[meteorite-list] NASA SETI Misappropriation of Tax Payer Funds
From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <meteoritemike_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2012 18:15:28 -0400 Message-ID: <CAKBPJW8g7czK+fkB1K+Btf7ram3xq+3t1+hz_bOyYBaLdOS2NQ_at_mail.gmail.com> Hi Adam and List, When I first started collecting and dealing meteorites, someone said "If you want to make a million dollars selling meteorites, start with two million dollars.". I don't recall who said it, but the point was clear - you won't get rich selling meteorites. And they were absolutely right. Sure, a few people are probably doing well by selling meteorites and the poorest of us might look at those people and consider them "rich" - but they are "baby rich" (the term that the super-wealthy use to describe the lesser millionaires underneath them on the ladder). I swore off eBay a long time ago as a seller. The fees are ridiculous and their buyer-centric policy enforcement is a major PITA. I saw the writing on the wall when they stopped letting sellers leave negative feedback for buyers. Frankly, I am quite surprised that some of you other dealers still sell on eBay - but I am glad you do, because it is indeed a buyer's market. This is for Adam - you said you were already hassled for Gold Basin. What does this mean? Can you share your experience here on the List, or in private off-list? I have some Gold Basin in my inventory and if I am going to be "hassled" over it, I rather just stop offering it entirely. I don't make enough money from Gold Basin for it to be worth the trouble. Best regards, MikeG -- ------------------------------------------------------------- Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone Twitter - http://twitter.com/GalacticStone Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/galacticstone RSS - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 ------------------------------------------------------------- On 11/2/12, Adam Hupe <raremeteorites at yahoo.com> wrote: > Hi MikeG and List Members > > > I refuse to get into politics or accounting too deeply here on the List > unless it concerns meteorites in some way. My point is that the last four > years have been the worst I have ever experienced from a financial > standpoint and the low profits from meteorite sales are nearly wiped out due > to heavy taxes and eBay/PayPal fees. > > Most of my friends have lost their homes and the cost of everything else has > nearly doubled due to the price of gas and huge tax increases on the middle > class. Last year was the first time I had to 1099 friends for mere few > hundred dollars because they were trying earn a few bucks to hang onto their > homes which they lost anyway. Collectable sales are way down from four > years ago because they are not an absolute necessity. > > The good news is that there are a lot less people smoking cigarettes because > they cannot afford them any more. Three of my friends quit a few years > ago. Hurray for them! > > > On this point, I will not be restocking U.S. meteorite finds because there > is absolutely no margin left and the U.S. government is watching eBay for > them. I have already been hassled over Gold Basin. Once they are gone, > somebody else can risk supplying the market with them. It seems the U.S. > market is going underground as predicted anyway due to mass hype in the > media and unnecessary new governmental restrictions. > > > > Happy Collecting, it is definitely a buyers market, > > Adam > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Galactic Stone & Ironworks <meteoritemike at gmail.com> > To: Adam Hupe <raremeteorites at yahoo.com> > Cc: Adam <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com> > Sent: Friday, November 2, 2012 2:29 PM > Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] NASA SETI Misappropriation of Tax Payer Funds > > Hi Adam and List, > > It's always the poor and middle class that get hit the hardest. The > super-rich have excellent accountants and financial advisors, and they > take advantage of loopholes and grey areas that the average person is > not aware of. > > Adam, are you taking full advantage of your allowed deductions? For > example, if you have an area in your home that dedicated to your > business, you can deduct tax burden based on the square footage of the > home office. They actually assign a dollar value to each square foot > of your office, so take advantage of that. > > The computer you are reading this on - deductible as a business > expense. Also, if you computer is used for internet-based commerce, > you can also deduct a portion of your internet provider fees. > > You can also shelter some of your profits by putting it into a trust > for a grandchild or relative. > > Going to Walmart to buy packing materials? Not only can you write off > the materials you buy, you can write off the gas you spent to drive > there. > > Do you conduct business with dealers or collectors via telephone? If > so, you can write off the phone bill as a business expense. > > If you don't already have one, get yourself a really good accountant > who knows all of the loopholes and will help you take advantage of > them. > > Or, as a last resort measure, do what the ultra-wealthy do : transfer > some of your cash to an offshore or foreign bank. Or, stick a giant > wad of cash into a safety deposit box and let it sit there - it won't > gather interest, but it will be invisible for tax purposes. > > People talk about how high the tax rates are for businesses and > corporations, but very few of the big companies pay anything close to > the tax rate. The General Electric company recently got a REFUND and > the last couple of years, their tax burden has been well under 10%. > Try finding a company that pays the full tax rate - it's difficult to > do, although many mom and pop small businesses have to pay. But > generally speaking, the bigger the company, the bigger the money > involved, the more they manipulate their finances to dodge their tax > burden. Go down the list of Fortune 500 companies, and I would wager > that only a small handful of them pay more than a 20% rate. Some of > them pay nothing or next to nothing. > > The little guys have to pay so much, in part, because the big guys > aren't paying their share - > http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505144_162-36945095/top-25-corporate-tax-dodgers/ > > Read that linked article and you'll see what I mean. > > Back to meteorites - yes, the blimp/airship/whatever is a total waste > of money. What is next? Are we going to bring Gary Powers back from > the dead and have him fly a U2 over strewnfields? It's downright > silly. Sure, you might be able to see a large impact crater from an > airship, but it would have to be really BIG and such a feature could > be easily spotted on the ground. I'll change my name to Nancyboy > Fancypants if a single meteorite is found by using a blimp. > > I am generally very supportive of NASA and SETI. But this blimp > nonsense seems like an attempt to garner media attention and not a > method to find meteorites. > > Best regards and happy huntings, > > MikeG > > -- > ------------------------------------------------------------- > Web - http://www.galactic-stone.com > Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/galacticstone > Twitter - http://twitter.com/GalacticStone > Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/galacticstone > RSS - http://www.galactic-stone.com/rss/126516 > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > > On 11/2/12, Adam Hupe <raremeteorites at yahoo.com> wrote: >> Yes, our tax burden is at record levels. 28% collectable capitol gains >> plus >> >> 15% FICA plus multiple fees(taxes) attached to nearly everything >> including >> the water we drink; What an outrage! Remember this when you bid on >> meteorites on >> eBay. Since they are collectables like gold, silver and platinum, the >> seller is being taxed at the highest possible capital gains tax rate >> which is expected to go up depending on who is elected. >> >> >> Who says the middle class isn't being squeezed harder than ever before? >> To >> see our hard earned money wasted on frivolous pursuits like blimp rides >> under the name of science beyond ridiculous. >> >> Some of my thoughts as unlisted private home and cell phones are ringing >> off >> the hook incessantly with political robocalls trying to get my vote. >> >> >> Adam >> >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: Greg Hup? <gmhupe at centurylink.net> >> To: meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com >> Cc: >> Sent: Friday, November 2, 2012 1:10 PM >> Subject: [meteorite-list] NASA SETI Misappropriation of Tax Payer Funds >> >> To All Concerned US Tax Payers... >> >> I have been troubled by what is a clear misappropriation of US tax payer >> funds by NASA/SETI. At a time of this country's financial crisis, this is >> no >> time to squander our tax dollars!! >> >> We have all seen and read about 'The Blimp" that was, as stated in the >> article link below, "... a NASA-hired airship." Not only are they using a >> privately owned "Blimp" for frivolous and far-fetched 'research', but >> they >> are also giving free joy rides to private citizens as stated from the >> article, "Glenn Rivera [a private citizen] was invited by astronomers >> [NASA/SETI] to hunt for more meteorite crash-landing sites from a >> NASA-hired >> airship." >> >> In recent conversations, I and many of my colleagues and some NASA >> scientists (who wish to remain anonymous), have all concluded that >> finding >> meteorites [of any size] is completely impossible and a waste of tax >> payer >> dollars! How can one think you can spot a black rock the size of a dime, >> a >> golf ball or even a basketball from an altitude of 1000 feet? >> >> The only entity that benefits from these dream hunts is the private >> company >> who owns "The Blimp". They get paid by NASA for use of "The Blimp" and >> they >> also benefit from all of the free advertising with their logos and web >> addresses emblazoned on the sides of "The Blimp"! >> >> As far as I am concerned, hunting for meteorites floating in the sky is >> full >> of hot air! >> >> Here is the link the the article I reference: >> http://novato.patch.com/articles/hunt-goes-on-for-more-meteorites#photo-12000260 >> >> Best Regards, >> Greg >> >> ==================== >> Greg Hup? >> The Hup? Collection >> gmhupe at centurylink.net >> www.LunarRock.com >> NaturesVault (eBay & Facebook) >> http://www.facebook.com/NaturesVault >> IMCA 3163 >> ==================== >> Click here for my current eBay auctions: >> http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZnaturesvault >> >> >> >> ______________________________________________ >> >> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com >> Meteorite-list mailing list >> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com >> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list >> >> ______________________________________________ >> >> Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com >> Meteorite-list mailing list >> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com >> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list >> > > ______________________________________________ > > Visit the Archives at http://www.meteorite-list-archives.com > Meteorite-list mailing list > Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com > http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-listReceived on Fri 02 Nov 2012 06:15:28 PM PDT |
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