Mitt Romney Tax Return

Jan 24 2012

Now that Mitt Romeny’s tax returns have been released I have had a chance to go through the numbers.  He will pay $6.2 million in taxes on $42.5 million of “income”  for 2010 -2011.

The percentage breakdown looks like this:

  • 2010 – 13.9% tax rate
  • 2011 – 15.4% tax rate
What’s interesting is that the Gingriches pay the standard 31.5% tax rate, while the Romneys are paying about a 15% tax rate.  The Obamas paid a 26.3% tax rate.
Here’s the tax rate these wage earners paid:
  • Romney – 13.9%
  • Obama – 26.3%
  • Gingrich – 31.5%
 Under the United States tax code, capital gains are taxed at 15%, compared to the top tax rate of 35 percent for most wage earners.

The documents also revealed $7 million in charity donations over the last 2 years (most going to the Mormon church) to help reduce his effective tax rate to less than 16%.  Experts have estimated Romney’s net worth is $190 – $250 million, which makes him one of the wealthiest Americans  to seek presidency.

In this video Mitt Romney defends his tax returns:

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2012 Primary Debates

Jan 20 2012

I’ve been keeping up with all the 2012 Republican Primary debates and they are proving to be very interesting.  You can watch all the debates online and I’ll add them to my blog.  Here’s the two I have seen so far:

January 16, 2012 – Republican Party Debate in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (100 minutes – Romney, Perry, Gingrich, Santorum, Paul)

 

January 19, 2012 - The Southern Republican Presidential Debate in Charleston, SC (107 minutes – Romney, Gingrich, Santorum, Paul)

 

Upcoming Primary Debates

January 23, 2012 – 9pm ET on NBC
Location:University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida

January 26, 2012 – 9pm ET on CNN
Location: Jacksonville, FL

February 22, 2012 – 8pm ET on CNN
Location: Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona

March 1, 2012 – 8pm ET on CNN
Location: Georgia

March 5, 2012 – 9pm ET on NBC
Location: Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA

March 19, 2012 – 9pm ET on PBS
Location: Portland, OR

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Pokerstars 2012 Marketing Code Doubles Your Money

Dec 09 2011

Well, I’ve had some time to relax and play some free poker games online.  The best software hands down is PokerStars.  I can’t deposit because I’m from the US, but I can play poker at their “play money” tables for free.  If you are not from the US, I found a PokerStars marketing code for 2012 that will double your deposit.

marketing code 2012If you have never played poker with PokerStars before now is the perfect time to start playing! PokerStars is offering a unique opportunity where we will match your first-ever three real money deposits (within 90 days) up to $600! You can double your money just by registering your free PokerStars account and playing with PokerStars and using the official PokerStars marketing code 2012. It’s simple to download the software from our site and then on the page where it states “How did you find out about PokerStars?” You will need to enter the PokerStars marketing code 2012 ‘PSP13785′ into the box.

 

POKERSTARS MARKETING CODE: PSP13785

 

If this is your first-ever real money deposit with PokerStars you can get your deposits matched by entering the bonus code ‘Stars600′ (different than the marketing code) when you make your initial deposit and then while you play you will begin collecting VPPs. When you have accrued VPPs equal to seventeen times ($1 is equal to 17 VPPs) the bonus amount PokerStars will begin paying you your bonus money! You have up to six (6) months to collect your VPPs simply by playing poker on PokerStars and your bonus amount will then be released into your account in increments of ten for your poker playing enjoyment. This is the perfect time to start playing online poker with PokerStars from the convenience of your own home computer, play a little bit or play all night long and while utilizing the PokerStars marketing code 2012 promotion it will give you the opportunity to play and win twice as much free money! If you have any questions about this 2012 PokerStars marketing code you can contact support@pokerstars.com for assistance.

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Golf Putting Tips

Dec 07 2011

When playing golf, it can be extremely difficult to figure out many minute techniques ranging from figuring the exact power needed to drive the ball or even to gain exemplary golf swing skills. Similarly, learning to use golf putters in an accurate manner requires plenty of golf training.  In addition to reducing putting strokes, reading golf GPS reviews and getting a good GPS unit will shave even more strokes off your game.

Plenty of people spend years trying to polish or even gain golf putting skills. While some people seek the assistance of training schools or others golfers, there are plenty of individuals who opt to practice golf on their own. Irrespective of all these means of training, there are legitimate methods by which you can gain golf training. Plenty of golf professionals practice putting with closed eyes because it helps get a good feel for the stroke. The three most basic steps to this “eyes-closed” putting technique are:

  1. Drop a few golf balls onto the green and with any golf putter, practice putting them with closed eyes. Pay full attention to how your stroke flows.
  2. Drop a few more golf balls and putt with your eyes wide open. Do not get carried away and try to aim towards a goal. Instead, make sure you feel the putt and pay attention to the stroke without worrying about where the ball is headed towards.
  3. The final step is to try and putt towards a goal while keeping the eyes closed. Put down a golf ball on the green and then take a good look at the green and your target. Close your eyes relax and try to swing with the same feeling that you felt before; make sure your feeling is in the direction of the target.

Applying this technique in your daily golf plays will help you develop the right set of skills for use with your golf putters. However, keep in mind that you cannot become a professional over time when it comes to golf putters. Plenty of practices, time, effort and hard work will be needed to excel in this area of golf.

Another essential aspect of learning how to use golf putters, is the ability to read the greens. As a golf player, you are already probably aware all greens are not identical. On top of this, it has to be remembered that golf putters should be used in different ways in different types of terrain. Hence it is extremely important for golfers to get an idea of how to interpret the nature and the shape of the green on which they are going to play.

Reading the greens is not “rocket science,” meaning it is probably not as difficult as you think it may be. However, just like any other aspect of golf, it certainly does take some practice and involvement, to get accurate and correct readings. Unless you have a full understanding of the greens, it may be difficult to get the best control from golf putters.

 

I’ve recently switched from a Ping putter to the Odyssey Hot White XG blade putter and I am absolutely loving it!

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Poker After Dark Cancelled

Nov 30 2011

Poker After Dark TV Show

 

I’ve been wondering why I only see Poker After Dark re-runs, so I started doing some research. Apparently NBC pulled the plug on their late night tv poker series after the whole “Black Friday” situation on April 15, 2011.

The Poker After Dark TV Show is a new concept by NBC which can be enjoyed six nights a week. At 2.45 AM you can watch exciting tournaments with professional players. The buy-in is big and so are the prizes. This is the kind of entertainment that fits all types of viewers and you don’t really have to be a poker player to enjoy it. While the show is mostly about having fun you will also be able to learn a great deal about professional poker by simply observing the games.

6 Players Play for 6 Days

poker after dark cancelled
Each week the Poker After Dark TV Show presents 6 different professional poker players. There are also less professional players around the table. These amateurs are known for other achievements. One example is the popular actor Jason Alexander whom everyone knows as George Costanza in the TV Show Seinfeld. Men and women play together and you get a close up on the personality and skills of each player.

Friends Off and On the Table

Each player in Poker After Dark has to make a buy-in of $20,000. The winner walks away with 120K and all participants are rewarded good parting gifts. This adds to the excitement of the show. Players who are usually very good friends have to face competing for this big amount of money and things start to look different. This is where the competitive natures of the players come forward and interesting interactions and discussions take place.

Close up on Professional Poker

Host of the show is Leann Tweeden and together with her the actions of each player will be followed up closely. From the moment that the decks are shuffled to the very last show down you’ll be able to watch the choices and character of each player. You might find it easy to call the bluffs but remember that watching the games on TV gives a much better overview than what each individual player around the table has. In the very first Poker After Dark we got to see Phil Hellmuth loose his cools in a fashion not unusual for him as a player. He didn’t stay in the game and perhaps he should watch a rerun of the show to work on his poker face tactics.

Learning with the Pros

It is Full Tilt Poker that stands behind the pros of Poker After Dark and they invite everyone to get closer to the players in their poker room. After watching the games you might be tempted to learn more by playing against the players you saw on TV. On Full Tilt Poker’s site this is possible and you can even chat with the individual players. You can also get closer to the table through the forum on the Poker After Dark web site. In this forum you can discuss the games and add your opinion about them. You can suggest players for the show as well as give your favorite participants some extra support.

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Collecting Palladium Coins

Nov 27 2011

Palladium Coins are often valuable to investors because their beauty creates demand for them, even among people who are not investors. The coins are often preferred to bullion because of the ease with which they can be sold. Two mining companies that investors can look into are Stillwater Mining and North American Palladium. Be aware of the size and speculative nature of these companies before investing, however. Exchange funds enable tracking of palladium’s price. These funds can help you to spread the risk over several companies and allows investors to take a passive approach. Futures are the fifth option, and while they can offer a large return if speculation pays off, these investments often also carry a great deal of risk.

Many nations issue currency in the forum of bullion coins. Even though the printed face value of these coins may be relatively low, the actual price for the constituent metal itself may be orders of magnitude larger. For example, American Eagle 1/10 troy ounce coins have a face value of $5 even though the asking price for a troy ounce of gold is over $1100 US dollars as of the time of this article. Many countries issue bullion and coins made out of precious metals, but in recent years only Canada and Switzerland produce palladium coins and bars. These coins and bars may be purchased from reputable dealers or from the mints of these countries directly. The choice of whether to buy coins or bars depends on the budget of the buyer. Naturally being larger in size, bars cost more than coins. Regardless of whether or not one chooses coins or bars, the best advice is to buy palladium bullion at the best price possible. In recent years, the price of palladium has fallen from its record high set in 2000 and 2001, but the price of palladium has been known to go up and down cyclically throughout the years.

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