2005 Tax deduction

Well, with a coupon from the Sunday paper, I could get a Whopper, large fries and a drink for $3.99 and get another whopper for $1 more. Two pounds of blueberries is going for $8 at Costco...and having eaten that many blueberries while on Weight Watchers, it isn't a satisfiying meal.

I agree with your comment about a healthy diet being cost effective, but how many poor people think like that? If that were the case, they'd be excercising regularly, installing flourescent lights in all their sockets, getting yearly physical exams...now educated, middle-class people barely do that...

I can't quote a source, but I've heard repeatedly that fast food is calorie dense, cheap nutrition. In fact, someone said fast food plays a role in keeping people in America from "starving". By no means is it a good long term solution to feeding the hungry, but based on this, if a family spent all it's money on fruit and vegatables, I don't think it would be cheaper in the short run.

 

The coupon helps in this case. But think about it ... my grocery bill, with coupons, is just over $150 a week for a family of three. Now, my daughter isn't home that much, and probably only eats one meal a day here (plus late night snacking), so we won't count her. So we'll say we are feeding two people each week, a total of 42 meals on that $150. That works out to $3.57 a meal. And that includes non-nutritious food as well, such as soda (I drink three diet sodas a day), some more expensive but easy to fix meals such as frozen lasagna, chips for our lunches, etc. Cutting out the junk food in the diet would probably trim that cost per meal by another .50.

Fast food is calorie dense, but that's not my problem with it. My problem is that "convenience" costs, and "poor" people could eat much better, and spend far less on food, they they are now.

By the way, did you really eat two pounds of blueberries for a meal? I wouldn't consider that healthy ... I hate blueberries, so I wouldn't even consider it FOOD!

 

Well Sir, before you answer, I surmise you came from a good neighborhood where you had a fine police force and a good family that had protective oversight for you whereas you felt very safe and secure when you were growing up!... am I right? If not, I appologize for misjudging you.

Liberals that have a bleeding hearts for the criminals are so because they don't understand the way criminals think. They don't understand the need for discipline and rules and boundaries.... they sympathize with those who want to be a law to themselves.
Based on what I have witnessed, they have never really rubbed shoulders well with bullies, street gangs or anyone with a terrorist mentality live robbers, thieves and sexual predators.

If you were ever a kid on the playground or at school and had a bully haunt you and torment you, or as a teenager, ever had the neighborhood gangsters terrorize you, then you know that "force" is the "only thing" they respect!

They do what they do because they can!.. They have never learned boundaries, nor do they respect yours.
They see an offer to negotiate as a weakness, and so despise you for your frailty to not oppose them. They see it as an opportunity to pounce! The more you want to talk peace, the more they think war!

I'm sorry you don't understand these things and I fear the day when someone gets in office that doesn't understand that face to face confrontation is the only way to earn respect with this type of mentality.

When someone comes into your house to take your daughter or wife away to do with them as they will, I'm sure you won't want to "negotiate with them" or will you?
They will laugh at your face if you do!

I'm sorry the world is so cruel and not as perfect and loving and gentle as you might surmise, and that bad people are not reasonable. But I fear you don't understand basic animalistic human nature.
Even a decent football coach understands that the best defense is a good offense!

If you try to avoid them and not make them mad, in little time, they take over your neighborhood. If you don't go to thier part of town and chase them out, next they will be in your part of town taking over?

If we are only responsive and put out fires because we trust them, we are foolish.

We must take into account thier track record and act accordingly against the character they have proven.

Do you have a gun in your house?.. If the answer is no, then your an easy prey!... don't advertise that fact, your you will be deemed a sucker to every robber, rapist, or murderer in your area.

In history the nation that had the longest term of peace was Israel in King Solomons rule. If you go back and count the size and number of his army and weapons... they were emmense..... on one dared to challenge them... and at the same time he gave gifts and goodwill to other countries surrounding him, but dealt strongly with wicked and evil nations who did not consider peace valuable.

If you hate war, you are spitting on the graves of all those who won freedom for you to live in peace... without them.. you "would" be enslaved to someone today!

Any country on the planet that is free, is only so because of the price they paid in blood.

Where are the "Men" in this country.. the protectors, providers, and strength to the families and communities... .has so many turned into pussies? Surely they did not all go to Iraq to leave the old men, women and children here?

 

Yes...and I lost 25lbs, not entirely from blueberries alone. And I hate blueberries!

But back to the point, "People" could eat much better, they just don't. I love the taste of a Whopper. And the truth is, when my wife makes a tofu with cabbage, and carrots and other stuff, my first thought is, do we need milk so I can stop at Taco Bell on the way home? And eating a healthy meal takes some level of commitment of learning to cook, making good choices...all those opportunity costs associated with a lifestyle change. But, if we were rational, free market thinkers with long term savings in mind, we'd be slim, healthy, have low-cholesterol, waste less resources etc.

 

You are 1000% correct. I was the skinny weakling in school. Well, I'm still pretty skinny, but then some things never change. Anyhow, I was the target of more than one bully. There was one in particular who always came after me in PE class. I t wasn't until one day I changed my mind and stopped being the victim that it ended. I'd had enough, so when he started bothering me I turned and punched him in the nose. Didn't break it (wasn't strong enough then), but it did bleed. It surprised him so much that he just ran off. It was in front of most of the class and after that he never even looked my way.

Violence never solves anything? I say bull$hit. It worked forme. Do I advocate it as the solution to ones problems? No, unless you have to.


If you play "defense" long enough, pretty soon you earn the reputation on the play ground as a "fraidy cat" and a pussy.... It's no wonder the terrorist thought they could scare us into doing what they wanted!.....enough said....

You were spot on in your statement. I know, I lived it. You'd sooner kill me than convince me otherwise.

Also, I am of Indian decent. My grandather was an attorney in India and knew the wonderful M. Gandhi. I respect him an immense amount. But I disagree with him on the "eye for an eye" thing. Sometimes it's the only way. There are those who would take your eye, and if you don't reciprocate, they'll come back and take your other one... Then who's f***ed?

 

BTW, this thread is SOOOOOO of topic now there is no chance for recovery.

PS. I'm going to see our CPA in two weeks to start working on our taxes and the deductions...

 

Well, that was quite a tirade!

I myself served in the US Army. Many of the guys I trained with are now in Iraq. Now, by your reasoning, I'm a pussy because I don't support the war in Iraq.

Realize, the greatest act of mass murder and terrorism in this country was basically done by 19(mainly Saudi) men with $5 box openers. And no matter how many Muslims we kill, the next attack will probably be one guy with $20 worth of TNT. You seem to feel that any questioning of the "tough guy" mentality is a sign of weakness and that seems to give you a very narrow view of the world.

Would you now question the attacks against the Native Americans in the 1870's? Was it OK to intern American citizens during WWII? What if just 1% of the people on Death Row are innocent?

I don't own a gun and if anyone asked I'd tell them. You seem to live in a world where at every turn you're near death unless you fight back and it sounds like a tough way to live.

 

Yep, although the OP did mention something about 'counting his blessings' and the 'world going to hell in a handbasket', the thread's taken on a life of its own and should probably be moved to FHOP at this point.

 

Yea.. sorry I'll take the blame for getting off course.... its hard not to respond and there are many opportunities for rabbit trails....

 

And what do you think would have become of you if you had just tried to work with them and be thier friend?... Ha!.... you don't have to answer that!

Well hurray for you. I think that whenever they have nothing to lose to try.. why figure why not?... but when they see there will be a price to pay for thier actions, and they might have to bleed a little, then they reconsider... most bullies are really cowards inside.... Others are just evil.
As long as they have all thier friends they are big and bad, but when they find that they can be confronted one on one they you see what they are really made of.

I have found that mercy is indicated when judgement is expected and judgement is indicated when mercy is expected.

There is a time for peace and a time for war, a time to show mercy and forgiveness, and a time to execute justice. Eye for an eye is pure law with no heart... no allowances for accidents and miscalculations, but eye for an eye is definiately indicated when dealing with those who pride themselves in terror and preying upon the innocent as being their victory.

 

saddam is a punk and a gangster nobody wantabe.... If he did get attacked unjustly, he still had it coming to him. Sometimes if you take out one bully.. all the others one learn to beware!
Whether he was directly responsible for 9-11 or another, the fact is that justice was served on "many peoples" behalf to take him out. True there are many other injustices in this world, but we can only do so much at one time... you take them out one by one... We would not have this problem if the world would have stood up earlier and did something about it, instead of going to bed with them in thier oil fields.
Think about Al Capone's day..... the only reason his reign of terror lasted so long is because the protectors "police and elected officials" decided it was easier and safer to go to bed with him instead of fight him. So he ruled the city and terror prevailed and our military was bought out by evil. Well let me tell you sunshine, it was wrong what we did to the Indians... we lied, bullied and cheated... but that was then.

And not supporting the war in Iraq is not an easy black and white, but try to realize they are fighting injustice. I pray its not to a thankless audience.

If you want to lay your arms down and not own a gun, you will be the only one to answer if and when someone intrudes into your home to target your family. It will be too late to wise up then.
You go ahead and call the police.... maybe the police can catch them and give them counselling and try to understand thier disease and try to talk them out of ever doing it again!.. you sure wouldn't want the bad guy to get shot?.. and don't you think the cops should give up their guns too?.... we wouldn't want anyone to get hurt would we?

Man do you live in a fairytale? Or are you drunk with the wine of richness and the highlife? I actually presently live in a very safe neighborhood, but not everybody does.. and I still am ready if attacked I will be ready.

Oh yea.. and back to the tax deduction... unless you get nailed on AMT, I can't see not getting the extra goodies the 06 offers for the same money.
As mentioned.. and 05 cost 450.00 less than the 06, plus even if a dealer gives you 2000 off of MSRP that brings the savings of an 05 to about 2500.00. Plus your tax deduction of roughly 500.00 bucks.. now you are up to 3000.00
But if the 06 gives that much back to you, its a wash?... the 05 cost the same as the 06 "if" you can get 2000 below MSRP.. otherwise it cost even more?

The only advantage I see with the 05 is that you can get it now!. There will be a price to pay if you ever resale later too, plus the better MFD screen and etc. will bring a more desirable price upon resale. We are at a point right now, that most folks realize all this and thats why the dealers are begging to sell the 05's that a month ago, they wanted to dangle over your head like a carrot to make you do tricks for.

 

Well, Mr. Bush presented us with an Axis of Evil. Iran, North Korea and Iraq. Two actually admit to persuing nuclear ambitions and we attack the one that the inspectors can't find anything...I would have whole heartedly supported some level of military action against them...the real threats.

Now, I don't know what makes you think that I live in a fantasy land. The majority, probably 99.8% of Americans don't get robbed at gunpoint in their house, and yes, if I lose my family because I wasn't armed, then that's my decision. And if your kids find a gun in the house and accidently blow their heads off, that's yours.

If I live in a fantasy land, your's seems to be of paranoia.

 

Well good.. now that we have that settled... lets talk about cars! :lol: :lol:

I see your a new poster.. sorry you got caught up in this little rabbit trail.. most discussions are really civil out here and pleasant.....

Some of the rabbit trails can be very interesting, yet some can be very distracting...

Anyway.. welcome.... we appreciate your comments whether we agree or disagree is not the point.. buts its nice to have good discussion!.. Ha!.. but sometimes it tends to get intense....

There are alot of smart people out here and much to learn and glean from.....

I don't know if you have your prius yet, but I'm still waiting for mine.

I've decided to wait for the 06 at all costs.... just my choice!.. this late in the year I can't see getting a later model for the same price.. but thats me!

 

I see this thread has gone off topic...so, let's continue. I got Blizzak WS-50 from tirerack.com, expect delivery in 2-3 days...anyone have experience with it, I liked CR's review.

 

Looks like where you live I might need those too..... here we are at about 29 degrees and wind blowing about 40 MPH outside ripping down the Columbia Gorge. I need rudders and sails on my car!
Looks like those tires are all about snow... will be interesting if you take much of a MPG hit. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...l=Blizzak+WS-50

But anyway.. there is a difference between hijacking a thread by starting a totally unrelated subject verses getting off track by numerous rabbit trails.

Going purely by memory, I believe this thread got off track back when we were discussing the right and the wrongs of who should get tax credits and who qualifies and the why, then it digressed into the general attitude and conduct of the government with the poor vs. the rich and how each are treated, then it digressed again into the types of food the poor eat vs. the rich and whether it cost to be healthy or not, then again we discussed the reason and purpose of protecting our interest verses just letting someone walk up and steal it and who should have the rights to the credits and deductions and carry a gun.... then when we had almost made a circle and was back ontrack, someone interjected the Iraq war!.....
Kinda funny!... I suppose it would stay ontrack better if there were more comments of original nature, but anyway.... Tires are definately not in the picture of the 05 Tax deduction!.. but nice try! :lol:

 

Ok, I won't pay sales tax on this because it's an interstate transaction. Therefore, I should pay sales tax to my state which I would fill out on my state 1040. When this happens, my state tax will increase. The increase in my state tax might put me into a level that I pay the AMT. Therefore, I can't get a tax credit...I think it's obvious that my question has everything to do with the tax credit! anyway, I did post that question in the appropriate forums.

 

you sure you won't pay sales tax when you register it in your home state? that's what we did with our interstate transaction.

 

Well I sure don't profess to understand all the ramifications of the AMT, but paying sales tax will not cause your gross income to be higher?
I think whether you pay AMT is more about what you make, rather than what taxes you ended up paying or not?

 

In MN, and probably other states, if you owe sales tax, you're supposed to enter it in your form so you could pay that sales tax and it would increase your overall tax liability. Income alone is not the only factor in AMT. As I saw on one website, states where the income tax is high(state income tax us usually deductible) can cause you to pay AMT. A big oversimplification is that the more AND bigger deductions you have, the higher the chance of paying the AMT.

Anyhow, I had to make that question fit here somehow. :blink: