Why is it....
I've mentioned the axioms of retired General Colin Powell before. One of them is "bad news unlike wine does not improve with age. So why is it some people avoid dealing with the bad stuff for the longest time (and yeah, I see myself in this on some issues)?
We had a client come into the office today who has a problem. Without going into the specifics, which could potentially violate the client's privacy, suffice it to say the IRS has told this client that their tax return from a prior year has been "examined" and they determined that the client needs to cough up well over $7,000. A large part of the balance is a penalty for "inaccuracy" (several thousand dollars). The client is in fact legally entitled to the deductions and credits the IRS disallowed in their examination but failed to provide the proper documentation of this in prior dealings with the IRS.
The waiting part? The client's last resort, unless we can work out something with the IRS on the client's behalf, is to petition the U.S. Tax Court. That petition must be filed before the month ends. So why did the client wait so long to come and see us? Well, the client had been in before but that was a few months back. The most recent letter has been in the client's hands for weeks now.
Fortunately, the urgency is all on the client in getting the correspondence we prepared on the client's behalf (have you noticed by now I'm deliberately being gender-nonspecific to ensure no one will ever know the client's identity?) to the IRS quickly. We did our part.
* * *
Apologies for no news headlines blog yesterday. I was just too tired when I returned home from trivia to finish it. Today may be a repeat of that but I will do my best to prevent this from happening.
Random ponderings:
I watched a driver two cars in front of me today about to turn right. He had his turn signal on and had begun the return when he (yes, a male driver) suddenly swerved to go straight and then turned left, cutting off the car between us. So how long before this guy injures or kills someone because he apparently doesn't know left from right?
If you were trying to do something on the sly, is "Carlos Danger" a name you'd use?
How many more people need to die while hiking "The Wave" in the AZ/UT desert before they make a change about use of the site during the hottest parts of summer? Three have died so far just this year.
A study shows that calling people "fat names" will make them eat more. Do you think people who call people those fat names will stop when they hear about this study (no way)?
The parents of Amanda Bynes are looking into conservatorship for their wayward daughter. I think they'd be excellent candidates to approach about joining the Society of Procrastinators I plan to form. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe next week.
If you were part of a family that had been "saved" by George Zimmerman, would you go public about the incident? I would want nothing to do with all of the negative sentiment currently aimed at Mr. Zimmerman.
Now that Hanes has purchased Maidenform, will Jockey be buying Fruit of the Loom?
When is some bank going to realize that they could ace out the pre-paid debit card issuers by opening savings accounts for people who need the prepaid option and give them debit cards to access the money? All of the protection of debit cards for a small monthly fee. A real money maker for banks.
* * *
Governments are doing whatever they can to boost revenues without creating new "direct" taxes that will outrage constituencies who already feel they are being over-taxed.
Nevada passed an increase in the "resort tax" in 2009 that went almost unnoticed by tourists. They are too busy gambling or laying out by the pool to notice that this tax went from 9% to 13% at Strip hotels. Small increases in sales taxes, fees charged for government services. They are nickel and diming us into the poorhouse.
Why is it we never see government cutting their salaries or benefits for the elected leadership or their staffs? Why do we see their family members and their cronies appointed to cushy, high paying jobs? Here's a list of the appointed positions in CA government where the appointee (once confirmed) becomes an exempt employee with a nice fat salary set by law: http://www.calhr.ca.gov/state-hr-professionals/Pages/appointed-state-officials.aspx
Ann Ravel was appointed to the California Fair Political Practices Commission by Governor Brown. It's a job that pays her over $100,000 annually. But she's also drawing a government pension from having spent 33 years as an attorney for Santa Clara County that push her combined income from appointment and pension above $300,000 annually. Another Brown appointee, Robert Dresser pulls in $132,000 per year from his position on the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board while his pension of $103,000 keeps rolling in. Four members of the State Parole Board (there are only 11 in all) earn $112,000 from that job while receiving pensions that top $100,000.
If California is really broke, why is this double-dipping allowed?
Anthony Weiner says he wants "closure". Perhaps starting with closing his zipper would be the way to go?
* * *
This Date in History:
On this date in 1148, Louis VII of France lays siege to Damascus during the Second Crusade.
On this date in 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate.
On this date in 1701, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founds the trading post at Fort Ponchartrain, which later becomes Detroit.
On this date in 1823, slavery is abolished in Chile.
On this date in 1847, Brigham Young leads 148 Mormon pioneers into Salt Lake Valley after 17 months of travel.
On this date in 1901, O Henry is released from prison in Texas, where he spent three years for embezzlement.
On this date in 1911, Hiram Bingham III re-discovers the lost city of Machu Picchu.
On this date in 1922, the draft of the British Mandate on Palestine was confirmed by the League of Nations.
On this date in 1929, the Kellogg-Briand Pact, renouncing war as a foreign policy instrument goes into effect.
On this date in 1935, the "Dust Bowl" heat wave hits its peak with temperatures reaching 109 degrees in Chicago.
On this date in 1937, Alabama drops rape charges against the so-called "Scottsboro Boys".
On this date in 1969, Apollo 11 splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean.
On this date in 1974, the U.S. Supreme Court rules unanimously that President Nixon did not have the authority to withhold tapes that had been subpoenaed tapes and ordered him to surrender them.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
Simon Bolivar
Alexandre Dumas
Emile Picard
Amelia Earhart
Chief Dan George
Bella Abzug
Ruth Buzzi
Dan Inosanto
Dan Hedaya
Chris Sarandon
Gallagher
Robert Hays
Lynda Carter
Gus Van Sant
Brad Watson
Pam Tillis
Karl Malone
Barry Bonds
Kadeem Hardison
Kristin Chenowith
Rick Fox
Jennifer Lopez
Anna Paquin
Movie quotes today come from "Airplane 2" because it is the birthday of Robert Hays:
Soldier: Those lights are blinking out of sequence.
Murdock: Make them blink in sequence.
#2
Simon: Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet your captain, Captain Oveur.
Clarence Oveur: Gentlemen, welcome aboard.
Simon: Captain, your navigator, Mr. Unger, and your first officer, Mr. Dunn.
Clarence Oveur: Unger.
Unger: Oveur.
Dunn: Oveur.
Clarence Oveur: Dunn. Gentlemen, let's get to work.
Simon: Unger, didn't you serve under Oveur in the Air Force?
Unger: Not directly. Technically, Dunn was under Oveur and I was under Dunn.
Dunn: Yep.
Simon: So, Dunn, you were under Oveur and over Unger.
Unger: Yep.
Clarence Oveur: That's right. Dunn was over Unger and I was over Dunn.
Unger: So, you see, both Dunn and I were under Oveur, even though I was under Dunn.
Clarence Oveur: Dunn was over Unger, and I was over Dunn.
#3
Prosecutor: Dr. Stone, would you give the court your impression of Mr. Striker?
Dr. Stone: I'm sorry, I don't do impressions... my training is in psychiatry.
#4
Controller #3: Get me Steve McCroskey!
Controller #2: Are you kidding? Ever since Reagan fired the air traffic controllers, he's been completely senile!
Controller #3: Yeah, but what about McCroskey?
Controller #2: About the same as Reagan.
We had a client come into the office today who has a problem. Without going into the specifics, which could potentially violate the client's privacy, suffice it to say the IRS has told this client that their tax return from a prior year has been "examined" and they determined that the client needs to cough up well over $7,000. A large part of the balance is a penalty for "inaccuracy" (several thousand dollars). The client is in fact legally entitled to the deductions and credits the IRS disallowed in their examination but failed to provide the proper documentation of this in prior dealings with the IRS.
The waiting part? The client's last resort, unless we can work out something with the IRS on the client's behalf, is to petition the U.S. Tax Court. That petition must be filed before the month ends. So why did the client wait so long to come and see us? Well, the client had been in before but that was a few months back. The most recent letter has been in the client's hands for weeks now.
Fortunately, the urgency is all on the client in getting the correspondence we prepared on the client's behalf (have you noticed by now I'm deliberately being gender-nonspecific to ensure no one will ever know the client's identity?) to the IRS quickly. We did our part.
* * *
Apologies for no news headlines blog yesterday. I was just too tired when I returned home from trivia to finish it. Today may be a repeat of that but I will do my best to prevent this from happening.
Random ponderings:
I watched a driver two cars in front of me today about to turn right. He had his turn signal on and had begun the return when he (yes, a male driver) suddenly swerved to go straight and then turned left, cutting off the car between us. So how long before this guy injures or kills someone because he apparently doesn't know left from right?
If you were trying to do something on the sly, is "Carlos Danger" a name you'd use?
How many more people need to die while hiking "The Wave" in the AZ/UT desert before they make a change about use of the site during the hottest parts of summer? Three have died so far just this year.
A study shows that calling people "fat names" will make them eat more. Do you think people who call people those fat names will stop when they hear about this study (no way)?
The parents of Amanda Bynes are looking into conservatorship for their wayward daughter. I think they'd be excellent candidates to approach about joining the Society of Procrastinators I plan to form. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe next week.
If you were part of a family that had been "saved" by George Zimmerman, would you go public about the incident? I would want nothing to do with all of the negative sentiment currently aimed at Mr. Zimmerman.
Now that Hanes has purchased Maidenform, will Jockey be buying Fruit of the Loom?
When is some bank going to realize that they could ace out the pre-paid debit card issuers by opening savings accounts for people who need the prepaid option and give them debit cards to access the money? All of the protection of debit cards for a small monthly fee. A real money maker for banks.
* * *
Governments are doing whatever they can to boost revenues without creating new "direct" taxes that will outrage constituencies who already feel they are being over-taxed.
Nevada passed an increase in the "resort tax" in 2009 that went almost unnoticed by tourists. They are too busy gambling or laying out by the pool to notice that this tax went from 9% to 13% at Strip hotels. Small increases in sales taxes, fees charged for government services. They are nickel and diming us into the poorhouse.
Why is it we never see government cutting their salaries or benefits for the elected leadership or their staffs? Why do we see their family members and their cronies appointed to cushy, high paying jobs? Here's a list of the appointed positions in CA government where the appointee (once confirmed) becomes an exempt employee with a nice fat salary set by law: http://www.calhr.ca.gov/state-hr-professionals/Pages/appointed-state-officials.aspx
Ann Ravel was appointed to the California Fair Political Practices Commission by Governor Brown. It's a job that pays her over $100,000 annually. But she's also drawing a government pension from having spent 33 years as an attorney for Santa Clara County that push her combined income from appointment and pension above $300,000 annually. Another Brown appointee, Robert Dresser pulls in $132,000 per year from his position on the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board while his pension of $103,000 keeps rolling in. Four members of the State Parole Board (there are only 11 in all) earn $112,000 from that job while receiving pensions that top $100,000.
If California is really broke, why is this double-dipping allowed?
Anthony Weiner says he wants "closure". Perhaps starting with closing his zipper would be the way to go?
* * *
This Date in History:
On this date in 1148, Louis VII of France lays siege to Damascus during the Second Crusade.
On this date in 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots was forced to abdicate.
On this date in 1701, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac founds the trading post at Fort Ponchartrain, which later becomes Detroit.
On this date in 1823, slavery is abolished in Chile.
On this date in 1847, Brigham Young leads 148 Mormon pioneers into Salt Lake Valley after 17 months of travel.
On this date in 1901, O Henry is released from prison in Texas, where he spent three years for embezzlement.
On this date in 1911, Hiram Bingham III re-discovers the lost city of Machu Picchu.
On this date in 1922, the draft of the British Mandate on Palestine was confirmed by the League of Nations.
On this date in 1929, the Kellogg-Briand Pact, renouncing war as a foreign policy instrument goes into effect.
On this date in 1935, the "Dust Bowl" heat wave hits its peak with temperatures reaching 109 degrees in Chicago.
On this date in 1937, Alabama drops rape charges against the so-called "Scottsboro Boys".
On this date in 1969, Apollo 11 splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean.
On this date in 1974, the U.S. Supreme Court rules unanimously that President Nixon did not have the authority to withhold tapes that had been subpoenaed tapes and ordered him to surrender them.
Famous Folk Born On This Date:
Simon Bolivar
Alexandre Dumas
Emile Picard
Amelia Earhart
Chief Dan George
Bella Abzug
Ruth Buzzi
Dan Inosanto
Dan Hedaya
Chris Sarandon
Gallagher
Robert Hays
Lynda Carter
Gus Van Sant
Brad Watson
Pam Tillis
Karl Malone
Barry Bonds
Kadeem Hardison
Kristin Chenowith
Rick Fox
Jennifer Lopez
Anna Paquin
Movie quotes today come from "Airplane 2" because it is the birthday of Robert Hays:
Soldier: Those lights are blinking out of sequence.
Murdock: Make them blink in sequence.
#2
Simon: Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet your captain, Captain Oveur.
Clarence Oveur: Gentlemen, welcome aboard.
Simon: Captain, your navigator, Mr. Unger, and your first officer, Mr. Dunn.
Clarence Oveur: Unger.
Unger: Oveur.
Dunn: Oveur.
Clarence Oveur: Dunn. Gentlemen, let's get to work.
Simon: Unger, didn't you serve under Oveur in the Air Force?
Unger: Not directly. Technically, Dunn was under Oveur and I was under Dunn.
Dunn: Yep.
Simon: So, Dunn, you were under Oveur and over Unger.
Unger: Yep.
Clarence Oveur: That's right. Dunn was over Unger and I was over Dunn.
Unger: So, you see, both Dunn and I were under Oveur, even though I was under Dunn.
Clarence Oveur: Dunn was over Unger, and I was over Dunn.
#3
Prosecutor: Dr. Stone, would you give the court your impression of Mr. Striker?
Dr. Stone: I'm sorry, I don't do impressions... my training is in psychiatry.
#4
Controller #3: Get me Steve McCroskey!
Controller #2: Are you kidding? Ever since Reagan fired the air traffic controllers, he's been completely senile!
Controller #3: Yeah, but what about McCroskey?
Controller #2: About the same as Reagan.
posted by me at 6:23 AM
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