JohnC

When I returned to my tax preparer to see if she could figure out what the problem was she was able to contact the IRS by phone (special # for preparers). After more than a half hour on hold she got someone to answer the call. After bringing up my account the person was asked what's the problem? What more information do you need? The person responded I don't know! All the income I get is documented. All the deductions I take are documented. My financial situation has been nearly the same for the past 15 yrs. Usually my taxes are processed within two weeks. I continue to seethe!

I'm in a different situation than you are. Much of my revenues comes from dividends and capital gains from stocks. It is difficult to project what the market returns will be each year. It's safer to project a high return in order to avoid owing. There is a reason why the IRS is in a shambles and can't function well. For the past ten years or so this agency for political reasons has been gutted. Their computer systems are archaic, their equipment such as copiers and faxes are inadequate and most importantly their staffing has withered. This agency is simply underfunded. And that was the intent. There were funds added to the infrastructure bill that would have addressed the agency needs. One party insisted that those targeted funds be cut out of the bill that was likely to pass and moved on to another bill that is less likely to pass. This was planned destruction. And the outcome shouldn't be a surprise.

I filed my taxes in early Feb. I still have not had my taxes processed. In filing a complaint to my congressman's office I was told that the IRS should be notifying in 2 to 3 weeks. That was a month ago. They didn't respond. It's futile even attempting to call the IRS. I seethe.

For the past ten years or so the IRS has been targeted as a political whipping boy. The agency hasn't received adequate enough funding to properly do its job. So with the pandemic and remote working laid on top of an archaic IT system the system collapsed. It's going to take years to rebuild this rickety agency to the point where it can handle its responsibilities. As I stated in previous postings what has agitated more than anything else is that I received a letter from the IRS requesting more information. The problem is that it didn't indicate what information was needed. I gave the letter to my tax preparer and asked her what information do they want? She said she couldn't determine it from that letter. She then called the IRS and asked them what additional information do you want? The IRS went into the file and read the document requesting more information. The IRS representative said I don't know. What makes this saga so exasperating is that my financial situation has been the same for the past number of years. Never a problem. There is nothing to distinguish this year's tax return from the past number of years. Usually I get my return within two weeks. I'm hoping that with the congressional office's involvement I will get movement on this case.

I still have not received my tax refund. Last week, I mailed my congressional office material relating to my case. Today I got back an email from the congressional office stating that they are opening up a case file for me. They have notified the IRS's office that handles complaints emanating from congressional offices. The congressional office told me that it usually takes two to three weeks for the IRS to respond to them and to the taxpayer. What has aggravated me more than anything is that my financial situation has been consistent for the past number of years. There is nothing about this year's return that should have caused additional scrutiny. Over the past number of years my tax returns were processed in two weeks or less. I have an H&R Block CPA who is very competent. She has done it for the last half dozen years so she is familiar with my financial situation. My tax return was e-filed this year in February. The IRS's performance is beyond being inadequate This is outrageous.

Almost every day. Same response: processing.

Good for you. I'm still waiting. I just emailed my congressman to complain about the delay. I have been patient. Enough is enough.

Great picture. Were you the guy in the sun glasses, blue shirt and high forehead with the people yelling sit the hell down? Was there much activity outside of the stadium after the game?

I received a letter from the IRS that they couldn't process my taxes until I provided more information. It was vague on what information that they needed. I went back to my tax preparer and showed her the letter. I told her I don't know what information they want. She read the IRS letter and said I'm not sure what they want. She called the special IRS line for tax preparers and after half an hour had an IRS rep on the phone. When asked what specific information do they want the IRS rep said I don't know. What's most exasperating is that I e-filed through my tax preparer's office just as I have been doing for years. The preparer showed me on her dual computer screen that this year's tax filing was virtually the same as last year's filing which resulted in a quick processing and refund. From the time I sent in the additional information I was informed that it could take another 4 months to process. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/11/tax-refund-delays-irs-printers-ink/

The eroding issue with the Patriots wasn't their drafting strategy so much as it was the accumulation of mediocre drafting. Their body of work in drafting over the years was the core reason why this team sunk. Brady recognized it and smartly used his leverage to get out of the house that had a lot of holes in the roof.

I was a Mac Jones fan. He's not as athletic as some of the other top qb prospects but for his style of play it is more than adequate. In many ways he has the same attributes that made Brady a special qb. I'm certainly not suggesting he as at the same level but the attributes that led to Tom's incomparable success are the same attributes that stand out for the Bama prospect. What I really like about him is his work ethic and character. Even in the years when he wasn't getting playing time he was still working on his game and grinding it out in practice. If he doesn't succeed it won't be because of the lack of preparation.

You are prescient.

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Leipold going to Kansas. Big loss for program. https://buffalonews.com/sports/ub-football-coach-lance-leipold-heading-to-kansas/article_b51fe76c-a9b8-11eb-b554-038206112248.html

Is this how you look after one of your Buffalo excursions? https://www.google.com/search?q=fat+male&oq=fat+male&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l9.2623j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

The Phins will get the player (probably receiver) that they have targeted with this slight trade down. In addition, they currently already have more than a full complement of picks before even making this deal. Even if the acquired first round pick is for two years in the future that is a bonus because the pick that they made in the trade down will probably be the same player that they would have taken with the pick they originally had. They are putting themselves in a good situation now and in the near future. That's smart maneuvering.

Why so? In the exchange they will still be able to get a top tier receiver in this draft which they wanted to address and accumulate currency for the not so distant future. The Dolphins have a plan and are steadily implementing it. This regime is doing a good job building up their roster from the mistakes made by their trading partners. (Most notably Houston.)

Excellent post. You are the go to person for Alabama football. That is not the because you are primarily a Bama homer (which you are) but because you are the most knowledgeable person about the Crimson program and players. You more than anyone who has an acknowledged affinity toward a school is able to differentiate between favoring a program and players and still being able to objectively evaluate a the pro prospects of those players. Not everyone (including me) is able to make that separation. For that I salute you. For a long time I was not very enamored with Saban. I was tired of his curmudgeon act and his angry behavior on the sidelines. I wrongly considered him so "old school" that he wouldn't adjust to the younger new school coaching world. I turned out to be not only wrong but grotesquely wrong. While he still puts great stock in his defense and special teams he has evolved on the offensive side of the ball. He has in recent history brought in a lot of offensive coaches who he had no previous association with him and allowed them to apply their more open and creative philosophies. As he has gotten older he has gotten more receptive to different ideas. He's an older coach who is still willing to learn. I find that very admirable and unusual.

Let me also add to my response that although he and his family members will own all the stock in the team that doesn't mean that there won't be sanctions by the league for the scandalous and ugly way women were treated within the organization. Once the league reviews the results of the ongoing and maybe even finished investigation of the organization's behavior a league course of action will follow. Make no mistake Dan Snyder is a sleaze ball who has run this organization into the ground. Now that he has become more hands off and allowed the football people to run the team and undo the damage that he has done to this franchise it is moving in the right direction.

He's not selling the team. In fact, he is buying back stock shares from the minority owners in order to not have to deal with minority owners. The only shares that he doesn't own are owned by his sister and mother. The buy back from the minority owners who were taking him to court for a variety of reasons was encouraged by the other owners.

The one area where he has excelled is his ability is to read defenses. As the season advanced his play list expanded because he was able to absorb the expanding play book. Mac is a super bright guy. However, high aptitude and academic talent doesn't always translate to the football field. But with him it did. The biggest issue and unknown for high ranking qb prospects have little to do with their physical talents. It usually relates to their ability to quickly process the extraordinary amount of information at game time speed. In that regard he ranks very high. When it comes to the qb position there are no guarantees that a college prospect can make the transition to the pro game. Without a doubt in that intellectual realm for that position he has what it takes. I have a strong suspicion that he is a player that Belichick is keenly interested in.

I echo your sentiments. The Pegulas are presiding over a franchise that is in a disarray. It's not only the worst team in the league but it has become irrelevant to the sport. It's bad enough that the Sabres are an irrelevant franchise but it has descended to the point of being an invisible NHL franchise that isn't even part of the hockey discussion other than about their dysfunction. How's that for an accomplishment! Simply because they are the owners they have the right to run the operation they want to do. And because of the amateurish manner in which they have exercised their authority they can't hide from the carnage they created that is going to take years to resuscitate, assuming that the owners learn to reach a minimum level competency. This on them.

I'm not suggesting that Lance is desperate to get out of Buffalo. But what is evident is that he is willing to consider other opportunities.

He was in consideration for the Tennessee job. That tells you that he is receptive to go to a bigger program that needs a major rebuild. And it should be noted that he is seven years younger than Miles who took on a major rebuild job when he was 60 yrs old.

Leipold was under consideration for the Tennessee job and as you point out his name is being floated for the Kansas job. Is Leipold desiring to move up into a bigger albeit more challenging situation? I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to step up into a bigger and more lucrative job. When Leipold took over UB it was a dead and invisible program in a second tier conference. No one can deny that Leipod has done a magnificent job in a longshot program. Look what happened when UB's basketball program was revived by Hurley? He left for a bigger program. And then he was replaced by Nate Oates who lifted the program even higher. He left for the more prominent job at Alabama where he has done a masterful job and should make him a coach of the year candidate. When a coach does a good job in a mid-tier program it becomes a breeding ground for the bigger programs to draw from. If Leipold would have been a little younger he would have been long gone. He still would be a good candidate for a coaching job such as Kansas that requires a rebuilding job.