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Saturday, September 11, 2010
Greetings fellow Bizarros:
Typically I only respond to reader comments in the reader
comments section, but today I found a story that responded
to a reader comment from last week so timely that I felt I
had to include it. The comment is a follows:
Lewis, This is a generalization, but it seems
to me the very people who crab and complain
about taxes have no problem supporting what-
ever new war comes along, or advocating a
strong military or a new weapons system or
better higways and they love their police and
fire departments. Where do they think the
money for that comes from? The Good Corporate
Citizen Fairy? Before you condemn I am a
regular volunteer Army veteran and a tax payer.
I am lucky enough to be in the highest tax
bracket and I do my best to get any tax de-
ductions I can. I also feel that what we
get for our taxes is a pretty good deal. We
pay less of a percentage of our incomes in
taxes than almost every other industrialized
nation. We also pay a lot less now than we
did in the past and no, other than my 3 years
in the military, I have never worked for any
government. -Wayne
Yes, we should be very satisfied with the services we get
from our taxes, but unfortunately we have to deal with the
largest federal deficit in the world...the history of the
world, actually...and to make matters worse our local and
state governments are now charging us for services we are
already paying taxes for.
The story focused on Cary Feldman who was rear-ended while
on his scooter in a suburb of Chicago, Il. He said, "I fell
off and got right back up. As I was getting up I noticed a
fire truck slow, look at me, and pull away. It never stopped
and I didn't think anything of it."
But five months later, Feldman received a bill for $200, to
cover the cost of the fire truck showing up at the scene of
his accident. For months, he argued the charge with the fire
department while he fought with his and the other driver's
insurance companies to pay it. But when the charge went to a
collection agency he finally gave up and paid it.
This tactic of shoring up budgets in deficit by charging
citizens for services is becoming more and popular in states
like Illinois, Florida and California. Every time a local
public safety service (police, fire, ambulance, hazmat)
responds to an emergency call, a bill gets sent to the
person who receives aid.
Drive into a ditch? That can cost you up to $2,000 an hour.
Spill gas or oil on the street after an accident? The hazmat
team will bill another $100 per hour per team member.
Even having someone just show up to an accident can cost a
motorist 500 bucks.
Think you can get your insurance company to pay it? Many
companies will claim their policies don't cover those kind
of expenses.
The legality of these kinds of fees is still in question,
and in some cases fighting it with your community can save
you from having to pay it, but if Cary Feldman's story is
anything to judge by, we all may end up having to pay for
these kinds of services twice!
Bizarrely,
Lewis
P.S. Now You Can Follow BIZARRE NEWS on TWITTER:
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+--------- Even More Bizarre September Holidays ----------+
September 21 is World Gratitude Day and International
Banana Festival
September 22 is Hobbit Day and Dear Diary Day
September 23 is Checkers Day and Dogs In Politics Day
September 24 is Festival Of Latest Novelties
September 25 is National Comic Book Day
September 26 is National Good Neighbor Day and National
Pancake Day
September 27 is Crush A Can Day
September 28 is Ask A Stupid Question Day
September 29 is Poisoned Blackberries Day
September 30 is National Mud Pack Day
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--------- Suspect had 'GET MONEY' shaved in hair ---------
SEATTLE - Police in Seattle said they arrested a robbery
suspect who was easily identified by the words "GET MONEY"
shaved into the side of his head. Investigators said Larry
Shawn Taylor, 18, robbed two women of $310 at gunpoint
Aug. 23 while they were stopped at a traffic light,
Seattlepi.com reported. The women described the robber to
police as a black man with deformed or folded-down ears,
the words "GET MONEY" shaved into one side of his head
and tattoos with the word "GET" on one hand and "MONEY"
on the other. Police said Taylor was recognized by an
officer who pulled over a Toyota Camry for reckless
driving. The officer had previously stopped Taylor several
times and said another officer had written him a ticket.
Investigators said a gun was found in the vehicle and the
victims identified Taylor as the robber. Taylor was charged
with robbery and jailed in lieu of $100,000 bond. He is
due in court Sept. 13.
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---------- Naked intruder dragged out by beard ----------
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Police in Missouri said a 64-year-old
woman who discovered a naked intruder in her home dragged
him out of the house by his beard. Investigators said the
Kansas City woman, whose name was not released, woke up at
about 12:50 a.m. Tuesday to find neighbor Laurence Saunders
naked and standing over her, The Kansas City Star reported.
The woman told police Saunders grabbed her arm and told
her he was "just being friendly." The homeowner grabbed
the man by his beard and dragged him to the front door,
where he allegedly grabbed her by the throat. The woman
said Saunders let go when she hit him on the head three
times with a tape measure. Police said the woman found the
man's shorts inside and threw them to him while he was
sitting on her porch crying. Saunders, who police said had
been drinking prior to the incident, was charged with
burglary, sexual misconduct and two counts of assault. He
was taken to jail on $50,000 bond.
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> READER COMMENTS <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
I'll bet you $10,000 and case of beer the cops get their
asses sued for tazing the guy and setting him on fire...
and the guy will win the case. -Lance
The answer on who you tax is: It doesn't matter. They did
a study in Germany where they raised minimum wage. They
came back and looked at the results. Inflation took care
of all of the extra money the government allocated these
people within five years. Another way of looking it is:
After tax CEO pay in Canada and the US is the same. Yet
the average salary in Canada is 35% less after taxes. So
who really pays for all of those heavy taxes we put on
high income earners? -John
[The answer to inflation is to abolish the Federal Reserve
Bank.]
What, the police didn't use their batons to beat out the
flames? What was wrong with them? They sure aren't like most
police officers. Here in my town the headlines would have
been different. You know something like, man burst into
flames when officers were concerned that he might hurt
himself so they tased him in order to keep him safe. They
beat the fire out with their batons and all was well. Order
was restored. Love your column, Lewis!! -Cecile
Lewis, Just WHERE in the Constitution does it allow the
federal government to tax YOU & ME? The answer: IT DOESN'T!
All taxes are to be apportioned to the STATES and they are
then to collect from their citizens. Until/Unless we learn
what the government is doing WRONG we will never work to
get our country back! -Bill Keen
[The 16th Amendment allows Congress to levy an income tax
without apportioning it among the states. However there
has been some research done which indicates that not enough
states ratified the amendment in 1913 in order to make it
a law. But if you don't want to pay your income taxes based
upon that you can try and see how far you get.]
------------------ END OF READER COMMENTS ------------------
Well, that is a wrap for Bizarre News. How did we do?
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