Quote from Halvard Lange (Norwegian foreign minister from 1946 to 1965). WE DO NOT REGARD ENGLISHMEN AS FOREIGNERS. WE LOOK ON THEM ONLY AS RATHER MAD NORWEGIANS.
What I learned today:
My curiosity was aroused yesterday when I wrote about taxes. I googled "U.S. income tax brackets" and am trying to absorb what I ran off and have sitting in front of me. Here is what I'm looking at right now.
Federal Tax Brackets:
If your taxable income is between.......... your tax bracket is:
0 and $8,375.............................................10%
$8375 and $34,000.................................. 15%
$34,000 and $82,400...............................25%
$82,400 and $$171,850............................28%
$171,850 and $373,650 ............................33%
$373,650 and above................................. 35%
To take an example, suppose your taxable income (after deductions and exemptions) was exactly $100,000 in 2008 and your marital status was Married filing separately, then your tax would be calculated like this:
($8,025 minus 0) x .10: $802.50
($32,550 minus $8,025) x .15: $3,678.75
($65,725 minus $32,550 x .25: $8,293.75
($100,000 minus $65,725) x .28: $9,597.00
TOTAL ...........................$22,372.00
This puts you in the 28% tax bracket, since that's the highest rate applied to any of your income; but as a percentage of the whole $100,000, your tax is about 22.37%.
Tomorrow I'll show how the tax brackets changed from 1990 to to 2003.
Humor for today: If your best shots are the practice swing and the "gimme putt", you may wish to reconsider the game of golf.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Taxes
Quote from Jean Sibelius: PAY NO ATTENTION TO WHAT THE CRITICS SAY. A STATUE HAS NEVER BEEN ERECTED IN HONOR OF A CRITIC.
What I learned today:
With all the sqabbling going on in our nation's capital about taxes I learned a little something about tax rates. I read this article in the newspaper, "FACT CHECK: Cutting through tax-cut rhetoric." The article made five main points but the one that struck me was this one.
CLAIM: The rich would pay 36% or more of their income in taxes under Obama's plan.
WRONG: A rich family would pay 36% - and 39.6% - only on taxable income above $232,000. The family would continue to benefit from the other four brackets established earlier this decade - 10%, 15% 25% and 28% - on taxable income below $232,000.
I found that very interesting. I thought, like most other people, that all their income was taxed at the higher rate.
Humor for today:
An elderly lady went into a restaurant for the 'seniors special'. The special was two eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast for $2.99.
She told the waitress "I want the special but I don't want the eggs."
The waitress said "Then, I'll have to charge you $3.49 because you're ordering a la carte" the waitress warned her.
"You mean I'd have to pay for not taking the eggs?" she asked.
"YES!" stated the waitress.
"I'll take the special then," said the lady.
"How do you want your eggs?" the waitress asked.
"Raw and in the shell," she replied. She took the two eggs home and made a cake...
DON'T MESS WITH SENIORS!!! They've been around the block more than once.
What I learned today:
With all the sqabbling going on in our nation's capital about taxes I learned a little something about tax rates. I read this article in the newspaper, "FACT CHECK: Cutting through tax-cut rhetoric." The article made five main points but the one that struck me was this one.
CLAIM: The rich would pay 36% or more of their income in taxes under Obama's plan.
WRONG: A rich family would pay 36% - and 39.6% - only on taxable income above $232,000. The family would continue to benefit from the other four brackets established earlier this decade - 10%, 15% 25% and 28% - on taxable income below $232,000.
I found that very interesting. I thought, like most other people, that all their income was taxed at the higher rate.
Humor for today:
An elderly lady went into a restaurant for the 'seniors special'. The special was two eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast for $2.99.
She told the waitress "I want the special but I don't want the eggs."
The waitress said "Then, I'll have to charge you $3.49 because you're ordering a la carte" the waitress warned her.
"You mean I'd have to pay for not taking the eggs?" she asked.
"YES!" stated the waitress.
"I'll take the special then," said the lady.
"How do you want your eggs?" the waitress asked.
"Raw and in the shell," she replied. She took the two eggs home and made a cake...
DON'T MESS WITH SENIORS!!! They've been around the block more than once.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Sneezing and God Bless You.
Quote from George Carlin: HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED? ANYBODY GOING SLOWER THAN YOU IS AN IDIOT, AND ANYONE GOING FASTER THAN YOU IS A MANIAC.
GRATITUDE TODAY:I'm grateful to be a Norwegian and getting to eat lutefisk. Last night Ruth Ann and I and three other couples had our annual lutefisk supper. What a joy to eat lutefisk again. It was covered with melted butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. Only Norwegians get to enjoy such a treat. Eat your hearts out you non-Norwegians.
"DAY BRIGHTENER" TODAY: Joyce, the 85 year-old lutefisk loving member of our group, was unable to attend the lutefisk supper last night due to recent surgery. The eight of us decided we would not forget Joyce. We some lutefisk in a separate container and then bagged some meat balls, lefse, rosettes and kringle. It was my honor to brighten Joyce's day by delivering it to her home this morning. She was one happy woman. Plus we had good half hour talk. It definitely brightened her day. Joyce's deceased husband, Jim, was Anamosa superintendent from 1965 to 1987.
LEARNING TODAY: While reading DEAR ABBY I learned an interesting tidbit of history originating in the Middle Ages. When someone sneezes we usually say "Bless you" or "God Bless you." In the Middle Ages it was believed that when people sneezed, their SOULS left their bodies for an instant - and saying "God bless you" would prevent the DEVIL from snatching it. I like learning things like this. It makes life more interesting.
GRATITUDE TODAY:I'm grateful to be a Norwegian and getting to eat lutefisk. Last night Ruth Ann and I and three other couples had our annual lutefisk supper. What a joy to eat lutefisk again. It was covered with melted butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. Only Norwegians get to enjoy such a treat. Eat your hearts out you non-Norwegians.
"DAY BRIGHTENER" TODAY: Joyce, the 85 year-old lutefisk loving member of our group, was unable to attend the lutefisk supper last night due to recent surgery. The eight of us decided we would not forget Joyce. We some lutefisk in a separate container and then bagged some meat balls, lefse, rosettes and kringle. It was my honor to brighten Joyce's day by delivering it to her home this morning. She was one happy woman. Plus we had good half hour talk. It definitely brightened her day. Joyce's deceased husband, Jim, was Anamosa superintendent from 1965 to 1987.
LEARNING TODAY: While reading DEAR ABBY I learned an interesting tidbit of history originating in the Middle Ages. When someone sneezes we usually say "Bless you" or "God Bless you." In the Middle Ages it was believed that when people sneezed, their SOULS left their bodies for an instant - and saying "God bless you" would prevent the DEVIL from snatching it. I like learning things like this. It makes life more interesting.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Thank God for lutefisk and lefse..
Quote from Erica Jong: ADVICE IS WHAT WE ASK FOR WHEN WE ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER BUT WISH WE DIDN'T.
Today. December 5, 2009, is the first Suday in December. For the last nine years four couples and two elderly ladies have been having a lutefisk supper the first Sunday in December. We alternate the location every year. This year Paul and Verna Lewison will be the hosts. Ruth Ann is the lady who prepares the lutefisk as she has done it for over 50 years and is the only one who knows how to do it.
Our meal consists of all kinds of Norwegian foods which were brought to America by our ancestors in the 1800s. The names of these foods are lutefisk,lefse, sandbakkles, rosettes, krumkakke, and kringle. Lefse is a potato flat bread that looks like a pizza crust.It is made on a special grill that we had to purchase in Minnesota (the state with the most Norwegians). Most Norwegians put butter and brown or white sugar on the lefse and then roll it up. However, other Norwegians were raised to lay the lefse on their plate and cover it with mashed potatos, gravy, meat balls and lutefisk - then fold it over like a taco.
The sandbakkles, rosettes, krumkakke, and kringle are Norwegian pastries. All four are made from flour, sugar, butter and milk.The only difference is the shape. A special grill is needed to make the rosette - when done it looks like a big snow flake. A krumkakke is shaped like an ice cream cone, a sandbakkle is like a little cup and a krinkle is like a figure eight knot. Our Norwegian ancestors didn't have many choices in their food supply so they probably shaped these pastries differently to make them more appealing. The truth is they all taste the same. But we Norskies love all of them.
Then there is the lutefisk. It needs a special paragraph. Lutefisk is s cod fish. Lutefisk, which means lye fish, has quite a reputation. In the old days Norwegians used to soak the cod in lye to preserve it. When they wanted to eat it they soaked it in water for several days to get the lye out.
Now we buy it frozen and soak it for three days in salt water. The it is baked. We eat it by pouring melted butter on it and salting it. It does have quite a smell and even some of the non-Norwegian spouses in our group will not eat it.
The bottom line is that "us true Norskies" look forward to this first Sunday in December. We are all grateful for lutefisk, lefse and the pastries. Life is good.
Today. December 5, 2009, is the first Suday in December. For the last nine years four couples and two elderly ladies have been having a lutefisk supper the first Sunday in December. We alternate the location every year. This year Paul and Verna Lewison will be the hosts. Ruth Ann is the lady who prepares the lutefisk as she has done it for over 50 years and is the only one who knows how to do it.
Our meal consists of all kinds of Norwegian foods which were brought to America by our ancestors in the 1800s. The names of these foods are lutefisk,lefse, sandbakkles, rosettes, krumkakke, and kringle. Lefse is a potato flat bread that looks like a pizza crust.It is made on a special grill that we had to purchase in Minnesota (the state with the most Norwegians). Most Norwegians put butter and brown or white sugar on the lefse and then roll it up. However, other Norwegians were raised to lay the lefse on their plate and cover it with mashed potatos, gravy, meat balls and lutefisk - then fold it over like a taco.
The sandbakkles, rosettes, krumkakke, and kringle are Norwegian pastries. All four are made from flour, sugar, butter and milk.The only difference is the shape. A special grill is needed to make the rosette - when done it looks like a big snow flake. A krumkakke is shaped like an ice cream cone, a sandbakkle is like a little cup and a krinkle is like a figure eight knot. Our Norwegian ancestors didn't have many choices in their food supply so they probably shaped these pastries differently to make them more appealing. The truth is they all taste the same. But we Norskies love all of them.
Then there is the lutefisk. It needs a special paragraph. Lutefisk is s cod fish. Lutefisk, which means lye fish, has quite a reputation. In the old days Norwegians used to soak the cod in lye to preserve it. When they wanted to eat it they soaked it in water for several days to get the lye out.
Now we buy it frozen and soak it for three days in salt water. The it is baked. We eat it by pouring melted butter on it and salting it. It does have quite a smell and even some of the non-Norwegian spouses in our group will not eat it.
The bottom line is that "us true Norskies" look forward to this first Sunday in December. We are all grateful for lutefisk, lefse and the pastries. Life is good.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Day Birghtener for bank Vice-president
Quote from Bill Cosby: A WORD TO THE WISE AIN'T NECESSARY, IT IS THE STUPID ONES WHO NEED ALL THE ADVICE.
A "Day Brightener" today.. This morning I was reading what I wrote in my Gratitude Journal on December 3, 2009. That was the day I went to the ATM at Walmart and was going to withdraw $200.00. The money came out and I noticed there was something wrong. Instead of getting ten twenty dollar bills I got two one hundred dollar bills and eight twenty dollar bills for a total of $360.00. What a deal!!!! However, I immediately went to to the bank and told bank Vice-President Sharon what had happened. Then Sharon and I went to the basement to talk to the two ladies who fill the ATM machine. None of the three ladies could understand how this could have happened. All three of the ladies were so grateful I brought back the extra $160.00. I believe I brightened their day - they were relieved and happy and nobody got into trouble.
Humor for today is from the 189th issue of THE JOKER MAGAZINE.
WHEN INSULTS HAD CLASS:
"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain
"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." - Oscar Wilde
"He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others."Samuel Johnson
A "Day Brightener" today.. This morning I was reading what I wrote in my Gratitude Journal on December 3, 2009. That was the day I went to the ATM at Walmart and was going to withdraw $200.00. The money came out and I noticed there was something wrong. Instead of getting ten twenty dollar bills I got two one hundred dollar bills and eight twenty dollar bills for a total of $360.00. What a deal!!!! However, I immediately went to to the bank and told bank Vice-President Sharon what had happened. Then Sharon and I went to the basement to talk to the two ladies who fill the ATM machine. None of the three ladies could understand how this could have happened. All three of the ladies were so grateful I brought back the extra $160.00. I believe I brightened their day - they were relieved and happy and nobody got into trouble.
Humor for today is from the 189th issue of THE JOKER MAGAZINE.
WHEN INSULTS HAD CLASS:
"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain
"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." - Oscar Wilde
"He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others."Samuel Johnson
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Grateful for EPA.
Quote from Aldous Huxley: IT IS A LITTLE EMBARASSING THAT, AFTER FORTY-FIVE YEARS OF RESEARCH AND STUDY, THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE TO PEOPLE IS TO BE A LITTLE KINDER TO EACH OTHER.
What I LEARNED today.
I'm concerned about our environment and the future of our planet. I learned a lot this morning about the environment while reading an article by Jessica Buchberger in the Cedar Rapids Gazette. It was forty years ago today that Congress created the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As a result within three years Congress passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. They were all signed into law by President Nixon.They form the basis of the environmental protections we enjoy today.
In 1969 the movement to improve our environment was given a boost when the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, caught on fire. It was due to massive amounts of waste and oil contaminants from unregulated dumping. The fire drew national attention to the pollution problems in the U.S. In 1970, the first Earth Day brought together 20 million Americans demanding a cleaner and healthier environment. As a result of these demands Congress created the EPA on December 2, 1970 and the U.S. was off and running in improving our environment.
How has our environment improved in the last 40 years? Author Jessica listed some remarkable improvements.
- The Clear Air Act has led to a 60 per cent cut in dangerous air pollutants that cause smog, acid rain, and lead poisoning and has prevented 228,000 people from dying prematurely. In 2010 alone, this law will save 23,000 lives, while preventing 1.7 million asthma attacks and more than 68,000 hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room.
- As a result of the Clean Water Act more than two-thirds of our waterways are considered safe for both drinking and swimming. In 1972, two-thirds of our waterways were NOT safe to use. Ninety two percent of Americans now enjoy drinking water that meets government health standards. In 1993 it was 79 percent.
This article was interesting for me to read and to learn some actual facts about the progress the EPA has made in improving America's environment. The author says we have made much progress in forty years and now is not the time for Congress to cut funding to the EPA.
HUMOR: A little humor today about turning age 70. My source is the book, "IF IGNORANCE IS BLISS, Why Aren't There More Happy People."
Maurice Chevalier said - Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative.
Konrad Adenauer said - I do not ask to be young again; all I want is to go on getting older.
Robert Orben said - Old people shouldn't eat health foods. They need all the preservatives they can get.
Cora Armstrong said - Inside every woman is a young girl wondering what the hell happened.
Luis Bunuel said - Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese.
Colette said - You must not pity me because my seventieth year finds me still astonished. To be astonished is one of the ways of NOT growing old too quickly
What I LEARNED today.
I'm concerned about our environment and the future of our planet. I learned a lot this morning about the environment while reading an article by Jessica Buchberger in the Cedar Rapids Gazette. It was forty years ago today that Congress created the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As a result within three years Congress passed the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. They were all signed into law by President Nixon.They form the basis of the environmental protections we enjoy today.
In 1969 the movement to improve our environment was given a boost when the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, caught on fire. It was due to massive amounts of waste and oil contaminants from unregulated dumping. The fire drew national attention to the pollution problems in the U.S. In 1970, the first Earth Day brought together 20 million Americans demanding a cleaner and healthier environment. As a result of these demands Congress created the EPA on December 2, 1970 and the U.S. was off and running in improving our environment.
How has our environment improved in the last 40 years? Author Jessica listed some remarkable improvements.
- The Clear Air Act has led to a 60 per cent cut in dangerous air pollutants that cause smog, acid rain, and lead poisoning and has prevented 228,000 people from dying prematurely. In 2010 alone, this law will save 23,000 lives, while preventing 1.7 million asthma attacks and more than 68,000 hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room.
- As a result of the Clean Water Act more than two-thirds of our waterways are considered safe for both drinking and swimming. In 1972, two-thirds of our waterways were NOT safe to use. Ninety two percent of Americans now enjoy drinking water that meets government health standards. In 1993 it was 79 percent.
This article was interesting for me to read and to learn some actual facts about the progress the EPA has made in improving America's environment. The author says we have made much progress in forty years and now is not the time for Congress to cut funding to the EPA.
HUMOR: A little humor today about turning age 70. My source is the book, "IF IGNORANCE IS BLISS, Why Aren't There More Happy People."
Maurice Chevalier said - Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative.
Konrad Adenauer said - I do not ask to be young again; all I want is to go on getting older.
Robert Orben said - Old people shouldn't eat health foods. They need all the preservatives they can get.
Cora Armstrong said - Inside every woman is a young girl wondering what the hell happened.
Luis Bunuel said - Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese.
Colette said - You must not pity me because my seventieth year finds me still astonished. To be astonished is one of the ways of NOT growing old too quickly
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Harry Truman
Quote from Harry Truman: MY CHOICES IN LIFE WERE EITHER TO BE A PIANO PLAYER IN A WHORE HOUSE OR A POLITICIAN. AND TO TELL THE TRUTH, THERE'S HARDLY ANY DIFFERENCE.
I've spent the day watching the History channel. They are repeating their series on all the presidents of the U.S. Watching it made me think of Harry. I love that guy. I love him because he had guts and wasn't afraid to say what he thought. He was written off as a sure loser in the 1948 campaign but ran a brilliant GIVE 'EM HELL campaign and won by 2.1 million votes.
i'M GRATEFUL FOR MEN LIKE hARRY. HE IS AN INSPIRATION TO ME.
I've spent the day watching the History channel. They are repeating their series on all the presidents of the U.S. Watching it made me think of Harry. I love that guy. I love him because he had guts and wasn't afraid to say what he thought. He was written off as a sure loser in the 1948 campaign but ran a brilliant GIVE 'EM HELL campaign and won by 2.1 million votes.
i'M GRATEFUL FOR MEN LIKE hARRY. HE IS AN INSPIRATION TO ME.
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