Friday, June 25, 2010

What If We Abolished Income Taxes & Replaced Them With 'Stuff Taxes'? : TreeHugger

What If We Abolished Income Taxes & Replaced Them With 'Stuff Taxes'? : TreeHugger: "Over at Green Biz there's an interesting article that proposes a way to address the environmental impact of the goods we buy, as well as realign our tax code to stop penalizing the very thing we want to encourage. What if we abolished income tax for just about every single person and made up the revenue with a higher tax on consumption, a 'stuff tax'?"

Deepak Chopra: Will the "God Particle" Replace God?

Deepak Chopra: Will the "God Particle" Replace God?: "If you went to church in the 18th century, you would have heard God described as a celestial clockmaker who had wound up the universe and left it to run itself. Today, the wind-up is the Big Bang and the clock's parts are subatomic particles. But the problem of creating matter out of emptiness remains the same."

Cantwell threatens to withhold money for NOAA facility in Newport | OregonLive.com

Cantwell threatens to withhold money for NOAA facility in Newport | OregonLive.com: "WASHINGTON - The border skirmish between Oregon and Washington over moving the NOAA Pacific fleet to Newport intensified Wednesday after Sen. Maria Cantwell said the selection ``wastes taxpayer dollars'' and that Congress should consider cutting off funding for the project."

Thursday, June 24, 2010

A letter from Donna Talarski (former resident)

"Hey Ron, I know you work hard at the LVH web site but I would would like to see more of what's happening in the community, not the world report. Thanks for all your efforts past and present, hope all is well with you and Jacki, Hi to all."
Donna,
It's time again for me to put out a plea for help. Donna is absolutely right about the community news. However, working on the website is pretty much automated and EZ these days.

If you can send an email on your computer, that is all you have to do to publish an article on this web page! Seriously, if you have something to say about what you have seen in the park or have a hobby that is interesting you just write an email to a special address I give you and it will instantly publish right here on the website from anywhere in the world.. You could email the site while you are on vacation and tell us about it. If you have pictures ... there is a way for us to get them on also.

AS I age... getting around to all the newsworthy happenings here is more than I want to do... Keeping the website technically in good operation is my bag.

There are some basic guidelines:
  • Obey the Golden Rule. (No trash talk about neighbors)
  • Stay clear of Party Politics. (talk about impact of new laws allowed... Impact of disasters like the oil spill are ok. Just try to stay away from biting at Republicans, Democrats, Tea Party, Independents and Green Party folks. You aren't going to change anybody's mind by sniping at each other.
  • Stay clear of religion.
  • You write when and often and about what you like.. No assignments.
  • Have fun!
If you would like to try writing here email me, Ron Thomas teckron@gmail.com

Tree Hugger Animal Slide shows

Cool fun

Dad’s New Love: How It Turned Out - The New Old Age Blog - NYTimes.com

Dad’s New Love: How It Turned Out - The New Old Age Blog - NYTimes.com: "Dad called it “part of the adventure of life.” In March 2009, at the age of 87, he moved out of his retirement community in Baltimore, bundled himself into his Prius and drove down to Griffin, Ga., where he’d rented an apartment. There was a woman involved, of course — a lovely woman named Gloria, whom he’d met on eHarmony.com."

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

GOOGLE VOICE

ron thomas

Let's talk about Google Voice and how it may be useful to you as a senior. First, you need to know it meets the highest criteria for seniors... and that is, It's free.

Now what it can do for you...
Those of you who have gmail or hotmail accounts know that you will never have to change your email address ever again. It is yours no matter what internet provider you use or where you move to...an address for a lifetime. That is because it is not located at an internet service provider but is stored on the web. The same is true with a google voice phone number... It stays with you for life no matter if you move or change cell phone providers or add new phones.

Here is how it does that.....
You get a google account then you pick your new google phone number from a list of numbers they show you based on your postal zip code. That means you g number is a local number so it is good for local calls from your community.

With your new number in hand you find that it now has your personal webpage. This page has a number of choices that you set up. I like, the free long distance feature anywhere in the USA that you can enable for one and so I check it. Next, you enter all the phone numbers that you currently have and then pick how you want those phones to react when your new g number is called. I entered our home phone number and our cell phone number and check ring both phones when the g number is called. That way (provided the cell is on) if we are out and about we can receive the call or if we are at home we now can get the call. I also check the box that says sms... this allows text messages to be sent to my computer where they are recorded in my gmail account. While there I check the answering machine and select TRANSCRIBE now all messages are transcribed and set to my gmail where they can be read or played back.

Suppose we move and change home phones and cell phones? We just add our new numbers and select the choices for them and delete the old ones but our gphone number stays the same... No more sending out new numbers to everyone.

There are a whole slew of other features to add but I haven't read up on them yet but here is one you may need to know about... Overseas calls are generally 2 cents a minute. Just click the title above to learn more about google voice.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Bernie Sanders' Latest Green Move - End Tax Exemptions for Oil & Gas Industry - Planet Green

Bernie Sanders' Latest Green Move - End Tax Exemptions for Oil & Gas Industry - Planet Green: "He introduced legislation that would ban offshore drilling at a time when the need for such a ban couldn't be more obvious, yet is still being debated in Washington.

Now, he's pushing to end $35 billion worth of tax breaks currently benefiting the oil and gas industry. Sanders' website cites the Environmental Law Institute: between 2002 and 2008, the U.S. provided more than $70 billion in fossil fuel subsidies, compared to only $12 billion for wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and other renewable energy."

Quote of the Day: David Frum on How To Get Off Oil : TreeHugger

Quote of the Day: David Frum on How To Get Off Oil : TreeHugger: "We want to get the country off oil? Tax it. (Politicians may not wish to say it, but their advisers can at least think it.) Then liberate people to find their own best alternative -- and incentivize industry to develop alternatives that make sense at the new higher price. And be prepared to argue candidly and straightforwardly in the marketplace of ideas why this new tax is right and justified.
If not, then kindly please spare us the grand speeches about how the status quo is the thing you will not accept. It is precisely the thing you are accepting."