Zero Point Energy and … FATCA

Posted on February 27, 2013 by outragec

I bet physics buffs never thought they’d see those two terms together.

This is a callout for all FATCA haters, and opponents of the US citizenship-based taxation model – don’t give up! Think those positive thoughts! We can change this! We can eliminate FATCA using the zero point field!

The other day I got interested in ‘zero point field’ and ‘zero point energy’ – quantum physics terms – and did a bit of wandering around the internet to see what it meant and what people were saying about it.

There are quite a few sites that go into details on the physics, such as Calphysics Institute.
http://www.calphysics.org/zpe.html
“Quantum mechanics predicts the existence of what are usually called ”zero-point” energies for the strong, the weak and the electromagnetic interactions, where ”zero-point” refers to the energy of the system at temperature T=0.”
“… quantum physics predicts that all of space must be filled with electromagnetic zero-point fluctuations (also called the zero-point field) creating a universal sea of zero-point energy.”

Alright, maybe a bit obscure, but more interesting were the sites postulating about possibly tapping into the zero energy field, being able to use it for space flight, for example. Warp drives could become real!
http://www.halexandria.org/dward154.htm
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=follow-up-what-is-the-zer

Cool stuff, but what really caught my eye were the people musing that our thoughts can have a physical effect. Who say that we are connected to everything, and our thoughts can change the world.

“If thoughts equal energy and energy equals matter, then thoughts become matter. Observe your thoughts as they will manifest themselves in your life in the physical via the Zero Point Field/Matrix.”
http://thematrixconnector.com/matrix-connectors/matrix-connecter-technology/the-matrix-zero-point-field

So, while I’m being a little tongue-in-cheek here, what can it hurt? I’m concentrating on sending my thoughts into the zero point field.

“ Ooohmmm…..Eradicate FATCA…..Eliminate FATCA….Ooohmmm……Jettison FATCA…..Destroy FATCA… Oohmmm….Abolish FATCA

Join me?

Canada will protect us from zombies – but not from FATCA?

Posted on February 14, 2013 by outragec

Canada promises to protect its citizens from US zombies – but no mention of protecting us from the US government.

Yesterday, in the House of Commons, Pat Martin, MP from the NDP party, asked if the Minister of Foreign Affairs is working with his American counterparts to develop an international strategy so that a zombie invasion does not turn into a zombie apocalypse.

John Baird’s response was “I want to assure this member and all Canadians that I am dedicated to ensuring that this never happens. I want to say categorically to this member and through him to all Canadians that under the leadership of this Prime Minister, Canada will never become a safe haven for zombies ever.”

Great – good to know, I for one, feel so much safer. Continue reading →

Will FATCA Cause Some of the Headlines We Read in 2015?

Posted on January 18, 2013 by outragec

The final regulations for FATCA were released yesterday by the US Department of Treasury, and the IRS. If you’re interested, you can read all 544 abstruse pages at the links below.

As far as I can tell there is nothing unexpected in there and no good news. The United States still expects all foreign banks to comply with their law, even when it violates that country’s law. The US still expects our banks to pay huge sums to implement a foreign law, to administer a foreign law, and to betray law-abiding Canadian citizens.

I haven’t found any response or updated information from our Canadian government. The release of the final regulations led me to think about the potential impact of FATCA on Canada if our government does not protect its citizens.

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/01/28/2013-01025/information-reporting-by-foreign-financial-institutions-and-withholding-on-certain-payments-to

Or http://maplesandbox.ca/fatca-final-regulations-are-out/

Could the following be some of the headlines we might see in early 2015?

‘Bankruptcies on the rise across Canada.
The Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada has just released updated information. Bankruptcies in 2014 reached an all-time high of 117,258. In 2011, only 81,636 bankruptcies were recorded.” Continue reading →

Appeasement Doesn’t Work

Posted on January 6, 2013 by outragec

World War II showed us that a policy of appeasement simply encourages bullies to further excess. Why, then, are so many countries intent on a policy of appeasement regarding a foreign country’s laws, namely FATCA?

Canada didn’t pursue a policy of appeasement in 1812 – we just kicked the butt of the United States right out of our country. Perhaps the reason for that was territorial – the US was invading Canada’s physical territory, which alarmed and angered both the government and Canada’s citizens. If the US invaded Canada physically today, to gain access to our fresh water, our oil, our vast kilometres of forest and resources, not only would Canada fight back, but the US would be censured the world over. However, unfortunately for us, two hundred years later, the US has learned an important lesson – economic pressure can win where brute force cannot. Continue reading →

An Introvert Fighting FATCA

Posted on December 28, 2012 by outragec

I am an introvert. There, I said it. Putting it out there like this almost feels like I’m confessing to a crime.

I’ve never enjoyed being in the spotlight, always preferring to work in the background, keeping my head down and just doing what needs doing. I’ve also been very protective of my privacy and only reluctantly created a minimal presence on Facebook to keep up with family. I prefer writing to talking, and I’m generally more comfortable with email than telephone conversations.

I first heard about all of this US crap through my mother, who despairingly told me that she was probably going to owe hundreds of thousands of dollars to the IRS and would likely end up destitute. Less than a week after the conversation with my mother, in my outrage at what the US government was attempting to do to my mother, I agreed to an interview on a radio program. In that interview I blurted out that I was starting up a blog called Outraged Canadian, which had only been an idea lurking in the dark recesses of my mind. Up to that point I’d never even read a blog and I had no idea what was involved. A couple of minutes after the interview ended, I was online researching blogs and IRS and taxation and citizenship and myriad other terms. Lucky for me, the domain outragedcanadian.ca was available and I grabbed it up, and here I am now 10 months later. Continue reading →

Write to the government with your concerns about FATCA!

Posted on December 3, 2012 by outragec

We have an opportunity to voice our concerns and issues with FATCA, and the fact that Canada is going to sign an Intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the United States.

Although Flaherty has said that the talks are ‘near conclusion’, and this asking for comments is coming very late in the process, I think we have to take the opportunity offered to us to do our best to get our voices heard.

“The purpose of this bulletin is to inform persons whose interests are affected by the provisions of FATCA that the Government is actively seeking a solution to issues raised by such provisions. The Government of Canada has received input from many individuals and groups in relation to the implications of FATCA.”

http://www.fin.gc.ca/treaties-conventions/notices/unitedstates-etatsunis-eng.asp

Although the site says to write to Kevin Shoom via snail mail, I also sent it to his email address: kevin.shoom@fin.gc.ca because of what I perceive as a very short timeline.

My letter: Continue reading →

Pending Decision – apply for a backdated CLN or wait?

Posted on September 10, 2012 by outragec

I’ve been going back and forth the last few weeks trying to decide if I should apply for a backdated Certificate of Loss of Nationality (CLN) from the US State Department. One of the questions is the date of my actual relinquishment. I swore an oath of allegiance to the Queen and Canada when I was almost 16, and received my certificate of Canadian citizenship in January 1976, when I was 16. According to the US’s Immigration and Nationality Act, a minor cannot relinquish US citizenship. However, I also signed another oath of allegiance in 1984, at age 24, when I began working for the federal government. I think the 1984 date would have to be the one I ask for, although, in my mind, I relinquished US citizenship back in 1976, and the oath in 1984 was only a confirmation.

If a backdated CLN was approved, it could give me much need peace of mind, and also provide me with a piece of paper to prove to my banks that I am not a US citizen. This would also give my mother and sister some peace of mind, since their relinquishments are much more straightforward than mine. If I successfully obtain my CLN, they may not even have to apply for theirs, as they would then have ‘reasonable cause’ to believe that they successfully relinquished their US citizenship back in the 70’s. Continue reading →

Still Struggling for Balance, But Getting There

Posted on August 6, 2012 by outragec

When I first was introduced to the Isaac Brock Society blog, I thought it was an amazing place to learn what I could do about the US government policy on citizenship-based taxation, FATCA and FBAR, as well as discover what others were doing. A steady resolve to fight the consequences of the US model of citizenship-based taxation on us regular folk (that is, non-rich, non-tax evaders, non-tax cheats) was displayed by the members, along with a great deal of empathy and support, which I needed so badly at the time. I used to push the Isaac Brock Society blog as the place to go to get information regarding this whole mess, most particularly about renunciation/relinquishment, FATCA and FBAR. Continue reading →

Canadian Things

Posted on August 1, 2012 by outragec

Thinking about doing this post, about my life as a Canadian, started me thinking about what identifies a Canadian, and about some of the symbols that say ‘Canada’.

Perhaps one of the most iconic (and delicious) is maple syrup from Quebec. A little investigation shows that Quebec is far and away the largest producer of maple syrup in the world, estimated at producing about 85% of the world supply.

Arguably perhaps the most famous symbol is the maple leaf. According to the Canadian Heritage website, the maple leaf was used as a Canadian symbol as far back as 1700 (who knew?). While all Canadian coins, at one time, sported the maple leaf, it’s now only on the penny. The Royal Canadian Mint is set to stop making the penny in February 2013, so soon it may not be on any coins, which would be a shame, since a maple leaf has been on at least one since 1876.

Continue reading →

Chatting with some locals

Posted on July 24, 2012 by outragec

The other day I decided to walk around and talk to whomever I ran into, just to see how aware people are on this whole US citizenship-based taxation issue, and what they think of it. I started with a group that often hangs out in my local park. They were a little shy to have their faces shown, but agreed to talk to me as long as I didn’t use any names and didn’t take any close up photos.

When I asked if anyone was a US citizen the answer was an emphatic no. Everyone said they’d been born and raised here, as had their parents and grandparents. When I asked about if they were aware that the US taxes all US persons on their worldwide income, no matter where they live, they displayed mild disbelief. “Whoa, dude, that doesn’t sound right,” said one, “it doesn’t make any sense.” When I said it was true, his mother said, “Well, I feel sorry for people that came from the US, but I have to say it doesn’t really affect me or my family, as Canadians.”