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The CFO of Freddie Mac David Kellerman was found by his wife from what authorities rule be to be suicide. Kellerman, 41 had recently received $850k in bonuses in an attempt by his employer, Freddie Mac, to retain his services. More than 92 employees of the lending giant received more than $100k in bonuses. With the recent furor raged over the AIG bonuses, did Kellerman sucumb to the heightened scrutiny from the public? Getting paid from a wall street company under water. Freddie guarantees more than 50% of the $12 trillion mortgage debt of America. However, Freddie reported a $108 billion loss last year. Last Month Senator Charles Grassley suggested that AIG executives should resign or commit suicide, Kellerman was the first to take up Chuck on his offer. Will others follow suite? With the media organizing bus tours and with constant pressure from the hypocrites in congress, Kellerman decided to take himself out,......or did he?

In the big news outside of earnings, Oracle is acquiring Sun Microsystems in a deal the two companies said would see Oracle acquire Sun stock for $9.50 a share, a nearly 30 percent premium over the Friday closing price. Sun [JAVA 6.69 0.29 (+4.53%) ] shares immediately soared 27 percent on the news, while Oracle [ORCL 19.06 -0.12 (-0.63%) ] fell 4.25 percent. The transaction is valued at approximately $7.4 billion, or $5.6 billion net of Sun's cash and debt. The acquisition of Sun transforms the IT industry, combining best-in-class enterprise software and mission-critical computing systems," said Oracle CEO Larry Ellison. "Oracle will be the only company that can engineer an integrated system - applications to disk - where all the pieces fit and work together so customers do not have to do it themselves. Our customers benefit as their systems integration costs go down while system performance, reliability and security go up." There are substantial long-...

A jury has found two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves not guilty of tax evasion, but remained hung on a count of conspiracy. His sister Katiucia Castroneves, was also acquitted on the tax evasion counts and the jury also remained hung on the conspiracy count. Miller was acquitted on the conspiracy count and three counts of tax evasion.

United Airlines the Chicago based carrier has decided to bump chubby, overweight, fat fliers if they have a full bird. I know it is hard to fly on a full aircraft and to complicate things, a full flight with a 6-1 260 lb guy such as myself beside you. I have been in the airline industry for years and flew on a sleugh of aircrafts. Flew on pipers, 727s 737s 777s 767s 757s a310 300 320 321 340 md 81 80 83 and many more, never had a problem. Within the past year airlines have begun charging for everything. They charge you for bags, for choosing your damn seats, for your hairstyle, and even the weather. Ever since the airlines start acting like the mob i predicted that very soon they will have a scale at the airport and you will pay per pound over 150lbs. That has not happened......yet. United's decision to start bumping these guys is the leading edge of what is sure to follow. I Wonder whats next, Dollar rent a car charging a suspension and shock absorber fee for renters over Paris Hi...

Big banks have finally realized that it is not profitable to have homeowners living on property they are delinquent on. Their reason for the moratorium on foreclosure; waiting on the current administration to unveil a industry wide housing rescue plan. What happened? The rescue plan is a failure. The Wall Street Journal reported today that JP Morgan Chase, Fannie, Freddie, and Wells Fargo have lifted their internal moratoriums on foreclosures and have begun to take homes away from delinquent homeowners, who might have thought they would be there indefinitely, living for free. The consequences of this action are downward pressure on home prices and more homeless americans. This plan was destined to fail before it was written in February. The question that needs to be answered is simply, who devised this plan? Sure these loans were over leveraged but halting foreclosures and repricing loans can never work because it is not market driven. Now after months of moratoriums, giving homeowner...

Its Tax deadline day for filers and most americans have already filed, however there are always the few procrastinators that wait until the last moment (Lisa thats you). Your best bet is to efile although there will be a few post offices that will remain open after the FEW TEA party patrons have long gone home. If you KNOW you cant find all your documents to file today, (Lisa) you can file form 4868 for an extension. Remember though, an extension does not give you an extension to pay taxes. You MUST pay whatever your liability should be. For a list of area post offices open late today you can visit WWW.WIOD.COM Now for those that have already filed their taxes and need to know what happens next, the IRS has a few pointers listed below. What Happens After I File? Most taxpayers have already filed their federal tax returns but may still have questions. Here’s what you need to know about refund status, recordkeeping, mistakes and what to do if you move. Refund Information You can go onlin...

Oscar De La Hoya announces retirement Boxing's 'Golden Boy' was the sport's biggest star for more than a decade. Oscar De La Hoya, boxing's "Golden Boy" who capitalized on a stirring Olympic gold-medal performance in 1992 and then in his pro career captured the attention of millions with his rags-to-riches rise from East Los Angeles as he became the sport's most popular boxer, announced his retirement today. "I'm announcing my retirement ... When I can't compete at my highest level, it's not fair -- to me, [or] my fans." De La Hoya, 36, said a news conference outside downtown's L.A. Live. "Knowing that you're never going to compete again is a tough decision but now I am looking forward to the future of boxing. When I cannot compete at this level, I have come to the conclusion that it is over." De La Hoya lost two of his last three fights: a split-decision defeat at the hands of unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. in Ma...

Canadian warship in the thick of latest Somali pirate hijacking. Reuters ACanadian warship was again in the thick of the action Tuesday after Somali pirates launched a brazen, moonlit hijacking of a Greek-owned ship in the Gulf of Aden Tuesday. Ahelicopter dispatched from HMCSWinnipeg made contact with the MV Irene E.M. moments after it had been taken over by Somali pirates, a NATO spokesperson said. ``(The helicopter) did manage to communicate with the ship, but it had actually been hijacked,'' said Shona Lowe. ``Everything happened very quickly. Lowe said HMCSWinnipeg sent the helicopter immediately after the Canadian frigate received a distress signal from the St. Vincent and the Grenadines- flagged merchant ship which was travelling to India from Jordan. ``It was sent as soon as the distress signal went out,'' Lowe said in an interview with Canwest News Service Tuesday morning. The Somali pirates hijacked the ship three minutes after it sent out the distress call,...

Thomas' next stop: FIU, as coach -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ESPN.com news services Former New York Knicks coach Isiah Thomas has accepted Florida International's offer to coach its basketball team, a source close to the situation told ESPN.com's Andy Katz. Sources confirm that FIU made calls within the conference recently to check on the viability of hiring Isiah Thomas. An official announcement is expected later Tuesday. Thomas' representative was in South Florida to finalize the deal, the source said. A source said Thomas was intrigued by FIU's location in South Florida, its growing football program and the size of its student body (more than 30,000). The source said Thomas was looking for a fresh place to start and that, despite other previous NBA and college opportunities, this is the one that finally piqued Thomas' interest. Florida International coach Sergio Rouco was fired Monday, and sources confirm...

What to do if You Receive an IRS Notice It’s a moment many taxpayers dread. A letter arrives from the IRS — and it’s not a refund check. Don’t panic; many of these letters can be dealt with simply and painlessly. Each year, the IRS sends millions of letters and notices to taxpayers to request payment of taxes, notify them of a change to their account or request additional information. The notice you receive normally covers a very specific issue about your account or tax return. Each letter and notice offers specific instructions on what you are asked to do to satisfy the inquiry. If you receive a correction notice, you should review the correspondence and compare it with the information on your return. * Agree? If you agree with the correction to your account, usually no reply is necessary unless a payment is due. * Disagree? If you do not agree with the correction the IRS made, it is important that you respond as requested. Write to explain why you disagree. Include any docum...

WASHINGTON — In a measured break with a half-century of U.S. policy toward communist Cuba, the Obama administration lifted restrictions Monday on Cuban-Americans who want to travel and send money to their island homeland. In a further gesture of openness, U.S. telecommunications firms were freed to seek business there, too. But the broader U.S. trade embargo remained in place. The White House portrayed its changes, which fulfilled one of President Barack Obama's campaign promises, as a path to promoting personal freedom in one of the few remaining communist nations. They also marked another major step away from the foreign policy priorities of the Bush administration. But the moves fell far short of the more drastic policy adjustments that some _ including Republican Sen. Richard Lugar _ have argued are required to promote U.S. interests in Latin America and to bring about change in Cuba. For most Americans, Cuba remains the only country in the world their government prohibits them...

Top Ten Facts about Amended Returns Taxpayers who need to make a change or adjustment on a return they already filed can do so by filing an amended return. Here are the top 10 things every taxpayer should know about amending your federal tax return. 1. Taxpayers needing to amend their return use Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. 2. Taxpayers can use Form 1040X to correct previously filed Forms 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ. The 1040X can also be used to correct a return filed electronically. 3. Taxpayers should file an amended return if they discover any of the following items were reported incorrectly: filing status, dependents, total income, deductions or credits. 4. Generally, you do not need to file an amended return for math errors as the IRS will be ale to make the correction for you. 5. You also do not usually need to file an amended return because you forgot to include forms – such as W-2s or schedules – when you filed; the IRS normally requests thos...

The most important of these, be careful who you choose to prepare your taxes. Beware of IRS’ 2009 “Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued its 2009 “dirty dozen” list of tax scams, including schemes involving phishing, hiding income offshore and false claims for refunds. “Taxpayers should be wary of scams to avoid paying taxes that seem too good to be true, especially during these challenging economic times,” IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said. “There is no secret trick that can eliminate a person’s tax obligations. People should be wary of anyone peddling any of these scams.” Tax schemes are illegal and can lead to problems for both scam artists and taxpayers who risk significant penalties, interest and possible criminal prosecution. The IRS urges taxpayers to avoid these common schemes: Phishing Phishing is a tactic used by Internet-based scam artists to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing personal or financial information. The criminals us...

Wall St. to Goldman: Remove the TARP Investors expect a healthy first-quarter profit but results may be overshadowed by talk that the big bank will soon repay its $10 billion government loan. By Colin Barr, senior writer April 13, 2009: 3:50 AM ET NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Wall Street is counting down to Tuesday morning, when Goldman Sachs is due to report quarterly earnings. But the firm's first-quarter profits aren't the main source of suspense. Instead, investors are betting that Goldman (GS, Fortune 500) will put itself on track to become the first big bank to wean itself from direct government support. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Goldman may announce a multibillion-dollar stock offering along with its first-quarter numbers. A sale would be Goldman's first capital raise since it got $10 billion from Treasury in October in the first round of Henry Paulson's Troubled Asset Relief Program. Goldman dismissed the stock-sale report, and questions about how so...

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US sea captain freed in swift firefight By ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY and LARA JAKES, Associated Press Writers Elizabeth A. Kennedy And Lara Jakes, Associated Press Writers 12 mins ago MOMBASA, Kenya – An American ship captain was freed unharmed Sunday in a swift firefight that killed three of the four Somali pirates who had been holding him for days in a lifeboat off the coast of Africa, the ship's owner said. A senior U.S. intelligence official said a pirate who had been involved in negotiations to free Capt. Richard Phillips but who was not on the lifeboat was in custody. Phillips, 53, of Underhill, Vermont, was safely transported to a Navy warship nearby. Maersk Line Limited President and CEO John Reinhart said in a news release that the U...

Seafarers official: Pirates hijack US tugboat By MICHELLE FAUL and TOM MALITI, Associated Press Writers Michelle Faul And Tom Maliti, Associated Press Writers 1 hr 1 min ago NAIROBI, Kenya – The head of a Kenyan seafarers' program said Saturday that Somali pirates had hijacked an American-owned tugboat with 16 crew in the Gulf of Aden . Nairobi-based Italian Ambassador Pierandrea Magistrati said he only could confirm that "there is a boat that has been hijacked, I believe by Somali pirates." The hijacking took place as the American captain of the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama was still being held hostage on a lifeboat being watched by two U.S. warships. The head of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Program, Andrew Mwangura...

These damn pirates are definitely capitalists. Pirates want $2 million for American hostage MOGADISHU, April 10 (Reuters) - Somali pirates holding an American hostage on a drifting lifeboat want $2 million for his release, a fellow pirate onshore said on Friday. The pirate, speaking to Reuters from Haradheere port, also said other pirates were taking a hijacked German ship, with foreign crew on board, towards the scene in the Indian Ocean where the lifeboat is floating, watched by U.S. warships. "Knowing that the Americans will not destroy this German ship and its foreign crew, they (the approaching pirates) hope they can meet their friends on the lifeboat," said the pirate, who has given reliable information in the past but asked for his name not to be used. "Our friends (on the lifeboat) hope for $2 million ransom as well as their own safety," he added. The 20,000-tonne German container vessel, Hansa Stavanger, was hijacked a week ago, about 400 miles off south ...

Did Bob Quick try to warn the terror suspects when he entered Downing street? What other conclusion can you come to when operation Pathway could be clearly seen to the entire world when the former anti-terrorist Guru was photographed entering Downing st. The consequences of this blunder was an early daylight strike that could prove to be useless.

The Pres was just showing reverence to the King. Anyway that was not a bow remember the Pres is over 6 ft tall and he had to stoop a bit to see the king eye to eye. The Queen was over 6ft also so there was no need to stoop to see her eye to eye. So personally I do not see the reason for all this uproar over a simple eye to eye stooping.

So 5 Somali Pirates are able to hold at bay, The FBI, and The US Navy?

Things You Need to Know About Tax Refunds Are you expecting a refund from the IRS this year? Here are the top ten things you should know about your refund. Refund Options You have two options for receiving your individual federal income tax refund : a paper check or a direct deposit . Separate Accounts You may use Form 8888, Direct Deposit of Refund to More Than One Account, to request that your refund be allocated by direct deposit among up to three separate accounts, such as checking or savings or retirement accounts. Paper Return Processing Time If you file a complete and accurate paper tax return, your refund will usually be issued within six weeks from the received date. Returns Filed Electronically If you filed electronically, your refund will normally be issued within three weeks after the acknowledgment date. Check the Status Online The fastest and easiest way to find out about your current year refund is to go to the IRS.gov ...

IRS Offers Reminders as Tax Filing Deadline Nears WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service offers last minute reminders to taxpayers who have not yet filed a tax return, paid what they owe or requested an extension of time to file as the April 15 tax filing and payment deadline approaches. File and Pay on Time Taxpayers who owe taxes and don’t file their tax return by the deadline may face interest on the unpaid taxes and a failure-to-file penalty. Interest and penalties add to the total amount a taxpayer owes. Filing by the deadline allows taxpayers to avoid the failure-to-file penalty, even if they can’t pay all or some of their taxes by the deadline. Taxpayers who can’t file their return by the deadline can request an extension of time to file. However, an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. Taxpayers who file on time but don’t pay all or some of their taxes by the deadline could face interest on the unpaid ...

Need More Time to File? If you can't meet the April filing deadline to file your tax return, you can get an automatic six month extension of time to file from the IRS. Here is what you need to know about filing an extension: 1. An extension will give you extra time to get your paperwork to the IRS, but it does not extend the time you have to pay any tax due. You will owe interest on any amount not paid by the April deadline, plus a late payment penalty if you have not paid at least 90 percent of your total tax by that date. 2. If your return is completed but you are unable to pay the full amount of tax due, do not request an extension. File your return on time and pay as much as you can. The IRS will send you a bill or notice for the balance due. To apply online for a payment agreement, go to IRS.gov and use the pull-down menu under “I need to …” and select “Set Up a Payment Plan.” If you are unable to make payments, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to discuss your payment optio...

Obama to Push Immigration Bill as One Priority A piece written By JULIA PRESTON from the New York Times While acknowledging that the recession makes the political battle more difficult, President Obama plans to begin addressing the country’s immigration system this year, including looking for a path for illegal immigrants to become legal, a senior administration official said on Wednesday. Mr. Obama will frame the new effort — likely to rouse passions on all sides of the highly divisive issue — as “policy reform that controls immigration and makes it an orderly system,” said the official, Cecilia Muñoz, deputy assistant to the president and director of intergovernmental affairs in the White House. Mr. Obama plans to speak publicly about the issue in May, administration officials said, and over the summer he will convene working groups, including lawmakers from both parties and a range of immigration groups, to begin discussing possible legislation for as early as this fall. Some White ...