Monthly Archives: January 2021

opinion

THE EDGE

There is some irony in the air today.

Ironic that we have been worryingfor days now - ever since the attack on the Capitol and nowculminating in today's potential threats in Washington and our state capitalsand then again during Wednesday's inauguration about the threat of violence as we celebrate the life of a manwho brought so much change to our country through peaceful means.

Martin Luther King Jr., born 92 years ago on Jan. 15 in Atlanta. Died 52 years ago froman assassin's bullet, shot down at 39 by a man harboring muchof the same misguided hatred that we saw evidenced in the mob that attacked our "People's House" 11 days ago.

We're watching as the National Mall is restricted because of fears of violence 57 years after King and other civil rights leaders drew 250,000 non-violent protesters to the Lincoln Memorial directly opposite our Capitol and enunciated a vision of America where we all lived by the Golden Rule and our Constitution, and where violence and hatred were things of the past.

Departing from his speech, King gave anan impromptu picture inspired by gospel singer Mahalia Jackson's urging to "tell them about the dream."

"I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream," King would say."I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.'"

What would King say today? We can only imagine.

I think he would be sad that our divisions some of them brought about by the same emotions and prejudices that he spent a lifetime combating with words of love and wisdom and peaceful protest brought us to Jan. 6.

Would he be surprised? No. I think he knew full well that America was an evolvingexperiment, often striding forward in advancement before lurching back a step.

King took the long view of America. He knew his work would outlive him and said so, but I think he also believed that ultimately freedom and equality and non-violence would triumph in America.

Speaking prophetically in Memphis, Tennessee, he reiterated that belief even as he had an apparent vision of his own mortality on the eve of his death.

"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place.

"But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you.

"But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

We, as a people, will get to the promised land. Those are good words for today toall Americans of good intent. We need people who stop worrying these days about their primacy and instead about our union and about our kids and all of their futures.

As Isit here and the scope of the attack on the Capitol continues to be clearer and clearer, I know it is difficult to contemplate words like unity and union. There is no doubt that justice must be meted out and those who used violence on that day whoever they may be must face the consequences. If they don't,we have no country.

But we also must remember that there is a difference between justice and revenge. Revenge and continued divisiveness will only set our evolution back further.

The man we honor at this time of year saw that clearly, pulling no spiritual punches.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction . . .The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars -- must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation."

Matthew Sauer, the Herald-Tribune's executive editor and general manager, can be reached at matthew.sauer@heraldtribune.com.

Read the original post:

King would be sad but not surprised at our situation - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Aric Schreiner| Columbia Daily Tribune

Last month, I began to explore the IRS audit process. I warned you 1) not to ignore a letter sent by the IRS, 2) to read the letter, 3) to get professional help, 4) that most audits are Correspondence Audits, meaning they are not going to request proof of every expense you made, but they need to verify one or two deductions that are statistically significant according to their computers, 5) to let your tax preparer know about the audit, 6) not to give up, and 7) to stay positive. That article closed with a list of emotions you might go through. I am sure you can come up with a longer list if you have ever been through an audit.

Now, you are sitting in your CPAs office. Unfortunately, he/she confirms the bad news. Your personal and business tax returns are being audited. Usually, one or two years are audited, but the IRS can add additional years if: 1) your records are a mess and unorganized, 2) you delay answering their questions, or 3) if it appears to them that mistakes have been repeated in subsequent years. Here are five rules.

Rule #1 Dont poke the bear! The IRS agent that is requesting documentation is not your enemy. He/she is another human being with feelings and a family, most likely. They have a job to do. Taxpayers are supposed to be truthful when preparing their taxes. However, human nature affects people in different ways and the IRS has seen it all. Their main job is simply to verify the numbers on your return represent reality, not a fairy tale.

Rule #2 Remember the Golden Rule. Treat other people (auditors) as you would like to be treated. All auditors have some professional leeway. If you treat them with respect and promptly answer their inquiries, they may give you the benefit of the doubt on certain items. Otherwise, it could cost you dearly.

Rule #3 Face reality. If you are being audited, make it a priority in your life now. It wont last forever. Sure, you could be doing something enjoyable, instead of digging through old files to find receipts. There are costs involved with an audit defense. Grow up. It is part of living in a civilized society. As an alternative, you could always go off-grid and be a doomsday prepper. If you pretend it isnt happening to you, it could get very bad. Sticking your head in the sand never works, even for ostriches.

Rule #4 Dont do-it-yourself. If you did your own taxes for the year being audited, that could be part of the problem. If you are now faced with a full audit, you need the wisdom and assistance of an expert.

Rule #5 Dont be afraid to fight! Sometimes you can be a model citizen, but the IRS says you owe thousands of dollars. If they cant explain why you owe what they say you owe, dont sign the auditors report.

I wont bore you with a summary of the audit process. Lets skip ahead to try and resolve the conflict. You have just received Form 4549-A, Report of Income Tax Examination Changes. It shows adjustments made by the auditor and computes the tax consequence. Often, attached to this form are copies of the auditors work papers stating their conclusion, followed by Facts, Law and Argument. It represents their understanding of your situation for the tax year under audit.

If they caught a mistake you made, it was explained to you, and you agree with it, then you can make the audit end by signing the audit report. Case closed.

However, there are options to consider if you disagree with the auditor.

In conclusion, I hope you are never audited. But if you get that letter from the IRS, make sure to get expert assistance. There are several people in town like me that can help you with audit defense and tax resolution.

Aric Schreiner, CPA, PFS, Certified Tax Strategist, helps successful professionals and small business owners strategize to reduce taxes and audit risk.

Here is the original post:

Tame Your Taxes: Part 2: The IRS is auditing you. Now what? - Columbia Daily Tribune

Fentanyl is killing more San Franciscans than coronavirus, according to a new report from the citys Chief Medical Examiner.

COVID-19 was the leading cause of death in the US in the first week of January 2021, according to CDC data summed up by Scientific American. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) says its probably going to stay that way for some time, or at least, until we have a new U.S. president who is not actively aiding and abetting the spread of the virus. But COVID-19 is not the current leading cause of death here in San Francisco. According to a new report from SFs Chief Medical Examiner, 699 people died from accidental drug overdoses in 2020.

Compare that to the coronavirus death toll on SFists daily Bay Area Coronavirus Information tracker, which currently shows 241 deaths as of January 14. But that number was 235 deaths on January 1, 2020. Which means there were just triple the number of accidental drug overdose deaths than COVID-19 deaths in San Francisco during the year 2020.

As we see in the graph above, fentanyl was the No. 1 drug overdose killer, accounting for around 500, or two-thirds of those deaths. Methamphetamine is a distant second at about 350 deaths, followed by cocaine at just over 200 fatal overdoses. Contrary to popular stereotypes, heroin accounted for less than 100 overdoses, and is not in the top three causes.

According to KTVU, thats a record number of SF drug overdoses. "The volume of these types of deaths has increased particularly in 2020 over the last couple of years," Dr. Luke Rodda, the top toxicologist who signed the report, told the station. "Every single one is someone's loved one."

The temptation may be to say and you will surely see this in the social media comments that San Francisco is wrong to focus on COVID-19 public safety measures and should instead round up and incarcerate all the filthy, homeless drug addicts. This is totally inaccurate. As weve reported before, shelter-in-place is driving up the overdose numbers because people are using alone, in solitude.

"The one golden rule of overuse prevention is to try to not use alone, and the shelter-in-place order said to keep yourself safe, you need to isolate," Drug Overdose Prevention and Education Project (DOPE Project) manager Kristen Marshall told SFGate. "Thats just the opposite. People at high risk went into isolation and that heightened the risk. The chaos put people at higher risk. The worst months were in the dead of the summer when it was most chaotic for this community.

Moreover, the vast majority of overdose victims were not homeless. The medical examiner report noted that 71% of the victims did have a fixed address, whereas only 27% did not, and in 2% of cases this could not be determined.

This could have been a lot worse. The DOPE Project says that more than 3,000 potentially fatal overdose victims were saved by interventions with the spray product Narcan. Marshall wrote a primer last month on how to administer Narcan (the stuff is available for free, by the way), if you want to make a difference in this overdose crisis.

Related: Pandemic Leads To Epidemic of Fentanyl Overdoses In SF [SFist]

Image: @jairlazarofuentes via Unsplash

Go here to read the rest:

SF Saw Triple the Number of Overdose Deaths Than COVID-19 Deaths in 2020 - SFist

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The sun managed to come up through the fog and mist again today, even though Madera Printing and Publishing company founder and this publications stewards light has still gone out.

Every day we wake up and it eventually dawns on us the company patriarch is still dead. And we ache because of it.

We look to the newspapers of the world to give us their best collection of facts, no matter how brutal they are to read.

In the grown-up world of news, people dont pass away or even go on to glory. They die. It hurts to write or read the statement he died, so baldly put. It may not be pleasant, but it is correct.

We find we are facing another day without the rudder to this behemoth ship known as The Madera Tribune.

Many have told heart touching anecdotes about our fearless leader, and I am just one more of the many recipients in Madera of his kindness and patience.

His handling of the stress in the industry and our building show how strong he and his commitment to the record and history of Madera remained strong until the day he died.

He took great pleasure in letting his employees, his beloved children, spread their wings grasping for new heights they never knew they could reach. Rarely did we find resistance to our view or presentation of the world around us. He encouraged us and trusted us to give the process our best efforts.

I have a very specific memory of this exact concept. I made Chuck and the Tribune a solemn vow to give the work everything I had every day.

The caveat remains, someday I will give you 110 percent. Some days I only have about 87 percent, but everything I got to give, will go to you.

He was just fine with that. He may have occasionally believed our view wasnt right, but he never accused us of giving it less than the best we had to offer.

We worked with many seasoned and up and coming professionals in our employ. He also worked with the people of the community, throughout his reign at the Tribune.

He approached those trying to navigate by providing a welcoming manner and a safe environment to explore. Our work and archives have long been available at the Madera County Library. He continued this practice at his expense for those who need background research.

When staff were asked to share the subject of our work, in the sports, features and news department, requested for reprints, he agreed, as long as we were given credit as acknowledgement and source material he gave us permission to share generously.

He saw the best in those around him, his ego never threatened and comfortable in his own skin. He was not a saint, nobody in this business is. He strived to live by the Rotary four-way test and the Golden Rule.

His Toastmaster training in his younger days made him a popular and fascinating speaker when called up to introduce individuals or subjects even in arenas not his own.

Working for him, through my personal challenges be they my health, my husbands, pets or other calamities, his understanding nature and embrace never wavered.

His staffs welfare was paramount. It paid him dividends in loyalty from those he employed.

He always looked to find another solution when faced with a less than best case scenario.

All walks of life were on even footing with him. He was color blind even if those around him were not.

I once referred to the men in a political landscape as skinny old white guys. He saw the intended humor and didnt take it personally. He enjoyed others attempts at levity and read a persons good intention.

He may not have had a cynical bone in his body. Yet he didnt get on his high horse when those around him turned sarcastic.

These much-loved clichs were made for the actions of this lovely mans nature, without becoming a clich himself. I will miss him the rest of my days.

Be at peace dear Chuck in Annette and our Lords loving arms.

Long days and pleasant nights dear readers, have a great weekend.

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Continued here:

Opinion: Remembering the man, myth and legend - The Madera Tribune

Ongoing events urge us to redefine and refresh that tired old used-up wordlove.

Love is the only force strong enough to be the unifying energy that ties our broken country back together. Hate cant do it. Hate and fear have polarized us. We need to choose: we cant love and hate at the same time.

Love is difficult and takes effort. It is easy to love our children, because that is built into us, just as the fear which can lead to hate is built into us. But the consistent, firm love that gives us the patience to set limits on children that will help them grow into good citizens and good parents in their turnand learn in their turn not to give into hate and fear and exasperated impatienceis not instinctive. It must be learned as we go.

Love is self-reflecting. It admits mistakes and learns from them. Its no fun to realize we have been wrong or done something hurtfuljust as it is no fun to be hurt. Love is about interdependence, the Golden Rule, the reality that I am not the center of the universe, that others and their needs are as real as me and my needs, and that we are all more alike than different. The tragedy of Donald Trump is that he still hasnt realized these basic elements of being human.

Love is nonviolent, by definition. Violence can never be loving. Period. Self-defense may be necessary, but it isnt love, its self-defense. The mob in the Capitol hurting and even killing policemen was not defending itself, nor was it defending liberty or democracy. It rationalized its violence on the basis of misinformation about the results of an election that were proven false in more than 60 court cases.

Love is conservativeit conserves life with responsible care. Love is progressiveit hopes for a better world.

Love does not preoccupy with enemies. If we are loving, we define ourselves by what we are for, not what we are against. If we are sufficiently against something or someone it can mistakenly justify violence. Instead love calls us to be constructive and look for common ground with adversaries as creatively as we can. Hate dehumanizes the other; love identifies with the other.

That means inclusivity is part of love. Hate separates into parts; love sees the big picture. To say we are one humanity on one planet is a statement of love-and also a demonstration of how the meaning of love really does evolve over time, because a hundred years ago we had not seen the earth from space. Back then only religious seers were motivated by this aspect of love; now it is accessible to all. Every day the news carries new proof that were all in the same boat.

So love inevitably puts us in a mode of learning and discovery. Were in a place weve never been before. Love is self-education. What is the truth in any given situation? Love is honest and authentic in its longing for truth. So love overlaps with scienceit searches for what works, what leads to life, to goodness, to truth, to beauty.

Self-education in love means learning to work cooperatively with other people toward whatever larger goal we can agree is important or even necessary for survival. Many in the U.S. House and Senate have demonstrated over the past weeks, and months and years, that they have much to learn about working together.

Love is conservativeit conserves life with responsible care. Love is progressiveit hopes for a better world.

Finally, love takes the larger perspective. It is aware that we are here for only an instant in all time, that others before us sacrificed that we could be here, and that we are the gateway to all the future. Love is acceptance of this condition, a willingness not to resist it.

As David Attenborough keeps saying, what we do in the next few years will affect the next two thousand years of life on earth. That is a statement of how much we need to discover how to love.

Winslow MyersPeaceVoice

Read more:

The Ever-Changing Shape of Love - LA Progressive

At the conclusion of my term in elective office, I pause to express my heartfelt appreciation to the citizens of West Virginia for the opportunity to serve our state.

The historic honor of serving as first Republican Majority Leader, and to be unanimously elected as the first two-term Republican Senate President in 88 years, is a cherished experience for which I will be eternally grateful. The privilege of leading a new majority Senate during some of the most eventful and momentous times in our history has been an incredible blessing. During these years, our state faced obstacles that previous leaders only imagined. Working together, we surmounted the difficulties, stayed the course, and won great victories for the people of West Virginia. Its been said that the true test of leadership is how well one functions in crisis. Ernest Hemingway defined it as Grace under pressure. Our state can be proud that we were tested by fire, passed with flying colors, and emerged to the reward of a better West Virginia.

I am confident that future generations will say of our young Republican majority that, in our moment to lead, we did all that could be done to advance West Virginia. We spared no effort and left no stone unturned. Without regard to special interest groups and at risk to our personal careers, we quickly and consistently tackled tough issues and placed West Virginia on a course of progress and prosperity. Indeed, in the last six years, the Senate has played a leading role in the pre-pandemic resurgence of the economic and societal condition of our state. The Senate helped provide the thought leadership and political courage to enable West Virginia to break the status-quo and enter a new dimension of growth, freedom, and personal liberty. I dare say that no six-year period in the history of West Virginia has produced such foundational and transformational improvements.

Working with all citizens, we recognized what needed to be done, and we did it from improving public education, to fixing our judicial system, empowering working families, protecting life and liberty, slashing red tape and regulatory burdens, enhancing infrastructure, and ushering in a host of other good-government initiatives. Wherever we saw a need, we spared no effort to address it.

The list of accomplishments is unprecedented in scope and substance. I am blessed to have played a role in making the necessary changes for our citizens. We tackled the moral and economic challenges of our time. In my Senate office, I placed a portrait of Anne Frank inscribed with the words; How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. I am so pleased that we did not wait! We acted quickly and boldly to improve our world.

While not re-elected to the Senate, I genuinely and enthusiastically congratulate the winners. Now, as a private citizen, I join my fellow West Virginians in praying for our continued progress and success. Our state is in good and capable hands, and I will rest easy knowing there is no better group of people to steer the ship of state. I am confident that West Virginia will soar to even greater heights and secure more victories for our citizens. It is gratifying to note that West Virginia voters, in overwhelming numbers, validated our agenda by electing more legislators who are committed to progress and necessary reforms. As such, the cause lives on and the progress continues.

Some have opined that my personal election was lost because I stood up to teacher union bosses and labor leaders, and that I lost votes due to my support of fairness for all citizens. If these positions cost me an election, so be it. While compromise is always necessary, no one should be bullied to take a position that is against ones principals. I am proud to have fought on behalf of students and parents, and I would do it again. We have no higher calling than to provide a world-class education and superior schools to our children. Yes, its true that I fought for jobs and opportunities by supporting Right-to-Work laws that gives workers the freedom to choose to join a union. Why should anyone be forced into a union just to keep their job? Yes, I support the principal of non-discrimination and fairness for all citizens. I believe this position will prove to be on the right side of history.

In our wonderful American democracy it is important for all citizens to put common good above partisan or personal differences. Our society needs more kindness, truth, helpfulness, and respect. My Christian faith teaches the golden rule do unto others and to love everyone. We can disagree, without being disrespectful. In his 2nd Inaugural address, Lincoln expressed it perfectly, We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.

At the conclusion of ones term in office, what more can anyone ask but that ones time in service will have made a profound and lasting impact toward improving the lives of people we serve and society as whole? I firmly believe this goal has been achieved. These last six years have made a positive and lasting difference. My heart is full of hope and assurance that people of good will can resolve any issues that confront us. I thank you for allowing me to serve. I thank you for the many everlasting friendships. I pray God will continue to bless the great state of West Virginia.

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The rest is here:

Op-ed: Thankful for the opportunity and pleased with the progress - Parkersburg News

The institutional case is clear. The president attacked the states, in their right to set their own election procedures. He attacked the courts, state as well as federal, in their right to settle the election challenges brought before them. He attacked Congress, in its right to conduct orderly business free of fear. He attacked the vice president, in his obligation to fulfill his duties under the 12th Amendment. He attacked the American people, in their right to choose the electors who choose the president.

Ive spent much of my life listening to conservatives extol the Madisonian system of checks and balances, not to mention the rule of law. If these conservatives want to have any claim to be the champions of republican government as opposed to the mobocratic spirit that Lincoln warned against they have an obligation to impeach Trump now.

The philosophical case is clear. Senator Mitch McConnell was eloquent and right: If this election were overturned by mere allegations from the losing side, our democracy would enter a death spiral. Wed never see the whole nation accept an election again. Every four years would be a scramble for power at any cost.

Conservatives who like to see themselves as guardians of Christian ethics might remind themselves of a familiar admonition: Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them. If Republicans dont want to see a future Democratic president attempt what Trump just did, they have an obligation to follow the Golden Rule and impeach him now.

And the political case is clear. Republicans in Congress spent four years prostrate to the lower mind. What, other than the judges who helped affirm the legitimacy of Joe Bidens election, do they have to show for it? The president, whom they fear, despises them merely for failing to steal the election for him. They are verbally assaulted at airports by the same angry losers whose paranoid fantasies they did so much to stoke. And Republicans will continue to live in political fear of Trump if Congress doesnt bar him from holding office ever again.

Now they have a chance to make a break not clean, but at least constructive with the proven loser in the White House. Not many Republicans deserve this shot at redemption, but they still ought to take it. The G.O.P. came back after Watergate only after its party leaders Howard Baker, George H.W. Bush, Barry Goldwater broke unequivocally with Richard Nixon.

Youll hear Republicans like the House minority leader, Kevin McCarthy, talk about the need for healing. Fine. But this sort of healing first requires cauterizing the wound. Its called impeachment. Republicans mustnt shrink from it.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com.

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Excerpt from:

Opinion | Only Impeachment Can Save Republicans - The New York Times