OT: Zero gravity

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Chris Guynn - 10 Feb 2004 22:28 GMT

When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that
ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem,
NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 million developing a pen that writes
in zero gravity, upside down, on almost any surface including glass, and at
temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300 C.

The Russians used a Pencil.

Enjoy paying your taxes -- it's that time again.

Signature

C Guynn

"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution
which granted a right to Congress
of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their
constituents...." --James Madison

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Dan Bracuk, CTHD - 10 Feb 2004 22:41 GMT

"Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@sbcglobal.N.O.S.P.A.M.net> pounded away at
his keyboard resulting in:

:Enjoy paying your taxes -- it's that time again.

In Canada you pay your taxes all year long.

Dan Bracuk
If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure.
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/

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Lee Bell - 10 Feb 2004 23:44 GMT

> "Chris Guynn" <chris.guynn@sbcglobal.N.O.S.P.A.M.net> pounded away at
> his keyboard resulting in:
> :Enjoy paying your taxes -- it's that time again.
>
> In Canada you pay your taxes all year long.

So do we. This is the time that we file our tax returns, which tell us if
we get a refund or get to pay more . . . plus interest and penalties.

Lee

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Dan Bracuk, CTHD - 11 Feb 2004 00:21 GMT

"Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.netcom.com> pounded away at his keyboard
resulting in:

:So do we. This is the time that we file our tax returns, which tell us if
:we get a refund or get to pay more . . . plus interest and penalties.

The only time we are assessed interest or penalties are if we miss
some sort of deadline.

Dan Bracuk
If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure.
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/

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Lee Bell - 11 Feb 2004 00:35 GMT

> "Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.netcom.com> pounded away at his keyboard
> resulting in:
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> The only time we are assessed interest or penalties are if we miss
> some sort of deadline.

That's the basis for our interest and penalties. You're supposed to pay
your taxes as you earn your income, at least quarterly. If you fail to pay
enough, by more than $1,000, I think, you may be required to pay interest
and penalties, i.e. you didn't pay enough, soon enough.

Lee

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Dan Bracuk, CTHD - 11 Feb 2004 00:52 GMT

"Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.netcom.com> pounded away at his keyboard
resulting in:

:That's the basis for our interest and penalties. You're supposed to pay
:your taxes as you earn your income, at least quarterly. If you fail to pay
:enough, by more than $1,000, I think, you may be required to pay interest
:and penalties, i.e. you didn't pay enough, soon enough.

Not so up here. In Canada you do your return and pay up or get a
refund as appropriate.

But, if you have to pay up a large amount, or if you have to pay up
year in and year out, you start to receive Instalment Reminders.
That's what they are called. Actually they are installment
notifications in that you are presented with an amount and a deadline.
Failure to pay the amount by the deadline is what triggers the
interest and penalties.

Dan Bracuk
If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure.
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/

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Chris Guynn - 11 Feb 2004 16:29 GMT

> > "Lee Bell" <leebell@ix.netcom.com> pounded away at his keyboard
> > resulting in:
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Lee

That's basically correct from what I've seen, but there are exceptions (if
the amount you owed this year far exceeds the amount you owed last year and
such). I got about $1200 back last year and am having to send an extra $700
this year. I'm not very happy about it.

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chilly - 11 Feb 2004 05:18 GMT

You do? I don't.

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Dan Bracuk, CTHD - 12 Feb 2004 01:06 GMT

"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> pounded away at his keyboard resulting
in:

:You do? I don't.

You send a cheque once a year?
Your income is so low you are excempt income tax?
You don't declare any income?

Dan Bracuk
If at first you don't succeed, you run the risk of failure.
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/

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chilly - 12 Feb 2004 07:49 GMT

> "chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> pounded away at his keyboard resulting
> in:
> :You do? I don't.
>
> You send a cheque once a year?

I send a cheque once a year. I pay my penalties accrued due to nonpayment
of quarterlies. My income fluctuates from year to year and I resent making
quarterlies based on a prior years income. Sometimes it is less, sometimes
it is more. I also have RRSP contributions and varying expenses, which also
contribute to variance. The penalties that I have to pay are less than a) I
make on my money and b) my money is better used servicing any debt that I
have at a higher interest rate.

> Your income is so low you are excempt income tax?

:^)

> You don't declare any income?

:^) That would be illegal.

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KB9WFK - 10 Feb 2004 23:06 GMT

>When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that
>ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem,
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>Enjoy paying your taxes -- it's that time again.

Cute, but still a hoax.
http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp

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Gary Owens - 10 Feb 2004 23:49 GMT

I've got 1 in my dive log, and so does my wife, writes on wet log just fine
gary

> >When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that
> >ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem,
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Cute, but still a hoax.
> http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp

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KB9WFK - 11 Feb 2004 01:44 GMT

>I've got 1 in my dive log, and so does my wife, writes on wet log just fine
>gary

The Pen itself isn't a hoax. The story of the origins of the pen are.
I posted a link to the page explaining the hoax.
kb9wfk

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Joe English - 11 Feb 2004 00:27 GMT

> When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that
> ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat this problem,
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Enjoy paying your taxes -- it's that time again.

But the pencil shaving caused havoc with the co2 cannisters!

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