HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: rkimm@ameris.ameritech.com (Robert L. Kimmel)
Subject: Re: FICA is not a tax (was: Maximum 1992 FICA Tax)
Organization: Ameritech, Hoffman Estates, IL
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 17:17:55 GMT

boaz@concerto.lcs.mit.edu (Boaz Ben-Zvi) writes:

>In article <lcev9kINNl5n@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM>, tut@cairo.Eng.Sun.COM (Bill "Bill" Tuthill) writes:
>  Why is FICA called a "tax" ?  FICA stands for the Federal Insurance
>Corporation of America, and payments for insurance are premiums, not
>taxes !! (It so happened, as a convenience, to be collected by IRS)

Kindly post instructions on how I may notify this insurance company that I am
cancelling my policy. :-)

BK
From: kevin@msa3b.UUCP (Kevin P. Kleinfelter)
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
Subject: Doubly Deducted?
Date: 30 Sep 92 13:17:22 GMT
Article-I.D.: msa3b.1932
Organization: Dun and Bradstreet Software, Inc., Atlanta, GA

My company has a "flexible spending plan" which allows employees to
have a set dollar amount withheld from each paycheck. Medical expenses
not covered by insurance can be submitted for reimbursement from this
money. The advantage here is that the employee gets to pay medical
expenses with untaxed income. This is all IRS approved.

Now on Schedule A, one can deduct medical expenses that exceed
some limit (7%?) as long as those expenses are 'not reimbursed by
SOMEONE ELSE' (emphasis mine).

If I pay medical expenses from the flex account, and deduct those
expenses on Schedule A, I believe I have complied with the letter
of the law, yet this has the effect of doubly deducting the expenses.

Have I missed something?  Has the IRS missed something?
Note that this is all hypothetical of course.


-- 
Kevin Kleinfelter @ DBS, Inc (404) 239-2347   ...gatech!nanovx!msa3b!kevin
Dun&Bradstreet Software, 3445 Peachtree Rd, NE, Atlanta GA 30326-1276
WARNING: I have been advised that email to kevin@msa3b.UUCP may bounce.
It looks like email will have to go via 'gatech' because that is well-known.
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
From: J056600@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
Subject: Tax brackets for 1992?
Organization: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 92 15:30:45 GMT

   Does anyone have the information concerning tax brackets for 1992?  Most
specifically, I'd like to know where the 15% bracket ends and the 28% bracket
begins for joint filers, and the amount of a personal exemption.


Newsgroups: misc.taxes
From: acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng)
Subject: Re: FICA is not a tax (was: Maximum 1992 FICA Tax)
Originator: acheng@shalom.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp App (NCSA) @ University of Illinois
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 16:24:52 GMT


In article <1992Oct1.171755.11573@ameris.ameritech.com>, rkimm@ameris.ameritech.com (Robert L. Kimmel) writes:
>>  Why is FICA called a "tax" ?  FICA stands for the Federal Insurance
>>Corporation of America, and payments for insurance are premiums, not
>>taxes !! (It so happened, as a convenience, to be collected by IRS)
>
>Kindly post instructions on how I may notify this insurance company that I am
>cancelling my policy. :-)

I did not sign any application for it, did you?  :-)  :-)

Look, FICA looks like a tax, walks like a tax, quacks like a tax.  It
is a tax.  I have count it gone for good like other tax.
Xref: sparky misc.taxes:3234 misc.invest:12219
Newsgroups: misc.writing

jas@ISI.EDU (Jeff Sullivan) writes:
glenn.devlin@canrem.com (glenn devlin) writes:

>>I evny you for being able to meet and pitch. 

>Don't.  It's a bloody, painful process.  I'd give anything to be able
>to avoid it, but it's a necessary part of the biz at this point in my
>fledgling career.
>
>Jeffrey A. Sullivan             | Research Scientist et al.
>jas@isi.edu (Internet)          | Information Sciences Institute
>72511,402    (Compuserve)       | University of Southern California

Jeffrey, did you ever consider using Robert Kosberg?

John Fisher at Hewlett-Packard |
in Santa Clara, CA             |  This is as bad as it can get,
fish@sc.hp.com                 |  but don't bet on it.
From: Alan_Barclay@mindlink.bc.ca (Alan Barclay)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Re: Writing more than you use.
Date: 30 Sep 92 07:37:52 GMT
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Distribution: world

Someone commented that they thought every writer writes two to three times as
much material than actually goes in a book.  I asked if they were joking and
someone bounced the question back at me.  The answer is:

No, are you kidding?  Lots of sweat goes into what I do write, why would I ever
want to write more than I'm going to use?

I try to keep extra material to a minimum.  I expect I've probably written
about 20,000 words related to my current book which I won't use.  Most of that
is an aborted opening.  The rest are from paragraphs here and there I've thrown
away.  (I don't count rewritten sentences).  Now I've got a solid handle on the
story, characters, etc. I hope I can go on through to the end with minor
losses.

Now if you want to count all the words I've written making notes on character
and plot, you might reach a 2 to 1 ratio of words that never get published.
But these words were planning, not finished product.


Alan






--
Alan Barclay


alan_barclay@mindlink.bc.ca
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: ueh@pool.info.sunyit.edu (Eric Hausgaard)
Subject: acronyms
Summary:  please send acronyms list... 
Keywords:  acronyms 
Organization: State University of New York -- Institute of Technology
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 19:27:17 GMT

PLEASE send me a list of acronyms and/or an ftp site. 
E-Mail me this please, I usually just catch-up here....
Thanx
Eric Hausgaard

-- 
 "Seize the moment, Mirabor...Seize the moment" -- Picard 
   "The closer to the solution, The more problems occur"   
              Even *I* don't want my opinions
    All Flames/E-mail to ueh@sunyit.edu until I graduate.... 
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: bible@iastate.edu (Anthony E Bible)
Subject: Re: Semantics of "to be"
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 18:48:47 GMT

In article <BvpDK2.2wF@unx.sas.com> sasafw@dobo.unx.sas.com (Fred Welden) writes:

[main subject matter deleted]

>
>My conclusion?  A writer needs to have a better ear for paragraphs that
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 [what is ...]


>work than his readers have.  That way he stays one step ahead of their
>expectations, and holds their interest.  No set of rules about
>constructions to avoid or to favor can hope to replace a good ear.
>
>Where would Orwell have found himself without the verb to be?
>
>"It was a cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen. . . ."
>
>========================================================================
>[BTW, notice any forms of to-be (outside quotes) in this?]
>

	Seems to me there *is* and implied "to be" in the question.


Regards,
tony
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: Jonathan_B_Bellack@yccatsmtp.ycc.yale.edu (Jonathan Bellack)
Subject: Re: Natalie Goldberg & teaching writing
Organization: Yale University
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 16:35:03 GMT

In article <1a6m3rINNrio@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>, bf455@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Bonita Kale) writes:
> 
> And some people just seem to know how to dissect what they do, or figure
> out what works for others, in a way that's enormously helpful.
> 
> For someone with that ability, it may be easier to teach than to do, as
> it's easier to scratch someone else's back than your own.  That doesn't
> make their advice less valuable.
> 
> Bonita Kale
> 

This is why some people are editors, and some are writers. Many great writers
probably couldn't tell you how they 'do it'--it's a matter of instinct/
inspiration.  To mix artistic metaphors, some great actors never make it as
great directors, and most great directors couldn't act if you threatened their
family. Martin Scorcese is still a great director, even if he's never starred
in a movie.  It's a matter of what you communicate and how you communicate it.
For example, I found John Gardner's 'On Moral Fiction' and 'The Art of Fiction'
masterpieces of criticism & suggestion, but I've been underwhelmed by his
translation of those ideas into fiction (in 'Nickel Mountain', at least).

                                 --Jonathan Bellack
From: aba@hp835.mitek.com (Binion Amerson)
Subject: TECHNICAL: STC Lone Star Chapter October 1992 Meeting
Summary: Enriching Our Careers As Technical Communicators
Keywords: STC, technical communication
Organization: OpenConnect Systems, Dallas, TX
Distribution: tx
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 12:21:49 GMT

                       F I R S T   N O T I C E 

* * OUR POWER TO CHANGE--ENRICHING OUR CAREERS AS TECHNICAL COMMUNICATORS * *

The Society for Technical Communication (STC) Lone Star Chapter is pleased to 
announce its October 1992 meeting:

WHO:            STC Lone Star Chapter (Dallas/Fort Worth)

WHAT:           October 1992 Meeting

PROGRAM TOPIC:  Our Power To Change--Enriching Our Careers As 
                Technical Communicators

SPEAKER:        Jody Heiken, Los Alamos National Laboratory
                STC Region 5 Director-Sponsor

ATTENDEES:      Anyone interested in technical communication--writers,
                entry-level and experienced alike

WHEN:           Thursday, October 8, 1992

WHERE:          Harvey Hotel-Addison
                14315 Midway Road
                Dallas, Texas

TIME:           6-7 p.m.   Registration, Demonstrations, and Happy Hour
                7-8 p.m.   Dinner
                8-9 p.m.   Program

DOOR PRIZES:    Something Exciting--To Be Announced

DINNER COST:    Members $18.00
                Nonmembers $20.00

RESERVATIONS:   Call (metro) 817-540-5494 for dinner reservations.  Reservation
                for dinner must be made or canceled by noon, October 6, 1992.
                Otherwise space is subject to availability.  Dinner no-shows 
                will be billed.  Additional $5.00 without a reservation.  

INFORMATION:    Dale Erickson, (metro) 817-267-8765

MEMBERSHIP:     Nancee Moster, (metro) 817-267-9662

MAIL ADDRESS:   STC Lone Star Chapter
                P.O. Box 515065
                Dallas, Texas 75251-5065

-- 
 Binion Amerson, Senior Technical Writer, OpenConnect Systems, Inc., 2711 
 LBJ Freeway, Suite 800, Dallas, TX 75234; 214/888-0447; aba@hp835.oc.com
 General Manager: 40th STC Annual Conference, June 6-10, 1993, Dallas, TX
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: johnh@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (John J Humpal)
Subject: Re: Screenwriter's Product
Organization: HAC - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 14:12:13 GMT

In article <57680031@hpscit.sc.hp.com> fish@hpscit.sc.hp.com (John Fisher) writes:
>
>My question is: What do you, as a screen writer, think your final
>product is... a movie, or simply a script?  Clearly, your influence on
>the film as seen by audiences will be dependant upon your involvement in
>the production.  But I'm wondering what your mindset is as you write the
>initial script.  Do you feel you are writing a movie that you would
>expect to see on the screen pretty much as you envisioned it, or is the
>movie (the film itself) someone else's project?
>
	I think screenwriters have to face reality and realize that
they are at the bottom of the ladder, while the director and the
producers are fighting for the top.  A film is usually considered the
director's product, while the writers are hired guns.  This is quite
different from playwriting, where the writer's words are (or ought to
be) considered gospel.
	The screenwriter's task is to come up with a story, and write
that story as best as he or she can.  Once the story/screenplay is
sold, its pretty much out of the writer's creative control.  That's
why so many writers aspire to be directors (or, like David Lynch,
writer, director, and producer all at once): only that way will
they achieve total creative control over thier work.

-- 
-John

John J. Humpal -- johnh@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu -- short .sig, std. disclaimer
From: rmr@sgi.com (Robert M. Reimann)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Re: Bread Loaf?
Date: 5 Oct 92 19:00:11 GMT
Organization: Technical Publications, Silicon Graphics, Inc.

In article <ld11a5INN64c@appserv.Eng.Sun.COM> kabir@kabir.Eng.Sun.COM writes:

>I saw a reference to "Bread Loaf" in a Gore Vidal essay about
>F. Scott Fitzgerald - it implied one went there to become a
>writer.
>
>What is Bread Loaf?

It's a large and well-respected writer's 
conferenece/workshop held annually in New 
England (does anyone remember where and
for how long?)

			Robert.
From: fish@hpscit.sc.hp.com (John Fisher)
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 16:28:01 GMT
Subject: Re: Re: Screenwriter's Product
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Clara, CA
Newsgroups: misc.writing

johnh@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (John J Humpal) writes:

>   [good points on the reality of screenwriting deleted]

>	The screenwriter's task is to come up with a story, and write
>that story as best as he or she can.  Once the story/screenplay is
>sold, its pretty much out of the writer's creative control.  That's
>why so many writers aspire to be directors (or, like David Lynch,
>writer, director, and producer all at once): only that way will
>they achieve total creative control over thier work.
>
>John J. Humpal -- johnh@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu -- short .sig, std. disclaimer

It's this last phrase of John's that prompted me to post this base note.
What exactly do most screenwriters consider to be "their work"?  I
consider my product to be a finished screenplay.  IMHO the film itself is
someone else's product.  (I experience a great deal less stress this
way.:-))  

I always have a strange feeling watching anything done from a script of
mine.  When I write, I see a film, but always in master shots.  When
it's filmed, it's in cuts and close-ups as well.  So, I hear my story
and dialog (mostly... hmmm), but *see* a different (and new) picture.
Casting plays a role (yeah, it's a pun and I *meant* it:)) in the
differences, too.  The actors don't look exactly like I pictured the
characters.  This doesn't bother me because of how I view who's product
it is, but it certainly is disconcerting.

Clearly Joe Esterhaus (sp?) wouldn't agree with me (a la Basic
Instinct):)


John Fisher at Hewlett-Packard |
in Santa Clara, CA             |  Now on probation for using   
fish@sc.hp.com                 |  too many smileys in one post.
From: wrm@wpi.WPI.EDU (William R. Michalson)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: WANTED: Info on writers' groups
Date: 3 Oct 92 22:50:20 GMT
Distribution: ne
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
NNTP-Posting-Host: wpi.wpi.edu

I'm a published professional writer looking to network with 
other professionals in central Massachusetts or northern Connecticut.  
I feel isolated from the business-marketing side of writing because 
I don't know anybody else in the publishing industry.  I think there 
must be a better way to market my work than sending out manuscripts 
and waiting for months for a response. I'd like to meet other writers 
and editors and learn how the industry works so I can be more 
intelligent about trying to sell my stuff.  Can anyone recommend a 
reputable, serious writers' group in my locale? I have published one 
academic book already and several articles in academic journals.
I have a completed novel under consideration at a press and am writing
another novel right now.  I say this because I want to network with other
serious writers.  I joined one group which was full of wannabes who never
wrote anything but talked about it a lot. I also wish to avoid
university-affiliated MFA type groups.  I teach in a university which is
rather hostile to people who write commercial fiction.  Where are the other
commercial novelists in central New England?  I would like to meet you.
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: dao4@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (DONALD A. O'SHALL)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Re: Tech Writing
Date: 26 Sep 92 15:48:13 GMT
Organization: Lehigh University


>One of the courses which took place two weeks ago was "Career Opportunities
>in Technical Writing." Some fairly useful information came out of it.
>Technical writing is a good field to get into if you want to make money
>while writing your own stuff on the side. Here in Canada, there are no
>schools for technical writers; just programs like mine in the larger
>cities. In the USA, however, there are many universities which offer BAs
>and MAs in technical writing. (BTW, two of the larger centres for technical
>writers are in California -- ie. Silicon Valley -- and Washington State --
>ie. Microsoft & Boeing.)

Technical Writing can also support you WHILE you are looking for a Technical
Writing job. The skills apply to How-To books, etc., which is a very lucrative
market in today's economy. In fact, they have expanded heavily into
non-traditional subjects such as How to survive in College, How to deal with
men, How to deal with women, etc. as well as in practically every facet of the
traditional topics, such as computer programs, machine operation, etc.

>Technical writing includes writing policy & procedures manuals, writing
>user manuals for computer software, "translating" engineerese to English,
>writing reports on technical subjects, scriptwriting for training videos,
>writing text for on-line help in different software, and lots lots more.
>(It was characterized in the course as being a permanent student, however.
>You learn everything you can about a particular subject, you write about
>it, and then you go on to the next assignment.)
>
The permanent student portion is ABSOLUTELY true...you snooze, you lose. You
must maintain currency in whatever field you intend to write for.

>It sounds as though you need some kind of degree to become a technical
>writer in the USA, but I know that you don't need one for Canada.

You don't need the degree to become a Technical Writer, but to gain the
credibility to obtain employment in the field it is usually a must.
>There is
>an organization you can call, however, to find out how things are in your
>neck of the woods. It's the Society for Technical Communication, and it has
>chapters all over the world. If they're not listed in the phone book, try
>looking up "Writers" in your local yellow pages, and see if there's anyone
>listed for technical writing. Call them to ask about the local STC chapter.
>(If you're in the US, of course, you can probably call your local
>university & ask about technical writing courses.)
>

-- 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not licensed to practice Law or Medicine in any State, so my opinions are
just that!         DAo4@NS1.CC.LEHIGH.EDU      (Don)
From: lightnin@pitt.WPI.EDU (Paraaaaaaaaade of Shoooooooooes)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Re: Semantics of "to be"
Date: 1 Oct 92 22:15:46
Organization: DeityCo: Major and Minor Deities Placement Agency
	<1992Sep29.051350.6608@sandbox.kenn.wa.us>
	<1992Oct1.135451.13758@nocusuhs.nnmc.navy.mil> <BvGL8D.FqF@unx.sas.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: pitt.wpi.edu
In-reply-to: sasafw@dobo.unx.sas.com's message of 1 Oct 92 20:07:25 GMT

>>>>> On 1 Oct 92 20:07:25 GMT, sasafw@dobo.unx.sas.com (Fred Welden) said:

FW> Watch out for this word by word stuff.  Taken the wrong way it can
FW> lead to galloping deconstructionism, which leads nowhere fast.
FW> What you want to do, in my arrogant opinion, is to splat down what
FW> you think you want to say on the page as close to all-at-once as
FW> you can manage.  Then go back and read it carefully to see if
FW> anything seems to contradict the sense of what you were trying to
FW> say, or to lead off to undesireable tangents, and fix those things
FW> by splatting down something on top of them and then repeating the
FW> review process.  This is easiest with an electronic word
FW> processor, which I have a tendency to use pretty much like an
FW> electronic food processor.  (This probably explains why my
FW> daughter tried to eat the menu, come to think of it.)

I have to agree with this.  When I write a story, I try and get the whole
thing down as quickly as possible, and as briefly as possible.  Usually it
takes the format of Tim does this and this and this, while Lisa is doing this
and this.  Then Tim and Lisa get together and do thus and such, and so on,
end of story.  Then I revise the hell out of it.  I take individual scenes
that I had in my head before I started writing and get them down.  Then I
place them in the general plot that I've outlined in paragraph form, and
essentially expand and contract until I have the final story.  

Of course, this is kind of off topic, but as well as being a good way to 
watch out for ambiguous word choices, it also helps prevent writer's block
(which used to be a lot more of a problem for me.)

-lightnin

Derek G Bacon        | "But his bosses didn't like him, so they shot him into 
lightnin@wpi.wpi.edu |  space."     - MST3K Love Theme
Gadaiyio Takeimienei |=========================================================
Writer of USFP       | "Oh Fluffy, I never knew." -Earth Girls Are Easy
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: sbb1@Ra.MsState.Edu (Shay B. Berthelson)
Subject: Novel or Play??
Organization: Mississippi State University
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 19:06:11 GMT

Hi I have been working on writing a novel.  But my writing could almost
lean towards the scripting and dialogue of a play.  I really like theatre
and wouldn't mind writing a play.  Should I ditch the book and go for 
the stage?  The problem with changing, it would take much revision to 
break the setting down to just a couple of locations.  

Shay B.

--
******************************************************************************
** Shay B. Berthelson ******   Don't call me WHITE ***************************
** sbb1@Ra.MsState.EDU *****   I am Danish American **************************
******************************************************************************
Newsgroups: misc.writing
From: sasafw@dobo.unx.sas.com (Fred Welden)
Subject: Re: Novel or Play??
Originator: sasafw@dobo.unx.sas.com
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 13:59:39 GMT
Organization: Dobonia


In article <sbb1.717741603@Ra.MsState.Edu>, sbb1@Ra.MsState.Edu (Shay B. Berthelson) writes:
|miuvdd@lure.latrobe.edu.au writes:
|
|Well for those of you who can understand, and maybe give me some insight.
|My problem is not dialogue.  I can write dialogue all day long.  I really
|enjoy improvisational acting.  So I find what I want the dialogue about
|and act it out in my head as I write.  Being all the characters, individually
|and collectively (If that makes sense).  My problem is... I can't become
|comfortable with the actual author explanation or action in a novel format.
|I can view what I see the characters doing.  But I can't write it to sound
|like a novel.  The best I can do is write very detailed explanations of the
|surroundings and the characters.  The reason I don't just go with a play is
|the multi-settings and the ability to show the characters thoughts which you
|get through a novel.  I also like the idea of a wider spread audience.  I
|am fairly good at asides and monolouges, but no one likes a play chock full
|of them.  Well I could be wrong.  Neil Simon is very good with monologues.
|The question is How do you get out of the strict dialogue routine in writing
|for a novel??  I want so bad to do this correctly.  The present idea is
|to lengthy and in depth, I believe, for a play.
|
|Any more suggestions.

Write "very detailed explanations of the surroundings and the
characters."  When a character talks, preface their words with "JOHN:"
or "JTM:" or whatever you're comfortable with.  There is no "correct"
way to write a novel.  Do something novel.

This is not intended harshly, by the way.  It sounds to me like you
have the makings of a book in hand and you're letting fear of
producing something that doesn't look and feel like every other novel
on the shelves keep you from getting the thing down on paper.  Get it
down!  Get it out into the world where people can read it!

-- 
--Fred, or another blind 8th-century BC  |  sasafw@dobo.unx.sas.com
        Hellenic poet of the same name.  |
Newsgroups: misc.writing