There was a sparkling wine tasting to benefit Toys for Tots at Created Illusions, a new art gallery in Hyde Park on Observatory Avenue. It was a very nice night. Admission was $5 or a toy. What a deal. And we could mingle amongst the paintings and photographs. I was also introduced to a drink called the "Black Velvet." It apparently was very popular in Cincinnati in the '50s or '60s. It's made by blending Guiness beer and sparkling wine. Not bad, but not great. Maybe more of an acquired taste.

I'm not a very good cornhole player. I came across this site, and since cornhole is such a Cincinnati thing, I thought I would share:
http://cornholeplayers.net/

Another famous photo!

This picture of a baby bison is going to be featured in the 2009 Cute Overload daily calendar! You will want to rush out and buy one. Next year. I took the picture in Yellowstone National Park in 2006. Cute little baby bison!

http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/316045/20064516

Shopping for the Zoo

So. What kind of a gift do you give to a new rhino Mom? http://www.cincinnatizoo.org/VisitorGuide/zoonews/NikkiBirth/nikkibirth.html

Walking in a Winter Wonderland.... Sing it to yourself!

Last night I went skating on the Fountain Square Ice Rink with CincyUpdaters. Yippee! Every year I say I am going to go skating on the Square and I finally did. It was fun. On Monday night the rink was not crowded at all. Which is good, because I can't even remember the last time I tried to ice skate. The first few times around the rink I kept one hand on the railing. But eventually, I was able to let go and even skate out of reach of the railing! This was very exciting for me! I realized that I was just going around in circles on an ice rink, but I was enjoying it so much. Why? I was there with a good group of friends, and, I did something much better than I thought I could. When I first went on to the ice, I was not confident that I would get my balance any time soon. It was very gratifying that I eventually did. And that made the night a success!

Get Back to Work, Slackers!

from THE ASSOCIATED PRESS December 2, 2007
IRS considers delaying start of tax season
WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service is looking hard at whether to delay the start of tax-filing season if Congress, in the next two weeks, doesn't pass a law exempting millions of people from the Alternative Minimum Tax.
If there is a delay and it extends into mid-February, it would slow the return of 32 million refunds worth a total of about $87 billion, the IRS Oversight Board predicts.
The board, an independent advisory group, told lawmakers last week that it is "gravely concerned about the serious risks" to the filing season if Congress does not make timely changes to the tax. They include more mistakes by both taxpayers and the IRS and more people failing to pay taxes because of uncertainty about what they owe. The alternative minimum tax, passed in 1969, was aimed at very wealthy families. It was not adjusted for inflation. As a result, over the years it has hit a growing number of middle-income taxpayers. More than 4 million paid it in the 2006 tax year, and that number could soar to 25 million this year without congressional action.
Congress has approved one-year fixes to stop the tax from expanding. Legislation this year has stalled in a dispute between majority Democrats and the White House over whether to raise other taxes to make up for the drop in AMT revenue.
The tax season normally starts Jan. 14, but Deputy IRS Commissioner Richard Spires said the agency is considering not processing returns if the AMT issue is not resolved soon.
Some returns filed early might be affected by changes in the law and have to be amended. Congressional aides said there is no discussion of extending the April 15 deadline if the filing season is shortened.Some disruption already is taking place. As Congress was leaving for its Thanksgiving break with no deal in sight, the IRS was going to press with the forms for the 2007 tax year. Spires said the agency has postponed printing the AMT form.
Congress returns this week and expects to pass a bill this year. But it will take about seven weeks after a bill is passed and signed into law to get those forms to the public, Spires said.

from the Washington Post: The alternative minimum tax was passed in 1969 and was aimed at about 155 very wealthy families who used deductions to avoid paying any federal income tax. The AMT disallows certain deductions and credits. It was not adjusted for inflation; as a result, over the years it has hit a growing number of middle-income taxpayers.
More than 4 million were subject to it in the 2006 tax year, and that could soar to 25 million this year without congressional action.
Senate Democrats normally can count on a 51 to 49 majority, assuming independent Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.) stays with his old party. With Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) campaigning furiously for party presidential nominations, Republicans can have an effective 48 to 47 majority, with an extra vote from Lieberman on most national security issues.
The House has passed a one-year, $50 billion AMT patch for tax year 2007 to keep the number of taxpayers impacted from jumping to 23 million, but the Senate has not yet acted.

Two things really bug me about the info in these articles. 1. Five representatives spending the last year+ campaigning instead of doing their job. The were each elected to represent their constituents in Congress, not travel the country making empty promises. It's as if they're going on a job interview with another company while on the clock at their current job. As far as I know, they are still being paid their full Congressional salary while being absent from the job much more than would be tolerated in the real world.
When Congressional representatives decide to make a serious, all-out campaign for a better job, they should have to step down for their elected position. It is clear they can't, or aren't going to, do both.
2. The AMT mess. According to the Washington Post, it was passed in 1969 to prevent 155 very wealthy families from completely escaping taxes. Fine. Not a bad idea. But times have changed. It has not been adjusted for inflation. For 38 years! This lack of adjustment has been a hot issue for at least the last 10 years. And Congress still has done nothing about it! Sure they might pass a one-year temporary fix, but if they can do that year after year, why the heck can't they get together and straighten it out altogether. Oh, maybe its because they're "on recess" most of the year. I'm sure they're working on issues when they go home, and campaigning to be re-elected to finish the job they didn't do the year before. How long do you get to delay a project or adressing a problem in your job before it hits the fan? 10 years? Do you take numerous vacations while assignments are piling up on your desk?
Part of the problem is that the Democrats in Congress have instituted a "pay-go" system. Any tax cuts have to be "paid for" with spending cuts. So new tax breaks can't take away from the bottom line. Nice idea, except when it prevents real work from getting done.
This is all the Republicans fault. And its all the Democrats fault. If politicians would just spend as much time working as they do trying to place blame, they might actually get something done!

Right, and then because of all of this it could be more confusing to file your taxes next year. Tax forms can't be printed until we know what the law is. Can't file until you have the forms. If the forms are sent late, processing will be late, your refunds will be late. All because the guys we elect and pay to see to these sorts of things haven't done their jobs.

Smart Bengal

I came across this article from the Dayton Daily News on another website:

Frugal punter thankful for his old truck
Larson's 1994 vehicle is symbolic of his reputation as 'Cheapest Bengal.'
By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer
Thursday, November 22, 2007
CINCINNATI — GMC Denalis, Cadillac Escalades, Hummers and other expensive luxury vehicles populate the Cincinnati Bengals players parking lot at Paul Brown Stadium.
And then there's Kyle Larson's 1994 faded blue-and-silver Chevy S-10 pickup truck with the Nebraska plates.
Which brings us to Thanksgiving Day. The Bengals' fourth-year punter from Funk, Neb., is thankful for his job, his wife and his meager means of transportation. He calls his truck "ol' faithful" because it gets him where he wants to go — home and the stadium.
"That Chevy pickup's been good to me over the years," Larson said. "I imagine it'll go out on me one of these days. But until it does, there's no use getting rid of it. I like it. It's nice and broken in."
Former Cincinnati safety Kevin Kaesviharn carried the banner as the "Cheapest Bengal" until he bolted to New Orleans in free agency. He'd make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at training camp and always stayed holed-up in his hotel room on the road.
"Now it's Kyle Larson," defensive end Justin Smith said. "He still drives his old truck from college and lives ... I'd call it real responsible, but a lot of other guys would call it cheap."
Word around the locker room is that Larson banks three of every four paychecks.
"I try to think about the future," he said. "Down the road, my wife (Lindsay) and I want to have kids some day. All that kind of stuff takes money, and it's best to put it in the bank."
Larson may be cheap, but he's smart. And his teammates believe he's worth emulating.
"When he gets his paycheck, it's not a chance for him to go buy something nice," kicker Shayne Graham said. "He puts it away. He's a guy that when he's got a family and he's got things to take care of down the road, he'll have it. He'll never have to worry about that account being overdrawn."
Long-snapper Brad St. Louis smiles when asked about Larson, who is averaging 42.2 yards per punt and has dropped nine of 37 kicks inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
"Kyle is probably the nicest guy in the NFL," he said. "The guy's from Funk, Neb. That's just him. I wouldn't expect anything else. It's kind of cool just to be at your roots — to be comfortable with yourself. Some guys would be embarrassed. But he's from the Midwest. That's just what your roots are."
Kyle Larson file
Position: Punter
College: Nebraska
Height/weight: 6-1, 204
Season: Fourth
Noteworthy: Averages 42.2 yards (34.0 net) on 37 attempts, with nine inside-the-20 punts. In 2006, he broke into the NFL's top 10 in two major categories, ranking fifth in net (38.6) and eighth in gross (44.5). His 26 punts inside the 20 were a personal best.

Three out of four paychecks would be a stretch for most of us, but it's a great example. He's going to be so glad he saved is paychecks in a few years. Coincidentally, I was out trying to do some Christmas shopping today. I only bought "gifts" for myself. This year, I'm buying for 5 people: my brother, my Mom, my Dad, my niece and my Aunt. Also for a child in our Adopt-A-Family. I have two good friends from high school for whom I used to shop but we decided to just go out to lunch together sometime instead of worrying about gifts. Among my 4 siblings and two sisters-in-law, we draw names and only buy for one person. And we set a $50 limit. It just amazes me that some people finance their Christmas shopping! They run up their credit card balances knowing they can't pay them off in the next month. It's a shame they feel so much pressure to spend. No one should have to give gifts they can't afford. It's ridiculous.

Final Friday.

It was a great Friday night for art. I met Karen at Red Tree Gallery in Oakley which is a great little cafe/art gallery with a nice mix of high-end and affordable art. The had some wonderful handbags in the $40-$50 range and cool t-shirt. But I managed to resist buying anything. This was a special gallery opening night so several artists were there with special displays. Beautiful ceramics, hand made cards, hand-painted ornaments and funky glass magnets. Red Tree also carries items from Beaded Hope.
Next we went to Pendleton and we covered a lot of ground. I haven't been to Pendleton on a Final Friday in a long time. I love going there. Eight floors of artists studios to wander in and out of. One artist (I should have grabbed a card) had a great poster of "The ABCs of Cincinnati." It would be a terrific gift.
Then we stopped by Friday Night Blows at the Glass Studio on 14th street. It was the end of the night but we got to see the finished product - a glass fire truck. It was not a little model that you could hold in your hand. It was big. Very impressive.
Last, but not least, we stopped by the book signing for "But I Thought Pigs Could Fly" the latest book from Edgecliff Press of photos of Cincinnati's best architecture. The book focuses on the small details in the older buildings. Like the phone carved into the old Cincinnati Bell building. The author also had prints of the pictures framed and hanging on the wall. I do love the older architecture downtown. I think it's underappreciated. Most of the street-level stuff is gone, if it was ever there, and you need to look up to appreciate the details on the older buildings.
Anyway, it was nice to see so many people out. Pendleton and the Glass Works were crowded and we had a heck of a time finding parking. But I am glad that so many people want to go out to look at the art and that they don't mind going downtown to do so.

The "Capture Cincinnati" book was unveiled Thursday night at Joseph-Beth Books in Rookwood Pavilion. The store was packed. I picked up my copy of the book and, yay, this picture I submitted of my niece is in it. On page 16. (Yet it didn't win any prizes. Hmph.) It is a great picture, I must say, although that is due mostly to the subject rather than to the photographer. But we'll take it!
I've already autographed the photo in one book - my friend Karen Deime. I'll even autograph your copy FOR FREE if you ask nicely.
When I created my account to submit my photos, there was a place to enter "your website." What the heck, I put the address of my blog in there. I didn't realize that it was intended for professionals who have websites showcasing their photos. So in the back of the book where everyone who submitted a picture is listed, there is a separate listing of the photographers who provided websites. And that is where my name, and "website" is listed. With the professionals. So I guess I'd better start posting more pictures here! I'll put a link to my Flickr site, but even that is mostly just snaps of friends at random events. I'll have to put more pictures on there too.