So if a  person buys a computer on January 1st for $399, paper and ink and printer for more than $202 on December 31st of that year from the same person or business (flea market, Bill's Computer Condo, Office Depot) for their office, they are required to file IRS Form 1099.  Forgot about it over the course of the year?  Too bad, you are breaking the law.

If a business or individual pays you more than $600 in a YEAR to clean their offices, they'll be required to 1099 you.  Buy more than $600 in goods from the grocery store in a year for your business?  Form 1099.  Think about it, do you buy bottles of water or soda or snacks to give out to clients or employees?

Are you a freelance writer or designer?  A Doctor or lawyer?  Buy a a 3G iPad?  You will be required to send a 1099 to Apple (all the 3Gs are over $600).  But a Wifi iPad and some songs and apps from Apple iTunes/App Store?  Form 1099.  Realtor?  Your MLS fee's over $600?  1099.  Fish tank in your orthodontic office (our's does)?  1099 to the maintenance company.  Buy a new desk and chair?  1099.  How many people and companies do you have to track?  Will you just consolidate to a few large ones to avoid the paperwork?  So long to a bunch of small businesses.

Buy Starbucks a few times a week for an employee as a reward?  That is about $650 per year if you buy it every other day.  You will have to send Starbucks a 1099.  If you are paying by credit card, it can be - and will be - tracked.

This isn't just anti-business.  It is anti-freedom.  No one who wants to live in a free country wants all their transactions reported to the Federal Government - or to anyone.  People say "But I have nothing to hide, so what is the big deal?"  Okay, we'll be over to install a camera in your bedroom - if you aren't a pedophile, you have nothing to hide, right?  I'd also like copies of your bank accounts and credit card statements.  This is not about "I have nothing to hide," it is about freedom.  Even ignoring how outrageous this concept is and the Constitutionality of it, the fact that in a free country anyone would put up with transaction monitoring at all, let alone this intrusively says a lot about the goals of the people who are advocating it.  It is about control and power over you and the country.  Sure, it starts out as for a "good cause"(tm), but ends up consolidating power and control in a small group of people who want nothing more than the power of life and death over every aspect of the country.

The next will be:  "this is a tremendous burden on people and businesses, so we will just have the credit card companies automatically add up the totals for you and submit them to the IRS electronically.  And as long as we are doing that, why not track everything since those purchases under $600 per year 'lost revenue.'"

It is totalitarianism, all in the name of a "good cause."  It turns us into a nation of snitches - you better file your 1099 because the person on the other end of the transaction will be doing so.  There was a lot of complaining about the Patriot Act monitoring people, but this makes the Patriot Act look like a puddle next to the Pacific.

Here is the language, amendments are in italics and highlighted.

TITLE 26 > Subtitle F > CHAPTER 61 > Subchapter A > PART III > Subpart B > § 6041. Information at source

(a) Payments of $600 or more

All persons engaged in a trade or business and making payment in the course of such trade or business to another person, of rent, salaries, wages, amounts in consideration for property, premiums, annuities, compensations, remunerations, emoluments, or other gross proceeds, fixed or determinable gains, profits, and income (other than payments to which section 6042 (a)(1), 6044 (a)(1), 6047 (e), 6049 (a), or 6050N (a) applies, and other than payments with respect to which a statement is required under the authority of section 6042 (a)(2), 6044 (a)(2), or 6045), of $600 or more in any taxable year, or, in the case of such payments made by the United States, the officers or employees of the United States having information as to such payments and required to make returns in regard thereto by the regulations hereinafter provided for, shall render a true and accurate return to the Secretary, under such regulations and in such form and manner and to such extent as may be prescribed by the Secretary, setting forth the amount of such gross proceeds, gains, profits, and income, and the name and address of the recipient of such payment.

...

(h) Application to Corporations.

Notwithstanding any regulation prescribed by the Secretary before the date of the enactment of this subsection, for purposes of this section the term `person' includes any corporation that is not an organization exempt from tax under section 501(a).

(i) Regulations.

The Secretary may prescribe such regulations and other guidance as may be appropriate or necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, including rules to prevent duplicative reporting of transactions.

A standing military force with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty. The means of defense against foreign danger have been always the instruments of tyranny at home.  James Madison

It is good to see that Google is offering this option.

Receipt and Itinerary as of 05/16/10 2:05 PM
Confirmation Number
QZHCEW

Confirmation Date: 05/16/10
Received: WN/CARL RILEY BY ICBM

Be prepared when you get there!
Consult Travel Guide for relevant
tips from real travelers.

Passenger Information
Passenger Name Account Number Ticket# Expiration1
WETHINGTON/JAKE - None Entered - 5262100650735 05/16/11
1 All travel involving funds from this Confirmation Number must be completed by the expiration date.

Itinerary
Depart: ST LOUIS MO to HOUSTON HOBBY ( Travel Time: 2 hrs 10 mins )
Date Flight Routing Details
Mon Jun 21 # 3038 Depart ST LOUIS MO (STL) at 5:00 PM
Arrive in HOUSTON HOBBY (HOU) at 7:10 PM
Return: HOUSTON HOBBY to ST LOUIS MO ( Travel Time: 2 hrs )
Date Flight Routing Details
Sun Jun 27 # 0954 Depart HOUSTON HOBBY (HOU) at 3:30 PM
Arrive in ST LOUIS MO (STL) at 5:30 PM
Cost and Payment Summary
Base Fare $261.39
+ Excise Taxes $19.61
Advertised Fare $281.00
+ Segment Fee $7.40
+ Passenger Facility Fee $7.50
+ Security Fee1 $5.00
Total Payment: $300.90

1Security Fee is the government-
imposed September 11th Security Fee.

Current payment(s)
05/16/10 Amer Express XXXXXXXXXXX3008 $300.90

Fare Rule(s)
All travel involving funds from this Confirmation Number must be completed by the expiration date. Any change to this itinerary may result in a fare increase.

Fare Calculation:

STL WN HOU124.65S14NTNR WN STL136.74M14NTNR 261.39 END ZPSTLHOU XFSTL4.5HOU3 AY5.00$STL2.50 HOU2.50

Important Checkin Requirement
Passengers who do not obtain a boarding pass and are not present and available for boarding in the departure gate area at least ten minutes prior to scheduled departure time may have their reserved space cancelled and will not be eligible for denied boarding compensation.

Southwest Airlines Co. Notice of Incorporated Terms
Air transportation by Southwest Airlines is subject to Southwest Airlines' Passenger Contract of Carriage, the terms of which are incorporated by reference.

So, the United States can now throw out the old flag while Congress throws out the last vestiges of the Constitution.  As such, a more modern flag is needed.  Several contenders to replace the old "Stars and Stripes" with a more timely flag are shown below.

Which do you prefer?  Let us know in the comments!

Sickle and Stripes - Option 1

Stars, Sickle and Stripes - Option 2

Star-sickle and Stripes - Option 3

After numerous calls over the last few months, including several emails to privacy@att.com and assurances from them that they do protect client privacy, AT&T sent us Mordecai Alpert's payment information from today.  AT&T has still refused to answer questions regarding how little they are doing to protect Mordecai Alpert's privacy.

Hello MORDECAI ALPERT:

Please contact AT&T Wireless regarding account number 523024065xxx at 1-800-947-5096. Thank You.

-------------------------------

Your Wireless Bill is Ready Online

Hello MORDECAI ALPERT,

Your monthly wireless bill (for account 523024065xxx ) is now available for review online.

Log in today to view your bill and make a payment.

Thank You,

AT&T

Your Wireless Bill is Ready Online

Hello MORDECAI ALPERT,
Your monthly wireless bill (for account 523024065xxx ) is now available for review online.Log in today to view your bill and make a payment.
Thank You,AT&T

-----------------Update, January 11, 2010:

Thank You

Hello MORDECAI ALPERT,

Your payment has been received and will be applied to your wireless account.

• Amount: 142.49
• Date: 01/11/2010
• Confirmation number: QPCODT613957xxx

We appreciate your business.

Thank you,
AT&T

This e-mail was auto generated. Please do not respond.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

©2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property.

Humorously enough BarclayCardus.com has this message on it today:

"At Barclaycard, we never stop envisioning new ways to help our partners cultivate customer loyalty."

We don't suppose that includes protecting AirTran's customers privacy.

This is the email they sent:

Dear BURTON,

Welcome! You've been approved for the AirTran Airways A+ Visa Signature card, brought to you by Barclays.

Use your AirTran Airways A+ Visa Signature card to earn points* toward travel on AirTran Airways. Earn one AirTran Credit for every 1,000 points. Soon you'll be flying for free by earning:

Bonus Credits when you use your card**
Points toward travel with every purchase you make
Double points on your AirTran Airways travel purchases
In the next few days, we'll be sending you everything you need to start using your AirTran Airways A+ Visa Signature card. In the meantime, please register online at www.BarclaycardUS.com. Once you've set up your username and password, simply log in to:

View your account balance and transaction summary
Check the status of any balance transfer(s) you may have requested or submit a new balance transfer after you have received and activated your card
If you have any questions regarding your AirTran Airways A+ Visa Signature card, please visit www.BarclaycardUS.com to send us a secure email. Or, visit www.airtran.com to purchase tickets, redeem Credits or sign-up to receive AirTran Airways Net Escapes airfare offers via email.

Thanks for choosing the AirTran Airways A+ Visa Signature card.
Chris Reitnour
Director, Marketing
Barclays

You received this email because you have been approved for the AirTran Airways A+ Visa Signature card.

We're happy to send you occasional emails about Barclays features and benefits, but if you'd prefer not to receive them, please login to www.BarclaycardUS.com and select ALERTS/PROFILE. From the PROFILE screen you can update your PRIVACY OPTIONS. You will continue to receive any Account Alerts that have been set up and any email updates about your account.

* The AirTran Airways A+ Visa Signature card program is sponsored by AirTran Airways.
** Points will be credited to your account at the close of your first billing cycle after use of the AirTran Airways A+ Visa Signature account. Your annual fee must be paid and your account must be in good standing in order to earn points.

Please Do Not Reply to this Email
This is a notification-only email that cannot accept incoming replies. To send us an email, simply log in to www.BarclaycardUS.com, click on CUSTOMER SERVICE and then select EMAIL to send your message securely.

The AirTran Airways A+ Visa Signature card is issued by Barclays Bank Delaware, Attn: Gates - IS, 100 S. West Street, Wilmington, DE 19801, Member FDIC.

BRD-EM-14466051

...To review our Privacy Policy, click here.

Next we have Intuit QB Basic Payroll sending order # SBL36468501 for 243.89 to me for Grant Kxxxxx in Boca Raton, Florida with no reply address and no way to notify them that they are sending information to someone else.

An update on the American Express "Settlement and Payment Advice Report for SE No: 9740108691."  American Express is still sending them.  While asking to be notified by email, but messages to their notification email address still bounce.

How about companies adopt a standard link at the end of their emails to notify them to review the address?