The Fark PhotoShoppers have come up with some creative spoofs on the Marxist blob who is himself a walking (or more appropriately, waddling) spoof of a human being.

Most states rebounding from money woes Several raising taxes, but others doling out raises

A million pennies saved, nothing earned – There are obviously pros and cons to the different ways to accumulate money.

IRS Probing H & R Block Unit’s Tax-Planning Strategies – Here’s a headline I never expected to see, considering Block’s long standing reputation for being veritable wimps in terms of tax saving opportunities for their clients. This problem has to do with another tax and consulting service that H & R Block purchased in 2003, RSM McGladrey.

Rental Scam – Potential tenants should verify the person they are renting from is the actual property owner, and that he hasn’t already pretended to rent the same place to half a dozen other people.

Lightening Bridge’s Load – I’ve written extensively on the very lucrative tax benefits of buying a vehicle weighing more than 6,000 pounds. One trade off, besides the extra fuel they consume, is limits on where they can be driven.

Forgery trial set to start – Subpoenas issued in Dian Brown case – This local case, where over a million dollars was stolen from real estate escrow funds, should serve as a warning for everyone to be very careful when selecting such services. Since a number of our clients are involved in this case (as Realtors and other victims), we should be able to learn more of the gory details than will be published in the paper.

Life Insurance Industry Backs John Kerry, Praises His “Wonderful Pessimism” – His gloom and doom messages do have an eager and receptive audience.

Thanks to Andrew Roth at The Club For Growth for these news updates:

Republican Tax-Hikers Lose In Oregon

It’s Not a Choice of Health Care or Tax Cuts – It’s Bigger Government vs. Greater Freedom

Cigarette Tax Increase Should Go Up in Smoke – Unfortunately, exploiting nicotine addicts is itself an addiction our rulers can’t kick.

Social Security Reality. A call for reform.

Interesting news from the IRS Press Room

Treasury and IRS Issue Notice Regarding Improper Deductions for Conservation Easement Donations – I haven’t personally encountered any of these issues; but I have heard of these kinds of overly creative games being played with values of easements donated to charities.

New Publications Focus on Car Donations – This is more guidance for both charities and donors on an issue I have encountered and discussed on several occasions. As I’ve always said, people claiming charitable deductions for their beat-up vehicles based on inflated Kelly Blue Book prices are wrong. Fair market value is what an unrelated buyer would actually pay for the vehicle, and not some theoretical book value based on a condition very different from reality.

It’s funny how private enterprise can solve most problems faster and for far less money than government can. So, why are the only solutions proposed by our rulers for every problem more money (and higher taxes) for bigger incompetent government programs?

Far too many of our rulers believe that all money belongs to them and we should bow down and kiss their feet as thanks for their allowing us to keep any of it.

Gov. Jim McGreevey is forcing New Jersey taxpayers to swallow a $6.4 billion pill of new taxes and fees – The wrong kinds of things are growing in the Garden State.

Whole Lotto Stealing Going On – Amazingly, people still fall for this ages old scam and send in money to claim their supposed prizes.

Texas State Lottery Jackpot Now at “Infinity Plus One” – The higher the jackpot, the more people want to play, when their odds actually decrease.