Odometer tax idea needs to be completely reevaluated
Ya, real smart...this idea is DOA! (1 hr ago | post #18)
Illegal immigrants do pay their share of taxes
I don't care if the "illegals " pay treble taxes, they are "illegal "; get them out of here -- now! (1 hr ago | post #8)
Nice babble...next time compose your thoughts first and then try to say something meaningful. You can begin by looking beyond your own backyard and consider that there are currently 6.7 billion people on this planet and that number is growing exponentially as we type. At present only a small portion of that ever growing population enjoys the lifestyle and “privileges” of the least of us here in the good old USA. But everyone in the world wants to live like a J.R. Ewing on a big Dallas ranch; but everyone can't and it's just a matter of time before the ones that can't or don't -- do. It's time we all start thinking collectively about how we manage this planet now and in the future in both it's resources and unbridled human population growth. Of course, you can always just sit in your backyard and remain one of the `me cookie' people! (10 hrs ago | post #21)
Zonga, I agree with your comment up to the point that we need to consume and share and leave some of these finite resources for future generations. Especially since we think of ourselves as an intelligent species, ought not we plan to leave something for the generations that follow? Or will our legacy and epitaph simply read: we consumed it all! For me this is not jumping on the global warming crusade; it’s a simple matter of resource husbandry and managing those resources for future use and consumption however far into the future that may be. For one country, for one class of world citizenry to consume like gluttons all the resources in one or two generations is, as Mr. Spock would say – highly illogical! (13 hrs ago | post #17)
Thank you for cracking the door into your world a bit for us to share and care. I’m sure you and your husband did what you both believed was best for that time, and I’m sure your employee family appreciated all your efforts that made their lives a little better. Things have a way of working themselves out and I do believe it’s true that `what goes around comes around’. You and your husband sound like the kind of people my wife and I, and many others would consider good neighbors and friends. I’m sure the people around and close to you feel that way too! Happy Thanksgiving! (14 hrs ago | post #15)
Over the years I fell into the trap I said I never would get into as I grew older; I acquired too much stuff. When I was in college I remember reading a short story about the philosopher who when the enemy was attacking the front gates of the city put on his clothes and walked out the back gate never looking back or thinking about what he left behind; meanwhile all this neighbors were busy packing and trying to hide things to keep from the enemy. I always said I wanted to be able to walk out the back door like that philosopher and not worry about what I left behind; hmmm, I guess that didn't happen! (20 hrs ago | post #12)
I'm not sure where the "appropriate " sqft lays. But you have to consider also that appearances are deceiving. Take for example a couple that moves into a 3500 sqft home with two or three kids. After years the mortgage is paid, the kids have left the nest (hopefully) and the house is now theirs to enjoy. The sqft has gone from about 700 sqft/person (no pets) to 1,750/person. No reasonable person would say the couple should be forced to move after all the years keeping the place in shape, making friends and making a home. But that is not the case today in most new developments around Asheville and elsewhere; today a retired or otherwise childless couple or individual is building or buying a house that is disproportionate to their immediate or future needs. Are you saying you and your spouse share 750 sqft of total living space? If it works for you that's great; I'd find that a wee bit crowded and my wife would have either killed me or left me by now! ;>) (22 hrs ago | post #5)
Uh huh...you're right, if energy is the problem challenge of the future what's it going to cost to heat, cool and light all these mega-homes? And is it right and fair that 2 people should consume 5X the energy, a finite resource at this time, because they can afford it? I understand there are many fine large homes built in the yester-years when energy wasn’t on the radar scope. But it is ridiculous to continue building such disproportionate dwellings today. I really think the AC-T needs to balance it's coverage of "featured homes" and start showcasing the homes and designs ordinary folk have a chance to buy and live in someday. I don’t know what’s an appropriate size but I think allocating 3,000+ sqft per person is a bit over the top! (23 hrs ago | post #3)
Odometer tax idea needs to be completely reevaluated
If you "toll" you lose Federal hiway dollar funding. Take a good look at the Illinois/Chicago toll-roads. They collect the money but spend it somewhere else. (23 hrs ago | post #14)
Odometer tax idea needs to be completely reevaluated
If enacted it would create several negative events: * a whole new set of income tax deduction rules for personal use of a motor vehicle for charitable uses. * the need to create exemptions for hardship, as when one needs to visit a hospitalized friend/relative/ch ild/spouse, etc. * an increase in odometer alterations * many new forms to "game the system" It's a dumb idea, keep the tax where it is or better yet eliminate the tax altogether. (23 hrs ago | post #13)
Actually I thought it was kind of cute in a camp sort of way! (23 hrs ago | post #15)
Today’s (11-22-08) print version of the Asheville Citizen-Times front page (Section A) headlines read: • Charities doing more with less and • NC jobless rate rises to 7% in October The articles document the sad woes of the local Joe struggling to make ends meet and charities struggling to help fill those gaps. Now we turn to Section C and the headline reads: • Biltmore Forest home has Olde English feel Here the story is about a couple that shares a 5,200 sqft home in Biltmore Forest. Now which is more representative of Asheville and WNC, the front page headlines or the Section C headline and story? Either way you decide there’s a bit of incongruence between the messages. You’d think perhaps the Section C home might be more representative of what the average WNC resident lives in and can afford. I that I mean the average WNC resident and subscriber looks at the house in the article about the same way they look at and imagine living in the Biltmore House or at Epcot Center. (23 hrs ago | post #1)
He better be a bit more careful and plan the order of his announcements a bit more carefully, it's starting to look like the Clinton's and the liberal Democrats put their token in the White House just to get the votes they needed. Obama's purported pick for the Treasury (Timothy Geithner) is the first "fresh face" I've seen. The rest are all old beltway and/or Democrat political hacks. (Yesterday | post #26)
Trickledown economics has not been kind to U.S.
It’s another two edged sword, as many of the rich or wealthy `trickledown’ through charitable gifts and donations. Don’t kid yourselves, a sizable portion of the funds charities receive in money or in-kind come from donations made by what has been demonized as rich or wealthy folk. All those hundreds of millions of dollars charities spend every year didn’t come from little Susie’s or Norton’s piggybank or allowances. Demonize the hands that feed and what you’ll hear is a rephrasing of `I gave at the office”; it’ll sound more like `I’m sorry, I’m all out of charity, I gave and spread the wealth on my 1040’! (Yesterday | post #29)
See Andie MacDowell at Asheville's parade Saturday
BUSINESSWEEK Gannett to lay off another 10 pct at local papers By ANICK JESDANUN NEW YORK Gannett Co., the nation's largest newspaper publisher, said Tuesday it will lay off another 10 percent of the work force in its local newspapers division as advertising revenue continues to plummet during the economic downturn. The latest reductions, to come by early December, follow a 3 percent cut announced in August. Neither round affects USA Today. Gannett isn't revealing a specific number, but said all would be involuntary. Some 600 of the 1,000 cuts in the first round were achieved through layoffs. Newspaper companies including Gannett are seeing ad revenue declines accelerate as the weak economy puts additional pressure on an ad market already suffering from a migration of readers to the Internet. Gannett said Friday that advertising revenue at its publishing business fell nearly 18 percent during the July-September quarter compared with the same period last year. "As all of you are painfully aware, the fiscal crisis is deepening and the economy is getting worse," Robert J. Dickey, president of Gannett's U.S. Community Publishing division, said in a memo obtained by The Associated Press. "Gannett's revenues continue to be severely impacted by this downturn, and our local operations are suffering." Gannett had said Friday it was considering more cuts by year's end. The layoffs announced Tuesday are part of that; other divisions are likely to see job cuts, too. Besides the general cuts at local Gannett newspapers, which include The Arizona Republic and the Detroit Free Press, the company in September eliminated 100 management jobs as it consolidated circulation, finance and other operations into four regional groups. The company also offered voluntary buyouts to about 30 corporate employees last week, on top of reductions of about 45 positions in that division since 2007. USA Today cut 45 jobs last November. Publishers of individual newspapers were asked Tuesday to develop local job reduction plans by mid-November to achieve the 10 percent division-wide cut. "Decisions will be made locally because each of our markets is unique, with differing market conditions and individual needs in light of our previous reductions," Dickey wrote. Employees who are laid off will be offered as much as 26 weeks of severance pay -- one week for each year of service. "While this is more bad news, it is a sign of Gannett's determination to remain healthy and viable as a company during these turbulent economic times," Dickey said. Despite the sharp reduction in ad revenue and the need to cut costs, analysts consider Gannett stronger than many of its peers. Citi Investment Research analyst Catriona Fallon initiated coverage on three newspaper publishers late Monday and assigned only Gannett a "Buy" rating. Fallon placed a "Sell" rating on The New York Times Co. and The McClatchy Co. Gannett shares have lost more than 75 percent during the past 52 weeks. Fallon said the company's broadcast segment, which saw some gains from the Olympics and political advertising, also provides some downside protection to the investment. Associated Press Business Writer Kristen A. Lee contributed to this story. (Yesterday | post #25)
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