I have to admit, I DID read the terms of service, but somehow didn't read that part for some reason. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
I'm a privacy advocate also, and I will NEVER volunteer any information unless required by law or court order.
However, how is this worse than the land-line companies? The Ma and Baby Bells require a Social Security Number to sign up for service. Vonage does not, although they require a credit card, which I suppose someone could find my SSN from that, but at least they don't have it outright.
And don't ISPs' TOS have similar clauses?
Even worse, what about all those fancy cell phones you people have with GPS on them? Not only do cell companies require an SSN, driver's license, and other sensitive information, but NOW they can pinpoint your exact location and offer it up to the cops! Hey, to prevent terrorism and drugs, right?
Unfortunately, a private phone line is truly an oxymoron. I wish it weren't the case, but VERY few people care or even believe the collectivist and socialist ideologies that we ALL must lose our rights and privacy in order for us to be safe.
I'm just seeing it like it is, and it ain't pretty.
Anyone notice that no MS ergonomic keyboard is suitable for "home keys" typing?
You are supposed to hit the "6" key with your RIGHT index finger. But the geniuses at Microsoft decided to put it on the LEFT side.
And even more diappointing is that now almost all keyboard manufacturers blindly follow what MS is doing. Therefore, there are very few ergonomic keyboards suitable for "home keys" typing these days.
I took quite a few typing classes when I was in school. And I'll be sure to teach my son how to type properly. Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people can beat me by touch typing. But the utter lack of proper puncuation, spelling, capitalization, and even grammar from touch typing like a maniac is extremely annoying to me, and makes me doubt the intelligence or maturity level of the person typing out the gibberish.
And the most valuable benefit of learning how to type correctly is that you can "feel" mistakes instead of having to shift your eyes from keyboard to keys to paper, etc.
I'm not sure how valuable as a work-skill being a fast and accurate typist is now, but I was able to score some great paying gigs when I was a kid. Unfortunately, the cancelled the computer literacy class at my school, so typing was the only other "vocational" class that I could take.
It's a great skill that everyone should try to learn.
"Hey Jack! The whole purpose of our democracy is to keep us safe from the tyranny of the majority."
No, that would be the purpose of a republic, but a lot of us, including our "leaders" seem to get that one wrong also.
You see, if we lived in a pure democracy, Al Gore would have been elected in 2000, since he received the majority of the votes, hanging chads in Florida notwithstanding:)
In fact, you will find quote after quote of our forefathers warning of the dangers of a democracy.
The fact that many of our "leaders" don't understand this is downright scary.
It's not like you need another example of how George Bush is really mentally deficient, but when he invades a sovereign nation and states he is "defending democracy" when it was the voting principals of a REPUBLIC that got him elected, it really makes me worried that this idiot has nuclear weapons at his disposal.
Before you started slandering the websites I have mentioned, you should have gotten proof that there were ties between those organizations I mentioned and any organization which promoted the overthrow of the United States government by violent means.
If I were you, I would retract your statement immediately, unless you have documented proof to support your accusations.
If you simply visited the websites, you would have found that their claims are proven by the laws passed by Congress, specifically Title 26, the Internal Revenue Code. In fact, they SELL the Internal Revenue Code. What laws do YOU follow when you pay your income taxes?
Yes, it is common knowledge the IRS breaks it's own laws every day in order to coerce, exthort, intimidate, and threaten American citizens into paying a tax that does not apply to them.
The only advice I gave was to visit those sites to gain more knowledge. I did NOT tell anyone to stop paying their taxes. You should ALWAYS consult the IRS, your accountant, or other tax professionals and see how they answer. I have to forewarn you that the answers you may receive from these "tax professionals" may not be very satisfying.
So please try to keep your chubby little fingers from typing something that will make you the target of a lawsuit. I'm expecting a retraction of your statement.
I know that if I go to the CA state law and/or their website, they repeatedly state it is VOLUNTARY to report your purchases on the state income tax forms. They also want you to enter their VOLUNTARY program to make paying your use tax easier.
As other posters have pointed out, this CLEARLY violates the Consitution's limitation that only CONGRESS can regulate interstate commerce, and NOT the states themselves. Paying a tax on stuff you acquired from outside the state (over the internet, the purchase takes place in the state where the item is located at the time of purchase) is CLEARLY regulating it. We threw out the Articles of Confederation for our current Constitution because states were introducing their own tarrifs(sp?) on things from other states.
Another thing: Resellers of merchandise charge sales tax because they must or lose their business license. Last time I checked, I didn't acquire a license from the State of CA to purchase merchandise nor did the business in New Jersey acquire their license from the State of CA to sell the merchandise. Clearly a lack of jurisdiction here, unless I VOLUNTEER to be under their jurisdiction.
Just like the income tax, what you say you owe under penalty of perjury makes you LIABLE for the tax.
Again, just put a big fat -0- in that space.
Perhaps you should also check out the fact that most Americans working in this country are NOT liable for an income tax either. Some great sites are:
www.paynoincometax.com www.givemeliberty.org w ww.americanradioshow.us (archived radio shows about the subject)
Time for people to learn the truth about this fraud.
Slashdot Mirror
I have to admit, I DID read the terms of service, but somehow didn't read that part for some reason. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
I'm a privacy advocate also, and I will NEVER volunteer any information unless required by law or court order.
However, how is this worse than the land-line companies? The Ma and Baby Bells require a Social Security Number to sign up for service. Vonage does not, although they require a credit card, which I suppose someone could find my SSN from that, but at least they don't have it outright.
And don't ISPs' TOS have similar clauses?
Even worse, what about all those fancy cell phones you people have with GPS on them? Not only do cell companies require an SSN, driver's license, and other sensitive information, but NOW they can pinpoint your exact location and offer it up to the cops! Hey, to prevent terrorism and drugs, right?
Unfortunately, a private phone line is truly an oxymoron. I wish it weren't the case, but VERY few people care or even believe the collectivist and socialist ideologies that we ALL must lose our rights and privacy in order for us to be safe.
I'm just seeing it like it is, and it ain't pretty.
Anyone notice that no MS ergonomic keyboard is suitable for "home keys" typing? You are supposed to hit the "6" key with your RIGHT index finger. But the geniuses at Microsoft decided to put it on the LEFT side. And even more diappointing is that now almost all keyboard manufacturers blindly follow what MS is doing. Therefore, there are very few ergonomic keyboards suitable for "home keys" typing these days. I took quite a few typing classes when I was in school. And I'll be sure to teach my son how to type properly. Yeah, I'm sure a lot of people can beat me by touch typing. But the utter lack of proper puncuation, spelling, capitalization, and even grammar from touch typing like a maniac is extremely annoying to me, and makes me doubt the intelligence or maturity level of the person typing out the gibberish. And the most valuable benefit of learning how to type correctly is that you can "feel" mistakes instead of having to shift your eyes from keyboard to keys to paper, etc. I'm not sure how valuable as a work-skill being a fast and accurate typist is now, but I was able to score some great paying gigs when I was a kid. Unfortunately, the cancelled the computer literacy class at my school, so typing was the only other "vocational" class that I could take. It's a great skill that everyone should try to learn.
"Hey Jack! The whole purpose of our democracy is to keep us safe from the tyranny of the majority." No, that would be the purpose of a republic, but a lot of us, including our "leaders" seem to get that one wrong also. You see, if we lived in a pure democracy, Al Gore would have been elected in 2000, since he received the majority of the votes, hanging chads in Florida notwithstanding :)
In fact, you will find quote after quote of our forefathers warning of the dangers of a democracy.
The fact that many of our "leaders" don't understand this is downright scary.
It's not like you need another example of how George Bush is really mentally deficient, but when he invades a sovereign nation and states he is "defending democracy" when it was the voting principals of a REPUBLIC that got him elected, it really makes me worried that this idiot has nuclear weapons at his disposal.
Here you go, straight from the horse's mouth.
http://www.boe.ca.gov/sutax/isvdprog.htm
That couldn't be more of an unfounded lie.
Before you started slandering the websites I have mentioned, you should have gotten proof that there were ties between those organizations I mentioned and any organization which promoted the overthrow of the United States government by violent means.
If I were you, I would retract your statement immediately, unless you have documented proof to support your accusations.
If you simply visited the websites, you would have found that their claims are proven by the laws passed by Congress, specifically Title 26, the Internal Revenue Code. In fact, they SELL the Internal Revenue Code. What laws do YOU follow when you pay your income taxes?
Yes, it is common knowledge the IRS breaks it's own laws every day in order to coerce, exthort, intimidate, and threaten American citizens into paying a tax that does not apply to them.
The only advice I gave was to visit those sites to gain more knowledge. I did NOT tell anyone to stop paying their taxes. You should ALWAYS consult the IRS, your accountant, or other tax professionals and see how they answer. I have to forewarn you that the answers you may receive from these "tax professionals" may not be very satisfying.
So please try to keep your chubby little fingers from typing something that will make you the target of a lawsuit. I'm expecting a retraction of your statement.
Finally, a topic to get a /. account for :)
w ww.americanradioshow.us (archived radio shows about the subject)
I know that if I go to the CA state law and/or their website, they repeatedly state it is VOLUNTARY to report your purchases on the state income tax forms. They also want you to enter their VOLUNTARY program to make paying your use tax easier.
As other posters have pointed out, this CLEARLY violates the Consitution's limitation that only CONGRESS can regulate interstate commerce, and NOT the states themselves. Paying a tax on stuff you acquired from outside the state (over the internet, the purchase takes place in the state where the item is located at the time of purchase) is CLEARLY regulating it. We threw out the Articles of Confederation for our current Constitution because states were introducing their own tarrifs(sp?) on things from other states.
Another thing: Resellers of merchandise charge sales tax because they must or lose their business license. Last time I checked, I didn't acquire a license from the State of CA to purchase merchandise nor did the business in New Jersey acquire their license from the State of CA to sell the merchandise. Clearly a lack of jurisdiction here, unless I VOLUNTEER to be under their jurisdiction.
Just like the income tax, what you say you owe under penalty of perjury makes you LIABLE for the tax.
Again, just put a big fat -0- in that space.
Perhaps you should also check out the fact that most Americans working in this country are NOT liable for an income tax either. Some great sites are:
www.paynoincometax.com
www.givemeliberty.org
Time for people to learn the truth about this fraud.