Bizzy’s Noontime Biz-Econ-Life Links (080906)
Free Links:
- This unfortunate Tip of the Day has to do with Government Accountability Office Director David Walker’s testimony to the Senate Finance Committee last week, as reported at the Club for Growth blog:
….. Walker “noted his difficulty in preparing his own taxes by hand and suggested that ‘if every individual member of Congress was required to do what I did . . . we would have tax reform next year.’”
He’s right about that. The Money Tip is that if you aren’t investing $30-$40 a year in TurboTax or one of the other commerical tax prep programs, there’s first, a fair chance that you’re wasting time (at least after the first year), and a perhaps greater chance that you’re missing out on tax-saving opportunities. I’m not at all happy about this, but I wouldn’t dream of doing anything other than the simplest individual tax return without the commercial software. Of course, the reason this is all necessary is how insanely complex the tax laws are, which is why I wish Walker’s suggestion could be an Executive Order.
- (WARNING: The story at the link is very disturbing) Well of course THIS isn’t news (/sarcasm):
Tests show clinic drenched in blood
Former HQ for abortion business had blood on walls ‘floor to ceiling’
- Saw this little squib at subscriber-only Biz Weak (so it’s not linked) — In fiscal 2005 (no, I don’t know exactly what the year-end was), Japanese carmakers built more vehicles abroad than they did at home.
- Big Bucks Investment in a Bigtime Liberal Blog (HT American Thinker) — HuffingtonPost is getting a $5 million investment from venture firm Softbank and others. Maybe now they’ll pay the help.
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Contains NY Times Link Requiring Registration:
- Another Journalistic “Standard” Revealed (HT American Thinker) — The Rathergate standard was “fake but accurate” at The New York Times in September 2004. Apparently the standard for photojournalism in the wake of Reutergate is “manipulated but (maybe) not doctored,” based on the caption below a comparison of the photoshopped and original “Beirut Burning” pictures at at The Times:
A photographer has been accused of doctoring a photo of an Israeli air raid on Beirut. The manipulated image, left, and the original picture, right.
Hajj isn’t “accused.” Reuters itself says he “doctored an image,” while allowing Hajj to hang himself with the “Worst Excuse of the Decade.”
The people who should feel “manipulated” are the poor saps actually paying The Times for “news.”
