Potentially being a life saver

Sunday night, my wife and I were driving home from Charlottesville, and as we exited I-64, a car was sitting at an intersection with its door open, and a Hispanic man quickly approached me informing me that he didn't speak English and did not know the number to the police or hospital. I thought he was with the woman in the car, so I quickly responded, "nueve-uno-uno." His hesitancy to make a phone call with a cell phone in his hand was a little strange to me. After a minute or two of banter in my broken Spanish and his broken English, I called 911 and reported the problem. As I approached, she couldn't speak and seemed to be having a heart attack. The state troopers quickly arrived, followed by the ambulance, and they whisked the woman away, hopefully to safety.

The story ended as quickly as it began, as a fog rolled in from the mountains and seemingly dropped the temperature 20 degrees. I don't know who the woman was or how she is doing now. It seems strange that I may have played a role in saving someone's life, but will never know the outcome.

Another 5 seconds of fame on NPR

Steve Inskeep and the crew at Morning Edition are great. They are wonderful when figuring out if interviewing is possible, and I hope to speak with them occasionally for the rest of my life!

From Nov 17, 2005 (Must be opened with Realplayer or Media Player to hear)

My first time on NPR! - from October 4, 2004

IUP student blogging about business

A student at IUP that spent some evenings at TREK (a unique Christian fellowship) is blogging and thinking about business and Christianity. Hopefully, more will come!

http://www.somethingtogive.blogspot.com/

Social Security con't...

My good friend Danny just sent me a little email reminding me of the other purposes of Social Security... "I happened to be reading your post about becoming a corporation... so the question about social security. I am guessing that you are probably aware that social security doesn't only go to pay old people it also goes to pay widows, for instance the Barbatos would now be receiving social security since Michael passed away."

This is one of the reasons why I think it is good to pay social security tax. It doesn't just possibly help my spouse in the future or MAYBE my retirement, but puts funds in a system that supports people who need it. Ugh... no resolution.

On the upside, if I feel that I should pay more social security taxes, I could pay myself a higher salary which social security taxes would be taken out of. Clarification may be coming!

Taxes and corporations..... and me?

While working construction, my boss has spoken to me a few times about me becoming my own corporation. Why? To lower his paperwork and to increase the amount of money kept in my pocket. Now without going through the jargon and nuts and bolts of becoming a corporation, the questions that exist for my wife and I while considering this viable option: What is our social responsibility to paying social security taxes (Incorporating my work would avoid much SS tax)? If it is legal to become a coporation, write off all my business expenses, and not pay nearly as much tax as normal, is it right, and the best for not just me, but the world around me?

If anyone out there has made their business an S Corporation, I would love to hear your justification for your decision for reasons that are not primarily for your own benefit.

Let me clarify, I won't be employing new people, just myself. So the benefit of growing a business to hire other people is not an unselfish benefit for me.

Anyone?