Tax Refund Link

I’ve already mailed out my tax returns (federal and state); I want to get my refunds before they decide to stop sending out checks and start issuing IOUs instead. (Well, my state hasn’t done that yet, but you never know… nor do we know how much of a delay a shutdown of the federal government will impose on refunds being sent out.) Anyway, for my reference and yours, here’s the official IRS “Dude, Where’s My Refund?” site which can give you an estimate as to when you can expect to receive your money – assuming, that is, that you overpaid the government and have money coming back. Your state may or may not have a similar service available. And, just because it’s a classic, here’s this video again:

Not Such a Wilde Idea

Oscar Wilde famously quipped that “Work is the curse of the drinking class.” Maryland nanny-staters are working to elevate taxes to that position as well.

Baltimore — …It’s called the “Dime a Drink Tax,” and it would hit all alcoholic drinks, if Maryland’s legislature approves it this year. … “Alcohol excise tax is a win-win for the state. They provide much needed revenue, and reduce alcohol consumption and related problems,” said David Jernigan, Johns Hopkins professor.

I don’t know about that. The current reign of fascist nanny-state tax hikers have been far worse for my health, stress, and sanity than any amount of alcoholic drinks I may have had in recent years. Ironically, those same Democrats (who in Maryland did not take the major 2010 midterm hit that most of the rest of the country enjoyed) make me more likely to need a drink.

But an increase at restaurants and bars may not be such a good thing. Good times stopped rolling during the recession and business coming back now is still viewed as fragile. “We’re still in this economic recession right now, and anything more is going to take people out of restaurants in Baltimore and Maryland. And that’s not good for the economy,” said Bill Irvin, Kooper’s Tavern. The tax would also hit retailers, upping a six-pack by 60 cents and wine and spirits by a dime a serving.

Well, you can always trust the Democrats to snatch recession from the jaws of recovery. It’s almost as if they’re doing it deliberately…