What does the fiscal cliff deal really mean?
CBS 42 (Birmingham) – Jan. 2
The fiscal cliff bill will protect most Americans from major tax increases. But, most of tax payers will still take a hit, starting with the next paycheck. Leigh Garner breaks down what it will mean for your finances, and why it’s not exactly a done deal…UA business professor James Cover: “So someone making $50,000 a year will pay another thousand dollars in social security tax this year. Someone making $100,000 a year will pay another $2,000.” The biggest change is the restoration of the social security tax rate. In short, your paycheck will be cut by about 2 percent. Experts believe the deal could also impact employment at small businesses. “So let’s say I run a business and the profits were $1 million. I may only pay myself $200,000 and the other $800,000 is reinvested in the business to help it expand.” So will this higher tax rate reduce the rate at which expanding small businesses are able to expand? That is one of many still lingering questions. UA business professor Paul Drnevich: “We’re kind of getting more of the same. The government is going to collect some more revenue, everyone’s going to have less disposable income, which is bad for the economy, and there’s no decrease in government spending. Not yet. It’s likely we’ll see another fiscal cliff in two months when the delay on across the board cuts run out, again.”
25 politically important books to read in 2013
Las Cruces News (N.M.) – Jan. 3
Plotting your Kindle downloads for the coming year? From war memoirs to digital manifestos, here are 25 new books that will be hot off the presses in the months ahead: … “The Myth of Martyrdom: What Really Drives Suicide Bombers, Shooters, and Other Self-Destructive Killers,” by Adam Lankford (January) … An assistant professor of criminal justice at the University of Alabama, Adam Lankford decided to examine what motivates suicide bombers. Poring over interviews, case studies, suicide notes and other sources, Lankford concludes, contrary to many psychologists and political scientists, that suicide bombers do not act simply in the name of a political or religious cause, but instead have a clinical suicidal impulse; their acts are attempts to escape depression, anxiety and other personal hardships, Lankford finds. His book, which has earned advanced praise from both government officials and psychologists, feels especially timely amid the discussion surrounding mental health and mass shootings in the United States.
Print shop keeps history alive
Tuscaloosa News – Jan. 3
Jessica Peterson slowly fed the paper into the press. As her ink-smudged hand turned the crank, she watched as the paper wrapped around the cylinder and rolled on top of the wooden type, creating an impression on the paper. Lifting up the finished product, she smiled. “There’s just something about the quality of letterpress printing,” said the 36-year-old. “Most of our written history was done using this type of technology. I’m just keeping that history alive.” Peterson opened The Southern Letterpress, a small shop situated between Anders Hardware and Faucett’s in downtown Northport, in August. The shop specializes in printing artists’ books, postcards, posters and wedding invitations, as well as labels, business cards and other commercial products…Peterson discovered a passion for book binding and book making while growing up in New York…While introduced to letterpress printing in New York, Peterson had not had an opportunity to really work with the press until she was accepted into the University of Alabama’s book arts master’s program. “As soon as I started doing letterpress printing I knew that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” she said