Synexuxent Post 166

Please excuse the typos!  MAC

Special One Time Tax Credit on Your 2006 Tax Return

When it kcomes time to prepare and file your 2006 tax retukrn, make sure you don’t overlook the federal excise tax refund credit?

You claim the credit on line 71 of your form 1040.  A similar line will be available if you file the short form 1040A.

If you have family or friends who no longer file a tax return AND they have their own land phone in their home and have been paying a phone bill for years, make sure theiy know about this form 1040EZ-T.  Whiat is this all about?  Well the federal excise tax has been charged to your phone bill for years.  It is an old tax that was assessed on your tooll calls based on how far the call was being made and how much time you talked on that call.  When phone companies began to offer flat fee phone service, challenges to the excise tax ended up in federal courts in several districts of the country.  The challenges pointed out that flat fee/rate phone service had nothing to do with the distance and the length of the phone call.  Therefore the excise tax should/could not be assessed.  The IRS has now conceded this argument.  Phone companies have been given notice to stop assessing the federal excise tax as of August 30, 2006.  You will most likely see the tax on your September cutoff statement, but it should NO be on your October bill.  But the challengers of the old law also demanded restitution.  So the IRS has announced that a one time credit will be available when you and I file our 2006 tax return.  However, the IRS also establiished limits on how BIG a credit you can get.  Here’s how it works. 

If you file your return as a single person with just you as a dependent, you get to claim a$30 credit on line 71 of your 1040 form.  If you file with a child or parent as your dependent, you claim $40.  If you file your return as a married couple with no children, you claim 40.  If you file as married with children, you cllaim $50 if one child, $60 if two children.  In all cases, the most you get to claim is $60.  UNLESSS:  If you have all your phone bills starting AFTER Feb. 28, 2003 through July 31, 2006 (do not use any bills starting Aug. 1, 2006), then you can add up the ACTUAL TAX AS IT APPEARS ON YOUR BILLS AND CLAIM THAT FOR A CREDIT.

Now if you have your actual phone bills and come up with an ACTUAL TAX AMOUNT, you cannot use line 71 on iyour tax return.  You have to complete a special form number 8913 and attach it to your tax return.  Individuals using the special form 1040EZ-T will attach this form 8913 also.

One final point:  This credit is a refundable credit.  That means you get this money no matter how iyour tax return works out.  If you would end up owing the IRS a balance, the refund will reduce that balance you owe.  If you end up getting a refund, the credit will be added and you get a bigger refund byi that 30 to $60 depending on how maniy dependents are on your return.

This information is put out by Wayne R. Poirier of Raymond James & Assoc. of Birmingham, MI 48009; Telephone # 248-540-3733.  The validity of this data is not warrantied, but is submitted for your scrutiny and possible use by C. Bruce McIntire, Post 166, Ocean City, MD 21482  

 

“Courage is one of the virtues born of war - the courage of individuals in the face of danger and the courage of nations to protect the weak and punish the aggressor.”

“There is bravery to be shown in peace as well. May we recapture the courage which turned the wilderness into cities, that bound men together under government.”

“We can turn slums into comfortable homes; turn uncertainty into certainty. We can reach new heights of civilization and opportunity for the men and women of this nation if we have the courage to expect and work for a better way of life.”

“There can be romance in this challenge also. The bravery that fights for political, social and spiritual gains may be more difficult to practice - may be unsung when achieved - but it is all the more worth striving for.”

Written by Nate Pearson, Commander A.L. Post 166, for the Veterans day memorial service and delivered by William Wolf 2nd Vice Commander.

A Different Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,

Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn’t loud, and it wasn’t too near,

But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn’t quite know, Then the

Sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,

A lone figure stood his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,

Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,

Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

“What are you doing?” I asked without fear,

“Come in this moment, it’s freezing out here!

Put down your pack; brush the snow from your sleeve,

You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!”

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,

Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts…

To the window that danced with a warm fire’s light

Then he sighed and he said “It’s really all right,I’m out here by choice. I’m here every night.” “It’s my duty to stand at the

front of the line,

That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I’m proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at ‘Pearl on a day in December,”

Then he sighed, “That’s a Christmas ‘Gram always remembers.”

My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ‘Nam’,

And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I’ve not seen my own son in more than a while,

But my wife sends me pictures; he’s sure got her smile.

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,

The red, white, and blue… an American flag.

I can live through the cold and the being alone,

Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,

Or lay down my life with my sister and brother…

Who stand at the front against any and all?

To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall.”

“So go back inside,” he said, “harbor no fright,

Your family is waiting and I’ll be all right.”

“But isn’t there something I can do, at the least,

“Give you money,” I asked, “or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you’ve done,

For being away from your wife and your son.”

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,

“Just tell us you love us, and never forget.

To fight for our rights back at home while we’re gone,

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,

To know you remember we fought and we bled.

Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.”

Hello all,..

Don’t know if the link below will work just by clicking on it, (Try it) if not, copy and paste. It is just too beautiful.

Tony Curro.

http://oldbluewebdesigns.com/mybeautifulamerica.htm

Hi Casey,

Consistent with earlier facts and photos that I have transmitted to you, I am sending you this message regarding how you can tell what’s the truth?  Sometimes supposed facts are false.  Too, supposed facts maybe fabrications or falsehoods designed to purposely misguide you.  The internet is filled with them.  In other instances you’ll read aboiut matters that are controversial because to find if they’re true requires more knowledge on your part of the subject than may be available at first or for that matter even after lengthy study.  One such subject discussed frequently here in the U.S.A and around the world is global warming.  I have just finished reading a novel entitled “State of Fear” in which the akuthor Michael Crichton covers this issue in a most exciting way with an authentic bibliography with supportive graphs as he weaves fact with fiction to produce an interesting novel.  What follows is a portion of his book which I feel encapsulates something worth retaining as a student.

“Let’s remember where we live.  We live on the third planet from a medium-size sun.  Our planet is five billion years old, and it has been changing constantly all during that time.  Earth is on its third atmosphere.

  The first atmosphere was helium and hydrogen.  It dissipated early on, because the planet was so hot.  Then, as the planet cooled, volcanic eruptions produced a second atmos-phere of steam and carbon dioxide.  Later the water vapor condensed forming the oceans that cover most of the planet.  Then around three billion years ago, some bacteria evolved to consume carbon dioxide and excrete a highly toxic case of oxygen.  Other bacteria released nitrogen.  The atmosphere concentration of these gases slowly increased.  Organisms that could not adapt died out.

Meanwhile, the planet’s land masses, floating on huge tectonic plates, eventually came together in a configuration by advancing and retreating glacial ice.  No one is entirely sure why, but ice now covers the planet every hundred thousand years, with smaller advances every twenty thousand or so.  The last advance was twenty thousand years ago, so we’re due for the next one.

And even today, after five billion years, our planet remains amazingly active.  We have five hundred volcanoes and an eruption every two weeks.  Earthquakes are continuous:  a million and a half a year, a moderate Richter 5 quake every six hours, a big earthquake every ten days.  Tsunamis race across the Pacific Ocean every three months.  

Our atmosphere is as violent as the land beneath it.  At any moment there are one thousand five hundred electrical storms across the planet.  Eleven lightning bolts strike the ground each second.  A tornado tears across the surface every six hours.  And every four days, a giant cyclonic storm hundreds of miles in diameter, spins over the ocean and wreaks havoc on land.  (Watch your weather channel for spiraling orange colored storms in the Pacific Ocean or across from Africa toward South America and the Carribean Sea south of Florida toward Mexico.)

 The nasty little apes that call themselves human beings can do nothing except run and hide.  For these same apes to imagine they can stabilize this atmosphere is arrogant beyond belief.  They can’t control the climate.  The reality is, they run from the storms.”

I don’t know if this data is too heavy without you having taken at least General Science in high school or a course of study in meteorology or geography.  In your every day life, the condition of the earth and it dynamics only prevail in bad weather.  What lies within your grasp after reading this passage is that the arguments as to who was the blame for Katrina’s damage in the Gulf States of Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama is essential pointless.  The truth lies in the fact that no one in local, county, state or federal govern-ment had ever dealt with a storm of Katrina’s magnitude.  The destruction it caused covered 90,000 square miles, the size of all of Great Britain or the entire state of Idaho.  What action will result from study of Katrina is yet to be determined.  “You can’t fool with Mother Nature.”  Just something to place under your ‘thinking cap.’  LOVE, GPAMAC 

Early June 06
 Dear Sarge and all the wonderful people in the 166 American Legion Post.
 I can not thank you enough for your care package. My words can not fulfill this letter to all of you of what I feel in my heart.
 The thought of knowing that 1 single detail of what a care package means to a soldier in the front line signified that American Legion cares about you.
 There is only 3 main things that a soldier needs to help n’ raise his moral and they are: FOOD–SHELTER–MAIL.
 I thought about the Post and what a wonderful City, Ocean City is. In
 fact I have some pictures in my head that I use when I’m in distress and the atmosphere and images of you and places in Ocean City makes me relax.
 I have been talking with Caracciolo( a Post #166 member) quite often, even though he is not in my Unit. He is a great and dynamic Solider. We all pay attention to details.
 Sarge, I have to tell you something. On May 25th I earned my PURPLE HEART MEDAL. Our 3 humvee convoy was ambushed by heavily armed extremist Muslims. Rocket Propelled Grenades and AK-47’s and anti tank mine was used. I honestly don’t need to tell you details. A chunk of shrapnel caused by the RPG caused 3rd degree burns in the back of my head.
 I survived the attack, using my M-4 rifle. I emptied 2 1/2 magazines. I’m OK hopefully it will grow hair again. If not, I will carry a black sharpie with me always.
 Sarge, thank you for being there and thank you for understanding what I’m going thru, Sincerely,
 
 PFC Miguel A. C Solano
 
 P.S. Caracciolo’s unit was the back up help, they rushed to the scene really quick, they helped a lot.

November 1, 2006

Hardball w/ Chris Matthews
400 N. Capitol Street, NW
Suite 850
Washington, DC  20001
 

Dear Mr. Matthews:
 

I would like to set the record straight about your erroneous statement about me on yesterday’s broadcast.  Regarding The American Legion’s reaction to Sen. Kerry’s outrageous comments about the military, you said, “So this is a bit of theater orchestrated well by the White House. They have got the American Legion commander out there making a statement. They got him to do it. I’m sure – I assume that most of these people didn’t read the whole statement of Kerry yesterday, but they are happy to jump on the quote they got.”
 

The White House orchestrated no such thing with The American Legion. The American Legion is nonpartisan and prohibited by its own constitution and bylaws from engaging in partisan politics. The White House never asked The American Legion to issue any statement regarding Sen. Kerry’s comments. Of course, a little research on your part might have persuaded you not to make such ill-informed comments. The American Legion has been on record supporting the troops since it’s founding in 1919. The Veterans of Foreign Wars and AMVETS were also offended by Sen. Kerry’s comments. Are those fine organizations also White House toadies as you insinuated about us? I don’t know whether I should be insulted by your statement or just laugh it off as a “botched joke.”
 

In the interest of fairness you should retract your statement about me and The American Legion on this evening’s broadcast or allow me to appear on “Hardball” to set the record straight myself.
If you wish to discuss this matter further, please contact my media relations manager, Ramona Joyce, at (202) 445-1161.
 

Sincerely,

Paul A. Morin
National Commander