Monday

A little bit of Winter in the QCA today.  Not a lot of snow, but the inch or so has covered the sidewalks and makes the streets slick in spots.  Of course, a year ago we had a storm of 15 inches or so.  Not sure if all those folks still have their power restored.

So the SI swimsuit issue must be headed to the stands.  The cover girl made the on-line headlines this evening.  As I have stated here in recent years, I've lost interest in this charade.  It would be nice if the models were old enough to vote.  Still, I'm not cancelling our subscription at the office.

I sent out the first of my clients' 2011 tax returns today.  Most of our smaller returns have been voluntarily "e-filed" with the IRS (and the states) these last several years.  This year, the IRS is requiring basic returns prepared by a firm filing 10 or more returns to be e-filed.  Interesting.  I don't have a big problem with that protocol, but it is another example of Big Brother looking over us.

The tax software that I utilize these days is like a thousand times more powerful than what I had access to in C-town a few lifetimes ago.  At that time, we actually filled out input sheets for each item on a return, handed them in to a "computer girl", who in turn bundled the day's collection, and put them in an over-night package to Fast Tax, Inc. in Dallas.  A couple days later, we'd get the processed returns in preliminary form, which we could edit.  The "computer girl" had a data entry machine that could make these small changes, and then issue the "Print" order.  To Dallas.  We'd get the printed returns a couple more days later.  For assembly. 

I suppose that most businesses that are data-dependent have had similar leaps in processing capabilities in the last 30 years.  The computer just changes everything.  Daily.

The key to the Federal budget...eat the rich.  Why wouldn't you?  Buffet's secretary most surely could be the key term in a new drinking game.

Am I missing something, or is there a "red carpet" awards show every month that the networks hype to the max?  And mostly, the award winners must be from another planet, or I live in The Twilight Zone.  Which is probable.

Happy Tax Valentine's Day to all.

BCOT