fusion

This unfortunately may be the best option. Personally I'd like a system that is based on usage, but that system would be huge and costly in its self. In the end it's probably impractical. It also wouldn't provide for things you may not use directly.

AWESOME! I'm going to have such a huge audience for my wreck this year!!!!!

I agree to a point, the system in place doesn't work.

Some of those childcares charge even during services and same thing for their after school activities, which are for the benefit of the membership not the community. It could also be seen as a recruiting tool. Food drives, as said already, create a charity for it. Marriages have nothing to do with it and neither does counseling unless that counseling is as a charitable org, then see above. If it's going to a good cause, once again, see above...form a charitable org. If it's not lining someone's pockets just make sure every penny is accounted for and itemized to the IRS. Pretty easy to hide when you take in so much in cash donations though.

Charity for charity's sake. Tax the church, not the charity. Make them independent.

I know it wasn't in response to me but I'm not sure I understand that statement.

and that's exactly it...

That argument doesn't work. The Red Cross is purely a charity. A church != charity. That's why we have different types of non-profits already including some that do charge members and some that work purely on donations. I'm really not sure it should matter the size or if they are trying to start up. If they don't just follow under non-profit rules the exist for other organizations, most new and small businesses already receive additional tax breaks/incentives.

Church doesn't equal typical non-profit. Churches as a non-profit are actually considered a special case (as IP noted earlier) due to First Amendment concerns: "respecting an establishment of religion" and there's no "prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Personally I think it's a weak excuse. If anything not taxing Churches based on that treats them as special and not equal purely based on religion. Taxing them like any other business that provides a service or allowing them to fall under some of the same laws that allow private country clubs to operate as non profits would be more appropriate. By making a law that says 'Churches' aren't taxed in its self can be seen as making a law "respecting an establishment of religion." A stretch? Maybe. It does however break neutrality in regards to religion in general (religious organization vs non-).

No point in avoiding it. They have some great stuff. I make it point to check Google Labs a few times a week to see what new they have cooking up.

I need fewer Gmail accounts. I just checked 3 of them and none of them have my Google Wave invite from a while ago.

That one's kind of fun. Good find. Google Skymap is probably still my favorite so far.

We've played it a bit. It's fun.

I don't think that is the primary complaint at all in this.

That's awesome, other than the flight of course. Can't wait to see more pics.

Tell me about it. The $100K-$175k numbers I posted earlier were from a bulk buy in a really long contract for the Army that I had gleamed from an article sometime ago. Either I remembered the price wrong or the individual buy price is significantly more than buying them in a Sam's club sized 34,000 pack.

Look a repost, the search function must be broken. Too bad it's not Google based.

This should give you at least some idea. This is from an article on refurbished FMTVs. "The Reset Program results have been tremendous. TVS has been able to rebuild and return all of the reset trucks on time or ahead of schedule. The units received like-new vehicles for 29 to 61 percent ($72,042 to $198,166) less than the price of a new vehicle, depending on the truck variant."

to the board!

If they are present and don't they can probably be charged with negligence. Now whether or not it sticks is another question. I'd like to think most would also.