Monthly Archives: June 2022

And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. (Luke 6:31).

In the previous passage that was contained in the Sermon on the Mount proclaimed by Jesus Christ, we find one of the most popular and quoted sayings in the entirety of the Bible. These words spoken by our Lord are not just prudent, practical, and inspiring for Christians, but any and everyone would greatly benefit from them (if they would observe them).

It is difficult to imagine the profound and positive effect it would have on our country and culture if most of our citizens, regardless of their race, creed, politics or any other distinctive influences would truly follow the Golden Rule. In the following section, we are going to briefly consider a few what ifs concerning the Golden Rule.

Observance of the Golden Rule would greatly diminish racism in America and the violence it inspires

The recent killings in Buffalo of 11 innocent people, who were targeted and murdered by a white supremist only because of their skin color, perhaps would not have happened if he and those who were his accomplices (through their media influence and beliefs), had truly been embracing the Golden Rule.

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This is true for those who hate and target Jews, Asian Americans, Muslims or any whose race, religion, and origin differ from theirs. In all truth, if I truly strive to do unto others as I wish them to do unto me, I will refrain from harming them in any shape, form or fashion. After all, what sane and rational person would do themselves any harm?

Observance of the Golden Rule would remove the rift between employers and employees

There is often a dispute and divide that exist between employers and employees over things like wages, benefits and such like. Just imagine that if both parties in the employment equation would be willing to treat the other the way that they would want to be treated if there were a reversal in position.

If the employees could see things from their employers perspectives, perhaps they would better understand why they insist upon proficiency and productivity from them. After all, one of the primary reasons why they own and operate the business is to make as much of a profit as they can for themselves and other shareholders.

Contrarily, if the employers could see things from their workers perspectives, they would better understand why they demand fair wages, benefits, and proper working conditions in regard to time and environmental factors. No type of industry (regardless of the product it is producing) will be able to compete and produce a quality product without a competent and content workforce.

Observance of the Golden Rule would curtail (if not cancel) the alarming divorce rate in America

One of the things that I am certain would happen, which I am learning by experience, is that divorces would be drastically reduced if married people would practice the Golden Rule. Of course, it might put many divorce lawyers out of business.

However, imagine what it would do for many families and dependent children, who often do not do well when there is a separation or divorce between their father and mother. I am convinced that by both parties observing the Golden Rule, it would automatically nip in the bud many, if not most, of the disputes and differences before they fester into something that would be life threatening to their union and family.

Observance of the Golden Rule would diminish the crime and violence rate

Undeniably, one of the most challenging dilemmas that we are confronted with in our culture is crime and violence that have escalated to epidemic proportions. Regrettably, much of this mayhem and devilment are being perpetrated by young people (mostly males), who seem to have been reared the wrong way or in defiance to what they were taught by their parents who did their level best to bring them up right.

What if these defiant ones and others who commit crimes and violence against their fellow citizens would put forth a serious attempt to practice the Golden Rule? There would, of course, be fewer crimes and slayings that we are experiencing in our nation today. There would perhaps be no mass killings with military-grade weapons (like AR15s). I know that I have set forth some suppositions and what ifs that we will never realize in this present age.

However, according to my Judeo-Christian and eschatological beliefs, there is a new day approaching that will experience crime, violence, and war no more. It will be a time when men shall literally beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; a time when war will be no more (Isaiah 2:1-4). Nevertheless, until that golden age of peace arrives with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, each of us must endeavor to live in harmony and peace with our neighbors and practice the Golden Rule that He set forth while He was here in the flesh. Even though it will not be universally accomplished in this present evil generation, we can be a part of the solution and not the problem by treating others like we desire them to treat us.

Dr. Michael E. Goings is senior pastor of Outreach Family Fellowship of Dillon and Florence.

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MICHAEL GOINGS: Why we need to follow the Golden Rule - SCNow

A Republic Services worker in Houston assists with garbage collection on a summer afternoon. The company has been fined in the wake of heat-related deaths of workers but says it has implemented prevention policies. This worker was not interviewed for the story.

Temperatures are expected to reach upwards of high 90s across Texas Friday, with much of the western half of the state topping 100 degrees. The U.S. National Weather Service warned of heat indexes Friday as high as 106 degrees across southeast Texas. By Saturday, highs across most of the state will climb higher than 100.

The scorching heat wave across the state of Texas this week means dangerous conditions for people who work outdoors.

Heat deaths have doubled over the last decade: an investigation last year from the Texas Newsroom and Columbia Journalism Investigations found at least 53 people died working in the Texas heat since 2010. Many were workers of color and employed in trash collection, mining and fossil fuel extraction, and construction.

Hot Days: Heats Mounting Death Toll On Workers In The U.S.

With the high temperatures this weekend, construction workers are encouraged to follow OSHA's golden rule: water, rest and shade.

Fernando Moctezuma the senior safety manager with Harvey-Cleary Builders, one of Houstons largest construction companies says their job sites make sure to have ice, filtered water and tents that offer shade.

"You know how your co-workers are on a daily basis, and (if) he seems to act a little bit different, to tell him hey, stop what you're doing, let's get you in the shade, get you some water and report to us immediately if such a thing happens on the job site," Moctezuma said.

The National Weather Service is urging people outdoors to drink plenty of water and limit direct sun exposure.

Around 200 Harvey-Cleary employees met with OSHA personnel Friday to receive heat safety training ahead of the hot weekend, Moctezuma said. These trainings educate workers on the signs of heat illness and emphasize that workers need to look out for each other.

Harvey-Cleary has a policy that requires their employees, contractors and subcontractors to work in pairs or groups.

"Lets say to do roof work, you cannot do any roof work by yourself," Moctezuma said. "You cannot be in a trench or an excavation by yourself, even if youre a supervisor, it doesnt matter."

NPR and CJI analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and found a spike in the three-year average of U.S. worker heat deaths since 1990. Those included farm laborers in California and Nebraska, and construction workers and trash collectors in Texas.

Last year, the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced new federal protections for workers, including prioritizing inspections on hot days and targeting certain high-risk industries. OSHA also developed a federal rule to protect workers from heat-related illnesses.

As this weeks historic heat continues, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas has said the state could break an all-time record for energy use Friday afternoon. ERCOT warned last month of potential outages last month as temperatures rose briefly. But the grid operator now says it will be able to keep up with the record-breaking demand after several plants came back online over the last few weeks.

Meanwhile, cities and counties across Texas are preparing for the intense heat.

The city of Houston said it will activate its public health emergency plan over the weekend. Beginning Saturday, people without access to air conditioning will be able to seek shelter at any of the citys designated cooling centers located at all Houston Public Library locations and Parks and Recreation community centers.

Big Bend National Park along the Rio Grande topped out at 117 degrees Tuesday, tying the all-time high for that location. That high was just 3 degrees short of the hottest temperature ever recorded in Texas, last seen in 1994 in the small West Texas town of Monahans.

National Weather Service meteorologist Katheryn Lininger says its not unusual to see high pressure systems like this but usually in August, not in early June.

With that high pressure too, you just get warm, sinking air, Lininger said. Its hard for any type of rain to develop over Texas, its hard for clouds to develop over southeast Texas, so you get the perfect set-up for just continuous hot.

Jack Williams and Travis Bubenik contributed to this report.

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Sweltering Texas heat this weekend is a danger to outdoor workers - Houston Public Media

If theres one that human history teaches us, its thats were an inconsistent lot. Humans are capricious, unreliable, and wayward. Whimsy governs life more than rigid rules. As George Bernard Shaw put it, when it comes to human nature, the Golden Rule is that there is no golden rule.

As such, our attitudes toward following rules are not uniform. We generally accept that most rules will have their exception, or that most laws need to be at least a bit flexible. But how do our views on rule-breaking differ? And which rules should bend more than others? Our willingness or reluctance to break rules is determined by our upbringing, culture, and personality. And as a new study reveals, it even depends on the kind of reasoning we use.

In early 2022, a study published by Awad et al. collected data on how humans judge the acceptability of breaking well-established norms. The team was motivated, in part, by the increasing need to program ethics into AI to make morally competent machines. Since its obvious that humans will break rules under certain circumstances, we have to resolve when and why that happens if we are to have AI mimic human behavior. In other words, we need to identify what second-order rules determine when to break to the first-order ones.

The team took a real-world example of rule-breaking: cutting in line. On the face of it, waiting in line is governed by a simple maxim: Everyone gets helped in the order they arrive. And yet, there are all kinds of exceptions. One example the paper gives is someone who forgets their cutlery after they placed a food order. In this case, most people would allow you to quickly pop in front to get the item.

The team presented participants with a range of scenarios in different contexts of waiting in line: at a deli, airport, or bathroom. Participants were then asked to judge whether an excuse or reason given from a list justified someone cutting in line. The participants were further invited to tap into the underlying cognitive mechanisms by considering what determined their decision, for example the length of delay, the benefit to the cutter, and so on.

In 2011, Daniel Kahneman introduced the non-psychology world to the idea of Thinking, Fast and Slow. In his book, Kahneman argued that human reasoning operates on two models. The thinking fast (System 1) approach uses predefined rules, or shortcut mental heuristics. Thinking slow (System 2) reasoning requires deliberation, thought, and a decision process.

Kahnemans distinction maps well onto the existing moral literature. In deontological (rule-based) ethics, we are expected to follow the rules, or satisfy some duty. This falls under System 1. In consequentialist (outcome-based) ethics, we should perform actions that maximize the best kind of outcomes, which resembles System 2 deliberation much more closely.

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What the 2022 study argues is that rule-breaking considerations are governed overwhelmingly by System 2 reasoning. The team subdivided System 2 reasoning into two kinds: outcome-based thinking (e.g. the cutting in line will help someone a lot) and agreement-based thinking (e.g. its socially accepted that cutting in to get tap water is okay). People who break rules will most often exploit one or another of these System 2 models.

So, people who use their quick-fix System 1 reasoning will often consider rules to be inviolable. Inversely, whenever we consider a rule worthy of breaking, we use our deliberative System 2 reasoning: calculating consequences and social acceptability.

Awad et al. show that humans do not sit well with absolutist rules. It seems that we even reach different moral outcomes depending on whether were using our System 1 or System 2 reasoning.

The psychological concepts found in Thinking, Fast and Slow serve as an analogue to the wider world. Our brains will sometimes need to operate instinctively from System 1-type rules, and so, too, does society. Civilization needs laws to operate. For instance, no one would ever leave the house if you thought someone would steal everything the moment you did. We need to know that we wont be killed, exploited, or betrayed the moment we let our guard down. Following rules is what allow us to get about and do things.

Yet, unreflective and inflexible laws can sometimes be just as bad. In a world of nearly 8 billion people, making around 35,000 decisions every day, its ridiculous to assume a single rule can determine every situation. As the British philosopher, John Stuart Mill, wrote: the complicated nature of human affairs [mean] that rules of conduct cannot be so framed as to require no exceptions, and that hardly any kind of action can safely be laid down as either always obligatory or always condemnable. We need System 2-type reasoning to make sure our rules actually work.

So, we must live in dissonance, our beliefs wrestling one another. We must assume laws are unbreakable, yet accept that they need breaking from time to time. In other words, we sometimes need to think fast about ethics, and sometimes, think slow.

Jonny Thomson runs a popular Instagram account called Mini Philosophy (@philosophyminis). His first book isMini Philosophy: A Small Book of Big Ideas.

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Thinking fast and slow about ethics: When is it okay to cut in line? - Big Think

By Earl Henry

Ms. Rebecca Bennett and Editor, I appreciate your insights on rural voters which are complex not only to rural voters but to all voters. Respect your view. The issue is relevant more so in rural areas, based on my observation as I cycled through rural areas in NY, PA, and MD. The signage in these areas defined a moment that has that placed a burdened on my thinking. Why is it and is it new?

It is not new and this happened in previous eras and significantly in post Civil War era in reconstruction. The evidence is historically documented especially in trying times when various groups are manipulated by politicians. Cut to the chase, why? The reasons are likely the same for why reconstruction failed -- corruption, financially and national moral perspective lost, of what citizens expected their elected officials to accomplish for them and others.

That problems remained and we failed to reform government structure at all levels. Most will hold on to constitutions, which were intended for a period of time and place that we no longer live in.

Why are we in these cultural wars of conservative or liberal in politics? If you observe nobody, except a minority, are fully liberal or conservative. It is situational.

I agree with Jesse I. Etelsons view not just on ideology of liberal or conservative instead what is best in each community from local to global. Asking such of each of us is required and if not we will remain in this swamp of labels floating about us on all platforms of media.

Today, people fail to ensure what they read and understand is fact. And they just pass it on without editing. That also happened during other eras but with lesser impact because immediate means of communication were not available. Now we just flip, click, or swipe without thought to get on with self attending.

What baffles my perspective of the political realm with all their flag waving and bombastic remarks is none have offered a platform on what they see as priorities locally, statewide, or nationally. As for the Golden Rule, forget mentioning that about these cast of characters. Their rule is me. They rarely mention any moral positions and rely on buzz language.

Welcome to the world of political populism as just another game.

Again, I appreciate your candid perspective from rural Pennsylvania and beyond. Too often, that is ignored. And youre right, that magic beltway crowd couldnt cares less.

Earl Henry writes from Mechanicsburg, Pa.

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Why are we in these cultural wars of conservative vs liberal? | Opinion - PennLive

The dearth of qualified help here at the beach continues to take its toll. One of our newer Rehoboth restaurants went out of business last year because the stress of keeping the doors open was too much when other issues befell the owners family. Laptop warriors can proselytize all they want, but things can get up close and personal when misfortune comes to our friends and neighbors who are doing their best just to stay afloat.

My email boxes have been busier than at any other time in my 16 years of promoting Cape Region dining. The great majority lamented closings with hollow platitudes like, Oh, we will miss them! I thought they were doing so well! Why hollow? Because a significant number of these comments come from the very same people who proudly proclaim that they never go to downtown Lewes, Rehoboth or Dewey because of the few bucks it costs to park, or worse yet, the prospect of having to walk a block or two. That sort of pretense isnt the point of this article, but it is a recurring theme in my email boxes.

The truth of the matter is that restaurants close for all sorts of reasons. Downtown rents are notoriously high and going higher. After all, theres only so much space a block or two from the Atlantic. If inexperienced owners lack a well-thought-out financial plan (i.e., working capital), they can end up pricing themselves out of the market just to make it through the off-season. Compound that with huffy online commentary yelping about pricy and greedy restaurants being more expensive than the restaurants at home, and even the bravest downtown restaurateur can be tempted to turn the key and walk away.

Those who are financially strong enough can choose to buy the property. But many landlords wouldnt dream of selling. In a Facebook post from several years ago, Richard Krick, the former co-owner of Summer House, stated, I can tell you that the [downtown] rent is out of control, and had I not been lucky enough to buy my property, I too would have had to call it quits. Purple Parrot owner Hugh Fuller, a wise businessman and property owner, responded, Absolutely. Thats the only way [to do it] downtown. I feel like I was one of the lucky ones.

Restaurant Business Magazine quoted Bill Post, restaurant consultant and co-founder of the Chicago-based Roti Mediterranean Grill chain: As landlords continue to raise rent at an alarmingly fast clip, its becoming more difficult for operators to abide by the Golden Rule of 10: Never let rent exceed 10 percent of your gross profit. So if negotiation is out of the question, the remaining options are to close, relocate or eat the cost. A bit of math proves that choosing the latter option will inevitably result in one of the first two coming to pass.

The vagaries of small-town regulation, inspections and the like can cost an entrepreneur thousands of dollars as he or she waits for a signature on an approval for this, that or the other thing. Sadly, some politicians and regulators go through the motions of finding solutions for the very problems they create.

And the issue of getting and keeping help is worse than ever. The simple fact is that a significant percentage of those who apply for jobs are not qualified, while others either move to cities for a year-round income, or seek non-restaurant employment.

So how do restaurants stay in business? Those that are fortified with working capital can afford the time to build a reputation with consistently good food and service. And that can bring longevity. And out of longevity grows credibility. People will even go downtown, pay to park and even walk! to enjoy quality food and service.

Another option is to carve out a niche with a particular concept, a one-of-a-kind ambiance, or even a particular style of ethnic food. If done well enough and properly advertised, happy guests will return time after time.

Now more than ever, restauranting is a labor of love, with equal parts of both applied day in and day out, in steadfast opposition to todays forces working against success. It has to be a labor of love why the heck else would anyone do it?

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Overcoming roadblocks on the way to success - CapeGazette.com

The early 1970s was a momentous time in Americas and even Chattanoogas history.

In many ways it was a continuation of the turbulent and changing 1960s, when the Vietnam War was still raging before the ceasefires of the early 1970s closed out most of the fighting and ended the anti-war protests that were common beforehand.

And in racial relations, while the walls of segregation had finally been broken down in most public areas, some high schools in Chattanooga were still in the early days of fuller integration as part of a federal court order.

It was amid this backdrop before the 1970s started being known more for quirky fashions, inflation and the Watergate scandal that members of the Chattanooga High School Class of 1972 completed their secondary education.

That was 50 years ago, and on the weekend of June 17 and 18, several members of the class will gather in Chattanooga to mark the momentous golden anniversary and remember the high moments and challenges of that time when they were maturing teenagers.

They are having an event Friday at 6 p.m.

Everything from the pandemic to slightly changing societal interaction has cut down on school reunions across the country, events that used to be regularly scheduled on major anniversaries. And the Chattanooga High Class of 1972 was not planning to have one, either.

But through the efforts of Hoyt Samples and some others who stepped up kind of late, a reunion will indeed take place. They have a committee of about seven who have been meeting and working to help the class remember the milestone and special times in their youthful past.

I recently had an opportunity to sit down with Mr. Samples and fellow 72 grad Vicky Heckemeyer Givens at Mr. Samples office near Shallowford and Hickory Valley roads in the East Brainerd area after they had a committee meeting with several others via online video.

To those two, City High as it was commonly called was a place they loved and one that was certainly changing by that time, as blacks were having an opportunity to enjoy the offerings at this school that had historically been known as the best public school in Chattanooga.

Mr. Samples pointed out that City through that time often had more National Merit Scholars than private schools Baylor, McCallie and Girls Preparatory School combined.

We had Russian, Chinese, German, aerospace science and calculus courses, said Mr. Samples, adding that they also had a student newspaper the Maroon and White -- that was known for being good and that pioneered using a computer printer. Mr. Samples also remembers interviewing such local personalities as TV talk show and live wrestling host Harry Thornton and jeweler and TV pitchman J.M. Sanders as the newspaper went beyond just writing school news.

Mr. Samples also said students parents from places outside Chattanoooga like Signal Mountain would pay $50 a semester to send their children to City because of its good reputation. As a resident of White Oak, he was one of them, he said.

I got a really good education, said Mr. Samples, who was also a top science student and won statewide recognition.

Ms. Givens, who was named Most Intelligent, said the school had a good atmosphere. You could be as busy as you wanted or inactive, but there was always something going on. They encouraged you to be active in things, she said.

She also said she liked the teachers and how invested they were in the students. A favorite for her was Madame Pearson, her French teacher. She was an interesting person. She had been in the French Resistance (against the Nazi occupation as a Belgian). She was very interesting and always had great stories.

The school had continued much as it was after moving over from Third Street to its current location in 1963, while starting to grow slightly in its black population. But in 1971, the school began to change more significantly as the City Schools before they became part of Hamilton County Schools were making a bigger push to balance the racial makeup in their buildings to meet federal court requirements.

As a result, even more black students and black faculty members arrived at City beginning in the 1971-72 school year. Former principal Jim Henry had left to head the city schools, while Jim Phifer became principal, and such black teachers as the highly successful Riverside basketball coach Dorsey Sims came to City. Coach Sims Riverside team had earlier seen a long winning streak snapped by City under coach Buddy Guedron.

Mr. Samples said the white students at City had gotten along well with such multi-year black City students as Alton Chapman and Deborah Noel and others. But all the changes of 1971-72 with some new students did create some friction as both races were getting more used to each other and sometimes had different outlooks.

While more racial friction had existed at Brainerd High shortly before that over the use of the Confederate flag and the Brainerd Rebel nickname, Mr. Samples said some issues occasionally arose at City, such as black students walking out of class as a form of protest. It was typical of what was going on at a lot of high schools in the South and beyond at that time when younger blacks began calling out for even more equal rights or were simply showing youthful forms of rebellion.

Johnny Oneal was one black student who came from Riverside High to City for his senior year in 1971-72, in large part to play basketball for coach Sims. He called the experience good overall because he, like a lot of others, had come from a mostly black school and neighborhood.

When I went to City, it was definitely a melting pot, and that was good, he said, adding that it allowed people from different cultures and backgrounds and races to become better acquainted with each other. You got to see how others thought.

While he knows some fellow blacks and others handled the situations differently at City, he said his parents always taught him to practice the Golden Rule, and he got a lot out of his new school.

The academic requirements were higher than Riverside, he said. Up at City, you had to be accountable. They pushed you and challenged you.

Mr. Oneal, who went on to enjoy a rewarding career working with the First-Centenary United Methodist Churchs Centenary neighborhood youth outreach ministry through the Chattanooga city parks department, did say that he had not kept up with the current reunion plans. He had attended a recent Riverside High reunion, in part after having gone to school most of his youth with graduates from there.

A glance at the 1972 City High yearbook, the Dynamo, at the Chattanooga Public Library shows that of the 194 graduates pictured, about 44 are black. Some 68 students including Mr. Oneal -- are listed without headshot photos.

The younger grades that year appear to have slightly more black students. The school became more predominantly black overall by the late 1970s and later became known as Phoenix 3. Today, the architecturally eye-catching mid-century school is a popular fine arts-focused magnet school formally known as Chattanooga High School Center for the Creative Arts.

Overall, City High survived that 1971-72 year of different races getting more used to each other. And the 1972 graduates left having felt they experienced a taste of the racially mixed world that would be more a part of the future of America, despite the imperfections that would continue.

Mr. Phifer, who later became a popular principal at Notre Dame High, seemed to hint at this in an end-of-school-year letter posted in the yearbook. After discussing the changes that came to the school, including graduating with caps and gowns instead of just dress clothes, he wrote, It has been a difficult and trying year for most of us, as these are difficult and trying times. But I do feel that Chattanooga High rose to the challenge and came out the winner.

As one positive footnote to the year, a black girl, Rachelle Hammonds, was homecoming queen for the class of 1972, while Phyllis Corker, a white girl, was named Miss Chattanooga High School. Yes, she is the younger sister of former U.S. Sen. Bob Corker from the City Class of 1970.

She became Phyllis Kizer and now lives in the Atlanta area, Mr. Samples said.

Among the other class members were local golfer Mike Nelms, John Coolidge (son of recently deceased Medal of Honor recipient Charles Coolidge), Bill and Nancy Fehn from the Fehns restaurant family, Joel Solomon (son of former General Services Administration head Joel W. Solomon), swimmer Bambi Davis, and former U.S. District Judge Sandy Mattice, among many others.

The 1972 graduates have also spread far and wide, with Donald McCormick now a lawyer in Los Angeles, Mr. Samples said.

Other teachers and faculty at the time included successful football coach Bobby Davis, whom Mr. Samples remembers having a heart attack during a game, assistant principal Edward Bates, director of student activities Katharine Pryor, and guidance director Harriet Bond.

One living faculty member Ann Ward is scheduled to attend the reunion, the planners said.

Mr. Samples and Ms. Givens who have enjoyed careers as an attorney and dental hygienist, respectively said they are hoping to have about 70 or 75 back for the reunion. Dozens of classmates have unfortunately died, they added. One, Keith Fults, died of stomach cancer while they were still in school.

Anyone wanting more information about the reunion can contact Mr. Samples athsamples@sampleslaw.com.

Other members of the planning committee are class president Bill Robinson, Mike Morrow, Pat Hendrix, Hannah Fowler and Paula Oley.

Mr. Samples added that they are looking forward to seeing everyone and remembering the good old days. He added that he is thankful for all his teachers, including science teachers Richard Davenport in biology, Mr. White in chemistry and Conrad Bates in physics.

They set the expectations big and set the bar high, he said of his overall experience at City that he said has helped him enjoy a rewarding law career.

* * *

Jcshearer2@comcast.net

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John Shearer: City High Class Of '72 Gathering To Recall Eventful School Days - The Chattanoogan

Maurie Backman| The Motley Fool

Filing a tax return can be stressful in its own right. But then there's the notion of being audited to think about, and that can take tax-related stress to a whole new level.

Now, the reality is that the IRS audits less than 1% of all tax returns filed, so the likelihood of having yours further scrutinized is pretty low. But with the IRS taking steps to boost audit activity, that could result in more tax returns getting a second look.

A big reason the IRS audits such a small percentage of tax returns filed is that the agency doesn't have the staff to do more. But that could soon change, because the agency is hiring in an effort to ramp up auditing among filers with higher incomes.

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While the IRS currently has only 6,500 agents available to audit high-income filers, it has plans to hire thousands of additional employees in the coming months. And that could lead the way to an uptick in audits.

Between 2015 and 2019, IRS audits dropped by 44%, according to a 2021 report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Audits also dropped by 75% for filers making $1 million or more, and so now, the IRS is hoping to change that.

We fought the IRS, sort of:But half the battle was getting a human on the phone

Let's get one thing out of the way: a tax audit is not necessarily the scary thing you might expect it to be. Most of the time, IRS audits are conducted and settled by mail, and sometimes, they can work out in filers' favor (meaning, an audit doesn't result in owing more money to the IRS).

If you were honest about your income when you filed your most recent tax return, then there's really no reason to be worried about an audit. If you lied about your deductions or failed to report income, that's a different story, of course. But as long as you were truthful, there's no reason to assume that your tax return will get flagged.

Furthermore, if you're an average earner, you're less likely to get audited than a very high or very low earner. For the 2019 tax year, for example, the audit rate was just 0.2% for people earning between $25,000 and $500,000. For those earning $5 million to $10 million, it was 2%. So unless you pull down a millionaire's income, your chances of having your tax return scrutinized are very slim.

Who gets audited the most?These two groupsface the highest audit rates

If you want to reduce your chances of getting audited, though, make sure to truly report every cent of income you earn, whether it's payments for a side job or interest income from your savings account. And also, claim reasonable deductions. If you're self-employed and earn $75,000 a year and you write off $45,000 in deductions, that could raise a red flag.

But otherwise, if you commit to being honest with the IRS, there's a good chance it will leave you alone. The IRS is still extremely resource-constrained, so while it wants to ramp up auditing, the reality is that focusing on higher earners is its best bet. We're unlikely to see an uptick in audits among average earners for quite some time.

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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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IRS is staffing up. Does that mean more people will get audited? - USA TODAY

As a nation we're obsessed with DIY. In fact, we'd rather carry out our own DIY than hire a professional even when we're less than proficient. So, if you're gearing up for a summer of weekends spent working on your house, then here are the top tools you need.

Drill

Do you even DIY if you don't have a drill and multiple drill bits? The essential tool for keen DIY'ers and professional tradespeople alike. The right drill can make lightwork of boring holes, loosening, and tightening screws, and they can even help chisel away at materials.

Spirit level

From hanging pictures to hanging cupboards, a spirit level should be your go-two before you use your drill to bore holes into walls, floors, and doors. If you're trying your hand at plumbing, a spirit level can help ensure the pipes have enough of gradient to allow liquids to flow either into or out of the property.

Tape measure

A golden rule of any DIY job is to measure twice, cut once and for that you need a tape measure. Ideally, you should choose a metal retractable tape measure with both imperial and metric measurements.

Hammer

If you only buy one hammer, make it a claw hammer. You'll want to choose one with enough weight behind it that you won't have to put too much effort into swinging it. The claw side will help you remove nails and even pry off cupboards from walls.

Paint brushes

Spending over 2,626 per year on DIY, painting is one of the top DIY jobs we undertake. Whether you're giving your living room a fresh lick of paint with this seasons hottest colours (it's green by the way!), or you're upcycling an ugly sideboard you found in a charity shop, having a selection of paintbrushes will help ensure you get that finish you're looking for.

Saw

If you're looking to get started with some MDF projects or perhaps you want to transform your garden shed into a bone fide extra room, then a saw is a must. But be sure to use a saw with a sharp blade on an even surface. And if you're in an enclosed space, where goggles and even a mask to avoid inhaling sawdust.

Top DIY jobs

If you're planning a DIY project over the coming weeks, you're not alone. Some of the most popular DIY projects include reupholstering, painting doors and cabinets, and even building furniture like tables and chairs.

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The Tools Every Avid DIY'er Needs - babyboomers.com

BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - Finding an apartment in Boston and it's surrounding communities is a lot like using a dating app. There is a lot of cat-fishing, where the pictures or description don't match up with the genuine article.

Boston's real estate market recently as seen unprecedented prices, add inflation and rising mortgage rates and renters are now feeling the market pinch. This past April, Rent.com released a new report showing rent in the city of Boston is the highest it's ever been. Apartments are being snatched up in the blink of an eye, with some signing contracts without even seeing the property.

"I actually did the same thing." One rented told WBZ's Madison Rogers. "They didn't have a video of the actual place, so I moved in fully expecting to have a completely insane apartment but it was actually really nice. I think it depends on who you talk to."

Another renter said the online listing said the property has two bathrooms, but failed to mention the second facility was located in the basement. Another said the listing used distorted photos and used a fisheye lens that carefully disguised the floor severely bowed in the center.

These types of deception aren't necessarily new. In September of 2020, Attorney General Maura Healey spoke to the Boston Globe about an increase in virtual rental scams.

There are a number of ways you can protect yourself from apartment cat-fishing. Remember the golden rule, if something seems to goo to be true, it probably is.

Landlords will use every photographic trick in the boom from filters, Photoshop, to distorted camera lenses to make a property look large or hide obvious imperfections. If you're unsure if a photograph has been tampered with, a quick internet-search may turn up the listing history of the property.

Make sure you verify potentially phony addresses. Some websites like StreetEasy and Apartments.com allow the renter to enter the full address of a property to search for it's listing history. That way potential tenants can double check descriptions, photos and floor plans.

And always vet the real estate agent or landlord before sending money. Unfortunately not all listing agents are as credentialed as they claim to be.

WBZ's Madison Rogers (@MadisonWBZ) reports

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Apartment Cat-Fishing On The Rise In Boston | WBZ NewsRadio 1030 - iHeart