Nearly Half of All Americans Don’t Pay Income Taxes - most of that population receives generous federal benefits -

Nearly Half of All Americans Don’t Pay Income Taxes - most of that population receives generous federal benefits - 


This year’s Index of Dependence on Government presented startling findings about the sharp increase of Americans who rely on the federal government for housing, food, income, student aid or other assistance. (See last week’s chart.)
Another eye-popping number was the percentage of Americans who don’t pay income taxes, which now accounts for nearly half of the U.S. population. Meanwhile, most of that population receives generous federal benefits.
“One of the most worrying trends in the Index is the coinciding growth in the non-taxpaying public,” wrote Heritage authors Bill Beach and Patrick Tyrrell. “The percentage of people who do not pay federal income taxes, and who are not claimed as dependents by someone who does pay them, jumped from 14.8 percent in 1984 to 49.5 percent in 2009.”
That means 151.7 million Americans paid nothing in 2009. By comparison, 34.8 million tax filers paid no taxes in 1984.
The rapid growth of Americans who don’t pay income taxes is particularly alarming for the fate of the American form of government, Beach and Tyrrell warned. Coupled with higher spending on government programs, it is already proving to be a major fiscal challenge.


Read more - 
http://blog.heritage.org/2012/02/19/chart-of-the-week-nearly-half-of-all-americans-dont-pay-income-taxes/

Woman in Texas struck by bullet from Mexico -

Woman in Texas struck by bullet from Mexico - 


A woman shopping on a busy downtown El Paso street became the first victim of bullets flying across the border from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on Tuesday when she was hit in the calf and wounded, authorities said.
The 48-year-old woman, whose name has not been released, was pushing a stroller when she was struck. Gregg Allen, El Paso's chief of police, said the wound was caused by a "full metal jacket hard-nosed bullet" like those used in assault rifles.


Because of that, he said, the projectile caused a clean exit wound. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was treated and released.
El Paso Mayor John Cook asked residents to remain calm, saying there is "no way to prevent incidents like this from happening" and the odds of getting hit by a stray bullet are minimal.
Many people who were in the area at first didn't realize what had happened.
"We didn't hear anything. The first thing we heard was the firemen coming, but we didn't know what was happening," said Luis Gomez, a pedestrian who was shopping in the same area where the woman was hit.
She was struck at the same time Juarez police were battling alleged carjackers a few hundred feet from the U.S. border. Allen said reports indicate up to 50 shots were fired in that gunfight.




Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/21/woman-in-texas-struck-by-bullet-from-mexico/?test=latestnews

The founder of the filesharing website Megaupload, Kim Dotcom, was granted bail and released on Wednesday -

The founder of the filesharing website Megaupload, Kim Dotcom, was granted bail and released on Wednesday  - 

The founder of the filesharing website Megaupload, Kim Dotcom, was granted bail and released on Wednesday after a New Zealand judge determined that authorities have seized any funds he might have used to flee the country.



Dotcom, who US authorities allege facilitated millions of illegal downloads through his company, has been in custody since his arrest on Jan 20.
Magila Annandale, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Justice, said the ministry was seeking details on the conditions of Dotcom's release. District courts in New Zealand typically don't require a monetary bond when granting bail.
US authorities claim Megaupload cost movie makers and songwriters some half a billion dollars in lost copyright revenue. They are trying to extradite Dotcom, 28, and three of his colleagues on racketeering charges.
New Zealand authorities have seized millions of dollars in investments and assets owned by Dotcom, including luxury cars and artworks.
North Shore District Court Judge Nevin Dawson found that the German-born Dotcom no longer posed a significant flight risk because, as far as the court was aware, he wasn't hiding any money or assets that could help him flee the country. New Zealand courts had earlier turned down Dotcom's bail application and a subsequent appeal, saying he did pose a flight risk, but Dawson said those decisions were made when details about Dotcom's assets remained unclear.


Read more - 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/internet/9097530/Megaupload-founder-Kim-Dotcom-granted-bail.html