#marriage tax penalty

[random-bookquotes]

When a high earner marries a lower- or non-earning spouse, marriage significantly reduces their average tax rate. This can mean thousands of dollars in tax savings. In fact, the marriage tax “bonus” can be as high as 21 percent of the couple’s total income. However, not all married couples receive tax benefits. Similar-earning spouses can face a marriage penalty, meaning they pay more taxes as a couple than they did as individuals.

Marcia A. Zug, You'll Do: A History of Marrying for Reasons Other Than Love

[whencyclopedia]

Cathars

The Cathars (also known as Cathari from the Greek Katharoi for “pure ones”) were a dualist medieval religious sect of Southern France which flourished in the 12th century and challenged the authority of the Catholic Church. They were also known as Albigensians for the town of Albi, which was a strong Cathar center of belief.

Cathar priests lived simply, had no possessions, imposed no taxes or penalties, and regarded men and women as equals; aspects of the faith which appealed to many at the time disillusioned with the Church. Cathar beliefs ultimately derived from the Persian religion of Manichaeism but directly from another earlier religious sect from Bulgaria known as the Bogomils who blended Manichaeism with Christianity.

Cathars believed that Satan had tricked a number of angels into falling from heaven and then encased them in bodies. The purpose of life was to renounce the pleasures and enticements of the world and, through repeated incarnations, make one's way back to heaven. To this end, the Cathars observed a strict hierarchy:

Perfecti – those who had renounced the world, the priests and bishops

Credentes – believers who still interacted with the world but worked toward renunciation

Sympathizers – non-believers who aided and supported Cathar communities

Cathars rejected the teachings of the Catholic Church as immoral and most of the books of the Bible as inspired by Satan. They rejected the Church for what they saw as hypocrisy of the clergy and the Church's acquisition of land and wealth. The Church responded by condemning the Cathars as heretical and they were massacred in the Albigensian Crusade (1209-1229) which also devastated the towns, cities, and culture of southern France.

Origins & Beliefs

Almost everything known about the Cathars comes from confessions of “heretics” taken by Catholic clergy during the inquisition which followed the Albigensian Crusade. The belief structure can easily be traced back to Manichaeism which traveled via the Silk Road from the Byzantine Empire and the Middle East to Europe where it became entwined, under certain circumstances, with Christian belief and symbolism.

The orthodox view of the Catholic Church was that there was one God with three aspects – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost – but this orthodoxy was not part of the vision of early Christianity and was not generally accepted until after the Council of Nicaea in 325 (convened by Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome) ruled in favor of it. Even then, the Nicaean interpretation of Christianity vied with others for centuries. The so-called heretical movements of the Middle Ages such as the Bogomils, the Cathars, and the Waldensians were simply the latest challenges to the Church, but they were significant because they were the first to set themselves up as a legitimate alternative to Catholicism in any form.

Cathar beliefs included:

Recognition of the feminine principle in the divine – God was both male and female. The female aspect of God was Sophia, “wisdom”). This belief encouraged equality of the sexes in Cathar communities.

Metempsychosis (Reincarnation) – a soul would be continually reborn until it renounced the world completely and escaped incarnation.

Cosmic Duality – the existence of two powerful deities in the universe, one good and one evil, who were in a constant state of war. The purpose of life was to serve the good by serving others and escape from the cycle of rebirth and death to return home to God.

Vegetarianism - though eating fish was allowed to credentes and sympathizers.

Celibacy for perfecti – celibacy was also encouraged generally since it was thought that every person born was just another soul trapped by the devil in a body. Marriage overall was discouraged.

The dignity of manual labor – the Cathars all worked, priests as well as laypeople, many as weavers.

Suicide (known as the ritual of endura) as a rational and dignified response under certain conditions.

Earlier heresies such as Arianism, while still condemned, at least adhered to the same essential dogma of the Church; the Cathars rejected and repudiated every aspect of the Church, including most of the books of the Bible. Scholar Malcolm Barber notes:

They believed that the devil was the author of the Old Testament except these books: Job, the Psalms, the books of Solomon , of Isaiah, Ezekiel, David, and of the twelve prophets. (93)

Continue reading...

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Qasim Rashid at Let's Address This:

Children today have it tough, between grades, drugs, alcohol—and apparently, the threat of child marriage. This isn’t hyperbole. To this day in 2025, thousands of children are forced into child marriage in the United States—and Republicans seem to want to keep it that way. With several thousand documented child marriages every single year—some involving as children as young as 10—we need need legislative solutions and penalties for those who exploit children. But where do we begin?

[...]

Who Is Perpetuating This Injustice?

Because while child marriage is a nationwide problem, Republican states lead the way. Nine of the top 10 states leading rates of child marriage are GOP run states. They are as follows:

1. Nevada (0.671%) 2. Idaho (0.338%) 3. Arkansas (0.295%) 4. Kentucky (0.262%) 5. Oklahoma (0.229%) 6. Wyoming (0.227%) 7. Utah (0.208%) 8. Alabama (0.195%) 9. West Virginia (0.193%) 10. Mississippi (0.182%)

This epidemic persists under the radar, often defended and protected by lawmakers, particularly within the Republican Party, who cite tradition, religion, and a shocking misinterpretation of maturity and readiness. The latest absurd argument is that child marriage is better than abortion—notwithstanding that states that ban abortion also suffer at least a 24% increase in maternal mortality and have the highest rate of infant mortality as well. Facts just aren’t the Republican’s thing—controlling women and children, is. West Virginia and Wyoming Republicans have also launched efforts to protect child marriage. And in New Hampshire, as recently as 2018, child marriage was legal for girls as young as 13 and boys as young as 14. This is particularly concerning because about 86% of child marriages are of young girls to male adults. Worse, efforts to ban child marriage in New Hampshire faced opposition from legislators when 174 Republicans voted against a bill to ban child marriage.

Missouri tells a similar story, where Republicans continue to block attempts to raise the marriage age by arguing for “parental rights and traditional values,” regardless of the immense harm to children.

[...] And the fact is, this hypocrisy extends beyond child marriage. The Republican Party, which often claims to champion the protection of children, also supports policies that endanger and undermine the well-being of minors. They are proponents of child labor laws, opponents of free school lunches for children, adversaries of the child tax credit, and critics of Medicaid expansion, which disproportionately benefits low-income children. 

This Qasim Rashid, Esq. Substack piece on America’s child marriage epidemic is a must-read.

Guess who is blocking laws to eliminate child marriage? Republicans, and they are the same people who whine about the overblown “LGBTQ+ grooming children” issue used as a cover for bigotry and support policies that harm children.

[hirayaaraw]

Of Taxes and Marriage

Tags: friends to lovers; marriage for convenience / fake marriage; pining

Next

It's Saturday and you were supposed to have to watch a movie downtown with your bestfriens Wonwoo but plans were changed. Here you are in his dining table with your laptop and cramming your tax file that is due on Monday.

"Why no one has taught this in college?" You complain while you were dizzy with the amount of payslips you got from your main job and side hustle. "I'm really sorry for cancelling our plans, Won."

"It's fine." Wonwoo said before sitting next to you and peek on your laptop. You can see his grimace on your peripheral view.

"Should I call my mom's secretary to fix your tax file so we can eat our dinner now?" You roll your eyes. Wonwoo, of course, the rich kid he is, knows and have anyone to fix your tax.

"I doubt you call them to fix yours."

"Well, right." And Wonwoo, the rich kid he is, doesn't like using his connection. He likes doing his stuff on his own. "I don't even want to call my mom right now because that means another blind date to arrange with another daughter of someone."

"Poor you." You said nonchalantly. You couldn't care less about his rich boy problem because when you saw the amount of tax you will be paying. "I'm doomed."

Wonwoo pulled your laptop as you try to process the fact that you owe the freaking government a huge amount of tax. "Woah. You made that much in your side hustle?"

"Made that much, gave away so much to my family, and now I need pay so much to this government." You stressed out as you comb your hair in frustration. You are thinking to delay the payment and paying the penalties. "Not to mention my monthly rent."

"You need some help?"

"No, I'm fine. I can handle this." You said and close your laptop. "What should we eat tonight?"

"Orange chicken?"

"That sounds nice. Do you the ingredients?" You stood up and went to his refrigerator.

"Yeah, I did some grocery when you said we gonna cancel the plan tonight." He said then start preparing the utensils that will be used.

This is how your weekends usually happen. Dinner with either of your apartments. Cooking together or if you both feeling lazy, you order pizza and do some movie marathon. This started during your college days as broke students and now you two are inseparable.

Once you are done cooking, you felt a bit better as you see Wonwoo become excited about the food. He prepared the table and pull you a chair.

"Thank you for the food." He said before closing his eyes to mutter a short prayer. "Finally a real food."

"If only you can stop being lazy about cooking."

"I told you I can't cook."

"Then what did we do earlier, Mister?"

"Well, I chop and you do your magic." Wonwoo said then ate a spoonful of rice. He continued explaining how shitty he is as a cook. You just agreed he is a bad cook and settled on cooking on weekends for him so he can stay alive or else he will live through instant noodles and canned goods.

Once you finish eating, you clear the table and he wash the dishes. He notice how your aura is still gloomy despite trying to make you laugh.

"You know I can help you if you tell me." He said while rinsing the plate.

"If the government can give tax break to corporations for doing charity, why can't they do it for single women who are breadwinners?" You whined at him. "If you happen to know who to contact to lower my tax bracket, then I will gladly ask for your help."

Wonwoo wipe the plates dry and put it on the cabinet. He bit his lower lip and turn to you.

"What? Do you know how?"

"Yeah" Wonwoo said in low voice. Unsure if he should say it.

"Really? You know how?" You said excitedly and you hugged him. Wonwoo gulped as he smelled your perfume. You pulled away from him and waited for this information.

"You need to marry someone to get a tax break." He said in a matter of fact tone. You groaned and slap his chest in annoyance.

"Where can I find a husband? I've been single since we graduated." You frowned at him while he smiled at you. He ruffled your hair to annoy you more.

"You can marry me."

You blink twice at him. It seems like your brain is playing at you. You scanned his face to see any sign if he is joking or what but Wonwoo is just smiling at you.

"What did you say?"

"I sad you can marry me." Wonwoo said in a very serious tone then gave you a small smile. You can feel your heart beat jumps.

"You shouldn't joke about marriage, asshole." You pushed him towards the sink and walk to his sofa. He followed you like a lost cat.

"Hey I'm serious." Wonwoo said when he caught your hand.

"Marriage for tax? Are you kidding me?" You looked at him with disbelief on how he came up with that idea. "Marriage should happen between two people who love each other."

"We love each other!" He said as if it is the easiest thing on the world.

"Platonically."You said and Wonwoo still holding your hand slowly kneeling on one knee.

"You get a lower tax bracket, my mom will stop pestering me about blind dates."

"Insane."

"You can pay me half of your monthly rent or even nothing if we get married."

"I can believe you are talking me through this and I am seriously considering it."

"Y/N, will you marry me? For the sake of taxes and everything that bothers us." He asked you with that endearing smile. How could you say no?

"You'll help me file my tax?"

"Gladly."

"I will shoo away your blind dates."

"I am literally on my knees so please."

"Half of my rent and I cook for you everyday."

"I will be forever grateful."

"When's our wedding?"

That's how you ended up Monday morning at the city hall in your white skirt, coat, and strapped on heels. Wonwoo arrived at your appartment with a bouquet yellow tulips and to add the wedding vibe according to him. He looks handsome in his black tuxedo and slick back hairstyle.

Now you both stand in front of a judge as he precided your wedding. You drag a janitor and a court clerk to be a witness to your wedding. Wonwoo held both of your hands. You listen to the judge intenly while he looks at you endearingly.

"With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

You and Wonwoo's eyes widen in surprise. You forgot the part where you need to kiss each other. Wonwoo slowly remove the veil from your face.

He held your cheeks gently and you look at him before closing your eyes. This is not the first kiss you shared with him. However, this is is special as you are now his wife. He lowered his head and gave you a kiss. You can feel his smile against yours and you couldn't help but reach his face with your free hand.

"Congratulations, Mr. And Mrs. Jeon!" You pulled away and hugged him. Wonwoo laughed as he hugged you tighter.

Just two idiots who will never admit they love each other romantically.

2017 December

A day before you both leave the campus dorm to celebrate the holiday. You are sitting side by side in his tiny couch with a bowl of popcorn on your lap. Love, Rosie playing on the screen.

"Do you think we will be in love at each other like them?" You asked him out of the blue. Just pure curiousity.

"I don't know. Maybe? We don't what fate holds for us."

"But is that fine with you?"

"Fine with?"

"Falling in love with me in the future."

"Yeah there's not to love about you." Wonwoo said calmly as if it is a non brainer question. You put the popcorn on the coffee table.

You don't know what went on your mind. It is suddenly hazy. You turn to him while Wonwoo is watching Rosie confess.

"I want to know something."

"Shoot."

"Can I kiss you?"

"Okay." Wonwoo looked at you. Without anytime waster, you pulled him towards you and kiss him. It took few seconds for Wonwoo to respond. His hand grab your neck to deepen the kiss. You were never kissed like this before.

You pulled away to breathe. He rested his forehead to yours before giving you a peck.

"Was it that you want to know?" He asked you with breathy voice. You stood up before you were completely trap by the spell he puts you in.

"Oh look. It's late. I have a bus to catch on tomorrow morning." You pick up your phone and ran towards the door. "Merry Christmas, Wonwoo!"

Your curiousity is satisfied. You just learned that Wonwoo has the ability to make your heart go crazy and your heart is ridiculously beating for him.

But no, you don't need love as senior college student clinging on scholarship. You set aside the feelings and burried it the whole holiday season.

It was the first but certainly not the last kiss you shared with Wonwoo as friends.

2019 July

Drinks flowing as the campus celebrated the night before the graduation ceremony. Everyone is inebriated as well as you and Wonwoo.

Wonwoo never left your side and his free arm is stucked in either your waist or shoulder. Both of you were laughing like idiots at the corner of your batchmate's house, you legs resting on his lap and your head on his shoulder. The party music blaring in the whole house.

When the laughter between the two of you ensued, you both notice how there is almost no distance between the two of you. You can smell the beer and his musky perfume.

Wonwoo raised your chin and you can see the hesitation in his eyes. You held his hand and took this as a sign. He kissed you tenderly. A little bit sloppy but you can feel his yearning as if he is scared that he will be losing you.

Once you are both out of breath, you rested your head on his chest. Hands still intertwined.

"Y/N" Wonwoo called you. You hummed against his chest. He felt that he has the whole world. He is nervous but it feels like a now or never situation. "Have I told you that I love you?"

He waited for a response but nothing came out from you. Wonwoo looked down just to see you sleeping on him.

Present

If he told the 2019 Jeon Wonwoo that he will end up marrying you, his old self will never believe it. If he told his past self that you both spent the night of your wedding playing board games, his old self will laugh at him for being loser.

He is happy and content for what he has right now. His confession can wait.

Right now, you enjoy defeating Wonwoo in every scrabble round. Your heart beats like first time you both kissed. Just like the first time you kissed, you wanted to put aside your feelings and focus on the pressing matters at hand.

Next

[holy-politics-batman]

How Peter Duton has consistently Voted in parliament

Spoiler: He hates you Not everything is terrible, but holy shit it gets bad and a lot of it is bad (Source at the bottom)

Voted for:

A citizenship test

A plebiscite on the carbon pricing mechanism (Remove the tax on carbon)

A same-sex marriage plebiscite (plebiscite means to get rid of)

An Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC)

Carbon Farming Initiative Amendment Bill 2014

Charging postgraduate research students fees

Civil celebrants having the right to refuse to marry same-sex couples

Compensating victims of overseas terrorism since the September 11 attack

Decreasing availability of welfare payments

Deregulating undergraduate university fees (Removing any restrictions on the amount that universities can charge students for tuition)

Drug testing welfare recipients

Getting rid of Sunday and public holiday penalty rates

Greater control over items brought into immigration detention centres

Having a referendum on whether to create an Indigenous Voice to Parliament (To be fair he also did recently have a trantrum because he didn't want to stand infrount of the Aboriginal flag, so)

Increasing eligibility requirements for Australian citizenship

Government administered paid parental leave

Increasing indexation of HECS-HELP debts (HECS-HELP is basically student loans)

Increasing state and territory environmental approval powers

Increasing the cost of humanities degrees (Humanities include: History, Geography, Philosophy, Religion, Citizenship, Economics, Business, ect)

Increasing the price of subsidised medicine

Prioritising religious freedom

Privatising government-owned assets

Putting welfare payments onto cashless debit cards (or indue cards) on a temporary basis as a trial

Recognising local government in the Constitution

Reducing the corporate tax rate

Senate electoral reform

Stopping people who arrive by boat from ever coming to Australia

Temporary Exclusion Orders

Temporary protection visas

The territories being able to legalise euthanasia

Turning back asylum boats when possible

A combined Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

Banning mobiles and other devices in immigration detention

Increasing scrutiny of unions

Implementing refugee and protection conventions

Putting welfare payments onto cashless debit cards (or indue cards) on an ongoing basis

Privatising certain government services

Voluntary student union fees

Increasing funding for road infrastructure

Increasing the initial tax rate for working holiday makers to 19%

Increasing the Medicare Levy to pay for the National Disability Insurance Scheme

Making more water from Murray-Darling Basin available to use

The Coalition's new schools funding policy ("Gonski 2.0")

The Intervention in the Northern Territory

Voted against:

A carbon price

A minerals resource rent tax

A Royal Commission into Violence and Abuse against People with Disability

A transition plan for coal workers

Banning pay secrecy clauses

Capping gas prices

Carbon farming

Considering legislation to create a federal anti-corruption commission (procedural)

Considering motions on Gaza (2023-24) (procedural)

Criminalising wage theft

Decreasing the private health insurance rebate

Doctor-initiated medical transfers for asylum seekers

Ending illegal logging

Ending immigration detention on Manus Island

Extending government benefits to same-sex couples

Federal action on public housing

Federal government action on animal & plant extinctions

Increasing availability of abortion drugs

Increasing consumer protections

Increasing funding for university education

Increasing housing affordability

Increasing investment in renewable energy

Increasing legal protections for LGBTI people

Increasing marine conservation

Increasing penalties for breach of data

Increasing political transparency

Increasing protection of Australia's fresh water

Increasing restrictions on gambling

Increasing scrutiny of asylum seeker management

Increasing support for the Australian film and TV industry

Increasing support for the Australian shipping industry

Increasing the diversity of media ownership

Increasing trade unions' powers in the workplace

Increasing transparency of big business by making information public

Market-led approaches to protecting biodiversity

Net zero emissions by 2035

Re-approving/ re-registering agvet chemicals (Agvet chemicals protect crops and livestock)

Removing children from immigration detention

Reproductive bodily autonomy

Requiring every native title claimant to sign land use agreements

Restricting donations to political parties

Restricting foreign ownership

Same-sex marriage equality

Stem cell research

Stopping tax avoidance or aggressive tax minimisation

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)

The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme

The Paris Climate Agreement

Tobacco plain packaging

Transgender rights

Treating the COVID vaccine rollout as a matter of urgency

Mix

Reducing tax concessions for high socio-economic status

Increasing competition in bulk wheat export

Mostly Yes

Speeding things along in Parliament (procedural)

Unconventional gas mining

A character test for Australian visas

Increasing or removing the Government debt limit

Regional processing of asylum seekers

Mostly No

Increasing the age pension

Net zero emissions by 2050

Suspending the rules to allow a vote to happen (procedural)

Vehicle efficiency standards

Increasing support for rural and regional Australia

Letting all MPs or Senators speak in Parliament (procedural)

Source

https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/representatives/dickson/peter_dutton

[howtomuslim]

The Rights of Non-Muslims Under Sharia Law

Sharia law is often misunderstood, especially regarding its treatment of non-Muslims. However, the Sharia has a rich tradition of pluralism, allowing non-Muslims such as Christians and Jews to follow their own laws while living in Muslim-majority societies.

1. Pluralism Under Sharia: A Historical Perspective

Sharia law is not a monolithic system but rather a framework that has historically embraced justice. Within Islamic societies, non-Muslims, particularly “People of the Book” (Christians and Jews), were allowed to practice their religion freely and follow their own legal systems concerning personal matters like marriage, divorce, and inheritance.

“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error.” (Quran 2:256)

This verse underscores that faith is a personal choice and that people should be allowed to practice their religion without coercion.

2. Dhimmi Status: Protection, Responsibilities, and Benefits

Non-Muslims living under Islamic rule were given the status of “dhimmi,” which granted them protection and certain rights in exchange for the payment of jizya, a tax levied on non-Muslim citizens. The jizya was not merely a tax but a means to ensure the safety and protection of non-Muslims in a Muslim-majority state. It also exempted them from military service, which was obligatory for able-bodied Muslim men.

A lesser-known aspect of the jizya is that it also contributed to providing pensions and other benefits to non-Muslims. This system ensured that non-Muslims were cared for in the state, particularly in old age or during times of need.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasised the sanctity of the protection given to non-Muslims:

“Whoever kills a mu’ahid (a person who is granted the pledge of protection by the Muslims) shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise…” (Sahih Bukhari 3166)

“If somebody harms a disbeliever that’s living under the protection of the Muslims, they have harmed me; if they have harmed me, they have harmed God.” — Prophet Muhammed, Peace be Upon him

Islamic law does not allow for double standards when it comes to justice. Non-Muslims have the right to seek justice if they are wronged by a Muslim. Historical examples show that even the highest leaders, like Caliph Ali and Caliph Umar ibn Abdulaziz, upheld the rights of non-Muslims, ensuring that justice was served when a non-Muslim was wronged.

For instance, during Caliph Ali’s time, a Muslim who killed a non-Muslim was brought to justice, and the non-Muslim’s family was given the choice to demand the death penalty or accept compensation. Islamic Governance made sure everyone was responsible for their actions and justice was served.

3. Legal Autonomy: Non-Muslims and Their Laws

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Sharia’s application is its respect for the legal autonomy of non-Muslim communities. Non-Muslims were allowed to maintain their religious laws and customs in matters of personal status. This legal pluralism was practiced in various Islamic states, where Christian, Jewish, and other religious communities had their courts and legal systems.

“To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way…” (Quran 5:48)

4. The Role of Jizya in Social Welfare

Non-Muslims under Sharia law were required to pay a tax called jizya (often being lower than the 2.5% tax on the wealth of Muslims paid towards charity yearly). However, this tax was a system that provided benefits, including protection and exemption from military service and those who would be burdened to pay it were exempted from paying it. Furthermore, certain groups, such as Christian monks who dedicated their lives to worship, were even exempted from paying the jizya, showing the flexibility and fairness of the system.

In contrast to modern taxation, where everyone must contribute regardless of their role in society, Islamic law recognised the unique circumstances of different communities and adjusted its requirements accordingly.

The Jizya was used not only for the administration and protection of the state but also to provide pensions and social services and support for those in need, including the elderly and disabled non-Muslims. This practice ensured that non-Muslims were not only protected but also cared for, reflecting the Islamic commitment to justice.

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.” (Quran 5:8)

The positive effects of this system can be seen during the time of Umar ibn Abd-Alaziz, poverty was wiped out, justice was deeply woven into the society and the animals were fed with the surplus food and wealth as they were seen as also a part of the responsibilities of the Caliph.

There are numerous historical examples of Islamic leaders advocating for the rights of non-Muslims. For instance, the scholar Taqi al-Din famously negotiated with the Tartar leaders to secure the release of both Muslim and non-Muslim prisoners of war, demonstrating that Islamic justice extends beyond the Muslim community.

To learn more about Islam visit: howtomuslim.org

[toweringclam]

Limbus OCs: The Council (Index Syndicate)

Some say that the Council is merely affiliated with the Index. Some say that they're the true ruling power behind the Prescripts. The truth is somewhat more complex.

While all are subject to the Prescripts handed down by the Weavers, their instructions often leave gaps in the day to day operations of the Syndicate. Someone has to marshal their soldiers, collect their taxes, conduct diplomacy with other Fingers, etc. And so, the Council was born. A Syndicate within a Syndicate, at different times in different places either the true holder of power or a vestigial appendage, depending on what the Prescripts have to say.

The titular Council has thirteen members but only twelve seats. The duties of the 13th member is Hospitality, conducting diplomacy but not having a say in any major decisions. There's some jockeying for position among the lower ranks to see who gets relegated to this role. When one dies, half of their duties go to their successor, but the rest are distributed among the other Council members. This results in a seemingly random assortment of often overlapping duties for each member, with the most senior having the most broad authority. For example, while Napat is in charge of District 20, he's also in charge cars and other vehicles everywhere. However, he is not in charge of roads, as that duty falls to Egemon.

Within their realms of authority, the Council can write Prescripts as they see fit. These Prescripts come with the Council Member's own watermark to indicate that they do not supersede other Prescripts. However, as the Weavers' and the Council's Prescripts are rarely in direct contradiction, the penalty for failure is the same either way, and most people living in Index districts don't know what the watermarks mean, people are often forced to thread a very fine needle in order to serve two different masters.

Some notable members of the Council who will play a role for LCB-2:

Zen

Gender: Male Seat: 1 Sample Authorities: Electricity, Authority, Markets (but not trade itself), Districts 1, 2, and 3 (not exercised), goats, freedom, order, Wings

Zen is the head of the Council and as his domain is Authority itself, the others must listen to him. While he comports himself as a stoic bastion of wisdom and mercy, he is a petty, cruel, and arrogant man who cares only about his own position. Despite being married to the Second Seat, his philandering is legendary. He has illegitimate children across the city and, when he finds out, often seeks to have them eliminated without getting directly involved in their lives. This is because of an overriding fear of what may happen if he and one of his children come face to face, due to a Prescript given to him when he took the First Seat: "Die by your child's hand."

Olympia

Gender: Female Seat: 2 Sample Authorities: Cows, contracts, marriage, Fixers (grade 3 and up), children, women, Nests

Second only to Zen in power is his wife Olympia, the Second Seat. She was given a Prescript at the start of her tenure that told her to marry Zen, even though the two had no love for each other. Their relationship has not improved over the years and for the most part they live entirely separate lives. She endeavors to cover up Zen's affairs in order to avoid scandal, and protect his children from his machinations for as long as possible. Yet she often foots the blame for their misfortune.

Orcus

Gender: ??? Seat: 4 Sample Authorities: Monuments, prisons, prisoners, the Ruins, wealth (but not markets or commerce), the River, secrets, baldness

The enigmatic Orcus is rarely seen, and their presence is often known only through whispers and written messages. A looming shadow fills their Seat at the table with no one to actually cast it. Some say they're a ghost, others that they're using some sort of Singularity to move out of phase with reality. They tend to act through their proxy, a long-suffering woman named Corey who often has to... clean up what they actually say before relaying it to the others.

They are a sponsor of the Color Fixer Melinoe of the Saffron Shroud, and introduced her to her husband Dion. As such it is likely that they are involved in LCB-2, though it's unclear in what capacity.

[kragehund-est]

marriage tax benefits ❌️

unmarried persons tax penalties ✔️

[littlegreenhouseplant]

Basically my political views

-universal healthcare

-pro gay marriage

-pro weed legalization

-pro abortion

-pro Israel

-raising taxes on billionaires

-no affirmative action

-there are only two genders

-stop transitioning kids

-pro prison reform

-bring down Hollywood

-death penalty for murderers, rapists, and pedopiles

-secure all borders

[vittorino-from-hitgame-811]

trump won, here's what's gonna happen sooner or later:

End no fault divorce

Complete ban on abortions WITHOUT exceptions

Bans contraceptives [condoms basically]

Additional tax breaks for corporations and the 1%

Higher taxes for the working class

Elimination of unions and worker protections, Eliminating the Department of education

RAISING the retirement age

Cuts social security, Medicare

Ends the affordable care act

Raises prescription drug prices

Use public, taxpayer money for private religious schools

Teaching Christian religious beliefs in public schools

Ends free and discounted school lunch programs

Ends civil rights & DEI protections in government

Bans african American and gender studies of all levels of education

Bans books and curriculum of slavery

Ending climate protections

Increase Artic drilling

Deregulate big business and the oil industry

Promote and expedite capital punishment [death penalty]

End marriage equality

Codemn single mothers whole promoting only "traditional families"

Defund the FBI and Homeland security

Use the military to break up domestic protests

Mass deportation of immigrants and incarceration in "camps"

Ban Muslims from entering the country

End birth right citizenship

Eliminates federal agencies like the EPA,FDA,NOAA & more

Continues to pack the Supreme Court, & lower courts with right-wing judges

My heart goes out to those living in this country. 💙 Please stay safe

[celestie0]

Love love love ihm and just want to understand why y/n is so panicked about ‘getting caught’. Is getting married for insurance illegal? Ik it’s a bit taboo to question a story lol, but just trying to follow along better! Totally fair if it’s a made up plot device ofc

I’m so excited to see how the story goes, you’re very talented ❤️

hi bb oh not at all i am more than happy to explain anything haha! plus you're so respectful ab it so dw

yes yes so first off i think ihm reader in general has a little bit of a paranoid personality haha. there's been a couple times in ihm where this is alluded to w the difference in her reactions to certain things vs the people around her (like in ch2 when her coworker asks her why she's so paranoid ab everything all the time like getting a medical lawsuit, and when gojo is like who tf is out there tryna sabotage our fake marriage, or sumn like that) but i think that's just kind of how she's grown to be with trust issues and living in constant fear

but yes at least where i live (usa) it is illegal to get married for purely just spousal benefits!! like for example to get an american citizenship or for insurance or tax benefits. in ihm's case, it would be marital fraud as well as insurance fraud. in the research i've done for the series, i know that marital fraud is tough to prove, but there are certain ways that an investigation can prove it, such as: inconsistent statements from both parties, no evidence of relationship prior to the marriage, suspicious timings (for example when someone's visa is expiring or in reader's case in ihm, her mother's illness has progressed), testimony and witness from others close to the alleged couple (that's why her messing up her story in front of her neighbors and also her neighbors not even knowing she had married gojo was a big red flag to choso) etc etc

as for the consequences of getting convicted, i think this part in ihm ch3 kinda lays it out:

"You know the U.S. federal codes in the law for marital & insurance fraud like the back of your hand, since you read through them hundreds of times before deciding if your little arrangement with Gojo would be worth it. 8 U.S.C. 1033 and 18 U.S.C. 371 provide for a penalty of up to ten years in prison for insurance fraud. And under that statute, you can also be fined up to $250,000. The best case scenario is that you just have to divorce Gojo, and forfeit your chances of ever recovering from your crippling debt."

and then obviously in addition to financial penalties, a criminal record can lead to more disadvantages later in life, like issues getting employed, disqualification from certain welfare systems, reader could also potentially lose her nursing license, her insurance claims could be denied and that would lead to abrupt loss of health care for her mother...soooo yea there's some more stuff i looked into too hahah but these are just some reasons to name a few as to why she is very paranoid about it

hope this helps to explain!! <3 much love

[haggishlyhagging]

The second heaviest concentration of European witch trials was in the French-speaking lands, especially on their margins. Where royal control was firm, the panics were kept in hand, but the outlying provinces, resistant in every way to central control, at first hunted down witches with little restraint.

The northern province of Flanders (Département du Nord), under Spanish control during much of the witch hunt era, persecuted four women for every man, plus numbers of young children. Robert Muchembled concludes that women were targeted because of both theological and societal biases against them. The Catholic Reformation's drive to control the sexuality of its members fell heaviest, of course, on the female sex. Heavy penalties for illegitimate births and irregular marriages, and the death penalty for abortion and infanticide, placed new limits on women's control over their bodies and their lives. It required a century or more after the Council of Trent for French society to fall into line, but by the end of the seventeenth century French women were producing only one-third as many illegitimate births as their English (Protestant) sisters.

The church also cut deeply into women's traditional roles at this time. By ruling (in France) that baptisms must take place within twenty-four hours of birth, it prevented women from gathering their extended families to celebrate the arrival of the new child; by forbidding wakes to be held in churches, it cut women out from their chief quasi-liturgical role, that of public mourner. Along with this went a major attack on midwives and female healers. The church thus undermined women's mastery of folk healing, adding to the parish priest's control over the laity's lives at every point possible. Add to this ecclesiastical attack the traditional societal disgust for old women and envy of the power of folk healers, and one finds a potent wave of antifeminism growing in rural sixteenth- and seventeenth-century France. Muchembled believes that basic to these customs was "une méfiance fondamentale" (a fundamental distrust) of women. To this summary must be added the deterioration in women's economic possibilities.

As for what triggered witch hunting in this area, belief in demonism seems not to have been the cause, such matters appearing in trial records only on the prompting of the judges. Here it was a case of prolonged disruption of daily life, the almost continuous wars and frequent plagues and increasing poverty. Because of this long period of turmoil, the economic conditions of the peasants steadily worsened throughout the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The number of paupers increased as rural taxes became heavier; wealth became concentrated in the hands of a few rich peasant families, those eligible to attend the communal assembly, those few who had recently learned to read and write and could thus cooperate with the new religious reformers. As the gap between rich and poor increased, social tensions rose and were dealt with by the powerful families via witchcraft charges against the indigent. Always the accusers were better off, even if only slightly, than the persons whom they accused.

-Anne Barstow Llewelyn, Witchcraze

[uswnt5]

5/29 Tobs bday. 12/29 CP bday

1/29/22 Definitely a very special date!

Gos, what if Tobs and CP entered into a Domestic Partnership? I looked up California law to find out some info. A domestic partnership exists at the State or city level. There are several benefits including: No marriage tax penalty, the ability to adopt kids together, the legal right to care for and make decisions for children, you can be on each others insurance, inheritance rights and obligations, visitation rights, family sick leave for a sick or injured partner, and other benefits. Domestic partnership is an alternative to marriage that still provides legal benefits.

If a Domestic partnership ends, assets/debt can be separated without going to court. Parties just write up an agreement and fill out a Notice of Termination and mail to the Secretary of the State. The domestic partnership would then end after 6 months

Maybe Tobs and CP are in a legal Domestic Partnership. That just may make more sense for them right now??? Tobin may be more comfortable with legal rights, but not marriage (yet). We already know their hearts are 100% committed to each other 🧡💗

haha how romantic!

[odinsblog]

WASHINGTON — Black taxpayers are at least three times as likely to be audited by the Internal Revenue Service as other taxpayers, even after accounting for the differences in the types of returns each group is most likely to file, a team of economists has concluded in one of the most detailed studies yet on race and the nation’s tax system.

The findings do not suggest bias from individual tax enforcement agents, who do not know the race of the people they are auditing. They also do not suggest any valid reason for the I.R.S. to target Black Americans at such high rates; there is no evidence that group engages in more tax evasion than others.

Instead, the findings document discrimination in the computer algorithms the agency uses to determine who is selected for an audit, according to the study by economists from Stanford University, the University of Michigan, the University of Chicago and the Treasury Department.

Some of that discrimination appears to be rooted in decisions that I.R.S. officials made over the past decade as they sought to maintain tax enforcement in the face of budget cuts, by relying on automated systems to select returns for audit.

Those decisions have produced an approach that disproportionately flags tax returns with potential errors in the claiming of certain tax credits, like the earned-income tax credit, which supplements low-income workers’ incomes in an effort to alleviate poverty. Those tax returns are more often selected for audits, regardless of how much in owed taxes the agency might recover.

The result is audit rates of Black Americans that are between three and five times the rate of other taxpayers, even when comparing that group to other taxpayers who also claim the E.I.T.C.

👉🏿 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/31/us/politics/black-americans-irs-tax-audits.html

Black people earn less, but are taxed more. There is also a marriage penalty that works against married Black people.

👉🏿 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428

[guessimate]

We are starting round IX with Ninildu Orange. Ninildu is the only surviving member of the Orange family. His grandfather was a werewolf heartbreaker and his father had just died under mysterious circumstances.

This round he's getting a gift from nature, or ROS... a free bee setup. He will need to work on his mechanical skill if he wants to tame the bees.

The previous hood-wide scenario still applies, so Ninildu will be sick and he will be forced to stay in bed for most of the round. That's why this round will probably be very quick, especially for 1 sim households.

~*~

Speaking of the global scenario, I've decided I won't be rolling if sims die from this flu plague (unless this happens naturally, but it's very unlikely in my game). Instead, I will see if they get the Weak Constitution trait. For now I still don't use any sort of disease mod... but it might change someday.

I won't always calculate this for every sim, but I've decided to see what Ninildu's health score would be according to the Warwickshire Challenge. He has ended up with his adolescent health score of ~45, which means his health is 'fair', although it might turn into a pretty poor health score in his adulthood.

I'll treat 'fair' and above as penalty-free health. According to that challenge sims with fair health score could only perform strenuous activities for no longer than 4 hours a day (so Ninildu could garden and/or run his business for up to 4 hours total).

Because it's the 'flu plague' times, I decided to calculate Adriana's (Ninildu's girlfriend) health score too. Apparently, she has got crazy good health. It's excellent, with a score of 112 as an adolescent, so she probably didn't get infected at all. Hopefully her birth rolls go just as well when she becomes a mother.

~*~

Ninildu opened his store on the last day of the round, but before that he had invited his sweetheart over. Besides the last day of the rotation the Oranges' round was really uneventful. Ninildu spent his days resting in bed and doing only minimal chores, like feeding his animals and honing his mechanical skill.

Since Ninildu wanted to have his very first WooHoo, I decided to move Adriana in. While Ninildu didn't necessarily want to tie the knot, he wanted to go steady. I only have a want tree for teens to want to WooHoo, not to get married.

Ninildu invited Adriana first thing in the morning (before her shift would even start!). His relationship to Adriana had deteriorated over the course of a season, and so had his aspiration meter.

Adriana had a little amnesia after she had moved in, so they had to kiss again. I cleared her NPC type and gave her an ACR token, so she should behave normally from now on.

She's a Pisces, but her genetic personality is different from her current one. She's 2 Neat (originally 5), 1 Outgoing (originally 3), 7 Active, 7 Playful (originally 3), and 5 Nice (originally 7).

I don't mind the fact that her skills were randomized, but they are a bit high. She has maxed out Creativity (someone will finally use the easel again!), she's a pretty good cook, she's quite logical, and she's a bit athletic, which makes a lot of sense with her high health score.

I kept ~1000$ out of the money she brought with her, even though no dowry is really required for plebeians. Adriana would help run the business (but of course she doesn't know how to run the register anymore!).

~*~

The newly-spawned she-wolf only came by the lot on the day of the Oranges' wedding. Sadly, no other pet paid the Oranges a visit earlier this round.

I would really like to breed the Oranges' dog, but I may have to prolong his life. I will need to move in the female wolf with them next round, if she shows up again.

Ninildu's dog saved him from the Social Bunny's visit, which would have certainly occurred, had he had no company at all.

~*~

The newlyweds earned quite a bit, around 930$.

372$ - tax

500$ - rent

93$ - tithe

200$ - burial fee for granddad Ninurta and dad Damu

100$ - marriage license

They paid 1265$. I added the marriage license fee since Ninildu got quite a bit of simoleons out of this marriage. Also, both Ninildu's father and grandfather had been haunting the lot and I sent them to the graveyard, so he needed to cover the funeral fees.