Let's play a game of 'imagine'.
Imagine you have someone you 'have' to report to at work. Let's say it's your 'BIG BOSS'. You don't really like to do it, but you have no choice...it has to be done.
Now to check in with your boss, you have to call him on the phone. You don't like this guy, you're not getting anywhere in dealing with him, but you are told you must do it...so you do.
Before you even pick up the phone, you are told that only 7 times out of 10 (70%) is he even going to answer when you call. You will get a busy signal or just a disconnect. But you 'have' to check in...so you 'have' to keep trying.
Now, when you do finally get through...his secretary is going to answer and say, "he is with another employee...if you want to hold, it will probably be 10 minutes...maybe more. Do you wish to hold?" Well, since the other times you called, you didn't even get to the secretary...and since you 'have' to talk to him...you say, "YES...I'LL HOLD!"
Would that grate on your nerves just a little? While you are on interminable hold...would you tap your pencil on the desk...fidget...doodle...swear...take another dose of your blood pressure medicine?
Well...that's the goal of the IRS this year. They EXPECT to answer only 7 of 10 calls coming into their toll-free line...and then when they do answer, they expect the AVERAGE wait on hold to be 12 minutes. (Average means...some will be 5 minutes...some will be 20!)
Now, they say that they have other options...websites to log on to...FAQs (frequently asked questions) that you can view on your computer. But if you NEED to talk to a LIVE body...be prepared!
I hope you have a good tax year...and you don't need any IRS help.
Dan
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
NEW HEALTH RULE
Now I like this article !
Finally...someone's not telling me I'm not exercising enough...I'm not eating right...I'm not getting enough sleep.
How do they know?
I'm not them. I'm not 'average Joe'. Maybe I don't have to exercise like crazy. Maybe 5 hours of sleep a night is 'okay' for me.
I like the bottom line too. Use your body...have some fun...live a little.
Agreed.
Dan
Finally...someone's not telling me I'm not exercising enough...I'm not eating right...I'm not getting enough sleep.
How do they know?
I'm not them. I'm not 'average Joe'. Maybe I don't have to exercise like crazy. Maybe 5 hours of sleep a night is 'okay' for me.
I like the bottom line too. Use your body...have some fun...live a little.
Agreed.
Dan
Monday, January 4, 2010
THE WORLD'S TALLEST BUILDING
For $1.5 billion, the tallest skyscraper in the world is now open. At 2717 feet, the Burj Dubai (now called the Burj Khalifa), is over 1000 feet taller than the Sears Tower in Chicago.
How do you fill a 6 million square feet building? A small city could live inside it. Elevators (over 50 of them) travel at speeds of 40mph to get you to the top. They brag that it is already 90% filled with clients. More realistic numbers suggest it is less than 50%.
A little over the top...don't you think. With the Dubai economy failing, like everyone elses...I suppose 'we' will be paying for that...too.
Dan
How do you fill a 6 million square feet building? A small city could live inside it. Elevators (over 50 of them) travel at speeds of 40mph to get you to the top. They brag that it is already 90% filled with clients. More realistic numbers suggest it is less than 50%.
A little over the top...don't you think. With the Dubai economy failing, like everyone elses...I suppose 'we' will be paying for that...too.
Dan
Sunday, January 3, 2010
NEW YEAR'S BABY
I've seen many articles over the last few days about the "First New Year's Baby" for various cities. I believe I saw one in New York that said the baby was born 'seconds' after the turn of the year. Of two Indianapolis hospitals I saw, one had their baby after 2:00am and another after 3:00am.
I was the "First New Year's Baby" of 1954...in Princeton, Indiana. I was born at 12:09am. Ten minutes sooner and I was born in 1953. I've had lots of comments over the years about how upset my dad must have been that I could've been a tax deduction for him if I 'had' been born 10 minutes earlier.
One thing most of those articles I've seen over the years never states, is what (if any) gifts are won by those 'first' babies. Maybe they just get a little certificate...or a blanket or trinket from the hospital gift shop.
I'll almost bet, they don't clean up now days, like I did in 1954. Here's what I, or mom and dad, took home.
From:
Morgan Shoes, a pair of Polly Parrot baby shoes
Green’s Cleaning Service, pop’s suit cleaned and pressed
Kroger’s, dozen jars Gerber’s baby food
Val-U Dress Shop, pair nylons for mom
Shaw’s Gift & Baby Shop, rompers
Miller Hardware, baby car-seat
Shoptaugh’s, serva-tot hot plate
Monroe’s Jewelry, silver spoon
The Model, a new tie for pop
Thackers, a pin-up lamp
Derbyshire’s Pharmacy, Playtex layette
DeMoss Drug Store, set of Stork nursing bottles
Princeton Appliance Store, a check for $5 to be added to a savings account to be started by the Gibson County Bank
Rechter Bros,. one dozen Birdseye diapers
Sears & Roebuck, JC Higgins sanitary insulated jug
JC Penney Co., three-piece sweater set
Wolf Chevrolet, tank of gasoline, oil change, chassis lubrication and car wash
Gibson County Bank, $5 savings account
Tip Top Creamery, one quart of milk per day for two weeks
Being the baby of the family...number 6 of 6...mom and dad probably appreciated everything they could get.
Happy Birthday to all my fellow New Year babies.
Dan
I was the "First New Year's Baby" of 1954...in Princeton, Indiana. I was born at 12:09am. Ten minutes sooner and I was born in 1953. I've had lots of comments over the years about how upset my dad must have been that I could've been a tax deduction for him if I 'had' been born 10 minutes earlier.
One thing most of those articles I've seen over the years never states, is what (if any) gifts are won by those 'first' babies. Maybe they just get a little certificate...or a blanket or trinket from the hospital gift shop.
I'll almost bet, they don't clean up now days, like I did in 1954. Here's what I, or mom and dad, took home.
From:
Morgan Shoes, a pair of Polly Parrot baby shoes
Green’s Cleaning Service, pop’s suit cleaned and pressed
Kroger’s, dozen jars Gerber’s baby food
Val-U Dress Shop, pair nylons for mom
Shaw’s Gift & Baby Shop, rompers
Miller Hardware, baby car-seat
Shoptaugh’s, serva-tot hot plate
Monroe’s Jewelry, silver spoon
The Model, a new tie for pop
Thackers, a pin-up lamp
Derbyshire’s Pharmacy, Playtex layette
DeMoss Drug Store, set of Stork nursing bottles
Princeton Appliance Store, a check for $5 to be added to a savings account to be started by the Gibson County Bank
Rechter Bros,. one dozen Birdseye diapers
Sears & Roebuck, JC Higgins sanitary insulated jug
JC Penney Co., three-piece sweater set
Wolf Chevrolet, tank of gasoline, oil change, chassis lubrication and car wash
Gibson County Bank, $5 savings account
Tip Top Creamery, one quart of milk per day for two weeks
Being the baby of the family...number 6 of 6...mom and dad probably appreciated everything they could get.
Happy Birthday to all my fellow New Year babies.
Dan
FAILING BRAIN CELLS? NOPE !
I can see a movie multiple times. Why? Because a week after watching it, I've forgotten much of it. Same with a book. I can read next month, what I read last month because I've forgotten what I read.
I walk from one end of the house with a purpose in mind, but when I get there...I forget what I was after. Sometimes, I have to walk all the way back to where I started, to see what I was doing there and hope I can recall what I needed to begin with.
Sound familiar? Been there...done that? Did it again?
Ever had an elder family member that smoked cigarettes? Ever see them light one while there was one still lit sitting in the nearby ashtray?
Remember when you and your siblings would go to grandma & grandpa's, and they had to go through 'roll call' before they got 'your' name right?
This article says we haven't LOST that information, it's just hidden in there somewhere. A perfect example is that time you just cannot remember a name of someone...but later, when you're not thinking about it, it miraculously pops into your head.
By challenging ourselves with new things, differing opinions, stepping out of our comfort zones...we help our brains function.
Do something different. Meet some new friends with an opposing view to yours. Read a book that might challenge you. You don't have to agree with them...it just might help your brain to recall things you've known...and forgotten.
Dan
I walk from one end of the house with a purpose in mind, but when I get there...I forget what I was after. Sometimes, I have to walk all the way back to where I started, to see what I was doing there and hope I can recall what I needed to begin with.
Sound familiar? Been there...done that? Did it again?
Ever had an elder family member that smoked cigarettes? Ever see them light one while there was one still lit sitting in the nearby ashtray?
Remember when you and your siblings would go to grandma & grandpa's, and they had to go through 'roll call' before they got 'your' name right?
This article says we haven't LOST that information, it's just hidden in there somewhere. A perfect example is that time you just cannot remember a name of someone...but later, when you're not thinking about it, it miraculously pops into your head.
By challenging ourselves with new things, differing opinions, stepping out of our comfort zones...we help our brains function.
Do something different. Meet some new friends with an opposing view to yours. Read a book that might challenge you. You don't have to agree with them...it just might help your brain to recall things you've known...and forgotten.
Dan
Saturday, January 2, 2010
PALINDROME
No...it has nothing to do with Sarah Palin !
A palindrome is:
–noun
1. a word, line, verse, number, sentence, etc., reading the same backward as forward, as "Madam, I'm Adam" or "Poor Dan is in a droop".
Today, January 2, 2010 is a palindrome. Well not when you read it like that. But when you read it like this...it is.
01/02/2010
Tell everyone...you heard it here first !
Dan
A palindrome is:
–noun
1. a word, line, verse, number, sentence, etc., reading the same backward as forward, as "Madam, I'm Adam" or "Poor Dan is in a droop".
Today, January 2, 2010 is a palindrome. Well not when you read it like that. But when you read it like this...it is.
01/02/2010
Tell everyone...you heard it here first !
Dan
Friday, January 1, 2010
LOUSY START TO A NEW YEAR
I blame Dick Chaney for this.
Americans are hated in many countries abroad. Sometimes out of envy for things we have...that they don't. But sometimes, we've earned their hatred for us. In this case, a hired security force murders 17 people, injures that many more, we put them on trial in 'our' country, and then release them on 'our' rules.
As one person said, were these American victims, we would be out to annihilate someone.
We'd best be prepared for some retaliation.
Flippin' Dick Chaney.
Dan
Americans are hated in many countries abroad. Sometimes out of envy for things we have...that they don't. But sometimes, we've earned their hatred for us. In this case, a hired security force murders 17 people, injures that many more, we put them on trial in 'our' country, and then release them on 'our' rules.
As one person said, were these American victims, we would be out to annihilate someone.
We'd best be prepared for some retaliation.
Flippin' Dick Chaney.
Dan
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