A new question on the 1040 form

In the draft version the 1040 form will ask you to check a box either Yes or No to answer this question:  “At the time you file your return are you and your spouse if filing jointly, a U.S. citizen, U.S. National, or an alien lawfully authorized to work in the U.S.?”

I’m going to have some fun with that if the I.R.S. actually includes it.  I can think of all kinds of answers:

If I answer no, does that mean I don’t need to pay the tax.

I am, but I’m not sure about my spouse.

All of the above.

None of the above.

You need to talk to my attorney.

Who wants to know?

I am, but I am not a pedophile like the President.

Not sure which one I’ll use.

 

Trump bribe

My Social Security check is deposited directly to the bank, so I didn’t realize that the $90 Trump bribe has evidently been deposited to my account.  It doesn’t seem like a very effective bribe if people don’t even know why their accounts suddenly grew.  

What to do with the money?  I will be donating mine to the Carbon County Democratic Party.  Or as Republicans are fond of saying, the Carbon County Democrat Party.  Either way it gets the money.

A friend is sending hers to the Talarico campaign.  I hope if any of you received this check, you will put it to a similar good use.  

They clapped and cheered

When Trump invited Iran to “take out” L.A. and San Diego at a rally in Grand Island, Nebraska, the audience clapped and cheered.  I have been to Nebraska numerous times.  I don’t think that represents the people of Nebraska.  I think that represents the kind of people Trump attracts to his rallies.  Cruel people.  Ugly people.

And I think we have been coarsened in the last 10 years by Trump.  From his comments on women, his friendship with Epstein, his lying about being at the 9/11 site and his celebrating that now his buildings were the tallest in New York...unfortunately people often take their cues from their leaders.

I would bet none of those people in that audience who are old enough to remember 9/11 cheered when that happened.  Just 12 years later I think at a Trump rally they might.

Hurricane breaches dam; returns Swannanoa River to natural state

My correspondent in North Carolina recently forwarded an article from the “Hickory Record.” newspaper.  In 2024 Hurricane Helene dumped so much rain in North Carolina that the Lake Craig Dam was breached.  This allowed fish to move upstream for the first time since the dam was built over 100 years ago.  

The city of Ashville has decided not to repair the dam.  The rest of the dam will be removed, eliminating a barrier to six fish species.  The wildlife commission didn’t need to reintroduce the fish–they swam upstream on their own.

As Shakespeare noted in his play Henry VI:  “Ill blows the wind that profits nobody.”  In this case the fish and the river profited. 

Writing is easy

I write a monthly essay for an online magazine edited by a friend who once worked for the Times News.  The assignment is open-ended; basically anything I want to write about as long as it is entertaining.  The word count is about 600.

You are thinking that shouldn’t be a problem.  After all, I usually post every night.  The problem is, after you’ve written about 150 of these essays you start to have problems coming up with a new topic.  I thought about the quote from an American journalist Gene Fowler who said,”Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.”

Maybe I’ll write about Gene Fowler, who not only was a friend of W. C. Fields, but had a successful career as a Hollywood screen writer.  All of this info is from Wikipedia, not AI.  AI can go to hell.  

Maybe I’ll write about being a Luddite.  Look it up in Wikipedia.

ICE agents arrest Pennsylvania poultry workers

That’s the headline in Lancaster Farming, Oct. 3, p. A3.  Remember how they were going to deport the drug dealers and the criminals.  17 poultry workers were arrested during traffic stops on three separate days in Lancaster.  How on earth does that Make America Great Again.

In the meantime Gov. Shapiro’s administration published an online guide for employers.  They have a right to view a copy of a search warrant before allowing federal agents into private areas of the premises, and they have the right to refuse consent in the absence of a valid warrant, probable cause, or exigent circumstances.

I’m not sure what “exigent circumstances” are.

I am sure what authoritarianism looks like.

Something wrong here

The developers of OpenAI and Anthropic have so far spent $55.7 million to influence elections this November.  Other democracies limit spending on elections.  Why can’t we have nice things?