JohnH

The bike is an ordinary and necessary business expense. What better way to speed up your circulation and boost the amount of oxygen in your brain betweeen returns?

Now my mind is dredging up images of Les Nessman's separate office in "WKRP in Cincinatti" - an imaginary line drawn on the floor and an invisible door that people had to open and close.

That's a pretty smart computer - looks like it senses what it's getting into if it opens 2012...

And if prices aren't higher by then, just back up and sell it now.,,

There's an old sales technique sometimes known as "striplining". It is borrowed from fishing terminology, and makes them think they are off the hook while you are simultaneously preparing to set the hook. Basically, it involves shifting the customer into a "neutral" condition and slowing them down when they're in a state of indecision. Then you gradually feed them little bits of info designed to move them in the direction you want them to go, but only in litte steps. At some point they are so heavily invested in your product, as so worn down by the process, that they pull the trigger in your favor in order to get it over with and make the pain of indecision go away. (Auto dealers are experts at this). Does anyone else see any parallels here?

Calculatog the actual difference might be a little tricky. Even someone who exceeds the $1,500 might still be better off using it. They would get the $1,500 PLUS still get the full deduction for mortgage interest and and taxes. Adjust for the loss of the excess deduction against S/E tax and you can arrive at a net difference. Then there's the likely reduction in audit potential...

Good luck with that one...

And the winner is: Trois Pommes They've gained more publicity from Oprah's bullying than they could have possibly bought in the media. The vast majority of Oprah's fans, and the vast majority of the world, wouldn't be stupid enough to pay $38K for a handbag, so it isn't as though Trois Pommes has lost any business. And anyone with enough money and little enough sense to spend that much on a handbag isn't likely to know more about Oprah than what most foreigners would know anyhow - just another pushy American trying to throw their weight around. You see them all the time in foreign countries - acting obnoxious and generally being an embarrassment. ("Can't ANYBODY in this shop speak ENGLISH?!!) Yes, by all means let's keep burnishing that "Ugly American" stereotype. If the owner wants to appeal to their European clientele, they will put a tag on the handbag that reads, "The Bag Oprah Couldn't Afford". It will probably sell over the weekend and they'll need to re-stock in order to meet the demand. Besides, didn't we go down this road before in Paris? Oh yes, that was fodder for an apology show or two wasn't it? Maybe after they've sold a half-dozen $38K bags the owner of Trois Pommes can get on the schedule for a redemption program.

I'm looking forward to the results of the Beta testing as well. Drake is now my primary vendor and I expect them to continue to be so until I retire. But I don't take anything for granted and even in my small practice I think it's important to have a backup plan. I'd like to have ATX as my backup vendor since I'm already familiar with it. Much better to have a familiar company as your backup vendor than one you have to learn all over again.

Dependability is way overrated. After all, this is only our clients' most sensitive data. Just curious. Now that you've switched to Drake, have you identified your backup vendor? In my mind, that second step is just as important as the first. (Not just identified, but also implemented).

Nothing wrong with being youthful and idealistic. The problem is, it's only correct if you do it with your own money. When you begin to use the power of the government to confiscate the property of others to achieve your altruistic goals, it becomes nothing more than legalized theft.

Don't get short with me.

I'm shocked you're not staying current on things, Eric.

Ohm, my? Very good :)

Resistance is ......

Yes, at least in his case that's abundantly clear.

I used Platinum to get some quick CPE done at the end of last year. Some purists scoffed at the idea and made some rather lame attempts to disparage the vendor, but they didn't affect my opinion one bit. I say it all depends upon what your objectives are. The price is very low and you can work at your own pace right at your computer. That isn't all you need to do if you want to stay current or if you need intensive training in a specialized area, but it meets a need. Here's the link: http://www.platinumprostudies.com/

So this story might fit right in: I rescued my wife from a sinking ship - and that's when the fight started... http://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/home-garden/shipwrecked-man-graham-anley-saves-dog-rosie-before-wife-sheryl-off-coast-of-south-africa/story-fni0dm3h-1226692445625

I've already changed my mind. When I was in my 20's, my heart caused my mind to lean Liberal. By my 40's, I discovered I had both a heart and a brain, which changed me to a Conservative.

I'm in favor of a politics forum.

So at least we agree that both Liz and Hillary are equally classified as carpetbaggers.

Ok. Got it. Only someone who doesn't share your political views qualifies as a carpetbagger when they move in and prey on the gullibility of the brainwashed locals.

Liz probably noticed how well it worked for Hilary Clinton and decided to give it a try. Apparently she's hoping WY voters are just as naive & gullible as NY voters.

I always read & study the recommendations on the editorial pages of my local liberal rag when election time rolls around. I generally lay it out right beside my ballott when filling it out. I want to be sure I know their preferences so I'll be sure to know whom to vote against, just in case I get mixed up on a particular office.

It's so hot that I walked into my office and...