, also joined the calls for Fairfax to step down. "The Governor feels Lt Governor Fairfax should resign. These allegations are deeply disturbing," said his spokeswoman, Lauren Hitt. Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro said Fairfax should resign, and reiterated that Gov. Ralph Northam also must go. He tweeted, "Last Friday I called on Gov. Northam to resign immediately. Two days ago I stated that I believe the claim regarding Lt. Governor Fairfax. Tonight, I call on both of them to step aside and allow the great state of Virginia to heal and move forward." California Sen. Kamala Harris joined the call for Fairfax to resign. The Democratic presidential candidate said on Twitter, "The allegations by Dr. Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson are corroborated, painful stories of sexual assault and rape. It's clear Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax should resign his office." Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent and a likely Democratic presidential candidate, also urged Fairfax to step down. He tweeted, "I agree with the joint statement from the Virginia House and Senate Democrats. Very serious and credible allegations have been made by two women against Lieutenant Governor Fairfax. He needs to resign."

So Indy Lutheran is out? And Attica? And 2013 state champ Tri-Central? And 2018 runner-up North Vermillion? Phew ... good thing that 2018 state champ and three-time state champ, Pioneer, and seven-time state champ, LCC, have those extra 8 and 7 kids, respectively, hanging around the halls to keep them from having to throw in the towel.

If you have an Ancestry.com account, you can often get access to ship rolls in some wars. Take a look at the following link. https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1143

It's not a question of fear ... it's a question of not caring.

Appears to be a hoax enabled by one of Howe's favorite, believable "media sources" Mark Dice and furthered by several others. https://hoax-alert.leadstories.com/3470170-green-new-deal-urine.html For those interested in the details of the actual Green New Deal: https://cleantechnica.com/2019/02/08/heres-the-full-text-of-congress-green-new-deal-resolution-introduced-by-rep-alexandra-ocasio-cortez/?fbclid=IwAR0RXSJZf37BKsu6BHg53lqAuwDs_bdXRugzDrSzsQI9OFJPnE3MuE37Fjk

I don't think there has been serious consideration to abandoning TA's desire to keep it a free site outside of a couple of personalities. There is an annual drive for donations and, to my knowledge, it raises enough or close to enough to never make the serious thought of a pay site enter into the admins' minds. Agreed. You can sometimes see the ebb start as soon as some teams are eliminated from the post-season tourney and many mothball their accounts on Saturday night of the finals; especially if they didn't have a dog in the fight. This is actually the second year that I think I remained active through to this point after the finals, but in the past, when football season was over, my time on GID fell off until usually August of the next season. I spent the better part of at least six years on GID as a seasonal participant that then mothballed the account for about seven months a year.

Ditto ... I've often heard folks quote something from GID and share it with folks in the stands. Those comments range from stats, to general info about teams/players, to direct quotes from GID posters going after each other. It certainly contributes to the bigger community beyond the online community.

My interpretation was that @gonzoron's post had little to do with the 11 year old boy and much more to do with less-than-presidential actions by the President.

Not illegal ... just immoral. 😁

And some days it looks like more than that. Think I found out what I might be doing in retirement.

Not even Thin Mints in the freezer?

Vacillating ...

Another small act of kindness between generations ... this one from older to younger: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/dad-says-man-bonded-toddler-airport-showed-kindness-compassion-001127653.html FTA: On Saturday, Kevin Armentrout, a public speaker in Las Vegas, wrote a Facebook post about a traveler named Joseph Wright, a field sales manager at Samsung in Oklahoma, who took joy in entertaining his 16-month-old daughter, Carter Jean, at the airport. “Last night, while waiting to board our plane, [Carter Jean] was being her usual inquisitive self wanting to meet and say ‘hi’ to everyone she could, until she walked up on this man,” Armentrout wrote. “He reached out and asked if she wanted to sit with him. He pulled out his tablet and showed her how to draw with it, they watched cartoons together, and she offered him snacks. This wasn’t a short little exchange, this was 45 minutes. Watching them in that moment, I couldn’t help but think, different genders, different races, different generations, and the best of friends. This is the world I want for her.”

Or more insidiously getting you to pay for their cookie skimming ... getting high on their own supply and getting other addicts to foot the bill.

Opportunities for small acts of kindness present themselves every day ... just have to keep an eye out for them: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/police-officer-films-three-young-men-helping-elderly-woman-street-grandmother-122702539.html FTA: Officer Kenesha Carnegie of the Levy County Sheriff’s Office in Bronson, Fla., was in Williston on Monday when she saw the friends helping Rose Griest, 89, get into her car, which her 100-year-old husband, David, had parked at a gas station. The couple of 20 years stopped to use the restroom on their way home from Perry to Orlando, where Rose had a medical appointment.

Another Hoosier Conference school QB at the helm at UIndy?

A cheater and a tweeter. 😆 Lord, I apologize for that.

I would think that #2, would end up being less tier and more $0/$25. I doubt that may folks would continue to show up on GID and pay $10 "just to look." I think that the site probably makes decent enough money off of the ads; however, probably not enough to sustain the site it total and certainly not enough for folks to get rich off of it. I just did a quick check and there were 25 people logged on right now ... with 17 of them being Guest status. If that's the way the site tends to go in general, then guest traffic is by far the highest level of traffic. As such, I would doubt, as you say, the conversion rate is high. Charging many of these folks $10 just to look would lose many of them ... not to mention, perhaps, some of those that lurk with an account name. Assuming that decent enough money is made from ad traffic, you don't want to chase off lurkers which, IMO, a $10 read-only fee/price would do. With that said, changing the advertising scheme from a click/click through to a more impressions-heavy structure might also be more advantageous as opposed to forcing a paysite fee. Ultimately, I think the current admin are holding true to TA's original gameplan and, given that so much of his reasoning behind the site was tied to his love of the game and the community, I'd say it's only fair for those who bought into that idea, serving in the current admin, to be allowed to carry that forward. There's a pretty organic feel to the site right now and much of that stems to its origins, including the freesite business model. I think TA also realized that not everyone is a fanatic right out the gate and some need time to catch the fever or come out of their shells. Some folks lurk for a season or more before even getting an id or making their first post. I think I lurked for three months or so before getting an id and then probably another two to three months before making a post. I think went to seasons before finally becoming a Booster and, even that first year was based on one of the GIDs prominent members actually buying me a membership. Since that time, I've been a Booster regularly and even paid the generosity of the GID member forward by paying for a membership for another member that hadn't held Booster status. I think that for lurkers who might be converted exposure/time are important to that conversion and a $10 read-only rate or a required fee for everyone would be like tossing water on a smoldering ember. My thought on this would be to not have GID as a paysite. I would, however, encourage folks who are lurkers to think about a donation to GID this way ... how many mediocre movies that you seen in the last year where you plopped down full ticket price, had some less than great popcorn, and a one gallon cup filled with 16 oz. of drink with more ice than a polar ice cap? That's about the cost of Booster status and, unlike that movie experience, you get GID for the whole year. Not a bad entertainment value ... even for the penny-pincher among us all.