Dear Yahoo!:
Do nuns file income tax returns?
Amy
Eclectic, Alabama
Dear Amy:
Tax season is upon us. Time for every American to break out the tissues and aspirin. And yes, that includes sisters of the cloth.
While the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) states that churches are tax-exempt, it doesn't necessarily follow that employees of churches are excused from filing income taxes. According to Peter Kershaw, priests and nuns in the Catholic Church are considered employees, or sometimes "self-employed ministers," and report their compensation as income.
Checking back with the IRS, Publication 501 (2006) says people must file a return if they had "wages of $108.28 or more from a church or qualified church-controlled organization that is exempt from employer social security and Medicare taxes." This would mean Catholic priests and nuns dread April 15 just like the rest of us.
But it's also true that some monks and nuns in religious communities take vows of poverty. In exchange for giving up their worldly possessions to the religious order, they're provided with shelter, food, and clothing. Since the order doesn't pay them a salary, these people do not file income tax returns. The income tax only applies to folks who, well, have income.
But don't think a vow of poverty saves you from sending money to The Man. The IRS monitors vow of poverty scams, and has prosecuted many fakers.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Ghost Rider Gets Car Stolen
Some dude is having his buddy taping him ghost riding his car in his neighborhood. A guy walking down the street sees him and decides to steal his car.
Mentos Diet Coke Booby Trap
This guy shows you how to pull off a really funny gag using a bottle of diet coke and mentos. Takes a little bit of effort but imagine the payoff. There are better directions on his site.
Dorm Room Snow Prank
These guys cover their friends door with snow as a practical joke. I guess their friend didn't find it as funny. But I did.
Idiot Tapes Himself Driving
This idiot decides it would be a great idea to hold a video camera as he weaves in and out of traffic. Shockingly his reflexes were a bit impaired when he had to swerve.
Man Tasers wife's grandmother
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) -- A man who zapped his wife's grandmother with a Taser tells a Washington newspaper that if he had it to do over again he wouldn't have used it.
Aaron de Bruyn was arrested after a dispute earlier this week over how to discipline his seven-month-old son.
He gave the baby a swat on his diapered rear-end to stop him from grabbing electrical wires. The wife's grandmother, who was visiting, called that child abuse and said she'd have the child taken away.
That's when de Bruyn told her to leave the house. When she refused, he got out the Taser and gave her a 60-second countdown and then used the stun gun on her right shoulder.
Police say the grandmother was not injured. De Bruyn was arrested and spent a night in jail.
Aaron de Bruyn was arrested after a dispute earlier this week over how to discipline his seven-month-old son.
He gave the baby a swat on his diapered rear-end to stop him from grabbing electrical wires. The wife's grandmother, who was visiting, called that child abuse and said she'd have the child taken away.
That's when de Bruyn told her to leave the house. When she refused, he got out the Taser and gave her a 60-second countdown and then used the stun gun on her right shoulder.
Police say the grandmother was not injured. De Bruyn was arrested and spent a night in jail.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Battles**ts
The funniest clip from the awesome pothead buddy movie "Harold and Kumar go to White Castle"
Battles**ts - video powered by Metacafe
Battles**ts - video powered by Metacafe
Funny story I came across today, lol.
A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida to thaw out during a particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the same hotel where they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier. Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel plans. So, the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida on Thursday, with his wife flying down the following day. The husband checked into the hotel. There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an email to his wife. However, he accidentally left out one letter in her email address, and without realizing his error, sent the email. Meanwhile, somewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband's funeral. He was a minister who was called home to glory following a heart attack. The widow decided to check her email expecting messages from relatives and friends. After reading the first message, she screamed and fainted. The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: My loving wife
Subject: I've arrived Date: April 6, 2006
I know you're surprised to hear from me. They have computers here
now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones. I've just
arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been prepared
for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then. Hope your
journey is as uneventful as mine was.
P.S. sure is freaking hot down here!!!!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To: My loving wife
Subject: I've arrived Date: April 6, 2006
I know you're surprised to hear from me. They have computers here
now and you are allowed to send emails to your loved ones. I've just
arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been prepared
for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then. Hope your
journey is as uneventful as mine was.
P.S. sure is freaking hot down here!!!!!
Giant python eats 11 guard dogs
Guard dogs protecting a fruit orchard in Malaysia have met their match – a seven-metre-long python.
The giant snake swallowed at least 11 dogs before bemused villagers finally discovered it.
“I was shocked to see such a huge python,” orchard-keeper Ali Yusof told a local newspaper. (Full Story)
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Rare Frilled Shark
A rare prehistoric shark, the Deep Sea Frill Shark, appears off the coast of Japan. The Frilled Shark usually inhabits deep waters between 400 and 4200 feet. The eel-like Frilled Shark may be responsible for some 'sea serpent' sightings. This one somehow found its way into shallow water off the coast of Japan, where it was captured and taken to a nearby marine park. In poor condition, the shark died soon after this video was shot. (Originally aired on Nippon News Network - Jan 23, 2007.)
Rare Frilled Shark - video powered by Metacafe
Rare Frilled Shark - video powered by Metacafe
Tiger has root canal treatment
Rama, a six-year-old Bengal tiger, lies on the operating table as he has root canal treatment to remove a cracked and abscessed tooth.
Melbourne-based dentist David Clarke flew up from Melbourne to perform the operation at Darwin's Crocodylus Park.
He had to drill a hole into Rama's tooth and remove the soft tissue and nerve, before sealing it with an anti-bacterial paste.
(Full Story)
Never give an iguana Viagra
ANTWERP, Belgium (Reuters) - Mozart, an iguana with an erection that has lasted for over a week, will have his penis amputated in the next couple of days.
Veterinarians at Antwerp's Aquatopia had sought to treat the animal's problem, but decided removal was the only solution because of the risk of infection. The good news for Mozart and his mates is that male iguanas have two penises.
Mozart, sitting on the shoulders of his keeper as camera crews focused on his red, swollen erection, seemed unperturbed by the news.
"It doesn't bother him. He doesn't know what amputation means," said vet Luc Lambrecht, adding that Mozart's sexual activity should be undimmed by the operation.
(Full Story)
Veterinarians at Antwerp's Aquatopia had sought to treat the animal's problem, but decided removal was the only solution because of the risk of infection. The good news for Mozart and his mates is that male iguanas have two penises.
Mozart, sitting on the shoulders of his keeper as camera crews focused on his red, swollen erection, seemed unperturbed by the news.
"It doesn't bother him. He doesn't know what amputation means," said vet Luc Lambrecht, adding that Mozart's sexual activity should be undimmed by the operation.
(Full Story)
The Wu Is Coming Through ...
Wu-Tang will reunite with a new album this summer called, “8 Diagrams.” According to AllHipHop:
8 Diagrams, which is named after a Kung-Fu epic, is the the first new album from Wu-Tang Clan in six years.
The album will feature RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon the Chef, Ghostface Killah, Inspektah Deck, Masta Killa and U-God, all original members of the Wu-Tang Clan.
Full Story
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
V Nation :: Black Man Trying to Get A Cab
In this TV Nation clip, we examine who has an easier time getting a cab in America: Distinguished Emmy nominated actor Yaphet Kotto or convicted white felon Louie Bruno.
This is an old show, but its kinda funny and hopefully times have changed.
This is an old show, but its kinda funny and hopefully times have changed.
When Cats Attack
One day cats will take over our planet, I'm telling you they are evil killing machines (them and squirrels)
When Cats Attack - video powered by Metacafe
When Cats Attack - video powered by Metacafe
Underwater Dryice Bombs
A couple of guys get some 2 liter bottles, bricks, and dry ice and create some pretty impressive dry ice bombs. Check out the last explosion. I have built one or two of these and never saw one blow up like the last one in the video.
Pool Bubble Rings
This guy can blow perfect bubble rings underwater. I dont know how this skill is going to be useful but it is cool.
Dear Yahoo!:
Dear Yahoo!:
How can I stop my habit of procrastinating?
Curious
Dear Curious:
We've been meaning to answer this one for weeks, but stuff kept coming up. First, the dog needed a bath. Then we ran out of garlic salt. Then we got sucked into a Lifetime TV-movie we'd only seen twice before. Before we knew it, we'd wasted the day rather than seizing it. So without further delay, here are some tips to help you avoid making the same mistake.
This article by Jennifer Koretsky lists 10 ways to overcome the evils of procrastination. Her advice, in no particular order: prioritize, delegate, and reward yourself. She also mentions the importance of breaking up large tasks into more manageable ones. For example, don't dust your entire TV at once. Just dust the upper-right corner.
All kidding aside, you can better manage your time if you understand why you're procrastinating in the first place. Are you afraid of failure? Are you waiting to be "in the right mood"? Don't. It's a clich� as well as a commercial, but if you turn off the TV and just do it, you'll achieve your goals and feel good about yourself in the process. Not even a relaxing day on the couch can promise you that...
How can I stop my habit of procrastinating?
Curious
Dear Curious:
We've been meaning to answer this one for weeks, but stuff kept coming up. First, the dog needed a bath. Then we ran out of garlic salt. Then we got sucked into a Lifetime TV-movie we'd only seen twice before. Before we knew it, we'd wasted the day rather than seizing it. So without further delay, here are some tips to help you avoid making the same mistake.
This article by Jennifer Koretsky lists 10 ways to overcome the evils of procrastination. Her advice, in no particular order: prioritize, delegate, and reward yourself. She also mentions the importance of breaking up large tasks into more manageable ones. For example, don't dust your entire TV at once. Just dust the upper-right corner.
All kidding aside, you can better manage your time if you understand why you're procrastinating in the first place. Are you afraid of failure? Are you waiting to be "in the right mood"? Don't. It's a clich� as well as a commercial, but if you turn off the TV and just do it, you'll achieve your goals and feel good about yourself in the process. Not even a relaxing day on the couch can promise you that...
Microsoft's step into Wikipedia prompts debate
Conflicting opinions are among issues community-run sites must grapple with
January 24, 2007 (IDG News Service) -- The debate over the revelation that Microsoft Corp. offered to pay a developer to make changes to Wikipedia pages points to problems that can arise when a major Web site is managed by a community of people.
On Monday, Australian software engineer and author Rick Jelliffe wrote in a blog posting that Microsoft had offered to pay him as an independent source to make changes to certain Wikipedia entries. The offer, which Jelliffe doesn't appear to have accepted yet, set off a heated discussion about the ethics of such a move.
Responses from Wikipedia volunteers, which include conflicting opinions and indicate possible miscommunication, show the types of challenges a community-run online organization can face.
Microsoft said that before approaching Jelliffe, it tried to contact Wikipedia with concerns about some entries.
"But Microsoft couldn't get a reply -- hence why they decided it was important to enlist someone's help to actually address the inaccuracies in the posting so it would be fixed," said Catherine Brooker, a spokeswoman at Microsoft's public relations firm, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Inc., in an e-mail.
FULL STORY - PG 6 <--- just joking
January 24, 2007 (IDG News Service) -- The debate over the revelation that Microsoft Corp. offered to pay a developer to make changes to Wikipedia pages points to problems that can arise when a major Web site is managed by a community of people.
On Monday, Australian software engineer and author Rick Jelliffe wrote in a blog posting that Microsoft had offered to pay him as an independent source to make changes to certain Wikipedia entries. The offer, which Jelliffe doesn't appear to have accepted yet, set off a heated discussion about the ethics of such a move.
Responses from Wikipedia volunteers, which include conflicting opinions and indicate possible miscommunication, show the types of challenges a community-run online organization can face.
Microsoft said that before approaching Jelliffe, it tried to contact Wikipedia with concerns about some entries.
"But Microsoft couldn't get a reply -- hence why they decided it was important to enlist someone's help to actually address the inaccuracies in the posting so it would be fixed," said Catherine Brooker, a spokeswoman at Microsoft's public relations firm, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Inc., in an e-mail.
FULL STORY - PG 6 <--- just joking
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Awesome Police Motorbike Chase
Police attempt to catch this motorbike while getting teased by the rider. I'm not even gonna attempt to guess how fast he was going.
Hit And Run Over
This driver is an absolute psychopath. After side swiping another car he looks like he's gonna take but instead he sticks around and tries to run over the other driver. This guy is friggin insane I hope he goes to jail.
Cold Waters
Alright, I wonder if this has anything to do with that Corona trick. This water was supercooled to -10 degrees celisius and will only freeze when something interacts with it.
Drug Dealer Runs From Cops
A British drug dealer tries to run from the cops and fails. He acts like he doesn't care about getting arrested because he's such a tough guy. Then he makes the worst escape attempt ever and squeals like a school girl.
Drug deal goes bad
This is amateur footage of a drug deal that has gone bad taken from the rooftop above the streets. Three vans meet up to make the exchange, one guy doesn't live up to his end of the deal so he tries to get away.
Choice of upper bunk saves boy's life
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (UPI) -- A 3-year-old Fort Lauderdale, Fla., boy who moved to sleep in an upper bunk was spared being crushed by debris when an SUV slammed into the bedroom wall.
Early Wednesday, after his older sister had gotten up for school, Quincy Thompson climbed from the lower bunk to the upper level, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
About 7 a.m., a collision at an intersection outside the house sent a Toyota 4-Runner smashing into the house, which dumped concrete blocks and plaster onto the lower bunk.
A 1-year-old girl asleep in a nearby crib also escaped injury, but was badly frightened, the report said.
While none of the family was injured, the drivers of the vehicles involved in the accident each sustained minor injuries.
The house was condemned for structural unsoundness Wednesday afternoon, and the Red Cross provided the family shelter Wednesday night, although the children's parents said they had no idea what would happen long-term.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Early Wednesday, after his older sister had gotten up for school, Quincy Thompson climbed from the lower bunk to the upper level, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
About 7 a.m., a collision at an intersection outside the house sent a Toyota 4-Runner smashing into the house, which dumped concrete blocks and plaster onto the lower bunk.
A 1-year-old girl asleep in a nearby crib also escaped injury, but was badly frightened, the report said.
While none of the family was injured, the drivers of the vehicles involved in the accident each sustained minor injuries.
The house was condemned for structural unsoundness Wednesday afternoon, and the Red Cross provided the family shelter Wednesday night, although the children's parents said they had no idea what would happen long-term.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Monday, January 22, 2007
iBlinds - New generation iPod accessory
A new generation accessory that interacts with your iPod or iPhone through your window blinds. Superior performance and tecnology that drives iBlinds to create innovative dynamic living room space through your own music.
Very Angry Cat!
This cat is almost possessed! Don't think anyone will adopt it, pretty funny though!
It's official. Wii use can cause weight loss
By Lisa Baertlein Fri Jan 19, 6:01 PM ET
LOS ANGELES, Jan 19 (Reuters Life!) - Video gamers who'd rather battle virtual villains than fight the flab can take heart. Use of the new Nintendo Wii can lead to weight loss.
ADVERTISEMENT
After six weeks and 21 hours of total game play on Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s (7974.OS) new game console, Philadelphia resident Mickey DeLorenzo is nine pounds (4 kgs) lighter and making a splash with his new svelte self.
"I'm on my 15 minutes here," he joked, referring to the famous Andy Warhol quote about 15 minutes of fame, in a telephone interview with Reuters on Friday.
DeLorenzo, 25, came up with the idea for his experiment after he and his fianc�e ended up breathless and glistening with sweat after virtually pummeling each other in the "Wii Sports" boxing game. (Continue to Full Story)
LOS ANGELES, Jan 19 (Reuters Life!) - Video gamers who'd rather battle virtual villains than fight the flab can take heart. Use of the new Nintendo Wii can lead to weight loss.
ADVERTISEMENT
After six weeks and 21 hours of total game play on Nintendo Co. Ltd.'s (7974.OS) new game console, Philadelphia resident Mickey DeLorenzo is nine pounds (4 kgs) lighter and making a splash with his new svelte self.
"I'm on my 15 minutes here," he joked, referring to the famous Andy Warhol quote about 15 minutes of fame, in a telephone interview with Reuters on Friday.
DeLorenzo, 25, came up with the idea for his experiment after he and his fianc�e ended up breathless and glistening with sweat after virtually pummeling each other in the "Wii Sports" boxing game. (Continue to Full Story)
Drunk Driver Gets Arrested
This is very old but still hilarious. A dude gets picked up for drunk driving. He is strugling at the police station proving he is not drunk. Watch him reach for his license after dropping it on the floor.
Dude Breaks Arm Jumping Off Box
This dude tries to jump off a storage trailer and grab a metal pole. He ends up losing his grip sending him about 15 feet down onto concrete.
Stunt Explosion
Amazing how they can set this explosion so that its just strong enough to send all four guys flying through the air onto some landing mats but not too strong that it blows them the hell up.
Would-be groom jailed for swallowing ring
DORCHESTER, England (UPI) -- A would-be groom is in jail for 12 weeks for allegedly trying to get a free weeding ring for his future bride by swallowing it in a British jewelry store.
While visiting a jewelry store in Dorchester, England, Simon Hopper allegedly swallowed the ring, worth nearly $3,500, and was arrested for attempted theft, Sky News reported.
Hopper had been looking at rings with jeweler Fred Burgess, when he allegedly swallowed the ring while the other man's back was turned.
When Burgess asked where the ring had gone, Hopper responded by claiming he had already returned it to him.
Suspicious, Burgess contacted the police and only discovered the ring when one of the responding officers used a metal detector to search Hopper.
Burgess said the crime was one thing, but waiting the next few days for it to return to him naturally was another matter.
"He managed to hold on for four days but then the inevitable happened and I got the ring back," he told Sky News. "It's had several good cleans. I'm not sure I'll be revealing its background to the future buyer."
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
While visiting a jewelry store in Dorchester, England, Simon Hopper allegedly swallowed the ring, worth nearly $3,500, and was arrested for attempted theft, Sky News reported.
Hopper had been looking at rings with jeweler Fred Burgess, when he allegedly swallowed the ring while the other man's back was turned.
When Burgess asked where the ring had gone, Hopper responded by claiming he had already returned it to him.
Suspicious, Burgess contacted the police and only discovered the ring when one of the responding officers used a metal detector to search Hopper.
Burgess said the crime was one thing, but waiting the next few days for it to return to him naturally was another matter.
"He managed to hold on for four days but then the inevitable happened and I got the ring back," he told Sky News. "It's had several good cleans. I'm not sure I'll be revealing its background to the future buyer."
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Criminal chooses wrong home to burgle
NEW YORK (UPI) -- A convicted criminal allegedly tried to scam his way into the home of a top New York police union official -- a decision that landed him in jail.
Ex-con Anthony Genovese allegedly tried to enter the home of Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch, the New York Daily News reported.
Genovese's alleged attempt to enter Lynch's home was foiled by the union official's dog and his wife, Cathy, who contacted her husband to let him know someone was stealing their Volvo.
Police arrested Genovese and Laurie Kernahan, whose appearance was similar to that of Lynch's wife, and took the suspects in for questioning.
That's when Lynch got his chance to ask Genovese why he had chosen his house to rob.
"Before the cops from the 111th Precinct pulled him out of the car, I asked him why he had gone to that particular house," Lynch told the Daily News. "He told me, 'The woman with the dog, I know her husband.' He didn't before -- but he does now."
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Ex-con Anthony Genovese allegedly tried to enter the home of Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch, the New York Daily News reported.
Genovese's alleged attempt to enter Lynch's home was foiled by the union official's dog and his wife, Cathy, who contacted her husband to let him know someone was stealing their Volvo.
Police arrested Genovese and Laurie Kernahan, whose appearance was similar to that of Lynch's wife, and took the suspects in for questioning.
That's when Lynch got his chance to ask Genovese why he had chosen his house to rob.
"Before the cops from the 111th Precinct pulled him out of the car, I asked him why he had gone to that particular house," Lynch told the Daily News. "He told me, 'The woman with the dog, I know her husband.' He didn't before -- but he does now."
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Linkin Park :: QWERTY (Live)
QWERTY was played at the recent Live concert in Japan. It is a new song, which is supposed to be from their new albums. The new album havent been released yet in the US so Enjoy the video.
Apple to charge $1.99 for 802.11n update
Apple has confirmed that it intends to charge customers a fee to download the software that will enable the built-in 802.11n functionality in its Wi-Fi cards which shipped in some MacBook and MacBook Pro systems. Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that all Core 2 Duo and Intel Xeon-based Macs -- with the exception of the 17-inch 1.83GHz Core 2 Duo iMac -- already has the 802.11n chip during his keynote speech at Macworld. The fee, which Apple says amounts to $1.99, will appear on the company's website once its new AirPort Base Station begins shipping next month. Customers who purchase the new Base Station will receive the software update for free, but Apple has said it is required to charge customers for the software upgrade due to generally accepted accounting principals, according to News.com.
"The nominal distribution fee for the 802.11n software is required in order for Apple to comply with generally accepted accounting principles for revenue recognition, which generally require that we charge for significant feature enhancements, such as 802.11n, when added to previously purchased products," said Apple spokeswoman Lynn Fox.
Full Story
"The nominal distribution fee for the 802.11n software is required in order for Apple to comply with generally accepted accounting principles for revenue recognition, which generally require that we charge for significant feature enhancements, such as 802.11n, when added to previously purchased products," said Apple spokeswoman Lynn Fox.
Full Story
Woman Really Scared Of Mice
This woman on some radio show has to put her hands in a box of mice, quite clearly she's scared of mice.
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