nanook

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My apology. I'll try to genuflect better in the future.

Or, instead of getting defensive of what the messenger said, own up to it.

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(As an aside: the criticism by somebody here that people such as an emigrating teenager should be aware of IRS reporting obligations is rather self-righteous, in my opinion)

Teenagers aren't adults, they are children. It's a failure on one's parents. Call it self-righteous if it makes you feel better. I would expect that from anyone in a similar situation and being told some bad news.

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Not sure how they expect people to file tax returns if they are simply 'residents' with no SSN's,

You apply for an ITIN with the IRS.

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I still have a copy of "The Silmarillion" that I expect to read in the foreseeable future

Been wanting to read that for years. With my future op-tempo getting ready to increase again, I may have to wait till retirement.

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I doubt they expected it to make a profit. There are people who want to get an important message out about the future of this country.

But then a commercially successful film would do better at getting the message out too, no? After all, a commercial flop is a film that no-one goes to see.

Ha. But to make it commercially successful, you have to make it appeal to the general public, not just that one strange anti-social IT tech that spouts Rand rants to everyone.

It's worse, I NEEEEED to see more!

You didn't seriously think anything about that film was good; did you? It's laughably bad in terms of acting, writing, directing, sets, effects. I heard a rumor even the catering sucked.

Other than the punchline, that's not a joke either. It was Bad with a capital "B."

What part of my post made you think think I said it was a good movie? If you read the book with the insufferably long sermon in the middle, you would have just laughed at my use of "Need" With the Winky, Tongue Sticky Out ness. Sheesh!

Funny Quote "There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."

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I doubt they expected it to make a profit. There are people who want to get an important message out about the future of this country.

But then a commercially successful film would do better at getting the message out too, no? After all, a commercial flop is a film that no-one goes to see.

Ha. But to make it commercially successful, you have to make it appeal to the general public, not just that one strange anti-social IT tech that spouts Rand rants to everyone.

It's worse, I NEEEEED to see more!

Me too. But you are talking to the guy who is nostalgic for the movie "Ice Pirates". It was the definition of my 80's.

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I doubt they expected it to make a profit. There are people who want to get an important message out about the future of this country.

But then a commercially successful film would do better at getting the message out too, no? After all, a commercial flop is a film that no-one goes to see.

Ha. But to make it commercially successful, you have to make it appeal to the general public, not just that one strange anti-social IT tech that spouts Rand rants to everyone.

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These ducks have a hard time walking on ice clicky
This video shows why we shouldn't jump in high winds...

Good ones.
I also found a photo of "me" in rehab. Looks like they got the date wrong, but otherwise it's familiar...

So um. . .*cough* *ahem*. . .Do you have Aflac?

One more thing. I'm not debating for the sake of debating. I'm worried that the article may lead you to make some bad choices. The Author is a douche-bag. Trying to help a brother out. Be careful. Talk to some tax accountants who deal with dual citizenships or maybe get an attorney who may help you lower fees the IRS may impose. Your wife may owe a lot of back-taxes. At least know your real options before making a decision.

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The phrase tax-evasion has been used rather immodestly. These people have evaded nothing. They paid their taxes, as Canadian citizens, earned in Canada, while residing in Canada.

In a common-sense world, in my opinion, they don't owe the bully a damned thing.

I believe I am the one who eluded to tax evasion here. I'll agree. Based on the article, there was no tax evasion. Yes, they paid their taxes, for Canada, but all that time owed for US Taxes. It appears innocent, thus not willful evasion. No crime here proven. But, US tax code has for many years taxed all foreign income. What appears to be happening here is the U. S. is starting to enforce a law that has already been in place. Now is this fair? Well, maybe it would have been fairer if the US has always enforced this than all of a sudden start up. But technically, ignorance of the law has never been a good defense. If they owe, they owe. They are still US Citizens. They made an assumption that gaining citizenship automatically negates their citizenship somewhere else. Bad assumption. To meet the author's issues point by point:

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1. As an individual who has not lived, worked, or been associated with the United States for many years. . .

Author has been a US Citizen all this time. He never legally renounced his citizenship, just assumed it.

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What is particularly disturbing is the position of the children of US citizens who reside in Canada. . .

This is a failure of not communicating with the US Consulate. Any US Citizen who has children born in foreign countries. . .thier children are US Citizens. Very helpful for Military who's spouses have children in foreign nations.

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3. There is also my exposure to the US Estate Tax. My accountant has confirmed that yes, upon my death, since the US considers me a citizen my children will be subject to the US Estate Tax as well as any taxes levied by the Canadian government.

Same problem here. Kids are US Citizens. He better expatriate them to prevent this.

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“Taxation without representation” was not tolerated in the late 18th century, nor should it be accepted today.

Now this is funny. All the taxes he has stated are definitely represented. The phrase was never over the amount of taxation, or "unfairness" but always on the decision-making process by which taxes were decided in London, without representation for the colonists in the Parliament. The taxes made here are by Congress. They were definitely represented.

Since I opened my big mouth and possibly gave some bad advice to Georgia Don, I checked out the Extradition Treaty between the US and Canada and Article II states that for extradition to happen, both countries have to agree that the reason for extradition is a crime for both countries, and only for those offenses in the Schedule Appendix. There is nothing there about Tax Evasion specifically. And it appears it's for action by the FBI (Doesn't mean they can prosecute for IRS reasons). There are a lot legal studies about US extraditing people for tax evasion on line, but the few that I read say "no". So get an attorney.

Fuck no. Not without Canadian assistance. However, if someone gets picked up for breaking a law in Canada and there's a warrant good enough for an extradition, I can see canada handing them over. But, that's an area I know absolutely nothing about. This is serious speculation.

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I gave the publication a cursory glance and it appears to address taxation issues for non-US citizens working inside the USA. Hence addressing them as aliens

My bad. It starts on Ch 4. page 23. "Expatriation Tax". I so used to finding sources in the Tax Law that I learned the Code's nuances. Even though the pub is about foriegners earning income in the U. S., the pub talks about Citizenship and when citizenship still pays.

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I think in the eyes of the USgov, an American remains a citizen regardless of becoming a citizen of and residing permanently in a foreign sovereign country. Therein lays the rub, and the comparison to Eritrea regarding out-of-country taxation

This is correct. Becoming a citizen in another country does not automatically make you a non-citizen of the U. S. It never has. It just means you are a citizen of the US and another country. In the U. S., you have to file for non-citizenship. Also, file paperwork as stated earlier to let the IRS know. This is not something new. The author is not taking ownership of his lack of knowlegde. He's just mad that he has to pay. His article if full of crap.

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He did, as noted in his letter to your President

1) No he didn't. In the letter, he is appealing to Obama as his elected representative.
2) He talks about his non-residency. This is different for Citizenship. A citizen will always pay taxes. Residency is just a set of rules about how you will be taxed.
2) He appeared to only file a OVDI form. That has nothing to do with Expatiriation. It is form 8854, for tax purposes. The form has to be submitted to both the IRS and a counselor's office.

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As has my own spouse who has resided up here continuously since age 15 in 1973. She has been contacted by the IRS as well

If your wife did not fill out the 8854 forms and her Expatriation is for the purpose of avoiding paying taxes as per IRS instruction: "You are presumed tax avoidance if for the past 5 years, your net income was 100,000 adjusted after 1997, and/or 500,000 in net worth." If you just leave the country and do nothing, you are presumed a tax dodger if any of the two above apply. You are always a Citizen, which is different from "resident" till you renounce. Looks like your wife is being targeted because she is still a Citizen.

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Not trying to be difficult, but don't be misguided to think it is just that simple to tell the USgov to get lost...

hey, no problem. But I'll tell you something about the IRS, They don't give a shit about politics. Show them the "money" and they will bugger off. But in this situation, I don't think the author has a leg to stand on. He is very wrong and kind of an fool for making assumptions and is not doing his homework and making things worse for him.

for you guys, Check out Publication 519 U. S Tax Guide for Aliens. It talks about your possible situation. It seems like you wife owes if she has been a Citizen all this time. If so, probably wouldn't recommend Expatriating now. It will be presumed a tax dodge and Expat taxes above other penalties will be applied.

And that's right. If you are any part American, you owe taxes. Dual citizenship is still American. Americas pay taxes earned from foreign sources. It's not something new or a strange conspiracy this guy is making it out. If you don't want to pay any US Taxes, become a full resident somewhere else and denounce your U. S residency.

What Triumph the Insult Dogs says about Occupy

From what I read, it seems the author needs to let the U. S. know he's not an American. Sounds like a simple error.

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Glad you guys and gals are smiling!

Man that is rude and cruel. . .But damn I like the one with Batman in the background

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How much will the Act cause and what does it compel businesses to do?

News: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/250391-gop-kills-veterans-jobs-bill-with-budget-vote

Bill: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d112:1:./temp/~bdjHZh:@@@D&summ2=m&|/home/LegislativeData.php|

Looked into it and realized we already have something like this in place. In Govt jobs, veterans already have front of the line priveleges for all those organizations specified. We already have this. This bill is a waste of money.

How much will the Act cause and what does it compel businesses to do?

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Violence flared on Tuesday in the centre of Madrid as baton-wielding police charged crowds and fired rubber bullets at demonstrators who had tried to surround the country's parliament building.

Some 32 people were injured, including several police officers, and several dozen were arrested after police broke up the "surround the parliament" demonstration against Mariano Rajoy's government shortly after it overran its 9.30pm deadline.

Several hundred protesters remained peacefully on the streets near the parliament building late on Tuesday night. They are demanding the resignation of the government and the king, as well as a rewrite of Spain's constitution.

That's dumb. You don't "demand" resignations of leaders, you get enough to vote them out or actually take it by force. It's a known idea that seems to belong to those who don't smoke a lot of weed or hang out together and do chants filled with silly slogans and ignorance.

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Everything you need to know about the Occupy movement. Just replace "Music festival” With "Occupy"

http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s09e02-die-hippie-die

Weird how hippies and their precursors evolve to something different. Different generations put their own personal spice but the result is the same. Bunch of useless people with no organization. Reminds me of sheep.

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I looked, and can't find a video of the band playing "Scotland the Brave", but here is his band, based out of Annapolis, Md., during the St. Patrick's Day parade in Baltimore.

Chesapeake Caledonian Pipes and Drums


Which reminds me of the joke:

Everybody knows three bagpipe songs. "Scotland the Brave", "Amazing Grace", and "That Other One."

Highland Laddie?

edit...

Just caught the name now. . .

I've seen these guys! Don't remember when, but I know the name.

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I wouldn't live in a HOA neighborhood if I got the house for free.

I would sell it

+1

When we built, we chose a bit of land that in the summer, you can't even see the neighbors (barely in the winter).
The only reason they can hear mrowc6 play the bagpipes is because we live on the highest spot for miles around.

I want to hear "Scotland the Brave"! If you have video, post it.

Damn, what a beautiful couple!! (and when in reference to Livendive (what a pimp asssed couple)) Can't go around calling a dude beautiful! Congratulations!!