WHAT’S THE BUZZ, TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’ - TUESDAY EDITION

* In my wanderings on the web I discovered that TWTP is one of the “Top 25 Accounting Blogs for July 2013” in the “Accounting Influencers” section of REACHING SMBS (SMBS = Small Business).

Cool!

* Jamaal Solomon is interviewed by DJ Symplistik (?) in this TAX FACTOR podcast.

 

* ACCOUNTING TODAY tells us that “IRS Postpones August 30 Furlough” –

“The Internal Revenue Service has decided to postpone the unpaid furlough day it had scheduled for August 30 after making progress on cutting costs at the agency.”

* AT also tells us “Connecticut to Begin Tax Amnesty Program” -

“The Connecticut Department of Revenue Services plans to begin a tax amnesty program from Sept. 16, until Nov. 15, 2013 for any taxable period ending on or before Nov. 30, 2012.”

* While Joe Kristan and I have not always agreed on all the aspects of the now defunct (hopefully for good) IRS required RTRP regime, here is something we have both always agreed, from Joe’s “Tax Roundup, 8/9/2013” at the ROTH AND COMPANY TAX UPDATE BLOG -

“The real way to stop cheating is to remove the worst opportunities to cheating, especially refundable tax credits, and to make the law simple enough and the rates low enough that cheating is harder to hide and less attractive.”

* The REAL ESTATE METRO blog explores “Homeownership Tax Deductions, Credits and Exemptions”.

“For decades, home ownership in the United States has been partially subsidized by the tax savings associated with owning a home. Many homeowners qualify for certain tax deductions and tax credits that make home ownership more affordable.”  This post itemizes many of the tax benefits available to homeowners.

* Kay Bell’s brings us “Tax Carnival #119: The Taxing Dog Days of Summer 2013” at DON’T MESS WITH TAXES.

THE FINAL WORD:

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Eydie Gorme while driving into NJ to do a payroll this past Sunday morning.

While I did not see Steve and Eydie in concert, I did see them on Broadway in GOLDEN RAINBOW in 1968.  This was a musical adaptation of the Frank Sinatra movie A HOLE IN THE HEAD.  It did not include the song “High Hopes”, but did give us the hit song “I’ve Got To Be Me”, made famous by Sammy Davis Jr.

I remember that, while Steve and Eydie were great together and certainly audience pleasers, it was thought at the time that, because once the show opened it would probably be savaged by the critics, it should continue in previews and never actually “open”.  There were 43 previews, and it actually ran for almost a full year.

As an additional trivia item – although he did not write the music for the show, Marvin Hamlisch arranged the dance music.

TTFN