![]() We typically billed the client about $150 to get a refund of from $250 to $750. Almost all of my clients were single mothers claiming both earned-income and child credits. I prepared tax returns in 2003 in Key West for the largest tax-preparation service in our country. It is interesting to note that the tax code is designed to help low-income people with both the earned-income and child tax credits. Most people today either use a tax program such as TurboTax or have it done professionally. He did his taxes by hand because he felt that if he could-n’t understand the tax code that maybe it was too complex. Former Representative William Archer (RTX) was chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee (which originates all tax legislation) from 1995 to 2001. Regardless of one’s position on those issues, there is no question that our tax code is just too complex, which is why many of President Obama’s nominees had tax problems. No, they didn’t dump chests of tea into Boston Harbor, but they did bring more than one million tea bags to the White House, protesting high taxes and excessive government spending. Hundreds of thousands of Americans had “Tea Parties” on April 15. The Obama Administration has had more than a half-dozen nominees with tax problems, some of them (Geithner) confirmed and others (Daschle) not confirmed. Unfortunately all he has been commanding recently is a part of the huge Washington bureaucracy. I am certain that Admiral Allen is a brave man. It seems to me that if the Maersk Alabama had machine guns mounted on the bow, stern and the port and starboard sides that could be fired remotely from the bridge and possibly more powerful armament, the pirates could have been easily diverted from their attempt to steal some easy-to-get First World money. Those types of actions should be in the hands of professionals.” Coast Guard, on ABC’s “This Week.” Stephanopoulos asked Admiral Allen whether he favored arming of merchant vessels and Allen replied, “I think that’s pretty problematic for reasons that you – training certification, how you apply standards, the discussions I’ve had with the private sector and the shipping companies really don’t favor that right now. What was less exciting was George Stephanopoulos’ interview with Admiral Thad Allen, commandant of the U.S. Congratulations to Captain Richard Phillips, the three Navy Seals and Commander Castellano for making the life-or-death decision that freed Phillips. This was the most exciting accomplishment of our military since they captured Saddam Hussein. Phillips was removed safely from the lifeboat within minutes. Three Navy Seals fired rifles simultaneously from less than 100 yards and shot each of the pirates in the head, killing them instantaneously. Apparently all three pirates exposed their heads at the same time. The pirates were seen pointing rifles at Phillips inside the enclosed lifeboat. ![]() The lifeboat with the pirates and Phillips was drifting toward the Somali coast. Phillips jumped out of the lifeboat and attempted to swim away from the pirates but was recaptured.At the same time Navy Seals and at least one of their boats were dropped into the Indian Ocean at dusk and then docked on the Bainbridge after dark. Commander Frank Castellano had brought the destroyer Bainbridge into the vicinity of the Maersk Alabama from hundreds of miles away. Phillips agreed to be a hostage and went into an enclosed lifeboat, similar to those used as tenders on large cruise ships, with the pirates. Captain Phillips was running away from the pirates when they started firing at the bridge with AK-47 rifles. They frequently have two, or even three, outboard engines there. You see bigger boats than that fishing off the Florida Keys. The pirates typically use open fishing boats, probably 30 feet or less in length. The Maersk Alabama had been harassed by pirates for several days and had been able to escape capture. ![]() Somali pirates captured the merchant vessel Maersk Alabama several hundred miles off the coast of Africa. I was delighted to hear of the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips by Navy Seals from the USS Bainbridge.
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