April 15, 1861 President Lincoln imposed the first federal income tax - the Revenue Act. Originally, a 3% tax on annual incomes over $800. was imposed to help fund the Civil War.
Now-a-days, taxes are used to fund a great many things, and a bit of our gremlin-like personalities have surfaced. However, the ever positive and patriotic tax trend continued for many generations since 1861.
I said to my Uncle Sam
Old Man Taxes, here I am
And he was glad to see me
Mister Small Fry, yes, indeed
Lower brackets, that's my speed
But he was glad to see me
I paid my income tax today
I never felt so proud before
To be right there with the millions more
Who paid their income tax today
I'm squared up with the U.S.A.
See those bombers in the sky?
Rockefeller helped to build 'em, so did I
I paid my income tax today....
As written by the one and only Irving Berlin in 1942 to support the war effort.
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist - born in Russia 1888, his family relocated to New York City in 1893. Berlin became an American of the ages. Fun is a key concept for Berlin, beginning the Ragtime dance craze internationally with Alexander's Ragtime Band in 1911, several ragtime tunes and continuing with Puttin' on the Ritz in 1930. He wrote several musicals - "Madame Butterfly", "Easter Parade" with Judy Garland and Fred Astaire, "White Christmas" (also one of the most recorded Christmas songs of all time), and many many others.
And yet another tie to Americana, Berlin believed in the American people. He wrote music and lyrics hoping to inspire individual Americans, whom he referred to as the "real soul of the country."
On the 20th anniversary of Armistice Day, Kate Smith sang Berlin's God Bless America, which he had written in 1928 but did not release it until she sang it in 1938.
God Bless America, of which we are all familiar, became recognized as a second national anthem. Irving Berlin donated all royalties from the song to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America.
Ragtime Pineapple Cake- GF
Ingredients and How to:
Oven 400, spray or oil a 9" round pan
1 fresh pinapple, cored and sliced however you want to slice it.
1 cup unsalted butter melted and set aside to cool a bit
Mix together: 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder.
Mix together: 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup almond milk (you can use regular milk, lactose free, whatever whichever you like. Almond milk, unsweetened has only 20 calories per half cup and it gives the cake a different richness), 1/2 cup honey, and the melted butter.
In a small pan melt 1/4 cup of unsalted butter and 1/3 cup honey until they blend and bubble slightly.
Pour butter/honey into prepared pan. Arrange pineapple slices on top.
Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients. Batter will be thick. Spoon onto pineapple slices.
Bake for 25 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for about 15 minutes before inverting onto plate. Give the cake a couple of minutes to release from the pan, lift pan carefully and set aside.
Not bad for tax day ~
This is a great country, a great country
So let's shout it clear and loud!
Take a look in your history book
And you'll see why we should be proud!
Hats off to America, the home of the free and the brave
If this is flag waving, flag waving
Do you know a better flag to wave?
This is a great country, a great country
So let's shout it clear and loud!
This Is A Great Country - Berlin 1962
