"Being jailed after police discovered they had outstanding warrants for unreturned library books."
But bank looters of billions and trillions are too big to jail! Now I'm not advocating you steal library books, far from it (who goes to a library anyway these days? Homeless people?), and Lord knows I love books considering the thousands of dollars I've wasted on them over my lifetime (instead of being smart and learning video games), but this article $hows how completely bankrupt money-grubbing governments have failed. It costs more to prosecute these cases than they get back, but it doesn't matter. Just advance the $ecurity state as far as you can and make a buck off it!
That's the me$$age coming from this government that $o protect$ and love$ you!
"More libraries are throwing the book at scofflaws; Failure to return items can net jail time" by Will Weissert | Associated Press, December 28, 2013
AUSTIN, Texas — A Texas man who was arrested for failing to return an overdue library book has ignited an online flurry of snarky comments and headlines about the Lone Star State extending its tough-on-crime bravado to books.
I'm not saying a word.
But such cases aren’t unheard of, and many communities faced with shrinking budgets and rising costs have ordinances calling for fines or even arrest warrants when library property isn’t returned.
In Texas alone, the issue has cost libraries an estimated $18 million....
Where is all the generous charity our overlords and ma$ters are supposedly offering to make us all happy, healthy, and whole?
See: Donor-advised funds: Where charity goes to wait
Oh, it's all a tax break, huh?
It is an issue that has cost libraries a lot of money....
This book stinks!
Among the most notable library-related arrests came in 2011, when a man from Newton, Iowa, served more than a week in jail for failing to return 11 library books and six CDs worth $770....
What is next, debtors prisons?
Other notable cases include police being called to the home of a 4-year-old whose family had racked up more than $80 in overdue fines for four books in Freeport, Pa. Police also visited a family’s home in Charlton, Mass., to collect overdue books....
Oh, owing a whole $80 and they had to track 'em down! Shoulda stole trillions of dollars with bad mortgage securities and fraudulent foreclosures. That would have been no problem.
Indiana-based Unique Management Services is a collection agency that works with more than 1,600 libraries nationwide to recover overdue materials and administer fines and fees.
You know, I almo$t knew there was going to be some sort of bu$ine$$ angle to this article because at bottom every single piece of $hit in my agenda-pu$hing, propaganda pre$$ jew$paper is about money!
During sluggish economic times, libraries became more anxious than ever to recover unreturned books, said Kenes Bowling, the agency’s customer development manager.
I was told the recovery was gaining steam and momentum after five years of recovery, blah, blah, f***ing, blah!!!
‘‘They feel the budgetary pressure, no doubt,’’ Bowling said. ‘‘But what we’ve seen over the years is that, no matter what the library does, there’s still a percentage of folks who need third party encouragement.’’
That includes a woman whose excuse for unreturned books ranks as Bowling’s favorite: I don't care what kitschy ending this short story has.
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Another article buried deep in the lower-righthand corner of bu$ine$$ page B7:
"Underwater homeowners could face tax shocker in 2014" by Amrita Jayakumar | Washington Post, December 28, 2013
WASHINGTON — Struggling homeowners could be hit with an unexpected tax bill in the new year.
A law that spared people who owe more than their homes are worth from being saddled with additional taxes when their banks provide mortgage relief expires next week. Congress hasn’t extended it.
(Blog editor is beside himself because if this $hit Congre$$ really cared about the American people this absurdity and in$ult would have been addressed. But nope, no more food stamps, no more unemployment checks, no home relief from banks! Nope, the military was made whole and Congre$$ has agreed on $o much $ince but we got broken f***ing city down there! Pfffft!)
Underwater homeowners often try to negotiate with their bank so that they can sell their homes for less than they owe in a short sale or have their mortgage balance reduced. But the difference between what the homeowner owes and the lower sales price approved by the bank is considered income for the homeowner and subject to tax by the IRS.
Wait a minute; you take a LO$$ and the GOVERNMENT counts it as INCOME!?
For example, someone with a $100,000 mortgage who is allowed to sell their house for $80,000 is supposed to pay taxes on the remaining $20,000.
Related: State Street Stealers
Oh, but BANKS, FINANCIAL INVESTMENT FIRMS, and CORPORATIONS can use those losses as write-offs for years so they can avoid paying taxes on future record profits after their losses were bailed out?!! Not only did they and others not pay taxes, they got a big old tax check from the government!
You $EE where your TAX LOOT is going as "au$terity" is pushed upon you by the very cla$$es that have benefited so tremendously from your misery?
And now they are LOOKING for LIBRARY BOOKS!
But a law known as the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act saved such homeowners from the tax burden. Last year, Congress rushed to extend the law during negotiations about the so-called fiscal cliff, but only through the end of 2013. Now it’s down to the wire again.
Related: Sunday Globe Specials: Fiscal Cliff Fraud
Oh, the TAX HIKE on the wealthy was actually a TAX CUT, huh? Makes one wonder what was in the recent agreement.
Lawmakers and housing advocates argue that the rule hurts those who are already financially strapped.
That's 21$t-century AmeriKa for you.
Since 2009, more than 220,000 homeowners have sold their houses for less than they were worth through a short sale with help from a government program.
That's some help, especially since they told AIG to pay dollar for dollar back to Goldman Sachs.
Yeah, government helped you take a loss, taxed it, and then saw that you were thrown out.
Bailouts would have been better (and cheaper) had they just paid your mortgage for you. But then banks wouldn't have been able to seize property to put assets behind their worthle$$ paper.
There are more than 6 million homes still underwater across the country, according to a third-quarter report from research company CoreLogic.
Literally drowning in debt.
That is down from more than 11 million homes during the peak of the housing crisis in 2009, but it shows that despite the sector’s strong recovery, many homeowners aren’t out of the woods.
‘‘What you’re looking at is people who have lost their house,’’ said Marceline White, executive director of the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition. ‘‘And then to have them hit with this [tax] just boggles the mind.’’
They didn't lose it, it was taken from them, same as their jobs.
Related: Battling Big Banks a Moot Point in Massachusetts
And the Globe is their mouthpiece.
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At the federal level, there are three bills — two in the House and one in the Senate — that call for the law’s extension. One of the House bills enjoys strong bipartisan support, but it is unclear whether Congress will make the law a priority next year.
Do I even need to f***ing type it!?!
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Also see: Slow Saturday Special: Congre$$ Pi$$es on Unemployed
It's the first thing I do when I get up in the morning, and I believe I'm all out of urine now.
I'll be making my own back page for I have a basketball game this morning, dear readers. I will be back later with more posts, Slow Saturday Specials, and and the beginning of a series of Sunday Globe Specials and related items. I would advise you to stay tuned and not touch that dial.
