Catherine

I had two accepted but am still waiting for another two that should be accepted soon. Glad to hear they're moving at long last!

Thank you, KC! I love the "This Is True" newsletters and web site.

Head east from Carthage on Mississippi 16 toward Philadelphia and after a few miles a sign says you're in Edinburgh . It's a good thing the sign is there, because there's no other way to tell. On June 15, 1919, Van T. Barfoot was born in Edinburgh . Probably didn't make much news. Twenty-five years later, on May 23, 1944, near Carano , Italy , Van T. Barfoot, who had enlisted in the Army in 1940, set out to flank German machine gun positions from which fire was coming down on his fellow soldiers. He advanced through a minefield, took out three enemy machine gun positions and returned with 17 prisoners of war. If that wasn't enough for a day's work, he later took on and destroyed three German tanks sent to retake the machine gun positions. That probably didn't make much news either, given the scope of the war, but it did earn Van T. Barfoot, who retired as a colonel after also serving in Korea and Vietnam , a Congressional Medal of Honor. What did make news last week was a neighborhood association???s quibble with how the 90-year-old veteran chose to fly the American flag outside his suburban Virginia home. Seems the rules said a flag could be flown on a house-mounted bracket, but, for decorum, items such as Barfoot's 21-foot flagpole were unsuitable. He had been denied a permit for the pole, erected it anyway and was facing court action if he didn't take it down. Since the story made national TV, the neighborhood association has rethought its position and agreed to indulge this old hero who dwells among them. In the time I have left I plan to continue to fly the American flag without interference, Barfoot told The Associated Press. As well he should. And if any of his neighbors still takes a notion to contest him, they might want to read his Medal of Honor citation. It indicates he's not real good at backing down. Van T. Barfoot's Medal of Honor citation: This 1944 Medal of Honor citation, listed with the National Medal of Honor Society, is for Second Lieutenant Van T. Barfoot, 157th Infantry, 45th Infantry: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 23 May 1944, near Carano , Italy . With his platoon heavily engaged during an assault against forces well entrenched on commanding ground, 2d Lt. Barfoot moved off alone upon the enemy left flank. He crawled to the proximity of 1 machine gun nest and made a direct hit on it with a hand grenade, killing 2 and wounding 3 Germans. He continued along the German defense line to another machine gun emplacement, and with his tommy gun killed 2 and captured 3 soldiers. Members of another enemy machine gun crew then abandoned their position and gave themselves up to Sgt. Barfoot. Leaving the prisoners for his support squad to pick up, he proceeded to mop up positions in the immediate area, capturing more prisoners and bringing his total count to 17. Later that day, after he had reorganized his men and consolidated the newly captured ground, the enemy launched a fierce armored counterattack directly at his platoon positions. Securing a bazooka, Sgt. Barfoot took up an exposed position directly in front of 3 advancing Mark VI tanks. From a distance of 75 yards his first shot destroyed the track of the leading tank, effectively disabling it, while the other 2 changed direction toward the flank. As the crew of the disabled tank dismounted, Sgt. Barfoot killed 3 of them with his tommy gun. He continued onward into enemy terrain and destroyed a recently abandoned German fieldpiece with a demolition charge placed in the breech. While returning to his platoon position, Sgt. Barfoot, though greatly fatigued by his Herculean efforts, assisted 2 of his seriously wounded men 1,700 yards to a position of safety. Sgt. Barfoot's extraordinary heroism, demonstration of magnificent valor, and aggressive determination in the face of point blank fire are a perpetual inspiration to his fellow soldiers.?

This is the caption on a drawing, so I must describe the drawing first. Big nest on top of a large but dead tree. Scrawny baby vulture looking up at ticked-off looking big mommy vulture. The caption -- "Listen, buster, I didn't sit on your hard little egg in the blazing sun for six weeks just to hear you say, "Ewww, I don't like regurgitated yak carcass." "

That's amazing -- the snow deeper than the blower is tall! Today is the 32nd anniversary of the Blizzard of '78 here -- looks like you folks are getting the anniversary party, though! Stay safe & warm, dig out slow, and make a snow angel or two. Catherine

Thanks to all!

Not so fast -- was this personal use? Then yes, no loss allowed. But I've known folks who bought timeshares as rental units; never stayed in them, but had a deal with the timeshare property or local realtor to treat as vacation rental property. Mainly these folks had multiple weeks owned (in some cases, wholly-owned -- like owning a rental house with on-site maintenance and security). If that was the case, then it was investment property and would be treated like sale of investment real estate, I should think. Lots of questions, though, as mostly these are personal use units.

Bumping up the queue - still hoping for help here.

E-file manager, go to Support - Customer Service Utilities - Synchronize E-File Info with EFC Be warned -- this resets EVERY notification you've received and "un-marks" everything you've noted as complete. So if you like to get all those notifications hidden once you're done, get more reluctant to do this as the season wears on. I don't mind now when there's only a dozen or so returns in the e-file manager -- but long around the end of March, when the list goes on and on, I really do NOT like to synch.

Thanks, Deb. I also checked online and the claim is that two of my submissions were rejected BUT they don't update and synch doesn't fix it either. And I can't find the error and re-create the e-file while the status is "Transmitted to EFC". I emailed support and have only received an auto-response so far. But I'm up the creek with those two until they do -something-. Catherine

I sent in a bunch of 1099's in mid-January and got Acks in about a half-week (three or four days). Sent in another batch a week ago and they're still in "Transmitted to EFC" status. Synching to EFC didn't change that. Anyone else noticed this? Catherine

Hope you had a VERY

Son of long-time clients (he is their dependent) did some work-study at college in Indiana. He's not a resident, but he lives there during the school year. They withheld $16 state and $3 local on earnings of less than $1,000 total. I've never done Indiana returns -- what do I need to know? From what ATX is trying to tell me, there's one main form with five schedules to attach. And I don't see any low-income limit or deductions or anything that he qualifies for. And is IN one of the states that taxes income no matter where earned (like MA is), or do I exclude his summer job in MA income? And are there any local forms to look for? Any guidance appreciated!! Catherine

And those in charge of the monastery's European Meals night are the French Friars!

When Mozart passed away, he was buried in a churchyard. A couple days later, the town drunk was walking through the cemetery and heard some strange noises coming from the area where Mozart was buried. Terrified, the drunk ran and got the priest to come and listen to it. The priest bent close to the grave and heard some faint, unrecognizable music coming from the grave. Frightened, the priest ran and got the town magistrate. When the magistrate arrived, he bent his ear to the grave, listened for a moment, and said, "Ah, yes, that's Mozart's Ninth Symphony, being played backwards." He listened a while longer, and said, "There's the Eighth Symphony, And it's backwards, too. Most puzzling." So the magistrate kept listening; "There's the Seventh... the Sixth...the Fifth..." Suddenly the realization of what was happening dawned on the magistrate; he stood up and announced to the crowd that had gathered in the cemetery. "My fellow citizens, there's nothing to worry about. It's just Mozart decomposing."

Thanks, Pacun!

Saint Thomas Aquinas stated that wine could lawfully be drunk "usque ad hilaritatem" -- to the point of cheerfulness. I'll drink (cheerfully!) to that!

Have the daughter of a client who is now my client. Hasn't filed since 2005 (and it's always a long story, isn't it?). I -finally- have the documentation to fill out her forms -- but need an address for the return! She is due a small refund on her 1040 for 2006 (so we want to get it in quickly). ATX software for 2006 says to send to Andover MA and I know that's no longer correct. Checked one of my 2009 returns that is due a small refund (so far, at least), and the address given is Kansas City MO. MyATX is of course down for maintenance and I can -never- get the search engine at irs.gov to give me anything but irrelevant gobbledygook. Does anyone here know if that Kansas City MO address is correct for a refund-due 2006 return? TIA, Catherine

Thanks for the laugh!

You guys are going to make me pull out my entire file of jokes collected over the years, aren't you? Just remember that you asked!

Sitting by the window of her convent, Sister Barbara opened a letter from home one evening. Inside the letter was a $100 bill her parents had sent. Sister Barbara smiled at the gesture. As she read the letter by the window, she noticed a shabbily dressed stranger leaning against the lamp post below. Quickly, she wrote, "Don't despair. Sister Barbara," on a piece of paper, wrapped the $100 bill in it, got the man's attention and tossed it out the window to him. The stranger picked it up, and with a puzzled expression and a tip of his hat, went off down the street. The next day, Sister Barbara was told that a man was at her door, insisting on seeing her. She went down, and found the stranger waiting. Without a word, he handed her a huge wad of $100 bills. "What's this?" she asked. "That's the $8,000 you have coming Sister," he replied. "Don't Despair paid 80-to-1."

I love this one!!!! Thanks!

Great one, KC. Here's a little one for those of us (most of us!) who remember Hollywood Squares and the great answers by Paul Lynde. Q. Paul, why do Hell's Angels wear leather? A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.

This one is for the mathematicians in the group: What do you get if you cross a mountain climber with a mosquito? Nothing -- you can't cross a scalar with a vector!

Hope you have a VERY