@Jim Thompson: Yes, it would indeed appear I am Google challenged. Thanks for the info. How do I look with an exploding cigar in my mouth?

@Jim Thompson: "just so you and other readers will know, Tina Dupuy is still an award-winning columnist."

Yes, and I'm an award winning athlete (50 years ago in Little League) and award winning scientist (9th grade science project). Just so we're all on the same page, exactly what "award" did Ms. Dupuy win?

"Even Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., conceded, “Apple claims to be the largest U.S. corporate taxpayer, but by sheer size and scale, it is also among America’s largest tax avoiders.”"

Good. As an Apple stockholder, I want them to avoid as much in taxes as is legally permissible. With the increased competition in today's business world, any corporation that doesn't minimize expenses won't be around long. Well, except those that receive government money for chasing unicorn farts.

Woods' ancestry is more Asian than black. What's the big deal with fired chicken? Would there be such an outrage if Garcia made a comment about fried rice?

Is that photo from a Weight Watchers meeting?

Interesting how a story with a racial component brings out the bigots that are only too eager to call others racists, KKK members, rednecks, etc. Just cool your jets, stop the name calling, and see what the rest of the story reveals.

[quote][b]Man_Of_The_Mountain[/b] -

I always thought Camp looked and acted like a farmer straight off his tractor on the farm....big time.

<

[/quote]

Can't think of a bigger compliment.

[quote][b]Jim Thompson[/b] -

@EbbTide: You're right, EbbTide. I do tend to write long sentences. I'm aware of that tendency, and do try to watch for it in my writing. Sometimes, though, deadline pressures keep me from writing and editing as carefully as I should.

My. Two. Cents.

[/quote]

You do a great job, Big Guy. Looking back, my comment seems a little snippy. Sorry about that. Sitting here in my pajamas amid my harem, I can get a little carried away with the keyboard.

"Whether they want to admit it or not, one of the things that police and military officials and civilian authorities learned, or should have learned, from last week’s events in the Boston area — and one of the things that we, as citizens, should recognize — is that it is, in fact, possible in some circumstances for authorities to seriously compromise the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches, and to come perilously close to violating legal prohibitions against using federal military personnel in a policing role, without causing undue alarm in the populace."

Longest. Sentence. Ever.

Well, at least people were using the trash cans. Remember the campus after tailgating? Looked like the landfill.

@snarkydude: OK, lemme try again. Before this law passed, a buyer would pay more to a dealer than a private party because the dealer would include sales tax in the total price of the car. On a $20,000 purchase of the same car from a dealer or private party, the buyer would pay $1,400 ((20,000 x 7% sales tax) more to the dealer. This extra caused some buyers, me included, to prefer private purchases over those from a retailer. Now it doesn't matter because the same amount will be paid to the state when the auto is registered by the new owner. Therefore, there is no disincentive to buy from a retail dealer, which helps the dealer.

[quote][b]snarkydude[/b] -

@kunky45: I work for a car dealer. Explain how this is supposed to "help" us.

[/quote]

Many used car buyers would rather buy a car in a private sale and bypass sales tax. That is now not an option. Therefore, more buyers will visit used car lots.

@Historically-funny: The sales tax will be due when the new owner registers the car in Georgia. It doesn't matter whether the owner was given the car as a gift or if they are a new resident, the tax will be base on the value of the car. The tricky part with be determining the "value" on which to base the tax.

[quote][b]Logical[/b] -

So, in my opinion, he votes the way he does, not just out of abysmal ignorance, but because of greed.

[/quote]

IOW, a typical politician.

Funny that this ditzy chick is all for gun control, but is OK with drunk driving.

[quote][b]fishin4u[/b] -

My condolences to the Hodgson family for their loss. What species of oak was it??

[/quote]

I wondered that, too. It would seem the story might have that info. My guess is that it was a white oak.

Most Scout troops schedule one outdoor activity (camping, backpacking, canoeing, etc.) per month, plus they attend a week long Scout camp each summer. A Scout can be active in a Troop until age 18. Minimum age requirement for some adult leader positions, such as Assistant Scoutmaster, is at least 18. So, you could easily have a homosexual Scout 17 y.o. going on a campout, backpacking trip, etc., with a homosexual Scout leader who is 18 y.o. I don't think that is a good idea.

Heterosexual men can also be Girl Scout leaders. How many folks would want their young teenage daughter going on a campout for the weekend led by a young heterosexual male? I wouldn't. Just use some common sense and avoid potential troubling situations.

[quote][b]Greg Benson[/b] -

@EbbTide: Please tell us you're joking.

[/quote]

Who is this "us" you purport to represent?

Exactly what is it you want me to be joking about?

Pitts is totally locked into his perspective as a black man and has absolutely no idea what it's like to be white in this country, nor does he care.

[quote][b]Joel Kight[/b] -

@EbbTide: There is a box in print with a glossary of terms. There were too many boxes to put online so I made a slideshow of them. Look at the bottom of the article for the associated boxes.

[/quote]

Thanks for the info. I had not noticed the slideshow, which doesn't explain why a charity would want to be a 501(c)(3). The 501(c)(3) designation allows the donor to take a charitable deduction in the Itemized Deductions section of Form 1040. This is not necessarily the case with other charitable entities. This designation would be a BIG boost for potential revenue.

Another source of info is www.guidestar.com. You have to register an account, but it's free, and you will have access to their Forms 990 (Federal tax returns).

One of the problems I have with big charities is the way they distribute money. They each have their own administrative staff, and much of their spending goes to smaller charities rather than the front line. Each of those smaller charities, which have their own administrative staffs, may then distribute money to other charitable entities, which adds another administrative layer. What you have is a cascade of money down the layers of entities, with each layer taking away from the funds that eventually reach the needy individuals/families.

[quote][b]catman[/b] -

She's certainly earned them by connecting climate data, geographic data, and demographic data into the same study.

[/quote]

And, she plotted her data over nearly 40 years to get a picture of how Georgia's climate is changing. LOL! Yessiree bob, that there is hard science.

Kudos to you, sir. It's great you can maintain such a wry sense of humor even in these chilling times

"noting factors such as how much precipitation levels and temperatures have varied from historical averages, along with extreme weather measures — flood, drought and heat waves."

Earth is about 4.5 billion years old. Just what "historical averages" did KC (love that name) use?

"She also plotted the data over nearly 40 years to get a picture of how Georgia’s climate is changing, and who might feel it most."

Oh, 40 years out of 4.5 billion. Yeah, that should be enough for a sound conclusion.

"Meehan compares running a nonprofit to running a business."

There you have it. It's the same thing.

"Of those 280 agencies, between 125 and 150 of them are registered 501c3s."

Puzzling why the article didn't define a 501(c)(3) organization and why charities would want that designation.