Althouse: At the Talking Rat Café...

February 10, 2019

At the Talking Rat Café...

... surely you can keep up your end of the conversation.

137 comments:

Big Mike said...: Okay, you do know how to draw a right rear leg. And a very pretty rat.; 2/10/19, 7:34 PM
wildswan said...: Love the descriptions of Seattle's "brutal winter" - temps in the 20's and 30's. When it warmed up that much in Milwaukee, I went out to get some sun.
OK, OK, it's all relative. But still ... "brutal?"; 2/10/19, 7:38 PM
traditionalguy said...: She’s ratting someone out.; 2/10/19, 7:38 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: "Animals cant talk, stupid" -- that's what our parrot says,

but he's a dumbass and we always end up in an argument.; 2/10/19, 7:41 PM
MadisonMan said...: Speaking of winter - we could use a nice sunny day to melt the ice off my sidewalk. I was out of town when it fell, and it's way too well-adhered now to deal with.

I have not fallen yet. Knock on wood.; 2/10/19, 7:46 PM
Meade said...: You might say rat talk is cheap but that depends on who's doing the listening.; 2/10/19, 7:51 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: ok you Verbose Vermin--

Coupla questions--

1)Since the Dems have been really shooting themselves in the foot lately,
are they going to run out of ammunition first, or feet??

2) This March Madness, will we see "OrangemenBad" signs during Syracuse games?; 2/10/19, 7:55 PM
chickelit said...: Generally speaking, rats have have pear-shaped physiques. The head is the largest, with the torso being collapsible and able to squeeze through what the head can get through. No rat ever finds him or herself stuck like Winnie The Pooh.; 2/10/19, 7:58 PM
Gahrie said...: Have there been any confirmed sighting of RBG the last month?; 2/10/19, 8:02 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: @Gahrie
ask the kid from "The 6th Sense"; 2/10/19, 8:03 PM
chickelit said...: Rats have remarkable core strength for their size. We had one that could perch on the side of a bowl and retrieve submerged food in the bowl, using its tail for balance and leverage.; 2/10/19, 8:04 PM
mockturtle said...: Nice to see the right side of a rat, at last. ;-); 2/10/19, 8:08 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: @mockturtle

...bump-bump bump bump..."there is no right side of a Rat, in fact, it's all dark"...; 2/10/19, 8:13 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: ..."hanging on in quiet despeRATion is the English way..."; 2/10/19, 8:17 PM
madAsHell said...: Live from Seattle.......

The snow is falling again. Another several inches are due.

The stores are devoid of milk, eggs, and bread. The produce sections have been stripped bare. There is still beer, and whiskey.

I've always kind of smirked at preppers. I've been in Seattle for a long time, but seeing empty grocery shelves is really disconcerting. There has never been such an accumulation of snow.

I think I need to be a little more Mormon.

Let me postulate the Althouse ratio......ammo over bread. When does ammo become more important($) than bread?; 2/10/19, 8:18 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: A Little More Mormon, a Little Less Rock'n Roll

use the ammo to get more bread. No one will argue; 2/10/19, 8:23 PM
Drago said...: From another thread re: AOC's insane lunatic Green "Plan":
Inga: "No, Democrats aren’t looking for “dreamers”, he should STFU. We’re looking for those with vision, with realism, with strength and with principles and the bravery to stick by them."

Shorter Inga: Pol Pot, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you,....; 2/10/19, 8:25 PM
mccullough said...: That rat looks like a Steely Dan fan; 2/10/19, 8:26 PM
JackWayne said...: Ammo will get you through times of no bread better than bread will get you through times of no ammo: Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.; 2/10/19, 8:31 PM
Molly said...: "will we see "OrangemenBad" signs during Syracuse games?" Certainly yes if they play Duke.

And isn't it too bad that St. John's changed their team name, depriving us of a early glimpse of a Trump v. Warren show-down?; 2/10/19, 8:33 PM
wwww said...: A bunch of Swedes came to

mad,

Hope all is ok until the snow melts. I tease Washingtonian reaction to snow, but I know it's serious with the hills & lack of equipment.

Last night someone posted on facebook about flying back to Seattle. He asked if there would be any way to get food. Someone joked that he should come back because they are eating each other & need fresh blood. Dark humour!

There was a funny picture of a Safeway with all of the greens gone in the salad section. On a serious note, I've heard some Safeways have food.; 2/10/19, 8:36 PM
narciso said...: Re stories that get the pillow treatment
https://www.rabwah.net/islamic-relief-and-qatar-implicated-in-tunisian-terror-finance-investigation/amp/

Qatar is involved in funding terrorists in north africa; 2/10/19, 8:37 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: “We’re looking for those with vision, with realism, with strength and with principles and the bravery to stick by them."

“Shorter Inga: Pol Pot, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you,....”

Are you flippin’ insane? Pol Pot had vision, realism, strength, principles and bravery? Maybe in YOUR eyes.; 2/10/19, 8:37 PM
wwww said...: whoops - I was joking about Swedes who immigrated to MN then left for Seattle because they didn't like winter.; 2/10/19, 8:38 PM
hawkeyedjb said...: "The stores are devoid of milk, eggs, and bread. The produce sections have been stripped bare. There is still beer, and whiskey."

Grace a dieu. Les essentiales are still in supply.; 2/10/19, 8:38 PM
JackWayne said...: It’s no coincidence that the corrupt FIFA has given the 2022 Cup to Qatar.; 2/10/19, 8:40 PM
Molly said...: Taking a couple tinfoil hat theories seriously for a minute:

1. If RGB were really dead or seriously debilitated, what would be the point of postponing the announcement? Yes it might make sense for a week or two, or a case or two; but is there any realistic possibility of keeping up a false claim of life for 20 months?

2. Somebody on PJ Media (not instapundit) won't let the Jussie Smollett case die quietly. There are some peculiarities about that, not the least of which is that Smollett himself was apparently reluctant to report to the police, but a well-meaning friend insisted.; 2/10/19, 8:42 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Oops.

“Worst tax return in a decade! He's lost my vote': Taxpayers lash out at Trump for Tax Cuts and Job Act 'scam' as IRS data shows refunds are smaller than last year!

Tax code changes leave Americans asking, 'What happened to my refund?'

"If I were to estimate, two-thirds will pay more than they thought and one-third will get more than they thought,” said one tax preparer.”; 2/10/19, 8:42 PM
wwww said...: Huge public snowball fight in Tacoma, WA.

https://www.circa.com/story/2019/02/10/nation/hundreds-take-part-in-large-public-snowball-fight-in-tacoma-washington?fbclid=IwAR2jS_8E1sjVia-yMXp0ZmfLBzxW98B4GoK-ofif4BBnAQ-jues5mrrhrtw; 2/10/19, 8:46 PM
narciso said...: They've gone full brezhnev, molly, as for smollett where is the video, it strains credulity.; 2/10/19, 8:49 PM
FullMoon said...: Inga...Allie Oop said...

“We’re looking for those with vision, with realism, with strength and with principles and the bravery to stick by them."

Yeah, one of your Austrian countrymen had all that. Hitler; 2/10/19, 8:50 PM
walter said...: You can put lipstick on a rat, but it's still a rat.; 2/10/19, 8:50 PM
Original Mike said...: Blogger MadisonMan said..."Speaking of winter - we could use a nice sunny day to melt the ice off my sidewalk. I was out of town when it fell, and it's way too well-adhered now to deal with."

Took me about 6 hours to do the driveway. Finished it today.; 2/10/19, 8:52 PM
narciso said...: Perhaps enver hoxha, is more on point, Qatar which really doesn't handle large petroleum enterprise bought a third of rosneft an Italian bank another, and other enterprises as a result the deal went pearshaped. Carter page actually brought Gazprom public in a reasonable way so they chose not to use him; 2/10/19, 8:53 PM
Molly said...: I know this is a sample of one, but I paid attention in January 2018 when the new tax law went into effect: my take home pay went up $100 a (two week) payperiod just because my federal withholding went down by $100. And I thought "Great -- $2500 a year tax cut, that's pretty substantial." Then a little later, I looked at on-line tax calculators, and I concluded that my withholding was going to be substantially too little, so I increased it beyond what my employer was withholding. (I am an employee of a state, so this was not a fly-by-night mistake by an incompetent tax accountant that only affected a few people.) I haven't done my 2018 taxes, so I can't say whether I was right or wrong. But it is possible (based on my experience) that many people will experience a substantial tax cut -- they will own less federal tax in 2018 than they owed in 2017 or would have owed with a similar income; and that many people will have a smaller refund.

My expectation is that as we get closer to April we will see articles about people in states with high state and local taxes who are shocked and angry that their state and local taxes are not fully deductible.; 2/10/19, 8:54 PM
walter said...: Lipstick Rat reminds me of AOC and her attempt to deny her own plan; 2/10/19, 8:55 PM
Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...: @Molly
why should they let it die? Either way it is serious, and as narcisco said, it strains credulity-- it's most likely false, taking his cues from sharpton who he met just prior IIRC-- who was able to parlay his tawana brawley fiasco into a national platform/political power broker. Fake hate crimes will go the same route as fake rape claims ie make it worse for legitimate claims; 2/10/19, 8:57 PM
stephen cooper said...: I like the rats; I like their variety .....

I also like early Scott Adams Dilbert universe (first year or so, way before he moved to Pleasanton, I think,) the best:

and
EVERY YEAR I like Rose is Rose more, and
EVERY YEAR I appreciate more that comic strip that Lynn Johnson used to draw, about that Canadian couple with their kids and their Please Don't' the Daisies-type dog that Lynn Johnston used to draw.

I hope somewhere there is a great cache of previously unpublished Calvin and Hobbes and For Better or Worse comic strip panels.

And, to be humble, I understand women like Rose (From Rose is Rose) a lot more than I did when I was younger, and I used to not like the Walter Mitty "biker chick" episodes, but I get them now.; 2/10/19, 9:01 PM
FullMoon said...: Molly said...

I know this is a sample of one, but I paid attention in January 2018 when the new tax law went into effect: my take home pay went up $100 a (two week) payperiod just because my federal withholding went down by $100.

Exactly.any people are too ignorant to understand that simple fact.

Asksomeone likeInga how much tax they paid and the answer will be"I didn't pay anything,I got money back". No clue that the govt kept most of the money deducted from their check.; 2/10/19, 9:02 PM
narciso said...: Of course they didnt really explain it on Latin TV I imagine the other networks weren't any more clear though they did mention the loophole closing re state and local taxes; 2/10/19, 9:02 PM
madAsHell said...: As long as we are all snow bound in Seattle, don't forget to use the Althouse Amazon portal!!; 2/10/19, 9:07 PM
walter said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/10/19, 9:08 PM
walter said...: Heh..AFTER many viewers/listeners castigate his total soft-balling his interview with Jack Dorsey (a sponsor via Cash App, garnering further questions), Joe Rogan's actually learnin' about this de-platforming stuff via Tim Poole and wants a redo with low energy Dorsey.
It's refreshing, since for once he is revisiting one of his numerous blind spots.; 2/10/19, 9:10 PM
madAsHell said...: I'm shameless!!; 2/10/19, 9:14 PM
David Begley said...: Saw “Cold Pursuit” with Liam Nessen. Excellent! Loved it.; 2/10/19, 9:16 PM
narciso said...: Yes he got burned with that stupid confession, but he was playing a wild eyed IRA (modeled on Gerry Adam's in 1986) the crazy guy in darkman, he had mel Gibsons intensity factor; 2/10/19, 9:20 PM
Molly said...: Why should they (media) let the Smollett story die? The PJ media asserts that no Chicagoland paper will touch the story for fear of being labelled racist, and that the Chicago police also are treading very carefully for the same reason, and will not accuse Smollett of a false report unless they have incontrovertible proof that the report was false. "Lack of evidence is not evidence of a lack" or something like that.; 2/10/19, 9:22 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Oh boy, a big oops.

Trump Tax Cuts Are (Probably) About to Become a Political Disaster; 2/10/19, 9:24 PM
DavidD said...: For the 1st time in 30-odd years of marriage, we’re probably going to take the standard deduction. It’s more than doubled; no need to hunt down tax receipts for every last charitable deduction just to get back another $5 of my own money.

One wonders what effect the increased standard deduction will have on future charitable contributions nationally.; 2/10/19, 9:26 PM
Molly said...: "Many people are too ignorant to understand that simple fact. Ask [people] how much tax they paid and the answer will be"I didn't pay anything,I got money back". No clue that the govt kept most of the money deducted from their check."

I've noticed the same thing. But it remains to be seen how this kind of attitude plays out in terms of public attitudes. WIll people conclude "Trump promised a tax cut and my refund was smaller, so Trump lied!" ?? Or will people see "my overall tax bill was lower, and I like that, even though my refund was smaller than had last year." ?? And related will people conclude "I can't deduct all of my state and local taxes from my federal income, so my state and local taxes should be lower." ?? or will they conclude "I can't deduct all of my state and local taxes from my federal income, so the Trump tax cut needs to be repealed." ??; 2/10/19, 9:27 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "The stores are devoid of milk, eggs, and bread. The produce sections have been stripped bare."

We've been all over Kitsap county over the last two days. On and off the island.

Only went to one store, Central Market in Poulsbo: you had to look very hard to see any shortages. In the deli (which has around two hundred linear feet (maybe more) of cold case counter things: there was six foot section that didn't have stuff in it. That's the only shortage we noticed.

Anywho, I was planning to get to the city tomorrow.

I dunno.; 2/10/19, 9:29 PM
walter said...: Smollett is becoming "Sandwich Gate".
If he had worked his story better, he might have become the next Jared...
Cue up "Can't touch this"; 2/10/19, 9:34 PM
Molly said...: "what effect the increased standard deduction will have on future charitable contributions nationally"

I've wondered too. I'm on the finance committee at my church and we didn't see any impact in calendar year 2018; but perhaps it will take April 2019 tax season for it to register. And further I wonder if there will be any imbalance in the "political" impact: will church goers continue to tithe, but PBS contributers drop out? Or something like that. Are contributions to political campaigns deductible? (no personal experience).; 2/10/19, 9:36 PM
Big Mike said...: My expectation is that as we get closer to April we will see articles about people in states with high state and local taxes who are shocked and angry that their state and local taxes are not fully deductible.

Me, too. Limousine liberals living in hyper-blue locations will squeal loud and long. I will love every second of it.; 2/10/19, 9:38 PM
walter said...: (I'm thinking Chackie Jan in Smollett-face/noose fighting off would be sandwich thiefs with a Club Sub); 2/10/19, 9:43 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: “Me, too. Limousine liberals living in hyper-blue locations will squeal loud and long. I will love every second of it.”

Don’t get too gleeful. There are plenty of Trump voters who depend on their yearly tax returns and when they don’t see them, they may just not love Trump with all their little hearts anymore.

Oh well.; 2/10/19, 9:45 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "will church goers continue to tithe, but PBS contributers drop out?"

You forgot another situation:

Church goers continue to tithe, and so do the PBS contributors because PBS tells them that they'll burn for eternity if they don't, and they're told that they'll hit the lottery for eternity if they do pay up. That seems worth ten percent.; 2/10/19, 9:48 PM
JackWayne said...: Could be another shutdown coming. I wonder what wrinkle Trump will come up with as he couldn’t get what he wanted the last time.; 2/10/19, 9:48 PM
Rory said...: Rats love being tickled. An experimenter put two holes in the top of a cage. A hand through one hole fed the rats. A hand through the other hole tickled the rats. Given a choice of the two hands, rats would congregate around the tickle hand, even if they were hungry.; 2/10/19, 9:50 PM
narciso said...: It seems like it was included as a tradeoff for higher rates:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/26/170; 2/10/19, 9:50 PM
Original Mike said...: "Don’t get too gleeful. There are plenty of Trump voters who depend on their yearly tax returns..."

Inga, "tax return" is not a synonym for "tax refund".; 2/10/19, 9:54 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Best article yet. Time to pay the piper.

TRUMP WANTED TO GOOSE PAYCHECKS, BUT NOW A SURPRISE BILL MAY BE COMING DUE FOR TAX FILERS

If workers had too little money withheld from their paychecks throughout the year to cover their tax liability —say, perhaps, because the administration was hoping to win converts to its tax cut by goosing paychecks — that would translate into a smaller refund this spring. If the opposite occurred, the refunds would be bigger. If it’s off by too much, a taxpayer would actually owe the government money.

There’s no consensus on what truly happened with paychecks, and the final outcome won’t be known for weeks, as people send in their tax returns. But critics of the Trump administration have long suggested that the administration sought to lowball the withholding tables to get more money into taxpayers’ hands on the front end. Politico reported last January that the IRS was “under pressure to take as little as possible so people will see big increases in their take-home pay ahead of this year’s midterm elections.” Major political figures, like the Senate Finance Committee’s ranking Democrat, Ron Wyden of Oregon, questioned the IRS on manipulating withholding tables.“; 2/10/19, 9:54 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: “Inga, "tax return" is not a synonym for "tax refund".”

Indeed yes, you’re right. I did mean tax refund.; 2/10/19, 9:55 PM
Enlighten-NewJersey said...: Inga, it’s the total amount of federal income tax paid that counts, not the size of a tax refund. A large refund merely indicates that too much was withheld from paychecks or sent to the goverment in estimated taxes. I know some people treat a refund like a savings account, but it really makes no sense to give the goverment an interest free loan. Those wishing a bigger refund next year can request additional withholding or write a larger than necessary check to Uncle Sam for their estimated tax.; 2/10/19, 9:59 PM
Big Mike said...: Real rats can smile,

And real rats can talk.; 2/10/19, 10:00 PM
iowan2 said...: Inga thinks if tax refunds are lower than last year, means you paid more taxes. Stupid is as stupid does, Republicans are idiots because they are not making the distinction.
But really, is it any wonder that such uninformed people vote Democrat?; 2/10/19, 10:00 PM
narciso said...: Given that they really think all money is property of the state, I can see they would react that way, dont worry the house will tax you for the very air you breath hence their newest darling who want you back in an 18th century shack.; 2/10/19, 10:00 PM
stephen cooper said...: narciso - maybe the guy feels bad about his cowardly support of abortion and was just acting out; 2/10/19, 10:01 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Enlighten, maybe you should read this slowly and carefully.

“If workers had too little money withheld from their paychecks throughout the year to cover their tax liability —say, perhaps, because the administration was hoping to win converts to its tax cut by goosing paychecks — that would translate into a smaller refund this spring. If the opposite occurred, the refunds would be bigger. If it’s off by too much, a taxpayer would actually owe the government money.”; 2/10/19, 10:02 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "Given a choice of the two hands, rats would congregate around the tickle hand"

For at least one fish, the food hand is the one to go for:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=big+fish+bites+mans+hand&view=detail&mid=9515A66F2B6DBF89D0869515A66F2B6DBF89D086&FORM=VIRE; 2/10/19, 10:03 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: “Inga thinks if tax refunds are lower than last year, means you paid more taxes.”

I said no such thing and neither did most of the articles. Reading failure on your part.; 2/10/19, 10:04 PM
narciso said...: The last one I saw of his was unknown where he played an amnesiac doctor well theres a twist there, its based on a French novel with a memento feel to it.; 2/10/19, 10:04 PM
JackWayne said...: Not sure how convincing your position is if you have to quote The Intercept. I think most people will see they paid less tax and the refund is smaller. Ho hum, much ado about nothing.; 2/10/19, 10:08 PM
walter said...: Blogger Inga...Allie Oop said...

Best article yet. Time to pay the piper.

If workers had too little money withheld from their paychecks throughout the year to cover their tax liability —say, perhaps, because the administration was hoping to win converts to its tax cut by goosing paychecks — that would translate into a smaller refund this spring. If the opposite occurred, the refunds would be bigger. If it’s off by too much, a taxpayer would actually owe the government money.

There’s no consensus on what truly happened with paychecks, and the final outcome won’t be known for weeks,
--
"Time to pay the piper" should be reserved for far more definitive quotations, regardless of wanton repost bolding of text.; 2/10/19, 10:08 PM
narciso said...: Tax collectors never taking enough, that happens on the twelfth of never, now I trust Ryan about as much as I would trust a gator hiding in a canal.; 2/10/19, 10:09 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: What you fail to understand is that there are many many Trump voters that won’t be seeing their big tax refund. Those people depend on the refund to take care of necessities or even frivolous purchases they couldn’t make during the year. There is going to be a ripple effect to millions of Americans not getting their yearly big tax refunds and merchants selling them those products and these people are not only Democratic voters. Trump voters might love themselves some Trump when he’s ranting about the wall or illegal immigration, but take their tax refund and buying costumers from them....; 2/10/19, 10:12 PM
narciso said...: I liked Rogan in news radio, I didnt like that reality show with the bugs though.; 2/10/19, 10:18 PM
Enlighten-NewJersey said...: Inga, what did I miss? I should hope the government would create tax withholding tables that produce a tax refund or additional tax due as close to zero as possible. I would be more concerned with the IRS purposely withholding more than necessary, the bigger the average refund, the better it is for government. It is the total amount of federal income tax paid that matters. This concept may be confusing to some because the goverment sends some a “ refund check”, although they actually pay no federal income tax because of the “earned income credit”.; 2/10/19, 10:20 PM
William said...: In my restless search to find a safe haven from political correctness, I sometimes tune into period dramas. On Amazon Prime, I watched The ABC Murders. It was based on an Agatha Christie novel and stars John Malkovich, playing the Hercule Poirot role. It's watchable, but it's not Agatha Christie. This isn't a spoiler so I feel free to mention that in this take on Poirot he's a Belgian refugee from WWI. He's treated badly by the fascists in England who are hostile to refugees. WTF. Political correctness reaches its cold hand back into the past and fucks over Hercule Poirot. I'm pretty sure Belgian refugeees weren't a big or little or any kind of issue in post war Britain with the fascists or anyone else. At least they didn't make the murderer look like Trump, so I'm grateful for small mercies.; 2/10/19, 10:30 PM
Drago said...: Inga: "Are you flippin’ insane? Pol Pot had vision, realism, strength, principles and bravery? Maybe in YOUR eyes."

LOL

Lets see: he had a very typical lefty vision, he knew millions would perish but that would be a small price to pay to achieve a lefty paradise, he had the strength to carry it out, he kept true to his lefty principles the entire way, and in his own way he bravely fought and defended his lefty vision to the end.

The problem? He was a lefty, and his vision was Lefty.

But Im sure it will be different here after we get full blown infanticide, shut down fossil fuels, disarm and go full open borders while "modernizing" (wink wink) the Constitution.

What could go wrong?; 2/10/19, 10:36 PM
narciso said...: That seems a stretch, he might have been mistaken for Frenchman, I dont think Oswald Mosley's was particularly focused in that direction,; 2/10/19, 10:37 PM
madAsHell said...: My wife is viewing some awards ceremony. These people are lame.; 2/10/19, 10:41 PM
narciso said...: Aack is there any talent required anymore, rhetorical?; 2/10/19, 10:45 PM
Mark said...: The Washington Post is trying to manufacture a big deal scandal on the assertion that people might be upset -- after the tax cuts, with people paying less in tax -- that they didn't over pay their withholdings, i.e. a small refund.

I guess there are a few dimwits who actually are falling for it. Apparently they think that people would prefer that the government take out more per paycheck and that they pay more in taxes overall.; 2/10/19, 10:45 PM
Big Mike said...: @Mark, Inky the Stinky fell for it pretty hard.; 2/10/19, 10:47 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Oops.

“Withholding tables for 2018 may have been adjusted incorrectly," the bank's economist Robert Martin said in a note to clients this week.

"As a result, nobody —not us, not other economists, not the US government —knows whether refunds will be larger or smaller than in past years, as small changes in the assumptions on any of the three factors lead to large changes in net payments to households."

It's not just return size that's down, either. Every single cumulative metric tracked by the IRS is showing a negative percent change compared to last year.”

https://www.businessinsider.com/tax-refunds-so-far-this-year-are-8-smaller-than-in-2018-irs-2019-2; 2/10/19, 10:48 PM
Mark said...: Pity the fool who doesn't realize she is a fool.; 2/10/19, 10:51 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: I pity the dumbass named Mark who can’t understand what has happened under Trump’s big shiny Tax Cuts Law.; 2/10/19, 10:56 PM
Darrell said...: I hope Inga uses her tax refund to purchase and use a fatal dose of Fentanyl. The Left will send a commenter that won't be a known liar. That might sway a few people before they are found out.; 2/10/19, 10:57 PM
narciso said...: That's harsh, if she enjoys thinking other people are suffering that's her bag, as with most of these wishes they haven't come true.; 2/10/19, 10:59 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Darrell's trying to win re who is the most pitiful.

Success!; 2/10/19, 11:00 PM
Darrell said...: She's trying to convince people that they have been cheated by Trump while ignoring the higher paychecks they received all year. She deserves everything she gets--in this world and the next.; 2/10/19, 11:03 PM
Enlighten-NewJersey said...: Inga, opps nothing. A good part of the article you linked was about the number of returns processed by the IRS. We’ve already beat to death the refund issue - it’s the amount of tax actually paid that matters, not the size or lack of a refund. But, let me ask you a question. Would you rather pay $10,000 in federal income tax and get no refund or pay $15,000 get a $1,000 refund?; 2/10/19, 11:04 PM
Inga...Allie Oop said...: Narciso I have no desire to see anyone suffer. I am merely remarking on comments I’ve been hearing from people who are shocked that they are paying taxes or not getting a refund this year, while not getting more in their paychecks during the year. You figure it out.; 2/10/19, 11:05 PM
Darrell said...: Aunty the Shitter Face is the most pathetic. Don't kid yourself.Ask Inga to share her lethal Fentanyl with you. Perhaps Guildofcannonballs will miss you and your insights.; 2/10/19, 11:05 PM
Drago said...: Inga: "I pity the dumbass named Mark who can’t understand what has happened under Trump’s big shiny Tax Cuts Law."

Inga transitions smoothly from atmospheric science expert to tax specialist.

Been a busy night.

LOL; 2/10/19, 11:06 PM
walter said...: Take that as a given (I'm not so sure..as are her sources given multiple ifs).
Can you possibly weigh that vs persons acquiring actual employment, Ingot?; 2/10/19, 11:09 PM
narciso said...: They assume something on a small number of returns, as opposed to when Obamacare was clinically dissected even before it was voted on, when rank untruths were presented again and again,; 2/10/19, 11:10 PM
Drago said...: Inga: "I am merely remarking on comments I’ve been hearing from people who are shocked that they are paying taxes or not getting a refund this year, while not getting more in their paychecks during the year."

LOL

We have reached the "abracadabra" portion of the evening festivities where tax cuts really mean tax increases!!

This is on top of the dems claiming the economy is doing worse under Trump than under obambi (this changes on a day to day basis when the dems admit that the economy is clearly doing better (duh!) but obambi deserves the credit!).

Also, that infanticide bill really isnt an infanticide bill because....because....shut up h8ters!!; 2/10/19, 11:11 PM
walter said...: Ev'rbody moonwalk!!!; 2/10/19, 11:14 PM
Narayanan said...: Any stories yet about Musk flame thrower as winter equipment?; 2/10/19, 11:15 PM
narciso said...: How about break dancing, although I imagine that required a lot of alcohol before considering it in medical school.; 2/10/19, 11:17 PM
Sprezzatura said...: "Any stories yet about Musk flame thrower as winter equipment?"

I thought about asking if that sorta thing (a roofing torch) would help Mad Man with his ice.

But, then I thought that that was probably a suggestion that could only come from a dope who isn't used to real snow. So, I didn't want to out myself.; 2/10/19, 11:18 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Oops.; 2/10/19, 11:18 PM
Yancey Ward said...: Sorry, which are the rats and which are the mice?; 2/10/19, 11:19 PM
Sprezzatura said...: There's probably a potential comedy skit that would show city hipsters surviving some calamity w/ their "Not a Flamethrowers" (so named so they could be shipped), and their bricks, hammers and other stuff from Supreme.; 2/10/19, 11:23 PM
walter said...: narciso breakdancing?
I'd drink to that.; 2/10/19, 11:24 PM
Sprezzatura said...: For the golden year-ers here, the kids are buying stuff like this:

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/SUPREME-BOLT-CUTTERS-14-RED-BOX-LOGO-ACCESSORY-S-S-2016-CROW-BAR-HAMMER-DS/172817036917?hash=item283cb2b675:g:kx8AAOSw1KxXMj68:rk:1:pf:0

Because of the brand.; 2/10/19, 11:26 PM
I Have Misplaced My Pants said...: I take Inga's point that most people are too unsophisticated to understand that the number that matters is how much total tax you pay over the year, not how much is withheld from paychecks/returned at the end of the year. But I suspect that a very large number of those people pay no taxes anyway so they are just getting the EITC payout.

As for the Pantses, our bottom line tax number went down by around $6,000 while income went up by $9,000 form 17 to 18. I couldn't care less what the withholding is; it's not a big deal to me to have to write a check later. We, however, generally get a refund because we get a tax break for the first wife's alimony and that's independent of withholding of course.; 2/10/19, 11:27 PM
Ray - SoCal said...: God emperor float in Italy!

https://milnenews.com/2019/02/10/the-story-behind-god-emperor-trumpat-viareggio-carnevale/; 2/10/19, 11:27 PM
narciso said...: Never tried it, but it's as crazy as anything else I've heard Mario van peebles who once fancied himself a serious director was in ths vanguard.; 2/10/19, 11:28 PM
I Have Misplaced My Pants said...: And anti-weirdo-guy--I'm from Kitsap County. :); 2/10/19, 11:29 PM
Sprezzatura said...: I spend more than a quarter of my time on Bainbridge.

I think its an amazing way to live close to downtown, but seemingly a hundred miles away.; 2/10/19, 11:38 PM
I Have Misplaced My Pants said...: I didn't realize how lucky I was growing up. We'd take the Bremerton ferry, or drive up to Winslow, to spend the day in Seattle or go to concerts. When I was back home recently I shared the Vashon ferry with a rowdy group of kids who went to high school on the island but lived in West Seattle-what a kickass way to get to school every day. The WSF system is one of the most delightful (and often really damn cold; let's call a spade a spade) ways to get around for people lucky enough to live there and I took it 100% for granted before I grew up and moved away. Might return someday for good, but they say you can never go home again. I don't know.

One of my high school boyfriends and I used to run into Central Market and buy hot soup from the deli and a loaf of French bread and eat it in the graveyard at the Lutheran church in Poulsbo. Beautiful, peaceful, wonderful place.; 2/10/19, 11:57 PM
Gahrie said...: I take Inga's point that most people are too unsophisticated to understand that the number that matters is how much total tax you pay over the year, not how much is withheld from paychecks/returned at the end of the year.

Hell a lot of people consider tax refunds as found money, not realizing that it was simply their money that they were letting the government borrow interest free.; 2/11/19, 12:04 AM
Trumpit said...: More money needs to be spent on research on abortifacients, drugs that induce a miscarriage/labor such as RU-486. Giving women more control over their bodies demands this kind of research and widespread availability of the medications.; 2/11/19, 2:18 AM
rehajm said...: The witholding issue is independent of comparisons between the new tax law and the old and is only a function of proper witholding. I have an MST in the house and we find it dufficult to imagine a scenario where a household or individual would have more witholding and less after income tax income for 2018. That return will need have lost a meaningful group of deductions starting with a big salt deduction but there will need to be life change events as well - to the point it isn’t an apples to apples comparison. If anyone knows different I’m curious to know...

Net net we’ll do flat to slightly better- loss of salt, gain of lower brackets is kind of a wash and we’re not eligible for the new business rate since small business accountants are now greedy wall street investment bankers. We do our own quarterly witholding so the tables weren’t a factor.; 2/11/19, 5:04 AM
Clyde said...: I hope that is a typhus-free rat and not one of the nasty infectious type that they have at the Los Angeles City Hall.; 2/11/19, 5:43 AM
stevew said...: Fretting about taxes? I say we focus on how tax revenue is used, for example, training law enforcement officers the difference between a taser and a gun.

"A York County, Penn., police officer has been charged with simple assault for shooting a handcuffed suspect in the back seat of a patrol car. Officer Stuart Lee Harrison says he thought he was reaching for his Taser and did not realize he had pulled out his gun until he heard the shot."; 2/11/19, 6:35 AM
Hagar said...: You are a sucker if you get a large tax refund. You have been lending money to the federal government at 0% interest which is a very foolish thing to do. The sensible thing is to adjust your W4 so that you will owe a small amount at tax time.

Beyond Inga's comprehension, I know, but that is what you want to do.; 2/11/19, 6:37 AM
Humperdink said...: If the lefties will kill perfectly healthy babies at the front end, you know they won't think twice about killing the medically needy on the downside of life (read: the elderly).

Older lefties approaching medicare age, who are all-in for Medicare for all, are just plain stooopid.; 2/11/19, 6:38 AM
Hagar said...: Poulsbo grew up around my greatgrandfather's country store.

And the spelling is correct. Poul is an old Danish spelling for Paul, or rather, Pål.; 2/11/19, 6:41 AM
Hagar said...: And "Trollstigveien Road" works out to "Trollroadroad Road." Sheesh!; 2/11/19, 6:43 AM
Jaq said...: I pity the dumbass named Mark who can’t understand what has happened under Trump’s big shiny Tax Cuts Law.

I am curious how Trump’s tax law didn’t lower taxes for working people. Explain it to me as if I were a small child.; 2/11/19, 7:46 AM
mockturtle said...: I'm glad my Tacoma-resident daughter will be working from home today.; 2/11/19, 7:54 AM
MadisonMan said...: I hope that is a typhus-free rat

Typhus is caused by fleas, or lice (everyone start scratching their heads now), not rats.; 2/11/19, 8:09 AM
alanc709 said...: Hagar said: 'You have been lending money to the federal government at 0% interest which is a very foolish thing to do. The sensible thing is to adjust your W4 so that you will owe a small amount at tax time.'

I've done that for years. Have a friend who gets a couple thousand dollar refund every year, and I always ask her why she lends that much money to the government at 0%. She can't understand what I mean, even when I explain it. What can you do.; 2/11/19, 8:32 AM
Hagar said...: "If you can't see Mt. Rainier it's raining; if you can see it, it isn't raining - yet."; 2/11/19, 8:33 AM
Meade said...: "Typhus is caused by fleas, or lice (everyone start scratching their heads now), not rats."

The bacterium is transmitted by fleas and lice, true, but it's the rats who carry the fleas around with them, in little rat suitcases, as they travel from town to town looking for cheese and tickles.; 2/11/19, 9:23 AM
Jim at said...: Love the descriptions of Seattle's "brutal winter" - temps in the 20's and 30's.

Well, south of Olympia we had a low of 11 degrees the other night and we currently have 18 inches of snow. So, it's not really a day at the beach.; 2/11/19, 4:51 PM
Jim at said...: What you fail to understand is that there are many many Trump voters that won’t be seeing their big tax refund.

And what you continue to fail to understand with your cherry-picking is that people are taking home more in their current paychecks. And other people are starting to recognize just how much they're actually paying in state and local taxes they can no longer write off.

That's not Trump's problem, nor will he be blamed. The local pols who impose those taxes are the ones currently trying to shift the blame.; 2/11/19, 4:59 PM
Jim at said...: I’ve been hearing from people who are shocked that they are paying taxes or not getting a refund this year, while not getting more in their paychecks during the year. You figure it out.

People are good at telling stories someone once commented.

Everybody - everybody - is either getting more in their paychecks/or getting a larger refund. Either or. Nobody is paying more and getting less back.

That was the whole point of the tax cuts.; 2/11/19, 5:04 PM
iowan2 said...: Who has a direct line to President Trump, or one of his advisors???
Get to them quick, and have the IRS re-jigger the withholding tax charts. Set the charts up to have workers take more taxes out of their paychecks. Then have them get $4000 tax returns 12 months from now.
President Trump can tell them that he got them ANOTHER tax cut.

To top it off, there will be a massive cash infusion into the economy

( I learned all this from Inga!)

(abusing the tax payers is just fine, per Inga. Its not what is real, perception is what mattters); 2/11/19, 5:23 PM
iowan2 said...: The left is taking a real beating about the phony reporting on this. MSNBC spent a segment explaining that 80%+ of the tax payers got a tax cut, and if you did not spend time filling out a new W4 you may not have the same refunds you have had in the past, but you did pay less income tax, due to President Trumps tax cuts.; 2/11/19, 5:27 PM
Mark said...: Explain it to me as if I were a small child.

Galaxy Quest.; 2/11/19, 5:58 PM
Mark said...: More money needs to be spent on research on abortifacients, drugs that induce a miscarriage/labor such as RU-486. Giving women more control over their bodies demands this kind of research and widespread availability of the medications.

Whatever women's freedom is about, it shouldn't mean taking powerful hormones that treat a woman's healthy body as if it is diseased.; 2/11/19, 6:01 PM
Rusty said...: Blogger Trumpit said...
"More money needs to be spent on research on abortifacients, drugs that induce a miscarriage/labor such as RU-486. Giving women more control over their bodies demands this kind of research and widespread availability of the medications."

If only we could find the cause of all these unwanted pregnancies.... You know. prevent them before they take root.; 2/11/19, 7:20 PM