Thank God it's Thursday
More appropriately, that today is October 15th. Today is the deadline for those who chose to put off filing their income tax returns on or before April 15th. It's a hard deadline and most people don't understand the real ramifications of failing to file by today.
The extension that is granted automatically to every taxpayer in the U. S. if they request it on or before April 15th is only an extension of the time to file. It is not an extension of the time to pay. If you do not pay what you owe on or before April 15th, the balance owing becomes subject to a penalty for failure to pay timely. You don't have to be exact. If you pay at least 90% of what is owed and due on 4/15, you don't get penalized any further as long as you file and pay by the October 15th deadline.
But the penalty for failure to file timely is much harsher. If you owe the IRS and you do not file your return by 4/15 (10/15 if you requested the extension), the penalty is 5% of the balance due. Per month! For a maximum of five months. That could be as much as 25% of what's owed in addition to the balance owed. Very severe.
File on time.
* * *
Donald Trump and Ben Carson are threatening to skip the next Republican candidates debate if their "demands" aren't met. They want opening and closing statements and a time limit of two hours. Personally, I think CNBC (network that will air the next debate) should tell them "fine, skip it. The other candidates will do just fine without you."
Besides, Trump wonders why they need more time than the Democratic debate. Apparently he's too busy fixing his hair to recognize that twice the candidates means more time is required to be fair.
* * *
Heard the song "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" as I drove home from teaching today and immediately thought of this moment in the film The Wedding Singer.
And of course, triggering a memory of Boy George (or a reasonable imitation in a rom-com) brings up memories of this. Enjoy.
* * *
Wayne Simmons, who has been a semi-regular guest analyst on Fox News Channel is facing charges of lying about having worked for the CIA. It's interesting that this might be a crime, given that the U. S. Supreme Court ruled the first attempt at a Stolen Valor Act was an unconstitutional restriction on speech. At first glance this seems unfair.
What's different is that Simmons allegedly attempted to profit from his falsehoods, which is a big difference than just wearing a medal someone did not earn. One is fraud, the other just a great big lie where there's no money involved.
FYI, living recipients of the Medal of Honor receive a monthly stipend of $1,259 over and above any other military pay or pensions they are entitled to.
* * *
Dennis Hof is the owner of the brothel where Lamar Odom was found unconscious a couple of days ago. He's a reality TV personality (I hate the term "star" being applied to reality TV people) who had a program airing on HBO.
He's been in the news again because of the Odom incident. I might not have noticed another story about him that came out recently. Apparently he is interested enough in the futures of his working girls that he is matching, dollar for dollar, the payments they make on their personal student loans. That's really amazing if you ask me. It is difficult to think of a pimp as having a "heart of gold" but maybe his is at least gold-plated.
* * *
Rafe Esquith is a 61 year old career teacher with the LAUSD. There are reports the school board has voted to terminate his employment, based on allegations of misconduct. He was removed from the classroom in April of this year. Now he's suing LAUSD on behalf of himself and 2,000 other teachers who have been put into the SO_CALLED "teacher's jail." The lawsuit seeks $1 billion in damages and does not ask that he be reinstated.
Go Rafe!! Kick some LAUSD butt.
* * *
Randy Quaid and his wife Evi were released from a Vermont jail after a judge determined there was no probable cause to hold them. But wait, there's a warrant for their arrest. I was confused so I did a bit of research. Turns out that Vermont is requiring the Quaids to stay within the borders of the state. The bench warrant issued by a Santa Barbara, CA judge only extends to state lines. But once a governor's warrant for extradition is issued, the Quaids will be sent to Santa Barbara (assuming they don't fight extradition and win) to answer for the 2010 charges against them. The internet makes research so much easier than it was before. I don't have to go to the library, I don't have to use a microfiche reader and I can watch TV while I research. :)
* * *
The W. P. Carey Business School at Arizona State University is not going to charge students enrolling next fall any tuition. They will use a $50 million donation to underwrite the education of up to 120 incoming students. If I'd started there this past September and was on the hook for more than $150,000 to pay for my MBA, I'd be pissed about this.
The extension that is granted automatically to every taxpayer in the U. S. if they request it on or before April 15th is only an extension of the time to file. It is not an extension of the time to pay. If you do not pay what you owe on or before April 15th, the balance owing becomes subject to a penalty for failure to pay timely. You don't have to be exact. If you pay at least 90% of what is owed and due on 4/15, you don't get penalized any further as long as you file and pay by the October 15th deadline.
But the penalty for failure to file timely is much harsher. If you owe the IRS and you do not file your return by 4/15 (10/15 if you requested the extension), the penalty is 5% of the balance due. Per month! For a maximum of five months. That could be as much as 25% of what's owed in addition to the balance owed. Very severe.
File on time.
* * *
Donald Trump and Ben Carson are threatening to skip the next Republican candidates debate if their "demands" aren't met. They want opening and closing statements and a time limit of two hours. Personally, I think CNBC (network that will air the next debate) should tell them "fine, skip it. The other candidates will do just fine without you."
Besides, Trump wonders why they need more time than the Democratic debate. Apparently he's too busy fixing his hair to recognize that twice the candidates means more time is required to be fair.
* * *
Heard the song "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" as I drove home from teaching today and immediately thought of this moment in the film The Wedding Singer.
And of course, triggering a memory of Boy George (or a reasonable imitation in a rom-com) brings up memories of this. Enjoy.
* * *
Wayne Simmons, who has been a semi-regular guest analyst on Fox News Channel is facing charges of lying about having worked for the CIA. It's interesting that this might be a crime, given that the U. S. Supreme Court ruled the first attempt at a Stolen Valor Act was an unconstitutional restriction on speech. At first glance this seems unfair.
What's different is that Simmons allegedly attempted to profit from his falsehoods, which is a big difference than just wearing a medal someone did not earn. One is fraud, the other just a great big lie where there's no money involved.
FYI, living recipients of the Medal of Honor receive a monthly stipend of $1,259 over and above any other military pay or pensions they are entitled to.
* * *
Dennis Hof is the owner of the brothel where Lamar Odom was found unconscious a couple of days ago. He's a reality TV personality (I hate the term "star" being applied to reality TV people) who had a program airing on HBO.
He's been in the news again because of the Odom incident. I might not have noticed another story about him that came out recently. Apparently he is interested enough in the futures of his working girls that he is matching, dollar for dollar, the payments they make on their personal student loans. That's really amazing if you ask me. It is difficult to think of a pimp as having a "heart of gold" but maybe his is at least gold-plated.
* * *
Rafe Esquith is a 61 year old career teacher with the LAUSD. There are reports the school board has voted to terminate his employment, based on allegations of misconduct. He was removed from the classroom in April of this year. Now he's suing LAUSD on behalf of himself and 2,000 other teachers who have been put into the SO_CALLED "teacher's jail." The lawsuit seeks $1 billion in damages and does not ask that he be reinstated.
Go Rafe!! Kick some LAUSD butt.
* * *
Randy Quaid and his wife Evi were released from a Vermont jail after a judge determined there was no probable cause to hold them. But wait, there's a warrant for their arrest. I was confused so I did a bit of research. Turns out that Vermont is requiring the Quaids to stay within the borders of the state. The bench warrant issued by a Santa Barbara, CA judge only extends to state lines. But once a governor's warrant for extradition is issued, the Quaids will be sent to Santa Barbara (assuming they don't fight extradition and win) to answer for the 2010 charges against them. The internet makes research so much easier than it was before. I don't have to go to the library, I don't have to use a microfiche reader and I can watch TV while I research. :)
* * *
The W. P. Carey Business School at Arizona State University is not going to charge students enrolling next fall any tuition. They will use a $50 million donation to underwrite the education of up to 120 incoming students. If I'd started there this past September and was on the hook for more than $150,000 to pay for my MBA, I'd be pissed about this.
posted by me at 7:16 AM
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