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Meir Panim delivers warmth, special care to families in need.
Blood tests are rather innocuous. The pin prick is just slightly annoying, and the ordeal usually only takes a few moments. The clues that the collected blood contain and the impact they may have on your life are much more serious. Waiting on the vital information from blood tests is a regular occurrence in the medical world, and those results can mean so much.
My wife and I always tell the story about how just days before we were to get engaged, we found out that her earlier genetic testing results had been corrupted, and we could not get any definitive answers as to our compatibility.
We rode the train together for her to be retested, and then spent an agonizing week waiting for results that were delayed because of the holidays. The rest of our lives was dependent on those results, and we literally spent days sitting by the phone waiting for the eventual good news.
Waiting for blood results in an era before caller id was yet another challenging experience, and it began on the very first day of our infertility journey, as we were both tested to see if there were any obvious clues to the problems.
Unlike our experience before our engagement, we were both working at the time. In some ways that made things easier because we were preoccupied and didn't spend hours on end near the phone. On the other hand, it was difficult to concentrate at work with such important results pending and even more difficult to try to focus on bills and other normal things that usually preoccupy couples.
Thankfully, the results were productive and our doctor had a treatment protocol that he was ready to begin. He prescribed a medication called Clomid and outlined the protocol for the next month.
For the sake of tznius, I will not go into too many of the details, but before he would write the prescription the doctor wanted to give us two warnings. First, he told my wife that the use of these medications is correlated with a higher incidence of ovarian cancer, and he wanted to make sure she was willing to accept that risk.
Second, he warned that multiples (twins, triplets, etc.) were not infrequent with this kind of medication and that we should be aware that this was a real possibility. At the time, not fully realizing the ramifications, my thought was how nice multiples would be so that we get this over with and not have to go through the ordeal again.
Infertility treatments are a transformative experience for a couple. Monthly hope and prayers are joined by medication regimens, counting days, ovulation predictions and timed intimacy. It is also important to note that no medications are without side effects, and Clomid has mood changing properties that added to an already tense situation.
The doctor had warned us that these things take time and we needed to find the right doses. I think it is almost natural for couples to hope for the best each treatment cycle, even though failure is such a devastating blow. In the early months of treatment, we really didn't have to wait that long, as we could gauge failure through the size of follicles in ultrasound results.
Those painful months were all the same, measured only by an increase in dose or the addition of other medications, the anticipation and hope of the ultrasound and the devastation of yet another unsuccessful attempt. It is important to note that we usually had those ultrasound results before the scheduled day for the mikvah and you can only imagine the impact such bad news had on the marital relationship.
As I mentioned once before, I was fortunate to have some flexibility in my work schedule even though I worked quite far away from home. I was there for every appointment. I was there to offer a silent prayer before every ultrasound that this would be a month when we at least had a chance.
Those months were interminable. Looking back, it seems like a series of doctors appointments and ultrasounds and frustration. It literally took over our lives and was foremost in our thoughts day in and day out.
About the Author: Chaim Shapiro, M.Ed is a freelance writer, public speaker and social media consultant. He is currently working on a book about his collegiate experience. He welcomes comments and feedback at firstname.lastname@example.com or on his website: http://chaimshapiro.com/
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I will be on the Chuck Morse show on Monday April 29th to discuss infertility and child loss. Live stream will start at 10 AM ET at http://www.irnusaradio.com/home.
I will be on the Chuck Morse show on Monday April 29th to discuss infertility and child loss. Live stream will start at 10 AM ET at http://www.irnusaradio.com/home.
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While we are all accustomed to the occasional recipe substitutions – swapping milk for creamer, applesauce for oil – gluten-free cooking is a whole different ballgame.
Until the year I decided to put a stop to all my tremors. I realized that if I wanted my family to experience Pesach and its preparations as uplifting and fulfilling, I'd have to relax and loosen up.
David looked up. "Hatzlacha, Dina," he smiled. "I hope everything goes well."
In 1756, when the ominous threat of Islamic terror against Jews reached Tunis as well, Friha became one of its tragic victims.
Are we allowed to lie for shalom bayis? It would seem so, but what might be a healthy guideline for when it's okay and when it's not?
The connection between what I experienced as a high school teenager and the adult I am today did not come easy to me.
Isn't therapy about being yourself; aren't there different ways for people to communicate with each other?
Jack was awarded a blue and gold first-place trophy, appropriately topped off with a golden bee.
Participating in ManiCures during the school day may feel like a break from learning, but the intended message to the students was loud and clear. Learning and chesed come in all forms, and can be fun.
Building campaign chairman Jack Gluck has led the effort over many years.
When using an extension cord always make sure to use the correct rated extension cord.
There was no question that when Mrs. Cohen entered the room to meet the teacher she was hostile from the outset.
Szold was among the founders and leaders (she served on its executive committee) of Ichud ("Unity"), a political group that campaigned against the creation of an independent, sovereign Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael.
My friend is a strong and capable Jewish woman, but she acted with a passivity that seemed out of character.
Just a few months ago, I was having a difficult time getting a refund for a missing product processed via the customer service call center at a major retailer. After spending hours on hold and having my request denied, I sent a Tweet to the company's Twitter account.
I have a background in counseling, and I can say that the biggest mistake that I ever made was refusing psychological help after we lost the twins. I was trying to keep my tough-guy facade going, and convinced myself that I could deal with the pain.
We had suffered through an experience I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. My wife had to go through labor and deliver our children to their deaths, and I was unable to save them or even give them a little warmth while they died.
Special Note: It is an unusual phenomenon that many bereaved parents share. We can almost see our age-adjusted children in our sukkah or running up to us during a family simcha. As quickly as they come, those visions seem to disappear as we go through the life cycle. They are hard moments made harder by the thoughts of not only what could have been, but what should have been.
I had to believe that things were going to be ok. They just had to be ok. We had gone through so much, had sacrificed so much and were doing everything the doctors told us to do. I remember speaking to a hesitant professor in my Ph.D. program about getting an incomplete in her class. The conversation stands out in my mind because, looking back, I can see how odd it must have seemed as I matter-of-factly told her I was too busy for coursework because my twins' amniotic sack was bulging through my wife's cervix.
On our first day in the antepartum unit, one of the nurses mentioned how critical every moment of pregnancy really was. "One minute in is worth two minutes out (in an incubator)." We weren't really expecting a premature birth, but her comment put a fine point on the importance of the care my wife was receiving.
The best way to describe our emotions the morning of our major ultrasound was nervous excitement. We had survived a serious scare with a threatened miscarriage a few weeks prior. My wife was on bed rest at home, but we had no real reason to assume there would be any new problems.
It was only after we celebrated the great news that we were expecting twins that we saw the first sign of problems. First of all, my wife was losing, not gaining weight, even as the babies continued to grow normally. Soon after, routine blood work revealed that my wife was suffering from gestational diabetes.
Printed from: http://www.jewishpress.com/sections/family/from-the-greatest-heights-part-iv/2013/04/19/
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General Urology: What is Urology?
Urology is the branch of medicine that specializes in treating the urinary tract in males and females, and the male reproductive system. General urology treats conditions and disorders that include the adrenal gland, kidney, ureteral, bladder, prostate, penis, urethral, testicular and vaginal disorders.
Areas of Service:
- Incontinence – Male and Female
- Infertility
- Inguinal and Testicular Surgery, Hydrocele
- Neurogenic Bladder and Spinal Injuries
- Pediatric Urology
- Stone Diseases: Kidney, Ureteral and Bladder Stones
- Urological Surgery
- Vasectomy & Vasectomy Reversal
For Appointments Call:
Surgical Scheduling:
University Hospital
3rd Floor, Room 3A100
50 N. Medical Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84132
William O. Brant, M.D., FECSM, FACSLocations
|Redstone Health Center
|(801) 213-2700
|South Jordan Health Center
|(801) 213-4500
|University Hospital
|(801) 213-2704
|Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine
Specialties: Erectile Dysfunction, General Urology, Male Incontinence, Men's Health, Trauma and Reconstructive Urology, Urology, Vasectomy
Craig A. Ensign, P.A.Locations
|South Jordan Health Center
|(801) 213-4500
Specialties: General Urology, Physician Assistant, Urology
Blake D. Hamilton, M.D.Locations
|South Jordan Health Center
|(801) 213-4500
|University Hospital
|(801) 581-7674
Specialties: Endourology, General Urology, Laparoscopy, Stone Disease, Urology, Vasectomy
James M. Hotaling, M.D., M.S., FECSMLocations
|South Jordan Health Center
|(801) 587-1454
|Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine
|(801) 587-1454
Specialties: Andrology, General Urology, Men's Health, Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Urology
Jeremy B. Myers, M.D.Locations
|University Hospital
|(801) 213-2702
Specialties: Bladder Augmentation, Complications of Spinal Cord Injury, Complications of Urologic Surgery, Female Incontinence, General Urology, Mesh Erosion, Neurogenic Bladder, Pelvic Fractures and Urethral Injury, Radiation Injuries, Trauma and Reconstructive Urology, Ureteral Stricture, Urethral Stricture, Urinary Diversion, Urinary Strictures and Fistula, Urology, Vesicovaginal Fistula
Andrew W. Southwick, M.D.Locations
|University Hospital
|(801) 587-4888
Specialties: Endourology, General Urology, Laparoscopy, Stone Disease, Vasectomy
Kathryn M. Trueheart, PA-C, MPASLocations
|Redstone Health Center
|(435) 658-9200
|South Jordan Health Center
|(801) 213-4500
Specialties: Erectile Dysfunction, General Urology, Men's Health, Physician Assistant, Trauma and Reconstructive Urology, Urology
Related Documents
Diseases and Conditions
- Home Page - Kidney and Urinary System Disorders Home
- Neurogenic Bladder
- Online Resources - Urology
- Topic Index - Urology
- Urinary Incontinence
- Urogenital Disorders
- Vasectomy
Pediatric Diseases and Conditions
Interactive Tools
Tests and Procedures
- As U.S. Economy Worsened, Vasectomy Rates Rose, Study Finds
- Botox Might Help Treat Bladder Disorders
- Device Approved for Female Fecal Incontinence
- Female Triathletes May Face Health Problems Such as Incontinence
- Nonsurgical Treatments Suggested for Women's Urinary Incontinence
- Over Half of Seniors Plagued by Incontinence: CDC
- Overactive Bladder a Common Problem, FDA Says
- Removal of Faulty Mesh for Incontinence May Not Improve Women's Symptoms
- Study Links Vasectomy to Aggressive Prostate Cancer
- Weight Loss Surgery May Help Ease Urinary Incontinence
- You Don't Have to Live with a Leaky Bladder

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Canoes, tubes, kayaks, rafts and rowboats are available. Come take a raft trip on the wild and scenic Au Sable River. Family trips from two to five hours and overnight excursions. Camping, laundry, hot showers, cabins and camp store. Four cabins are now available for rent (rustic wooden structures) that sleep up to four people. Open from April to October each year.
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Category:Monuments and memorials in South Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monuments and memorials in South Africa.
This category has the following 3 subcategories, out of 3 total.
- ► Lists of heritage sites in South Africa (28 P)
- ► Cenotaphs in South Africa (3 P)
- ► South African military memorials and cemeteries (1 C, 6 P)
Pages in category "Monuments and memorials in South Africa"
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Graduation Ceremonies Evolution of a New Breed of Credit Union Oklahoma Bankers Association Credit Union Task F orce – 2004 1 THE "NEW BREED" OF CREDIT UNIONS IN OKLAHOMA I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This white paper examines the reality of today's competitive marketplace in which commercial banks and thrifts face increasing competition from a "new breed" of credit unions – entities offering a full range of financial products and services that have expanded far beyond their original scope and purpose. These entities continue to have their growth subsidized by the American taxpayer. As they have evolved over the last thirty years, this "new breed" of credit union bears little resemblance to traditional credit unions for which the original exemption from various taxes was established in 1937. In Oklahoma, each of the twelve largest credit unions: (1) has total assets in excess of $100 Million – (combined they have assets (2) offers an array of products and services that is indistinguishable from those offered by tax-paying banks and thrifts; and (3) welcomes virtually anyone who applies for "membership." Last year these twelve "new breed" credit unions collectively earned a total of $57.2 Million in profits, representing approximately 88 percent of the total Oklahoma credit union industry's earnings. By continuing to abuse their tax-exempt status in order to facilitate growth, these twelve "new breed" credit unions caused the United States to forfeit approximately $14.3 Million in federal income taxes in 2002. Five of the twelve are federally-chartered credit unions and, as such, they are exempt from all taxes except real and personal property taxes. The State of Oklahoma forfeited another $1.79 Million in state in lieu of taxes, and another $664,749 in state and local sales taxes from these five federal credit unions in 2002. This money was forfeited at the expense of the Oklahoma and American taxpayer, but the abuse goes deeper than that. By hiding behind the "credit union" label, these "new breed" credit unions got away without contributing anything to pay for Homeland Security and our national defense, or for our local teachers, police, firefighters, and highways. of $4.4 Billion or 77 percent of total credit union assets in Oklahoma); 2 And this was just in calendar year 2002. Left unchecked, this "new breed" of credit union presents a systemic risk to our nation's fully regulated and tax-paying financial services system. Over time they will continue to facilitate the movement of business from the tax-paying, well-regulated financial services sector (commercial banks and thrifts) to a casually-regulated and tax-free industry (credit unions). That's bad public policy at every level. If there is no discernable difference between the products provided or the customers served, what justification can remain for preferential tax treatment? Ultimately, public policy makers must evaluate whether this "new breed" of credit union has "graduated" and evolved into an institution that is indistinguishable from tax-paying financial services providers. With rising federal deficits and increased costs for the war on terror, American and Oklahoma taxpayers deserve nothing less from their elected officials. 1 II. BACKGROUND A. CREDIT UNIONS HAVE GROWN DRAMATICALLY The Federal Credit Union Act was passed on June 26, 1934, and defines a "federal credit union" as "a cooperative association organized . . . for the purpose of promoting thrift among its members and creating a source of credit for provident and productive purposes".2 These entities were primarily authorized to deal with problems of scarce credit in a Depression era environment. Their primary customers were people of modest means who would not otherwise qualify for credit from traditional, tax-paying lenders. Historically, "membership" in these not-for-profit financial cooperatives was limited to a common bond of some sort, usually a place of employment, where people of limited means borrowed from and saved with one another. Borrowers and savers worked together, knew each other, and supported the concept of "character" loans. It was this commonality of interest among the members that made credit unions unique. It is with deep appreciation that the Task Force acknowledges the numerous resources provided by the American Bankers Association and, specifically, the assistance and counsel provided to the Task Force by Dr. Keith Leggett, Ph D., Senior Economist, Economic Policy and Research, Office of the Chief Economist, American Bankers Association, Washington, D. C. 2 12 U.S.C. § 1752 (1). 1 3 In 1940, there were 9,224 credit unions nationwide, serving 2,693,863 "members" and holding assets of $248,958,325. As is evident from these numbers, the early credit union industry was made up of small institutions, offering a limited number of services to their customers, and focusing on service to people of limited means. The growth of credit unions nationwide has been rather dramatic as shown by the accompanying chart. By 1960, the number of credit unions had more than doubled – to a total of 20,094 institutions serving more than 12 Million "members" – and their assets had increased 20-fold, to $5.66 Billion. By 1980, the number of institutions increased only slightly – to 21,465 – but the number of "members" served increased 3½ times, to 43.9 Million. Total assets increased by more than $60 Billion, to $68.9 Billion. Twenty-two years later, at the end of 2002, the real trend became evident. The total number of credit unions nation-wide dropped to 10,041, while the number of "members" grew to include about 29 percent of the total U.S. population. And total assets grew by half a Trillion dollars from 1980 to 2002, from $68.9 Billion to $574.7 Billion!3 Credit Union Asset Growth – 1945 – 2002 700,000,000,000 600,000,000,000 500,000,000,000 400,000,000,000 Total Asset Grow th 300,000,000,000 200,000,000,000 100,000,000,000 0 3 As of mid-2003, the total asset size of the credit union industry was $610 Billion. 19 45 19 60 19 75 19 90 20 02 4 B. IN OKLAHOMA, FEDERAL CREDIT UNIONS AVOID MORE TAXES THAN DO STATE- CHARTERED CREDIT UNIONS. Federal credit unions make up about sixty percent of the industry across the nation. In Oklahoma, that percentage is slightly higher, with 65 of the state's 93 credit unions operating under federal charters. The state's 93 credit unions serve 952,082 "members" and held $5,743,301,071 in total assets as of December 31, 2002. Federal credit unions are exempt from federal and state income taxes as a matter of federal law. The tax exemption was created in 1937, when Congress amended the Federal Credit Union Act to prevent the federal government and the states and local authorities from imposing any taxes (except real and personal property taxes) on federal credit unions.4 State-chartered credit unions, on the other hand are also exempt from federal income taxes, but derive that exemption from Section 501 (c) (14) of the Internal Revenue Code. In Oklahoma, state-chartered credit unions are subject to the corporate in lieu of tax and are also subject to state and local sales taxes. III. KEY LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY CHANGES LEADING TO THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW BREED OF CREDIT UNIONS A. ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS AND SHARE INSURANCE The early credit unions were unique and served a different population than the one served by traditional tax-paying commercial banks and thrifts.5 However, product offerings and membership requirements have changed, resulting in a bifurcation of the industry itself. Here's how it has evolved. In 1968, federal credit unions were first authorized to issue secured loans with maturities of up to ten years. That same year the unsecured loan limit for federal credit unions was increased to $2,500. In 1970, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) was established to regulate federal credit unions, and federal deposit insurance was extended to credit unions through the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund. With the addition of deposit insurance coverage came the beginning of 4 5 12 U.S.C. § 1768 U.S. General Accounting Office, Letter to the Honorable Paul S. Sarbanes, October 27, 2003. 5 a dynamic shift in the credit union industry. Since that change, the credit union industry has experienced substantial growth, and its activities and offerings have greatly expanded. The tax exemptions granted by statute and by the Internal Revenue Code historically were intended to provide credit union customers (low- to moderate-income Americans) with better rates on both loans and savings instruments, rates that tax-paying entities could not match without jeopardizing their own safety and soundness. When share insurance for credit union customers was authorized, however, one of the major impediments to credit union expansion was removed, making them much more attractive to potential depositors. Other changes were made in the authority of credit unions to offer different kinds of products and services. In 1977, amendments to the Federal Credit Union Act expanded savings, lending and investment powers, 6 and in 1980, credit unions were given permanent authority to issue checking accounts. B. EXPANSION OF THE COMMON BOND – A REAL GROWTH SPURT In 1982, the NCUA adopted new rules that changed the "common bond" requirement. The new rules – abolishing the prior understanding that federal credit union membership was limited to a single common bond in each instance – allowed the addition of multiple employer groups to a credit union's membership base, as long as each such group had its own "common bond." Coupled with share insurance, this rule change fueled the dramatic expansion and growth of large credit unions for the next 20 years.7 It was this rule change that was challenged by the American Bankers Association in 1990,8 and that challenge resulted in the enactment of the Credit Union Membership Access Act (CUMAA) in 1998. 9 CUMAA has accelerated the development and evolution of the new breed of credit unions that exists today, a broadly based financial services provider whose membership is open to virtually anyone. 10 12 U.S.C. § 1757 (5). As noted above, credit union assets grew by more than $500 Billion between 1980 and 2002. 8 The ABA was ultimately successful in its challenge in the U.S. Supreme Court. See National Credit Union Administration v. First National Bank & Trust, 118 S. Ct. 927 (1998). 9 Pub. L. 105-219, August 7, 1998. 10 As a point of reference, the number of credit unions nation-wide has declined by more than half since 1980, from a high of 21,465 to 10,041 by the end of 2002. Credit union assets, on the other hand, have grown 6 7 6 These institutions are virtually unrestricted in terms of customers they may serve and products they may offer.11 They continue to leverage their tax advantage to grow and expand with their tax-free profits, at a cost of billions to the U.S. taxpayer. 12 IV. THE COST TO OKLAHOMA TAXPAYERS A. OKLAHOMA'S TOP TWELVE – A "NEW BREED" CREDIT UNIONS While a large percentage of the total number of Oklahoma credit unions remain focused on their original, traditional purpose, a relatively small number have become large, sophisticated financial service institutions. Twelve Oklahoma credit unions have more than $100 Million in total assets. Membership in each of them is open to virtually anyone who applies. These twelve credit unions control about 77 percent of total credit union assets in Oklahoma, and they have nearly 592,000 "members" – about 17 percent of the state's total population. The following table lists these twelve "new breed" credit unions and their total assets as of December 31, 2002: Name Tinker FCU Tulsa Teachers FCU Weokie CU Communications FCU Tulsa Fed. Employees FCU 66 FCU FAA Employees CU Oklahoma Central CU Oklahoma Employees CU Fort Sill FCU Allegiance CU Energy One FCU City Oklahoma City Tulsa Oklahoma City Oklahoma City Tulsa Bartlesville Oklahoma City Tulsa Oklahoma City Lawton Oklahaoma City Tulsa Total Assets $1,255,666,000 627,166,000 372,669,000 367,697,000 361,636,000 355,719,000 249,222,000 205,189,000 172,799,000 143,996,000 135,443,000 133,201,000 B dramatically over that same time period, from $68,974,187,213 to $574,687,252,270 or approximately 733 percent. 11 Although no attempt is made to draw a particular line as to where this "new breed" begins and ends, there are currently 83 credit unions in the United States with total assets of more than $1 Billion. 43 percent of the credit union industry's assets are held by credit unions with more than $500 million in total assets. 12 Report of the General Accounting Office, October, 2003, GAO-04-92-Changes in Credit Union Industry, page 13. 7 By contrast, there are 272 commercial banks in Oklahoma, 210 of which are less than $100 Million in total assets. These smaller community banks are at even greater competitive risk from the activities of this new breed of credit unions.13 Using conservative estimates 14 the following table shows the income earned by these twelve entities (five of which are federally chartered credit unions which pay only real and personal property taxes) and the amount of federal and state taxes that were forfeited in 2002: Name Total Assets ROA 1.54 1.68 1.23 1.20 1.03 1.26 0.68 1.89 1.17 0.65 0.64 0.56 Income $19,337,256 10,536,389 4,583,829 4,412,364 3,724,851 4,482,059 1,695,710 3,878,072 2,021,748 935,974 866,835 745,926 $57,220,013 Federal Tax Forfeited $4,834,314 2,634,097 1,145,957 1,103,091 931,213 1,120,515 423,677 969,518 505,437 233,994 216,709 186,481 $14,305,003 In Lieu Tax Forfeited $1,160,235 264,742 268,924 Sales Tax Forfeited $446,053 70,402 116,381 Tinker FCU $1,255,666,000 Tulsa Teachers CU 627,166,000 Weokie CU 372,669,000 Communications FCU 367,697,000 Tulsa Fed. Emp. CU 361,636,000 66 FCU 355,719,000 FAA Employees CU 249,222,000 Oklahoma Central CU 205,189,000 Oklahoma Emp. CU 172,799,000 Fort Sill FCU 143,996,000 Allegiance CU 135,443,000 Energy One FCU 133,201,000 Totals $4,380,403,000 56,158 44,756 $1,794,815 60,914 41,488 $654,749 B. MEMBERSHIP "REQUIREMENTS" ARE VIRTUALLY MEANINGLESS Membership in the twelve largest Oklahoma credit unions is virtually unrestricted. Here are just a few examples: ► You're eligible to join Tinker Federal Credit Union's more than 160,000 "Members" if you are: See generally, J. Gunther and R. Moore, "Small Banks' Competitors Loom Large," Southwest Economy, Issue 1, January/February 2004, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas http://www.dallasfed.org/research/swe/2004/swe0401b.html. 14 The federal income tax rate assumed was 25 percent based on income calculated using ROA numbers associated with each institution. The state in lieu of tax is set at 6 percent. Sales taxes were estimated based on an assumption that 25 percent of operating expense constituted purchases that would have been subject to state and local sales tax rates, and were calculated based on the location of the main credit union office. 13 8 Military or civilian personnel of the US Government assigned to or work at Tinker AFB (Midwest City) or Vance AFB (Enid), or an Army National Guard facility listed in the credit union's select employee group (SEG) listing, or one of the Armed Forces Reserve Centers in Oklahoma; A contractor or a contractor's employee who regularly works at any of those installations listed above; A member of the US Armed Forces, whether on active duty or retired, or a dependent, or a survivor of a dependent eligible to receive benefits from one of these installations; A member of a veteran's organization in Oklahoma; An elected official or employee of the cities of Ada, Del City, Edmond, Enid, Moore, Norman, Nash, Yukon, or Garfield County or Cleveland County; Related to anyone who is either a member of TFCU or qualifies to be a member of TFCU; You're also eligible for membership in Tinker FCU if: You worship, live, work or attend school in Payne, Pontotoc or Seminole County; You work for or belong to any one of an alphabetical listing of employers or organizations including: Academy Sports & Outdoors Cox Communications First Baptist Church – MWC Journal Record Publishing Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma Oklahoma Bar Assoc. OK Christian Univ. (F&S) Shawnee Chamber of Comm. Univ. of Central OK. (F&S) Big Red Sports & Imports Delta Dental General Motors Junior Achievement McAlester Reg. Med. Cen. Oklahoma Nurses Assoc. Pre-Paid Legal Services Soil Conservation Svc. –Hugo Westin of Oklahoma City City Rescue Mission Express Personnel Harold's Stores Kerr McGee Corporation Norman Regional Hospital Oklahoma City Univ. (F&S) Rose State College F&S) Teamsters Local Union # 886 or any one of an additional 350-plus individual businesses and organizations. Just in case you're interested in having your business establish a relationship with Tinker FCU, it has "business development representatives" who, among other things, call on businesses and encourage them to enroll the business as a SEG. From their website: 9 "TFCU offers great features for your business such as direct deposit and payroll deduction. Take advantage of curbside service to your business with our Mobile Service Center, a TFCU branch delivered right to your door." "Gain a competitive edge in attracting and retaining qualified employees. Offering Tinker Federal Credit Union membership is a perfect choice to enhance your benefits package without increasing your costs. Your employees will have access to comprehensive financial services that will save them money in lower fees and low loan rates." ► You're eligible to join Tulsa Teachers Credit Union's 70,000-plus "Membership" – one that proudly notes its reality as "a full-service financial institution" – if you are: An immediate family member (spouse, child, mother, father, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent, grandchild, stepparents, stepchildren and adoptive children) of, or living in a household with, anyone who is eligible for membership (even though he or she is not a member). An employee of nearly 300 SEG's located in a 14-county area. In a recent television commercial in Tulsa, TTCU proudly proclaims that one need not be a teacher to be a member; rather, eligibility for membership comes with residence in a one-million population geographic area, and "typical" members were shown, including a physician, an airline pilot and a white-collar business professional. ► You're eligible to join Weokie Credit Union and become one of its 50,000 members if you: Live, work, worship or attend school in Oklahoma, Canadian, Cleveland, Logan, McClain or Pottawatomie counties, a geographic area that includes more than 1.2 million people. Work for or are related to someone who works for any one of 550 SEG's, including: Albertson's Stores Oak Tree Country Club Bass Pro Shops Oak Tree Golf Club The Chickasaw Nation YMCA YWCA And employees of a long list of cities, including: 10 Beaver Comanche Heavener Ponca City Buffalo Fairfax Idabel Pond Creek Chickasha Fairview Jones Waurika Chouteau Frederick Miami Waynoka Coalgate Guymon Pawhuska Weatherford ► For a $5 deposit, you can become one of nearly 38,000 members of Communications Federal Credit Union in Oklahoma City and: Either you or a relative is employed by or a member of one of more than 400 SEG's including: Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club IBEW Local 226, 304, 584, 1002 Kerr McGee Corp. ONEOK and subsidiaries Southern Hills Country Club (Tulsa) Goodyear Tire & Rubber Mid-Continent Energy OG&E Quail Creek Golf & CC Twin Hills Golf & CC ► For an initial $5 deposit, you can become one of more than 50,000 members of Tulsa Federal Employees Credit Union if you: Live, work, worship or attend school in Tulsa, Rogers, Wagoner, Creek or Osage Counties (you don't have to be a federal employee – just live, work, worship or attend school in one of those counties). You can become one of Federal Aviation Administration Employee's 33,000-plus members simply if you live, work, worship or ► attend school in Oklahoma, Canadian, Cleveland, Logan, McClain or Pottawatomie counties, an area that includes more than 1.2 million people. ► The same is generally true for Oklahoma Employees Credit Union and its 34,000-plus members – all you have to do is live, work, worship or attend school in Oklahoma, Canadian, Cleveland, Logan, McClain or Pottawatomie Counties – a geographic area that includes more than 1.2 million Oklahomans – or work for any one of: A large number of state agencies that don't have their own credit union, such as the Governor's Office, the Lieutenant Governor's Office, the Office of the Attorney General and the State Banking Department. – you or a family member who works in one of these agencies is eligible for membership. A number of Oklahoma counties, from Beckham (on the Texas border) to LeFlore (on the Arkansas border) and many in between. 11 Several medical facilities ranging from the Broadway Clinic and Dean McGee Eye Institute. to the Presbyterian Hospital and OU Medical Center. ► 66 FCU is available for employees of Conoco/Phillips and more than 80 other SEG's in the Bartlesville area . In addition, if you do not qualify because you're employed by (or a family member of someone who is employed by) one of those SEG's, 66 FCU will qualify a potential "customer" if that person is either qualified for or is actually a "member" of the Community Source Credit Union. To be eligible for membership in Community Source Credit Union one must live, work or worship in Washington, Osage or Nowata county, which is 66FCU's primary trade area. Who is Community Source? It's a small credit union affiliated with 66 FCU that they are helping to get established. All services, rates and fees are the same as, and served through, 66 FCU. Because of their relationship with Community Source, 66 FCU's potential "membership" base is dramatically larger than simply being an employee of one of the 80+ SEG's. These are just some of the ways that Oklahomans can join these "new breed" credit unions. All of these entities are full-service financial institutions, offering checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, safe deposit boxes, Internet banking and bill paying on line, credit and debit cards, home loans, home equity loans, vehicle loans, small business lending and other consumer loans of all types – just like tax-paying banks and thrifts. Weokie Credit Union is one of Oklahoma's leading SBA lenders. Their website has a separate page dedicated to "Weokie Member Business Loans: Financing Commercial Success." With a click of the mouse, Weokie will help prospective small business borrowers build a business plan and walk them through the process, whether it's an SBA-guaranteed loan, or a loan for a business start-up, a purchase or even a refinance loan.15 And Weokie is not alone. Recent statistics show that an increasing number of credit unions are extending their tax-subsidized services to small businesses and other commercial customers. Not only do more than 2,500 15 http://www.weokie.org/bussinessloansie.html 12 credit unions offer business checking accounts nationwide, but a growing number are increasing their lending activities to small businesses as shown by the following chart: Credit Union Business Lending $8,000,000,000 $7,000,000,000 $6,000,000,000 $5,000,000,000 $4,000,000,000 $3,000,000,000 $2,000,000,000 $1,000,000,000 $0 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 These facts clearly demonstrate that the "new breed" credit unions compete in all objective areas with tax-paying banks and thrifts – rate, product line, delivery systems, convenience and service quality. V. WHO BENEFITS FROM THE CREDIT UNION TAX SUBSIDIES? Virtually all credit unions say publicly that they are organized to benefit their customers by saving them money from lower fees, higher rates on savings and lower loan rates.16 But a recent survey has shown that, in fact, credit unions generally are not using their tax exempt status for the benefit of their borrowers or their depositors.17 Rather, they are keeping their retained earnings to build capital on a tax-free basis, in order to foster their growth. See, e.g., http://www.tinkerfcu.org/Membership/DefenseFund.html: "The banking industry would reduce your choice of financial institutions to one – a bank – if they could. That's because credit unions consistently save their members money – up to $500 a year, according to the Credit Union National Association. The savings come from lower fees, higher rates on savings and lower loan rates. Those savings we offer, in turn, set the pricing standard for consumer financial services, and banks don't like that." (emphasis added). 17 See Kentucky Bankers Association "Credit Union Study", April 1, 2004, prepared by Financial Management Consulting Group, Louisville, KY 40243.: In comparing consumer loans reflected on banks' Uniform Bank Performance Report for June 30, 2003, the average yield on loans to individuals ranged from 8.39 to 8.89 percent for banks, and the same average for credit unions was 8.52 percent. 16 13 The report showed that the credit unions surveyed on average charge higher interest on loans to their members than do banks and thrifts. On average they also pay less on deposits and charge higher service fees (as a percent of total assets) than do banks and thrifts. The report also showed that the credit unions surveyed derived greater income through interest margin and deposit fees from their customers than banks and thrifts derive from their customer base. In Oklahoma, for example, just a random comparison of rates paid on certificates of deposit in the Tulsa market shows the following comparisons: $10,000 – bank rates 6 Months – 1 – 1.5% $10,000 – credit union rates Tulsa Teachers 1.54% Tulsa Fed. Emp. 1.59% Oklahoma Central 1.302% Tulsa Teachers 1.59% Tulsa Fed. Emp. 1.64% Oklahoma Central 1.490% Tulsa Teachers Tulsa Fed. Emp. Oklahoma Central Tulsa Teachers Tulsa Fed. Emp. Oklahoma Central N/A 2.43% 2.159% 2.87% 2.97% 1.697% 12 Months – 1.1 – 2.15% 18-24 Months – 1.45% - 2.70% 36 Months – 2.12 – 270% 60 Months – 2.6 – 3.25% Tulsa Teachers N/A Tulsa Fed. Emp. N/A Oklahoma Central 3.008% These comparisons are virtually identical in other markets across Oklahoma in which the larger, new breed of credit union competes with taxpaying banks and thrifts. A. A LOOK AT TODAY'S AVERAGE CREDIT UNION CUSTOMER 14 Another myth that has been perpetuated at the expense of the American and Oklahoma taxpayer is that credit unions serve people of modest means. However, the truth is that the typical credit union customer today is not a person typically associated with needing taxpayer-subsidized financial services. According to a recent CUNA survey, the average household income of credit union members is 20 percent higher than nonmembers - $55,120 vs. $45,790.18 Moreover, today's credit union customer is better educated (32 percent college graduates compared to 22 percent for nonmembers) and is more likely to be in a professional occupation or employed full-time (62 percent compared to 46 percent for nonmembers). Credit union customers are more likely to own their own home (79 percent to 67 percent for nonmembers) and nationally about 10 percent of credit union members have household income in excess of $100,000. These statistics clearly show that upper-income households are over-represented and lower income groups are under-represented among credit union members. Recent HMDA statistics for the year 2002 are revealing and indicative of the lending patterns of these larger credit unions. The reports show the disposition of applications for conventional home purchase loans that involve 1 – 4 family homes, by characteristics of census tracts in which the property is located. The top three "new breed" credit unions in Oklahoma show the following statistics on conventional home purchase applications for 2002: Tinker Federal Credit Union – Oklahoma City Income characteristics Applications Originations Apps App'/Not Accepted. W/D-Denied Low Income Moderate Income Middle Income Upper Income 3 28 123 149 3 15 85 102 0 4 25 28 0 9 8 14 Tulsa Teachers Credit Union - Tulsa 18 CUNA National Member Survey, 2002. 15 Income characteristics Applications Originations Apps App'd/Not Accepted. W/D-Denied Low Income Moderate Income Middle Income Upper Income 0 6 27 28 0 4 21 23 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 5 Weokie Credit Union – Oklahoma City Income characteristics Applications Originations Apps App'd/Not Accepted. W/D-Denied Low Income Moderate Income Middle Income Upper Income 6 35 95 117 4 17 63 90 0 0 1 0 2 18 31 27 In reality, as these statistics demonstrate, this "new breed" of credit unions is more likely to serve middle and upper income Oklahomans, consumers that are already "over-served" by tax-paying banks and thrifts. B. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE (GAO) FINDINGS During his term as Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) asked the General Accounting office to review a variety of issues involving the credit union industry and the NCUA. Its purpose was to evaluate the financial condition of the credit union industry, the extent to which credit unions serve people of small means, and the impact of the 1998 Credit Union Membership Access Act (CUMAA) on field of membership requirements for federal credit unions, among others. 19 The following are the highlights of the report released by the General Accounting Office in October, 2003: Credit Unions with over $100 million in assets represented about 4 percent of all credit unions and 52 percent of total credit union assets in 1992 compared with about 11 percent of all credit unions and 75 percent of total credit union assets in 2002. 20 19 20 Letter to the Honorable Paul Sarbanes from the General Accounting Office, October 27, 2003. Id. At 4. 16 (By comparison in Oklahoma, the twelve largest credit unions noted above make up about 13 percent of all credit unions in Oklahoma and about 77 percent of total credit union assets in 2003.) The GAO study reported additional findings that are worthy of note: ♦ Large "new breed" credit unions resemble like-sized banks, and offer essentially the same products and services. ♦ Credit unions are failing their social mandate to serve people of modest means. According to the Federal Reserve's 2001 Survey of Consumer Finances, 36 percent of households that primarily or only used credit unions had low or moderate incomes compared with 42 percent of households that used banks. HMDA 2001 records show that credit unions made a smaller percentage of mortgages to lowand moderate-income households than banks of comparable size – 27 percent v. 34 percent. ♦ The income of credit union members is similar to that of bank and thrift customers. ♦ The Credit Union Membership Access Act (CUMAA) of 1998 greatly expanded the ability of credit unions to expand on a geographical basis 21 and permitted multiple common bond entities – like Tinker FCU – to add "underserved" areas to its list of potential customers. However, the NCUA has failed to develop any indicators of whether credit union services are reaching the "underserved." ♦ While credit unions continue to hold a larger percentage of consumer loans than banks and thrifts, their real estate lending activities have grown dramatically in the past 10 years, growing from 19 percent to 26 percent. Consumer loans grew from 30 percent to 31 percent of all credit union loans during that same 10-year period.22 The percent of federal credit unions that have changed to a community charter has expanded rapidly since 1998 – from 6.2 percent to almost 15 percent by June, 2003. Moreover, NCUA is ignoring the CUMAA statutory requirement that the community be "local" – In 1999, the average size "community" approved by NCUA had a population of 134,000. In June, 2003, that number had grown to 357,000. Wescom Credit Union's FOM, for example, includes 16 million people living in Los Angeles and four other counties in Southern California. At least five of Oklahoma's "Top Twelve" have a field of membership that includes approximately two-thirds of the state's population. 22 Report of the General Accounting Office, October, 2003, GAO-04-92-Changes in Credit Union Industry, page 12. 21 17 C. UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES – A LOOPHOLE FOR EXPANSION Another area of concern to taxpayers – one that constitutes more evidence that the new breed of credit union is abusing the tax code to expand its reach – deals with adding "underserved communities" to existing fields of membership. All federal credit unions have the authority to include communities that satisfy the definition of "underserved area" in the Federal Credit Union Act. 23 In addition, more than one federal credit union can serve the same area that's designated as "underserved." While the intent of such a provision is laudable, the manner in which the requirements have been implemented by NCUA makes a mockery of this wellintentioned provision. It assumes that "underserved" financially equates with measures of income below the poverty rate, without looking at the reality of the marketplace. As a practical matter this authority has been abused at the expense of taxpayers in Ada and other communities by expanding service to areas that, by virtually any logical definition, are not "underserved." But logic has nothing to do with the expansionist agenda of the NCUA. Here's how it works: The Federal Credit Union Act identifies an "underserved" area as a local community, or neighborhood, or rural district that is located in an "investment area" as defined by the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994,24 if it meets other requirements which, coincidentally, are established by the NCUA. The NCUA's definition of such an area includes the following categories: Any area located in an Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Zone as designated according to statute or the Internal Revenue Code; Any area where the percentage of the population living in poverty is at least 20 percent and the area has significant unmet needs for loans or equity investments; Any area in a MSA where the median family income is at or below 80 percent of the MSA median family income by zip code and census tract 23 24 12 U.S.C. § 1759(c) (2). 12 U.S.C. § 4702 (16). 18 or the national MSA family income, whichever is greater; and the area has significant unmet needs for loans or equity investments; Any area that's outside of a MSA where the median family income is at or below 80 percent of the statewide non-MSA median family income by zip code and census tract (or the national non-MSA median family income, whichever is greater) and the area has "significant unmet needs for loans or equity investments." Any area where the unemployment rate is at least 1.5 times the national average, and the area has "significant unmet needs for loans or equity investments." Ada is located in Pontotoc County (total population 35,200) and hosts among its local financial institutions three commercial banks based in the community, each of which has a branch location. In addition to those six locations, there are two branches of banks whose primary location is in another community, and one branch of a federal thrift headquartered in Nebraska. In addition to these nine bank and thrift locations, there are two credit unions headquartered in Ada as well as nine different brokerage offices. That makes a total of 20 financial services outlets in this basically "white collar" community of 16,000. Yet under the definitions listed above, Tinker FCU was able to construct an application that the NCUA interpreted as falling within the eligibility requirements for an "underserved" community. As a result, Tinker was permitted to add this area of Pontotoc County to its field of membership. VI. TAXATION ISSUES: COOPERATIVE STATUS AND SUBCHAPTER S Credit union advocates have long argued that they are simple financial "not-for-profit" cooperatives serving a narrow band of people and, as such, their exemption from an array of taxes continues to be justified. While that may be true for the vast majority of traditional credit unions, the new breed of credit union changes the landscape and requires policy makers to look at the historical treatment Congress has imposed on other cooperatively-based entities. Initially, it's important to recognize that "not-for-profit" is a tax status. It is not a way of doing business. What the Congress gives, the Congress can take away, depending on whether the basic facts underlying the initial determination have changed. 19 A number of business entities were originally exempt from taxation, but Congress recognized that times changed as did the business reality of those entities. Mutual insurance companies, for example, were exempt from taxation prior to 1942. In that year Congress re-examined that status and concluded that such entities with annual gross receipts in excess of $75,000 should be subject to federal income tax. Other entities similar to today's banks and thrifts – mutual savings banks, savings and loan associations, and certain farm credit system entities – were all exempt from taxation at one point. In 1951, Congress changed its view and revoked that exemption, concluding that it was no longer appropriate. The basis for that decision was a recognition that those businesses had "evolved" to the point where they were actively competitive with tax-paying institutions.25 In analyzing the changes that had occurred between 1917 and 1951, Congress concluded that cooperative banks, mutual savings banks and savings and loan associations had become something other than the entity for which the tax exemption was originally granted. Their "investing members (were) becoming simply depositors, while borrowing members (found that) dealing (with such entities was) only technically different from dealing with other mortgage lending institutions in which the lending group is distinct from the borrowing group. . ." Congress concluded that these entities were in "active competition" with taxable institutions, and that continuing their tax exemption would be "discriminatory."26 Subchapter T of the Internal Revenue Code currently imposes income tax on most cooperatives that are organized for economic purposes (as opposed to those organized for charitable or other limited purposes). There are numerous examples of such "economic purpose" cooperatives, such as Sunkist (the largest fruit and vegetable cooperative with 6,000 members), Southern States Cooperative (300,000 members) REI (a consumer cooperative serving more than 2 million members), and a host of other cooperatives. Credit union advocates frequently argue that banks have the same tax benefit under Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code that is given to credit unions, and that since there are more than 100 Subchapter S banks in See generally S. Rep. 781, 82nd Cong., 1st Sess. (1951) reprinted in the U.S. Congressional & Administrative News, 1951, pp. 1991-97. 26Id. 25 20 Oklahoma it is hypocritical for banks to now assert that any credit union should be taxed. Nothing could be further from the truth. The critical difference between the "new breed" credit union tax dodge and Subchapter S treatment is that, in the latter instance, someone pays the taxes on the income that's earned – regardless of whether it's distributed.27 That is not true with credit unions. The tax treatment of new breed credit unions and Subchapter S banks would be the same if credit unions distributed all their earnings. They do not. Rather, earnings are used to build capital on a tax-free basis and, thus, enhance credit union growth. No other entity in America is given such an advantage. VII. CONCLUSION At some point reality overcomes the shibboleths and myths that have been perpetuated over time, based on original purposes, outdated statistics and outright misrepresentations. When that happens, policy makers must confront hard realities and review the facts as they are, based on the reality of the marketplace. For eighty-one of the state's ninety-three credit unions, their traditional mission continues to be generally in line with their original purpose, and bankers across the board have no dispute with such entities. But the "new breed" of credit union has gone well beyond the original mission and purpose for which credit unions were created. They represent an aberration in the tax treatment of financial service providers, and policy makers at all levels must now look at whether the tax exemptions for this new breed of credit union continue to be justified Precisely where the line of demarcation should be drawn between traditional credit unions and those that have graduated to another category is open to debate, but there can no longer be an honest debate over whether such a line must be drawn. There are other differences, not the least of which are the complex and restrictive rules that govern Subchapter S election. Only a small number of (community) banks with a limited number of shareholders are able to qualify for a Subchapter S election. 27 21 Clinging to the refrain that "it's still 1937" and "credit unions are small financial cooperatives" ignores today's reality in the financial services marketplace. If policy makers continue to ignore that reality, all taxpayers will continue to fill the void that exists because these entities are allowed to continue abusing their preferred tax and regulatory status. These entities will keep pretending to be something they are not for as long as policy makers are willing to accommodate them. As a result, taxpayers will continue to subsidize their growth and expansion, without any discernable benefit to anyone except credit union managers. They will continue to get away with the ruse and avoid contributing anything to help pay for Homeland Security, the national defense, or for our teachers, police and firefighters. As a matter of public policy, that's simply wrong. Moreover, by continuing to perpetuate these outdated myths, this "new breed" of credit union presents a systemic risk to the financial services system and the American taxpayer. Over time it will continue to move business away from the economic engine that has kept America strong – and paid taxes (commercial banks and thrifts) – to an industry that does not. The risks to taxpayers will only increase. The issue that's presented is simple: at what point does reality overtake the myth? At what point do traditional credit unions graduate to a higher form of financial services entity and pay their fair share of taxes to support our nation and our state? And at what point do policy makers and elected officials take the necessary steps to reduce the threat of the systemic risk to the entire financial services system? That is a debate that must be engaged, sooner rather than later. 22
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Automakers at the North American International Auto show are introducing new money-saving technologies.
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Women make more than men in only nine of the 350 jobs tracked by the U.S. Census Bureau. Here is a list of professions where women do financially better than men.


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Short Cuts
A Syrian hermit. He lived for many years as a recluse in Mesopotamia where he was greatly revered for his penitential practices.
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What do dreams have to with prayer? Aren't they just random images of our mind? In 1867 Pope Pius IX was upset with John Bosco because he wouldn't take his dreams seriously enough. Nine ... continue reading
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St. Michael the Archangel - Feast day - September 29th The name Michael signifies "Who is like to God?" and was the warcry of the good angels in the battle fought in heaven against satan and his followers. Holy Scripture describes St. Michael as "one of the chief ... continue reading
The name Gabriel means "man of God," or "God has shown himself mighty." It appears first in the prophesies of Daniel in the Old Testament. The angel announced to Daniel the prophecy of the seventy weeks. His name also occurs in the apocryphal book of Henoch. He was the ... continue reading
John Baptist de la Salle was born at Rheims, France on April 30th. He was the eldest of ten children in a noble family. He studied in Paris and was ordained in 1678. He was known for his work with ... continue reading
Isidore was literally born into a family of saints in sixth century Spain. Two of his brothers, Leander and Fulgentius, and one of his sisters, Florentina, are revered as saints in Spain. It was also ... continue reading
By Alex Basile
Every carpenter must practice patience. We can learn important lessons from the wood shop in Nazareth from the humble Saint Joseph. I have always been a "do it yourself" type of guy thanks to my father. My dad is always a steady presence during my home-improvement ... continue readingMore Christian Saints & Heroes


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Help! My Tax Refund Was Taken to Pay My Student Loan Debt
by Credit.com Mar 18th 2015 6:00AM
Some taxpayers are discovering the income tax refund they thought was coming has instead has been seized to pay their defaulted student loan debt.
Some taxpayers are discovering the income tax refund they thought was coming has instead has been seized to pay their defaulted student loan debt.
To avoid the traps that phaseout provisions lay out, in a few cases, it might make sense to earn less income.
While there's only so much you can do to make your taxes easier this year, there are steps you can take now to pave the way to lower taxes in future years.
These tax-free provisions of tax laws act as an incentive for those with modest income levels to invest for the long run, especially in the stock market.
Tax write-offs for pets seem farfetched, but there are some circumstances in which they're perfectly legal. Find out about them here.
Your tax refund can be an instrument of positive change, or just another wasted opportunity. What will you do with yours this year?
It seems like every year, tax preparation companies try to find new ways to separate you from your money. Here's advice on how you can save at tax time.
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The Social Security Administration has suspended a program in which thousands of people were having tax refunds seized to recoup decades-old overpayments.
Filing taxes after you divorce may be trickier than when you were together. What's more, your first uncoupled tax bill might deliver a major financial blow.
An Internet connection and a bunch of stolen IDs are all it takes for crooks to collect billions of dollars in bogus federal tax refunds.
American workers take barely half the paid time off they're entitled to and more than 60 percent admit to doing some work while on vacation, a report shows.
Last-minute filers shouldn't let the pressure to meet the April 15 IRS deadline to not follow the rules for getting an extension, taking credits and receiving refunds.
Late hours at the post office, e-filing and an easy method to get an extension are some of the ways to reduce pressure to make the April 15 deadline for federal income taxes.
While an income tax refund isn't necessarily free money, the windfall gives you an opportunity to address financial concerns and even pursue life-changing experiences.
Odds are, at least one of these big financial priorities could benefit from the lion's share of your check from Uncle Sam.
If you end up receiving a big refund from the IRS after filing your taxes, then you just gave the government an interest-free loan. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Doing your tax return by yourself -- even if you use tax preparation software -- can still be a challenge. But here are some tips that can make tax season less taxing.
If you're wondering how to spend your tax refund this year, here are a few spending tips to help you get an even bigger refund next year.
Tax time isn't known for being a lot of fun, but if you get a refund and allocate toward saving, you can enter a free contest to earn extra cash.
Tax time doesn't have to be so onerous or so scary. Here are eight ways to make tax prep a little more zen. Have you taken that deep breath yet?
IRS data show the average individual refund so far this year is $3,116. Despite best intentions, however, many people find it difficult to save their refunds.
Rewards and bonuses might mean you come out ahead when using a credit or debit card to pay federal taxes -- at a processing fee of 1.87 to 2.35 percent.
Tax fraud takes many different shapes, but this annual list of the "Dirty Dozen" from the IRS will help you to recognize and avoid the most common of them.
April 15 can strike fear into even the most organized taxpayer, so we asked accountants and tax professionals to share their insights for easing the pain of tax time.
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Knowing what you're entitled to write off on your tax return might seem complex and mysterious, but it doesn't have to be. Here are five easy ways to pay fewer taxes.
Even if you use software or hire a professional, mistakes can be made when preparing your income tax return. Here are some of the more common goofs.


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February 28, 1997 Liberty School Control Sold Napa Valley's Caymus Vineyards has sold a majority interest in its second label, Liberty School, to Chuck and Marlyn Hope of Paso Robles, Calif. For years, the Hopes have been growing Cabernet Sauvignon for Liberty School wines on their 140-acre Central Coast vineyard.
For the full article, check out the new issue of Wine Spectator, on newsstands February 28, 1997.
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'Men in Black 3' review: Surprisingly, the third time's no harm
Men In Black 3 Goes Back To The Past
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Movie Review: RioStory | Apr 13, 2011It doesn't take four minutes for "Rio" to set itself apart from all the "Ice Age" movies the animators at Blue Sky made before it. A rain forest filled with parrots, macaws, cockatoos and toucans sing and dance the samba in a...
New Fox schedule: Simon, Spielberg, J.J. and KieferStory | May 16, 2011Here's the new Fox schedule with lots of big names both in front and behind the camera. I will reprint the entire release and all the new program synopses. But I have to just take a shot at Fox chairman Peter Rice saying in the release that "nothing...
'Tintin,' 'Puss in Boots,' 'Cars 2' among nominees for top Annie AwardStory | Dec 5, 2011"Cars 2," "Puss in Boots" and "The Adventures of Tintin" are among the 10 films that will compete for the best feature prize at the 39th Annie Awards, the International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood, announced today. The other contenders...
'Men in Black 3' a blast from the past, critics sayStory | May 25, 2012Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back to save the world in "Men in Black 3," now with Josh Brolin. This installment is all about time travel — both in terms of plot and in recapturing the quirky fun of the original 1997 film. For many critics, the...
'30 Rock' gets record 22 Emmy nominationsStory | Jul 16, 2009 | 8:41 AMThe NBC series gets the most-ever noms for a comedy series in a single year. "Mad Men" also receives multiple nominations. It was a history-making day for Tina Fey and Farrah. Fey's NBC comedy series, " 30 Rock," earned 22 Emmy nominations this...
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Comments about 'NFL locals photo gallery: Star Lotulelei sacks Alex Smith'
Robert Turbin also stars for the Seahawks and Xavier Su'a-Filo starts for the Texans
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Congratulations to all players with Utah ties, especially the ones making plays in the preseason trying to make the roster of their respective teams. I'm a Ute fan and even I'm impressed with how well Sorensen is doing in KC.
- 2:38 p.m. Aug. 18, 2014
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Star is going to be a beast in the NFL for MANY years to come - gonna enjoy
watching him.
My favorite story from this article is Jordan Devey - that's an amazing situation. Kid played in American Fork Band throughout high school - didn't even like football - now look at him. Funny stuff
- 2:44 p.m. Aug. 18, 2014
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Star IS a Star. Solid performances by the Smiths and Denham. I'm watching
Reilly closely, hoping that his under appreciated athleticism and nose for the
football produces results in the NFL.
Good luck Utes!
- 3:36 p.m. Aug. 18, 2014
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As much as I liked Alex Smith in college, he is not a great pro qb.
He is just above middling---
- 3:44 p.m. Aug. 18, 2014
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Good luck to all the guys with local ties. Stay healthy!!
- 5:09 p.m. Aug. 18, 2014
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Sharp Hooks,
Perhaps you'd have prefered Kaepernick this past weekend? Smith one a lot of games last year, and the year before, and the year before that.
"Great" NFL qbs are few, but Smith is the consummate professional, steady, smart and able. Knocking him after a decade in the NFL reflects upon your ignorance of what is going on on the field.
- 5:18 p.m. Aug. 18, 2014
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It's nice to see a fan not get caught up in the rivalry so much they ignore what certain players are accomplishing. As for the Chiefs it seems like Sean Smith gets better and better every year. I've also liked what I've seen with Sorensen, but I've especially enjoyed watching So'oto for the Steelers and how he's progressed from playing TE early in his collegiate career at BYU to LB his upperclassmen years. He's been very impressive this preseason. It will be fun to watch the success of all these guys and hopefully they stay healthy and have great careers.
- 7:16 p.m. Aug. 18, 2014
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Former Ute DL Tevita Finau also had a sack for the Jets this week.
- 8:48 p.m. Aug. 18, 2014
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Adiatium formosum..rare maidenhair.
stanofhSeptember 1, 2007
Growing in my yard here in the bay area this was spore grown by a member of the local fern society i was told. Slow growing but large eventually. I think it has a great deal of cold hardiness,but should not be expected to survive winters that kill the top growth.It's too slow to recover from more than the very rare setback. Very small croziers seems to me for fronds that get as large as this.
Not your typical maidenhair.This is the largest of three small clumps around the yard.The ones in the photo grow under two King palms.


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Hi all I'm interested in brewing and trying my hand at brewing an Eisbock as I really enjoy the style and there sure aren't a lot of commercially brewed options out there... I found this article and recipe:http://byo.com/stories/beer-styles/i...money-cant-buy
I am just about to buy the grain bill from AHS and was wondering what everyone thought of the Reichelbrau Doppelbock Base (5 gallons, all grain) recipe....
Also if anyone could chime in as to what they use to "freeze" their beer that would be helpful as I don't use a freezer for lagering but a fridge with a Johnson temp controller. I was thinking of maybe transferring into sterile plastic gallon jugs and throwing it in the freezer until the temp hits 28F. Anyone have any suggestions for this concentration step?
How did this turn out?


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Identity Management
The push to move the health care sector toward electronic records includes a requirement that patients be able to access, download and share their health information on an ongoing basis to help coordinate and manage care. This is a condition of stage two of the "meaningful use" regime that delineates the access providers have to federal funding to underwrite the transition to electronic health records, and ultimately will factor into reimbursement by Medicare, Medicaid and other programs.
For providers, a big issue is how to give their patients secure access to records. Health records are arguably far more sensitive than financial information, because a financial breach can be repaired with new credit card numbers or bank information, and because consumers are ultimately made whole for lost funds. But once you've lost your health record, that's it: your information is in the hands of a third party, and there's no way to undo it. This becomes increasingly important as genomic information, mental health records, and other highly sensitive data becomes a regular part of an integrated online electronic health record.
This raises the issue of how patient access to health records should be governed. Issuing physical credentials can be expensive and unwieldy. But relying on conventional username-password access gives rise to problems as well.
"Passwords are a disaster," said Jeremy Grant, senior executive advisor for identity management at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the head of the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC). "With health care especially, we want to make sure you are who you say you are," he said.
The solution for feds -- embedded personal identity verification chips in identification badges -- is not likely to work with the general population because of the considerable expense and inconvenience. "PIV is not the solution in the consumer space. If it was, we'd see everyone carrying one," Grant said.
NSTIC funds pilot projects with an eye to seeding the market with solutions to the password problem. One such pilot program, funded with $2.6 million in NSTIC grants since 2012, is set to launch to users of the Inova health care system in Northern Virginia. By the end of July 2014, a group of Inova patients will have the option of reconfiguring their access to electronic health records using a combination of verified credentials.
The Cross Sector Digital Identity Initiative (CSDII) brings together data from name brand online services like Microsoft, Google, LinkedIn, Facebook and others, information from state motor vehicle departments, and commercial databases, and validates user identity using voice matching. For example, an Inova user can sign up with a Gmail account and driver's license information. The Gmail account is confirmed with a ping to Google, and the driver's license information is validated against patient information, and other third-party data. Once that is done, a patient is contacted by phone to confirm the account. Subsequent access to the health record is maintained on a two-factor authentication basis – a user signs in and then has to respond to a phone call to guarantee they have custody of the phone number on their account.
"Once somebody comes through with one combination of credentials that bind them to their EHR, then it's going to be really difficult if not impossible for another individual to recreate that exact chain," said Michael Farnsworth, an identity management specialist who is leading the pilot.
The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators is the grantee on the project, and it is being launched in collaboration with the Virginia DMV, along with Microsoft, CA Technologies and Biometric Signature ID. Farnsworth, a 15-year veteran of the Virginia DMV, left the state workforce to manage the project through Binary Structures Corporation.
"Folks look at DMVs as a very valid identity-vetting source," Farnsworth said.
The pilot had to deal with a slew of privacy and regulatory issues. The system's encryption makes sure that the companies that supply the third-party credentials – the email providers and social networks – don't track patient activity inside their health record. There are knotty compliance issues with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and Fair Credit Reporting Act restrictions, as well.
After patient access, the next use case for the CSDII pilot will involve outside providers who need access to patient records. If the project goes well, the CSDII will be poised for wider implementation. Farnsworth said that so far about two dozen companies across different sectors are interested in implementing the identity management system.
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Adam Mazmanian is a staff writer covering Congress, the FCC and other key agencies. Connect with him on Twitter: @thisismaz.
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Unisys Federal Systems' Venkatapathi Puvvada, this year's Eagle award winner for industry, stresses the importance of community.
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Protests have delayed SEWP V, but industry experts say the contract vehicle offers agencies service and value that are hard to find.
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The spy agency wants to better integrate cybersecurity into its traditional human intelligence operations.
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Part Time Jobs in Hollister, Florida ( FL )
If you're looking for part time jobs, student jobs or jobs for teens in Hollister, Florida, you've come to the right place! Chances are that GrooveJob.com has the right job for you and wants to be your only source for finding part time jobs in Hollister, Florida.
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Honest And Reliable Babysitter
Melrose family needs a part - time babysitter. Must love kids! Our ideal match will meet the requirements below. About the family: We...
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Cashier job in
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AVON Independent Sales Representative
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Home Workers Wanted: Part Time /Full Time (Data Entry, Work From Home Positions)
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…Own transportation is required since the babysitter would have to pick-up our 10-year-old son from his school. Help with his homework...
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I have 2 wonderful children: Girl- age 3 and Boy- age 10 months. In need of a part time sitter for date nights, mom being able to go to...
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|<< First < Previous 1 2 Next > Last >>


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I love men!
The comment in one of the posts about "male bashing" really hit a nerve with me. I don't want to stereotype, but I've often heard male bashing accusations from some extremely sensitive and somewhat insecure guys, my brother being one of them. Love him to death, but he thinks I have a chip on my shoulder because I complain about a few jerky ex-boyfriends. The chip thing is a little illogical, when you consider that my BEST friend is male, and among my bestest, bestest friends are three more men. Then there's my circle of good close friends, which includes three single guys, plus the hubbies of my close girlfriends, all of whom are dears too. Then there's the many, many WONDERFUL male work colleagues I've had over the years--smart, creative, supportive, hard working, dedicated, accomplished . . .
So what all do I love about men? Let me count the ways. I love that men are "doers." Women cogitate and discuss before acting, which isn't bad, but I like the forward momentum men have, (in every way!) ;-) Women have such chatter-filled minds, I find the presence of men soothing. I love their humor. I love the way they stand up and come through, I can count on them. I like their muscles, they can open the jar of pickles! I can get it open myself, but I like it when they help out. I like to nurture them when they are appreciative. I like that men are "hard" in that they don't have that layer of fat that women have. Even the pudgy ones have a whole different build than me, which is groovy. I like their expressive eyes that seem like windows into their souls. I like to be with men who respect me and femininity in general, not in a condescending way. They value women fully, and value their feminine side as well as valuing my masculine side. The reality is that these are just labels, so when I'm with a good man I can be fully myself. I feel more feminine when I'm with my men friends, they are holding up the other half of the sky. I get to feel like a real woman when I'm with a real man. I like the way men show you they care by going out into the jungle of the 7-11 and bringing home the bacon and/or milk. I feel protected and safe when I'm with my men friends. I can exhale, to quote an author who has also been accused of male bashing. I love it when men get enthusiastic, when they let that joy filled little boy come out and play. I love the daddies of this world!
Well, that's enough for me.
Ladies what else do you love about men?
Wow, what a mouth full lpinkmountain! I too love men who are doers, who know how to treat me like the lady I am, and who take charge. I love men who still open doors for women, and take you out to dinner without expecting you to pay half. I worked in an environment where the mixture was male and female, and in one where the mass majority were females. Please believe me, it was a much happier environment where there were males!


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Welcome, skip to the content.
Official site for Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Melburnians are known around the world for their love of sports, and every year millions of sports fans from around the world flock to the city to experience a live sporting occasion in the purpose-built, accessible and atmospheric venues that dot the city.
The famous MCG
The coliseum that is the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is one of Melbourne's most recognisable sights. The home of Aussie cricket and the Australian Football League and the site of the 1956 Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the MCG has a seating capacity of 100,000. The unified roar of a capacity crowd when a prized wicket is taken or a miraculous goal is kicked leaves a lasting impression. The MCG is a short walk from Flinders Street Station or Federation Square, and is accessible by train and tram.
Melbourne Park sporting paradise
A stone's throw from the MCG and comprising the Melbourne Sports Precinct is Melbourne Park, made up of Rod Laver Arena and Hisense Arena. The cutting-edge facilities at Rod Laver Arena, including a world-first retractable roof and the Rebound Ace courts, are home to the annual Australian Open tennis grand slam. Hisense Arena is a multi-purpose venue housing the Melbourne Tigers basketball team and the Melbourne Vixens netballers and regular big games for the Aussie Diamonds international netball team. In addition, Hisense Arena is the venue for major cycling events in Melbourne. Melbourne Park is also a short walk from Flinders Street Station or Federation Square over a series of footbridges, and is accessible by train and tram.
Bubblicious AAMI Park
The distinctive AAMI Park stadium is adjacent to Melbourne Park and is the city's dedicated venue for soccer and rugby (league and union). Since its opening in 2010 the stadium quickly became an icon thanks to its bubble 'bioframe' design and geodesic-dome roof. The unique design ensures spectators enjoy unobstructed views as they watch the Melbourne Storm rugby league stars, the Melbourne Rebels rugby union team, and Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart in the A-League domestic football (soccer) competition. The Socceroos are also known to grace the turf of AAMI Park.
Melbourne's love for football surpasses just one venue, so a covered stadium with a smaller capacity in Docklands also hosts AFL matches during the winter months. Etihad Stadium also hosts cricket games, domestic and international soccer matches.
Fabulous Flemington
Another venue that's almost as famous as the events held within is Flemington Racecourse, home of the Melbourne Cup horse race. The historic grandstands and renowned rose gardens have hosted the most revered horses in racing history, and continue to attract hundreds of thousands of racegoers to the annual Spring Racing Carnival and the Christmas and New Year's races. Flemington is located six kilometres northwest of the CBD and trains run frequently to the Flemington Racecourse station on race days.
Other horse racing events are held throughout the year at Moonee Valley and Caulfield racecourses, while greyhounds compete at Sandown.
Sports with wheels, skates, and bats
Fans of sports with wheels can catch road racing, drag racing and speedway at Calder Park, Avalon Raceway and Sandown International Motor Raceway.
Less mainstream sports are also catered for at designated venues in Melbourne, like the domestic ice hockey competition at Icehouse at Docklands, and baseball and roller derby at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
The iconic, cutting-edge design of the bubblicious AAMI Park ensures you enjoy unobstructed views of football and rugby (league and union) contests.
Read more | Show on map
Feel like you're in the thick of the action at the multi-purpose Hisense Arena, whether it's basketball, international netball or even world cycling.
See a match or tour the home of Aussie cricket and the Australian Football League, the site of the 1956 Olympics and the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Get up close to the action at Etihad Stadium, with its retractable roof and Roman amphitheatre-style seating creating a legendary sporting atmosphere.
Rod Laver Arena, located at Melbourne Park by the Yarra River, hosts over a million people a year for the Australian Open, sports and concert events.
Don your finery and enjoy fun with friends at Flemington Racecourse, whether it's for a day of horse racing, a music festival or a family event.
The Mother's Day Classic fun run/walk has become a calendar must-do for thousands of families, friends and community groups who wish to support...
The Melbourne Bicycle Courier Association are presenting the 23rd Cycle Messenger World Championships, the ultimate urban cycling competition. Since...
Treat your Mum to a very special day at the races at Flemington and experience the Members' Enclosure for the day. VRC Members and non-Members are...
Barrack hard as your team hits round 2 of the AFL Premiership Season, at the MCG and Etihad Stadium in Melbourne and Simonds Stadium in Geelong.
Enjoy a great day out at the races at Australia's premier racecourse at the Andrew Ramsden Stakes Day. General admission entrance, public and members...
The Battlefield Challenge is seven kilometres long with over 40 obstacles. The event is suitable for every level of fitness from first time mud...
Calling all Melbourne Vixens Members and supporters for the final home match of the season. Let's show the NSW Swifts why Melbourne is a fortress....
The Melbourne Bicycle Courier Association are proud to present the 23rd Cycle Messenger World Championships which will be held in Melbourne, Victoria...
Plan your trip with driving directions
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: Confirmed Signing with Link:
Minnesota Wild sign Zach Parise (13 yrs, $7.54M cap hit)
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Middletown, NJ
Posts: 18,520
vCash: 500
Originally Posted by
I'm sensing a bit of ********, but trust me it gets better. Trust me, as a Minnesota fan I've dealt with losing a ton of our best players like Brunette, Park, Rolston, Demitra(RIP), and Gabby. It sucks, but it will get better, and the Devils have the strength to compete in the East unlike the Wild who whenever they'd get gutted they'd be useless the next year.
Also this big deal makes our team a playoff team. That was the goal of our management, all they wanted was a playoff berth and to see if they could get the team to make a run. This will do just that. Anything can happen in the playoffs, so we'll just see where it goes.
I'm not ******** at all. I'm pissed he left, but for 98 million he's all yours.
I wanted Parise, the player, back. But I said before FA even started that he's not the kind of player you should committ 13 years to. He'll be fine for a few seasons, but I'm telling you, that's going to be the worst contract in the league soon. He's one of the most agile players in the league and when he's agility takes a hit due to age, his game will be entirely gone.
Originally Posted by
You are acting as if NJ is in some position to be a powerhouse for years to come. They went to the finals this year I would not expect that to happen again for a while. If he signed with NJ somehow I doubt you would be dogging him out for his Playoff performance. He went back home to play, got alot of money, and Minn is has a pretty bright future.
There has been a Parise's playoff show/no show debate on our board for practically 3 years.
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Press Conference Carson Palmer Wednesday
QB Carson Palmer spoke to the media after Wednesday's practice as the Raiders get ready to head to Kansas City to face the Chiefs.
The Oakland Raiders 2015 off-season is in full swing and the Raiders Report has you covered on what's been happening with the Silver and Black.
The NFL officially kicks off the 2015 regular season.