Simply Truth

Hope it is not cloudy that night??

Mars The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter’s gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again. The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. By the end of August when the two planets are closest , Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m.That’s pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month.
Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN

ABOUT THE FAIRTAX

ABOUT THE FAIRTAX::
Summary of Recent Research on the FairTax Plan by the BEACON HILL INSTITUTE
BEACON HILL INSTITUTEBHI is the research arm of the Department of Economics at Suffolk University in Boston. It specializes in the development of state-of-the-art economic and statistical models for the analysis of federal, state, and local economic policies and how they affect citizens and businesses. Dr. David G. Tuerck, director of the research team, serves as the Director of Beacon Hill Institute and as professor and chairman of the Suffolk University Department of Economics. Formerly, he directed the Economic Analysis Group at Coopers & Lybrand, Washington, D.C. and the Center for Research and Advertising at the American Enterprise Institute.
MEMO TO BRUCE BARTLETT: JUST DO THE MATHTuerck identifies six mistakes made by Bartlett in attempting to identify the distributional consequences of the FairTax. These mistakes, according to Tuerck, arise over Bartlett’s understanding of the price effects of the FairTax, his interpretation of the purpose of the FairTax rebate, and his assessment of the burden of the FairTax on government.
Read the complete paper >>
TAXING SALES UNDER THE FAIRTAX: WHAT RATE WORKS? TAX NOTES, NOVEMBER 13, 2006(with Laurence Kotlikoff, Ph.D.)This study is a detailed specification of the FairTax base and revenue neutral rate calculation formula. The revenue-neutral rate is the tax rate needed to maintain the real levels of federal and state spending under the FairTax. It also shows that the FairTax imposes no additional real fiscal burdens on state and local government, notwithstanding the requirement that such governments pay the FairTax on their purchase of goods and services.
The FairTax base for 2007 is estimated to be $11.244 trillion amounting to 81 percent of GDP. The FairTax rate of 23-percent levied on this base would generate federal tax revenues equal to $2.586 trillion $358 billion more than the $2.228 trillion in tax revenues generated by the taxes it repeals (all income and payroll taxes, self-employment taxes, alternative minimum tax, estate and gift tax, and capital gains tax). FairTax revenues of $2.586 trillion, plus other federal revenues not repealed by the FairTax legislation, are estimated to yield $3.209 trillion an amount only $76 billion less than 2007 projected spending of $3.285 trillion. The $76 billion figure is remarkably small when set against the more than 30-percent increase in the real value of discretionary spending since 2000. At a 23-percent FairTax rate, non-Social Security spending in 2007 is $2.102 trillion compared to $2.113 trillion in 2006, a difference of only $12 billion or less than one percent.
Read the complete paper >>
A COMPARISON OF THE FAIRTAX BASE AND RATE WITH OTHER NATIONAL TAX REFORM PROPOSALSThe FairTax has the broadest tax base and produces the lowest rate to replace the current tax system.
The revenue-neutral, tax-inclusive rates are FairTax (23.82%), current law (26.51%), the flat tax (26.76%), and the business transfer tax (24.49%). For comparative purposes, these rates assume that each of these tax reform plans replaces all federal income & payroll taxes ($2.228 trillion) and provides an equivalent standard deduction/prebate.
Read the complete paper >>
TAX ADMINISTRATION AND COLLECTION COSTS: THE FAIRTAX VS. THE EXISTING FEDERAL TAX SYSTEM
For this study, BHI estimates the net administration, collection, and filing costs of the FairTax by considering each of the revenue collection layers individually retailers and service providers (sellers), state governments, and the federal government. BHI also accounts for the savings the private sector would enjoy because of no longer having to file the income, estate, gift, and payroll taxes that are replaced by the FairTax. We do our analysis for 2005, the most recent year for which there are data on states’ collection agencies’ operating costs or budget appropriations.
Read the complete paper >>
THE ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF THE FAIRTAX: RESULTS FROM THE BEACON HILL INSTITUTE CGE MODEL
A major objective of the FairTax is to promote economic growth resulting in job creation, higher productivity, and higher wages for working Americans. The Beacon Hill Institute used their established Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model to estimate the effects of the FairTax on income, employment, wages, etc. compared to what these indicators would be if the current tax system remains in place.
This study employs a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to estimate the impact of the FairTax plan on the economy. Although complex, CGE models make it possible to analyze large changes in existing taxes or the introduction of new taxes for their effects on a wide array of economic indicators.
GDP is estimated to be 7.9 percent higher in the first year, 10.9% higher in year 10 and 10.3% higher in year 25 after enactment of the FairTax than what would otherwise be the case if the current system remained in place.
Domestic investment is 74.5% higher, 75.9% higher, and 65.2% higher in years 1, 10, and 25, respectively.
The capital stock is 9.3% higher in year 5, 14.1% higher in year 10, and 17.3% higher in year 25.
Real wages are 10.3%, 9.5%, and 9.2% higher in years 1, 10, and 25, respectively than would otherwise be the case.
Consumption drops slightly in the first two years (0.6% and 0.8%), and then be 1.8% higher in year 5, 4.3% higher in year 10, and 6.0% higher in year 25.
The findings for 2007 through 2031 are summarized in Table 1 below. The table shows the percentage difference in each indicator resulting from implementation of the FairTax for selected years 2007 to 2031. For example, real GDP would be 7.9 percent higher in 2007 under the FairTax than under the “benchmark” current law and 10.3 percent higher by 2031.
Read the complete paper >>
FISCAL FEDERALISM: THE NATIONAL FAIRTAX AND THE STATES
This study calculates two revenue-neutral state-levied FairTax rates for all 50 states based on the national FairTax proposal. The first rate calculation assumes an effective date of January 2007 and that states would provide a monthly prebate equal to the state FairTax rate times poverty level spending. States could lower their existing sales tax rates by at least 1.5 percentage points. On average states could cut their sales tax rates by more than half or 3.2 percentage points from 5.4 to 2.2 percent if they conformed their state sales tax bases to the FairTax base. The study also uses the BHI CGE model to estimate the impact of the FairTax on five state economies: Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois, Virginia, and Texas. It finds that employment, investment, wages and income all experience significant increases under a dual federal and state-level FairTax system. In two years, these five states would, on average, see employment soar by 14%, investment by 92%, wages increase by 7%, and income jump by 11%. The economic benefits of the FairTax result from removing the tax wedge currently placed on labor, capital and savings.
Read the complete paper >>
A DISTRIBUTIONAL ANALYSIS OF ADOPTING THE FAIRTAX: A COMPARISON OF THE CURRENT TAX SYSTEM AND THE FAIRTAX PLAN
The study analyzes the tax burden in relation to permanent income combining IRS data, consumer expenditure data, and data from the survey of consumer finances. Compares the distribution of the FairTax, flat tax and business transfer tax.Expenditure is a better measure of economic well-being, since current expenditure is more closely related to lifetime income than is current income. Current expenditure is also a better measure of wealth, since people may live off current saving while undergoing a temporary drop in income. Current expenditure is more closely related to lifetime income than current income and is therefore a better measure of well-being. Current expenditure is also a better measure of wealth, since people may live off current saving while undergoing a temporary drop in income. The FairTax benefits those in the lower expenditure categories and it hurts those in the upper categories, making it more progressive than current law. The result is especially impressive when “dynamic effects” are taken into account, since only households in the highest 10 percent of spending are worse off after the twenty-fifth year of the implementation of the FairTax, whereas all other groups are better off.
Read the complete paper >>
THE FAIRTAX AND CHARITABLE GIVING
This study addresses how the FairTax affects incomes and the price of giving and how changes in both affect the total amount of giving. People give more the greater their real before-tax income and the lower the price of giving. The model predicts that itemizers increase their giving by $9.40 billion from $145.30 to $154.70 billion (by 6%). Non-itemizers, on the other hand, would increase their giving by $5.62 billion, from $86.80 to $92.42 billion (6.5%). Overall, when looking at the effect that the increase in income from enactment of the FairTax has by itself on giving, it increases total giving by 6.47 percent from $232.10 to $247.12 billion.When the price effect is combined with the income effect, the FairTax increases charitable donations by 0.9 percent immediately, by 2.4 percent within ten years, and by 5 percent within 20 years, compared to the baseline situation where the current system remains in place.
Read the complete paper >>
For more information, contact Karen Walby, Ph.D., Director of Research & Chief Economist, FairTax.org at karen.walby@fairtax.org.

Fair, Fat or Forty??
Most women are not pleased with their body?? HUH! Date: 8/8/2008 11:25:33

“Life is about what you do with the resources you were given!”
a True-ism August 2008

Since most women seem to not pleased with their body… What can they do?
Here is an article on some ideas to help:
We hope you can use this to make a difference in your life ladies!
Read the article below!!
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A woman’s self-esteem and self-confidence are even more closely connected to her body than is the casewith men.And they’re connected in a different way.What percentage of the female population feels genuinely proud of their bodies? I shutter to think, having met very, very few women like this. Almost every woman today – and it’s a great tragedyfor the younger ones in particular – have a HUGEsense of physical inadequacy. They think…- My breasts are too small- My butt is too big- My breasts sag- My legs are just big cellulite deposits- My gut is too big- My triceps are just flab- I have stretch marks
- Etc, etc, etc….

Now, we could get into a whole discussion here about whether what a woman doesn’t like about her body is REAL or just a product of media manipulation… but we don’t need to go there.Why not? Simple. Because when a woman findsthe DETERMINATION to get the body she reallywants, she starts to see much more ACCURATELYwhat having a truly GREAT body really means.And she comes to realize the few things shecan’t change – like her height, general breastsize, and natural build – CANNOT PREVENT HER from becoming BEAUTIFUL.TO HAVE GREAT SELF-CONFIDENCE, A WOMAN NEEDS…-to FEEL like a woman, to have a woman’s hourglassfigure, to feel sexy and to FEEL BEAUTIFUL and ATTRACTIVE in her own mind.This means, by the way, that Warriorship is a little different for women. While men also need to start with the body in order to transform their lives, this is even MORE vital for women.

THE USUAL EXCUSES…- I’m too old- You can’t get your figure back after (take yourpick) childbirth, 40, 50, menopause…- I’m just naturally (take your pick) too fat, havea big butt, have thunder thighs…Now, there’s one thing you need to know about all thoseexcuses…They’re total BS. Yes, excuse my language butit’s true. They are LIES and need to be seen for what they are.They’re just stuff you’ve learned from your culture and they’re nonsense.

My friend Linda would agree with me. You see, she’s a fitness trainer… and a grandmother! She recentlydid a talk at a local high school and one of the guys in the class said, “You sure don’t look like MY grandma!”But he was probably just emotionally confused about how he could possibly find any grandmother “sexy”

So the FACT, Dear Lady, is that you CAN have the body you want. There’s even better news though – getting the body you want will give you the self-image and self-confidence you need to lead a truly excellent life, with excellent health and deeply fulfilling relationships.The huge health benefits you get along the way areimportant, for sure, but it’s the change in your SELF-IMAGE that’s the really big deal here……because that’s what will change your results in every area of your life, and with very little efforton your part.That’s why getting the body you really WANT pays suchhuge dividends.

WHY YOU’VE FAILED BEFOREIn just about every case I’ve seen where a womanhas tried to stick to a fitness program or a diet and then relapsed, here’s why…1) The program was poorly designed – you were setup to fail2) Your goals were far too general3) Because you didn’t see results and didn’t have a clear and compelling vision of what you wanted, you didn’t have the motivation.NOW… think for a minute…What if you had a superbly designed program that’s been PROVEN to give women the body they want AND that was designed by a woman who’s been in YOUR situation?Would that get your attention? And what if this program required only a few workouts a week, very little equipment and you could do it all at home… at your convenience?And if the person who designed the program was notonly a mother, a weight-loss success story turnedfitness model, and certified fitness trainer, but also……someone who’s given thousands of people just like you the body they want?

http://www.warriorcoachinginternational.com/fitnessmodelprogramMeet Jennifer Nicole Lee. Jennifer’s one of the few people out there who understands the vital importance of getting the body you want in orderto get the mindset you want.And she’ll show you EXACTLY what to do so that youget that body and that confidence, often in a matter ofweeks.Your life is too precious to waste. If you’re living with a body you’re none too proud of, thennow’s the time to change that situation, once and for all.
http://www.warriorcoachinginternational.com/fitnessmodelprogram After we reviewed a bunch of the best fitness systemsout there for women, Jennifer’s approach has come out on top.Simply put, her system has a solid track record andif you follow through with it, it WILL deliver. The great thing about any superb fitness system is that you see results fast. And once you see results,you become wildly enthusiastic about your practice.You no longer need someone to motivate you – and Jennifer knows that’s her job in the beginning – youget motivated every time you look in the mirror andlove what you see. That much is true for us guys too! Is all this just “vanity”? NO. Vanity is totally self-centered. This is not. Because until you have self-confidence, you can’t give it to others. And thousands of people around you, probably including your own loved ones, desperately need to know what you WILL KNOW just a few weeks from now. They need to know:- That they CAN change their lives- That they CAN have a positive self-image and greatself-confidence inspite of the nonsense in the meda- That they can enjoy superb health and great relationshipsSo getting the body you want can be a GREAT GIFT to everyone around you. By doing this, you’ll become a true Warrior and able to inspire others to takecharge of their lives too.

http://www.warriorcoachinginternational.com/fitnessmodelprogram
I look forward to hearing about your new body, Dr. Symeon Rodger