Tag / Mike Thompson

by zbicyclist

Still Taxing After All These Years, Schedule 1

Yes, this is a repeat, with some new additions — like that US tax form, which has added new complexities this year. So we’re splitting it into two parts, just as 1040 Schedule 1 has become Schedule 1 and Schedule 1-A.

The short form deserves a geezer alert, as it was discontinued years ago. There’s a 1040-SR now for seniors — the only difference is that it’s printed in larger type.

Actual error message from IRS.gov on the day tax forms (and estimated payments) were due, April 17, 2018. Not funny. Note the difference in the set of dates cited for the outage.

Typos continue in 2026. Here’s a notice from January, 2026 that suggests a form was corrected in the future.

(This wasn’t from the IRS. This is a notice from a well-known brand of tax preparation software.)

by multipleciduers

Sunday Funnies – LOLs – March 1, 2026

Not really an LOL quality joke, but an opportunity for a comment. Should the trope of “doctors have bad handwriting” be retired? (Doctors whose bad handwriting was relevant are likely all retired as well.) Nearly all prescriptions are either sent directly to the pharmacy, or printed out from the computerized medical record. That medical record itself isn’t handwritten notes anymore, but notes entered on a computer in medical English — not entirely readable, but for a different reason.

It’s like jokes involving pay phones.

This week I got birthday greetings from my four siblings — two days before my actual birthday. This happens every year. I used to correct them, but it never made any difference. Now I just go with the flow. Perhaps they really know, but it’s a minor practical joke on their part.

by zbicyclist

How Did Those Resolutions Work Out?

According to this article in The Guardian, ” In the US, 44% of new year resolutions last two to three months; only 6% last a year..”

The most common resolutions:

About 40% of Americans make resolutions, but this varies by age. Younger adults (59% of those ages 18 to 34 versus 19% of those older than 55), which I would ascribe to the optimism of youth versus the resignation of those whose past resolutions haven’t really improved their fitness or finances.

by zbicyclist

It’s the 4th of July!

[2024-07-04 note: This post was originally from last year, 2023, but now bumped up as a republish. One or two strips added to the post proper as of the 2024 republish. Previous comments are retained, and current readers are encouraged to continue the comments thread!]

July 4th is zbicyclist’s wife’s birthday. She had to age a few years before she realized the fireworks weren’t for her.

But that’s not all of the story: On July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams also died. His last words included an acknowledgement of his longtime friend and rival: “Thomas Jefferson survives.” Adams was unaware that Jefferson had died several hours before. At 90, Adams was the longest-lived U.S. president until Ronald Reagan surpassed him in 2001. (and now Jimmy Carter, born October 1, 1924) Source: Wikipedia.

[This Mutts strip added for 2024. It was just too sweet to resist.]

[This Peanuts is from 1964]

by multipleciduers

“The government taking us for a ride – the Rides of April”

The short form deserves a geezer alert, as it was discontinued years ago. There’s a 1040-SR now for seniors — the only difference is that it’s printed in larger type.

https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/extension-of-time-to-file-your-tax-return , the instructions to file an extension, might come in handy if you’re like this woman.

It’s not going to work, Larry.

Actual error message from IRS.gov on the day tax forms (and estimated payments) were due, April 17, 2018. Not funny. Note the difference in the set of dates cited for the outage.

Actual IRS tax tips, if you need last minute help: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-tax-tips including, for example, ways to pay over time.