Say what you will, the 0-16 Detroit Lions at least are doing something to alleviate complaints that too many top-flight college athletes are jumping ship early and skipping out on finishing their degrees. From today's Detroit Free Press:There has been speculation that the fear of becoming a Lion was one of the variables Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford considered when he opted to remain at Oklahoma. It was also a consideration for Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, who'll return to the Longhorns.... The deadline for declaring for the draft came Thursday. There were surprises along with Sanchez. Mississippi junior defensive end Greg Hardy, who had 8 1/2 sacks and 9 1/2 tackles for loss last season, opted to remain at Ole Miss. … [Read more...]
How Much Does It Cost to Pay the IRS a Nickel Owed for Federal Taxes?
Did you hear the one about the Internal Revenue Service, a trial lawyer, and loose pocket change? A true - and telling - story in today's Detroit Free Press:In mid-November, [Detroit criminal defense attorney James] Howarth received notice that his FICA account, even after an adjustment, was out of whack. He owed the IRS a nickel. And the IRS was serious. It advised him to act promptly "to avoid additional penalty and/or interest." Howarth started calculating how much that nickel was going to cost him. As he figures it, there is the 5 cents plus the cost of a check -- payment must be made by check or money order. Then there is his CPA's fee, an envelope, his secretary's time, his own time and a 42-cent stamp. "The costs are … [Read more...]
“Un-American”? Michigan Bailout Rhetoric Reaches Fever Pitch
I can feel the pain of my home state of Michigan (and no, I'm not referring to the bitter cold temperatures we're experiencing here along the Front Range). The angst coming from the Motor City and its environs is palpable. One of the most poignant examples, at least from my perspective, relates to a scheduled weekend appearance by Kentucky's U.S. Senator (and former Detroit Tigers pitcher) Jim Bunning. Detroit Free Press columnist Brian Dickerson ripped Bunning a new one after the Republican Senator voted against the UAW's federal government bailout deal. Dickerson wrote:He may be losing his marbles, but U.S. senator and ex-Tiger pitching great Jim Bunning still has big brass cojones. After all, most of the GOP senators … [Read more...]