The mini rant below forms a guest post from my husband aka Anyjazz.
Who or what is the source of his annoyance? Guess!
Who or what is the source of his annoyance? Guess!
In today’s mail came a slick advertisement for a meeting and entertainment with free admission to all. The meeting will be held in a building owned by the charitable organization that occupies half a city block near the downtown area.
The advertisement must have been expensive just to layout and print. Then there’s the postage which was discounted because it was from a “non-profit” organization. The cost of the mailer alone would have fed a poor family for a year.
But this organization is known for its charitable and generous works. They have centers in every city, sometimes several. Their real estate holdings alone would feed Rwanda, probably all of Africa.
There is nothing wrong with their ideals, their guidance, or their work, really. There are many folks caught up in their work, their campaigns; many contributors to the cause. They do good work.
You’d think that with all those resources, they would not be begging money every week; begging money with slick advertisements sent through the mail. Admission is free, but they accept (expect) donations.
Lately there are lot of people upset with the big corporations and their selfish, greedy behavior. These same corporations often complain that our lawmakers and government are not doing enough for them and yet, it has been shown that they do not pay their fair share of taxes to help operate that government.
The “non-profit” organization that sent the slick flyer inviting everyone to a “free” meeting and entertainment doesn’t pay any taxes at all: not on income or purchases or real estate holdings. None. I understand they too think the government isn’t doing enough for them and they think they should have a say. Doesn’t that sound a lot like a big corporation?
5 comments:
What's not to like about free money, especially the tax-free kind? Theses organizations have high overhead, which ain't cheap to support. Upper management and officers of the organization require high salaries, or they'll go elsewhere, where the gettin's better. As you indicate, anyjazz, realestate, particularly the prime stuff, costs a bundle. Gala fundraisers have standards of elegance, which the potential A-list benefactors expect, and small donors wouldn't mind a luncheon celebrating their charitableness.
One should remember that there is collusion between the USA's IRS tax code, organizations-charities, and wealthy donors. There are several tax-exempt trust funds available to those with dollars. My favorite is the one nick-named the "Jackie O." It offers the privileged, upper echelon, the public recognition as philanthropists, while protecting and expanding their wealth tax-free. Can't beat that with a pauper's stick. The Walton Family Trust established a world-class museum, their own effing charity, that basically makes them wealthier...LOL.
"With a big enough spread between the actual performance and the IRS rate, a Jackie O. trust can theoretically save so much tax that it leaves a family richer than if it hadn’t given a dime to charity."
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/trusts-allow-walton-family-to-safeguard-wealth/article_147c1c1c-c38a-5e1a-b977-34cff3c2218f.html
Of course, with Twilight's soon-to-be inheritance, it may be time for the two of you to consider an eponymous trust fund charity. Maybe "Twilight's End the Drones for the Children" charitable organization. Board member (Twilight, anyjazz) meetings held every month in a new, exotic locale...business write-offs. You can finally stay at the Price Hotel in Bartlesville.
Good link, Mike. That's some more of it. Much of the voting public just shuffles along obediently and is completely unaware of how the big boys are stealing their marbles.
mike ~ If ya can't beat 'em join 'em, you mean? LOL!
(O/T - Not sure that "inheritance is "soon-to-be", maybe more accurately "sometime-to-be". Hope it doesn't morph into "to be or not to be"?!
I've made a contact, rather oddly, and via ancestry.com with a guy whose name appeared my cousin's death certificate as having dealt with cremation etc. I sent a message to him via ancestry.com, where he had searched for cousin's next of kins. Though he's at present on vacation, he sent an e-mail to my e-address which I'd provided. He had been a friend of cousin's for some 40 years, met when they first worked together. Said cousin was "a great guy" and still missed by his circle of friends in London, a year on from his death. He's going to write in more detail of cousin's "life and times" when his vacation is over. I'm very glad to have made some kind of contact, it stops me from feeling quite so awkward about all of this. Odd coincidence: this guy's surname is the same as mine now, but with an additional "e")
Here in the USA, this fellow would be the executor of your cousin's estate, having dealt with the cremation and finding kin (disposing of possessions, paperwork, and accounting, too). An executor is typically identified in the deceased's will, but can be court appointed. I assume a court appointed him, since your cousin didn't leave a will. I hope you write a post about your cousin, once all of his biography is detailed to you. Were you aware of him through your ancestry searches? Did this friend of your cousin's find any of your ancestry research? This guy must be related to anyjazz somewhere back in time, since only an "e" being the difference in last names.
mike (again) ~ Well, he told me that a cousin of my cousin Stephen, from his mother's side, is now "dealing with his estate" - she is more local than anyone on his father's side I suppose. I think the lawyers are acting as formal executors, as Stephen died intestate. This guy I'm corresponding with was probably called when the police found cousin's body - or maybe he alerted the police to the fact that he couldn't contact cousin. Don't know yet. Cousin had suffered some kind of heart attack, according to death certificate.
I saw this guy's name/screen name as someone researching a branch of my family at ancestry.com, had kept an eye on it for a while, noted the screen name of the researcher. Then when I was given a copy of cousin's death cert. by the lawyers (at my request) noted that the name of the person dealing with cremation corresponded (kind of) to the researcher, so sent a message via ancestry.com giving him my e-address - in case it was one and the same person - and it was.
I don't know if cousin's friend had found my own research - it didn't seem like it to me. He hasn't mentioned it yet. He said that I'm the first of the beneficiaries to show any interest in Stephen, who had had no contact with family for at least 40 years. (Not at all unusual in my wider family!)
Anyjazz's surname is quite common - I don't really think there'd be any connection. It's a little spooky, though, that anyjazz's younger son has the same first name as this guy too, as well as surname :-/
Yes, when I glean enough of the story, I'll put it into a post.
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