I left National Technical Institute for the Deaf in a campus of the Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York on May 1992 before settled to live in Kansas City Downtown, Missouri where my old apartment building formerly hotel located on McGee Street next to old Federal Reserve Bank. I was living alone in my Studio apartment on 10th Floor and viewed the Downtown.
I started to employ at Boatmen’s Bank on Baltimore Avenue and 10th Street since February 1993. I finally moved out of my Studio Apartment to Country Plaza Club where 2 Apartment Building Towers located close to University of Missouri Kansas City campus.
Downtown Apartment was a lot of awful and bad environment for me. It was under Section 8 from HUD. I settled to live in other Studio Apartment on 8th Floor at Tower Apartment.
I enjoyed watching, walking and shopping in the Country Club Plaza most time. I loved the big circle fountain and beautiful park.
I traveled a lot between Kansas City, St. Louis, Missouri and New Orleans, Louisiana including Amtrak and formerly TWA planes during my holidays.
I had best memories with my young Manhood life. I can show my photos to you all.
The former Boatmen’s Bank became Kansas City Public Library on present time.
I remembered about my 3rd Floor where I used to work in the Transit Department including Sorter Room where our Department collect a lot of deposit bags with Commercial and Customers’ Checks. I came in old 3rd Shift Supervisor’s Office where the big window centered under the full ceiling light. The bullet hit and damaged on the left lower window. I asked my Supervisor about it. She told me about the window was nothing to do with bullet. ( I came and visited to see inside the 3rd Floor where the window was still here. I am shocked to see old bullet on window and think of it as good spirit to my life after 10 years from 1994 to 2005.)
Left Side of the former Bank Building locate next to new Library Parking. I used to work from the 3rd Floor where the Sorter Room located in there. I used to see the old empty Parking Lot for Bank Employees from the 3rd Floor Window.
The Kansas Public Library Parking built after the empty of former bank parking lot.
The Old Sign of “Boatmen’s Bank First National Bank and Logo of Steamboat” removed from the Wall of the Right Building.
There were 4 windows from former 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Shift Managers’ Offices.
Brent stand behind the former Office of CEO Boatmen’s Bank.
Brent stand on his old same place at former front bank door at Kansas Public Library in Spring 2009.
What do you think about my 2 photos of my Manhood life between Spring 1994 Vs. Spring 2009?
Yes, I am Modern Man. Sadly, I missed my young Manhood. My age already pass on years.
I am glad to write on my Blog after there was no Internet time while I was Employee of the Boatmen’s Bank for 1 and half years starting February 1993 and ending December 1994.
Boatmen’s Bank begun to merge the Nationsbank before merged to Bank of America.
A photo is from the Cemetery in Easton, Kansas during lightning thunderstorm flashed in air when massive tornado hit Joplin, Missouri during overnight.
Last Sunday night, May 21, 2011 I missed to watch the Breaking news from Joplin, Missouri. Until Morning, I am very shocked to see many photos and video from the MSNBC website.
I am sad to see a lot of Home and Business Owners being suffer and hurt themselves in there. I am sure that Missouri Department of Emergency Services and Federal Emergency Management Assistance come and help them together now.
I hope Home and Business Owners have insurances to recover or get new houses and buildings in there least few months. Estate and Commerical Insurance is very IMPORTANT to Home and Business Owners at all.
Pray for them. Thank you, Lord for taking care of them in Joplin, Missouri and Southeast Towns in Kansas. Click this red underline phrase down.
'Cut the city in half': Death toll rises to 89 in Missouri tornado
Marlee Matlin
This evening, I learned from our Deaf American Actress, Marlee Matlin owes $50k back to Internal Revenue Service by the Reuters - Yahoo News website. All American Taxpayers are not perfect.
Marlee Matlin selling home after being hit with tax bill (Please click on blue bold and read it automatically).
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue. The IRS is responsible for collecting taxes and the interpretation and enforcement of the Internal Revenue Code.
The IRS has its National Capital offices in the greater Washington, D.C. area, and in particular does most of its computer programming in Maryland. It currently operates ten service centers around the country, to which returns sent by mail are sent. These centers do the actual tax processing; different types of tax processing take place in various centers (such as the distinction between individual and business tax processing). The IRS also operates three computer centers in various locations around the country.
History of the IRS
The IRS has had a colorful and checkered history of war, scandal, politics, and corruption.
American Civil War (1861–65)
In July 1862, during the Civil War, President Lincoln and Congress created the office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue and enacted an income tax to pay war expenses (see Revenue Act of 1862). The position of Commissioner exists today as the head of the Internal Revenue Service.
The Revenue Act of 1862 was passed as an emergency and temporary war-time tax. It copied a relatively new British system of income taxation, instead of trade and property taxation. The first income tax was passed in 1861:
By the end of the war, 10% of Union households had paid some form of income tax, and the Union raised 21% of its war revenue through income taxes.
George S. Boutwell was the first Commissioner of Internal Revenue under President Abraham Lincoln.
Post Civil War, Reconstruction, and popular tax reform (1866–1900)
After the Civil War, Reconstruction, railroads, and transforming the North and South war machines towards peacetime required public funding. However, in 1872, seven years after the war, lawmakers allowed the temporary Civil War income tax to expire.
Income taxes evolved, but in 1894 the Supreme Court declared the Income Tax of 1894 unconstitutional in Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co.. The federal government scrambled to raise money.
In 1906, with the election of President Theodore Roosevelt, and later his successor William Howard Taft, the United States saw a populous movement for tax reform. This movement culminated in February 1913 with the ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution:
“The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.”
This granted Congress the specific power to create a direct income tax. By February 1913, 36 states had ratified the change to the Constitution. It was further ratified by six more states by March. Of the 48 states at the time, 42 ratified. Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Utah rejected the amendment; Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Florida did not take up the issue.
A copy of the very first IRS 1040 form, dated 1913, can be found at the IRS website showing that only those with incomes of $3,000 or more were instructed to file (the equivalent of about $65,000 in 2010 adjusted for inflation).
In the first year after ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment, no taxes were collected--instead, taxpayers simply completed the form and the IRS checked it for accuracy. The IRS's workload jumped by ten-fold, triggering a massive restructuring. Professional tax collectors began to replace a system of "patronage" appointments. The IRS doubled its staff, but was still processing 1917 returns in 1919. Currently, only the IRS Commissioner and Chief Counsel are political appointees selected by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate.
The agency continued to re-invent itself both organizationally, and technologically.
From the 1950s through the 1970s, the IRS began using cutting-edge technology such as microfilm to keep and organize records. Easy access to this information proved controversial, when President Richard Nixon's tax returns were leaked to the public. His tax advisor, Edward L. Morgan, became the fourth law-enforcement official to be charged with a crime during Watergate.
John Requard Jr., accused of leaking the documents, collected delinquent taxes in the slums of Washington. In his words:
“
We went after people for nickels and dimes, many of them poor and in many cases illiterate people who didn't know how to deal with a government agency.
“He admits he saw the returns, but denies he leaked them. When asked if he would have leaked the documents, he said: "I probably would have said, 'Yes, I'm in'."
Reporter Jack White of The Providence Journal, won the Pulitzer Prize for reporting about Nixon's tax returns. Nixon, with a salary of $200,000, paid only $792.81 in federal income tax in 1970 and $878.03 in 1971, with deductions of $571,000 for donating "vice presidential papers". This was one of the reasons for his famous statement: "Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got."
So controversial was this leak, that most later US Presidents released their tax returns (though sometimes only partially).
After microfilm, the 1960s onward saw massive computerization efforts.
In 1995, the IRS began to use the public Internet for electronic filing. Since the introduction of e-filing, self-paced online tax services have flourished, augmenting and sometimes replacing tax accountants to prepare returns.
In 2003, the IRS struck a deal with tax software vendors:
In 2009, 70% of filers qualified for free electronic filing of federal returns.
In 2010, more than 66% (98 million) of tax returns are expected to be filed electronically.
Bible and Religious
You know and hear about famous and typical words: “Separation of State and Church”. Remember, All Pastors, Church Administration Staff and Employees employ counting on Employment Taxes according to Internal Revenue Code. They required to pay their Federal Tax Incomes to IRS at all.
Most Missionaries are exempted from the IRS because they usually get support from their religious organizations out of the United States.
1. Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
2. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
3. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
4. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
5. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
6. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.
7. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Will you elect Mr. Trump to run for President 2012? I recently learned on the MSNBC website following “Buying a Trump property, or so they thought”(Please click on blue bold underline before you will read this article anytime).
The Celebrity Apprentice
Most TV Viewers attract to the “Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump” on every Sunday nights. Our Deaf Actress, Marlee Matlin participated in there, she is first Deaf Apprentice and facing with Mr. Trump along.
Will Deaf Americans elect for Mr. Trump to be President 2012? Mr. Trump placed Marlee Matlin on the show dragging Deaf Viewers to attract on them so Mr. Trump wanted Deaf Americans to elect him politically.
Trump Ocean Resort Baja Mexico
Trump Ocean Resort Baja Mexico was a failed luxury condominium-hotel resort located in the Playas de Tijuana borough of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, just 30 minutes south of downtown San Diego.
It was initially announced in 2006 as a joint venture between the Trump Organization and Los Angeles-based real estate development company Irongate. Investors were led to believe that Trump CEO Donald J. Trump was personally supervising the entire project; Trump's daughter Ivanka stated that the elder Trump was "involved in every capacity."
This was the second Trump-Irongate joint venture, and followed the more successful Trump International Hotel and Tower (Honolulu) venture.
The project was to be a 3 tower, 25 story, 526 unit condo-hotel.
In late 2008, with the project experiencing delays and cost overruns, Trump removed his name from the development.
In early 2009, The Associated Press reported that the project had collapsed financially; investors who had put down deposits on the project condos faced a total loss of their investments (typically $200,000 - $300,000 per person). After its collapse, Trump (whose videos promoting the development had been shown to potential investors) suddenly claimed that he had been little more than a spokesperson for the entire venture, and disavowed any financial responsibility for the debacle.
Presidential Election 2012
I humbly will not elect Donald Trump, Republican and Democrat Contests to run for President at all. Therefore, Jesus Christ is my voter. Amen.
This morning, I saw on Internet following the MSNBC Website about a video of the Flood Action. It was pretty awful to some towns in some States. I can’t believe to see a reality of video from Mississippi River.
Sadly, Few city halls, residents and business owners lost their belongings and houses from there. They may or may not have insurance for their losses.
I pray for God to take care of them. I am sure those State and Federal Government Agencies can help with few county and city governments and homeowners to get recover themselves.
I read this current news following the MSNBC website tonight. Please click this yellow marker with red underline headline.
'Sacrificial' towns prepare for deliberate flooding
I remember about New Orleans, Louisiana with my previous visits. During the Era of President George W. Bush in Summer 2000, I saw a massive tragedy of Katrina Hurricane hit over New Orleans before the awful flood came over there.
Last Summer 2009, I drove and traveled to see in New Orleans so some places soaked sadly. I came to French Quarter where I remembered them since I was young man. I recount my visit times beginning Summer 1994 for TWA, Amtrak Train, USAir from Kansas City, Missouri and 2000 for Southwest Airlines from Dallas, Texas.
On Sunday night, May 1st, 2011 nearly 10 years after Americans and I watched TV and heard radio our United States President Barack H. Obama announced the World Terrorist, Osama bin Laden killed in the private compound by the SEALS Navy 6 successfully.
I was shocked to witness on my Combo DVD / TV in my room following the NBC TV Station of Washington, DC and The White House. Pres. Obama walked from the Blue Room to Cross Hall approaching the front of the East Room where the cameras set on him. He begun to speak his statement to me and Americans through TV and Radio during Sunday night late around 11:35 p.m. He wore his formal tie and suit with pin of small America flag well.
Remarks by the President on Osama Bin Laden
East Room
11:35 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.
And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.
On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.
We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.
Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort. We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.
Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.
And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.
Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.
Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.
For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.
Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must –- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad.
As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.
Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we’ve done. But it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.
Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.
The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.
So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.
Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.
We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.
Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.
And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.
The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.
Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.
END 11:44 P.M. EDT
You are welcome to see the White House following the link for slideshow of President Barack Obama and his team in the Situation Room on Sunday night late. Please click on bottom of bold headline.
Situation Room of the White HouseFinally, I was glad to complete to witness on our President Obama’s Statement before I went to my bed at 12 a.m.
Osama bin Laden dead before my Black Book finally closed well.
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