Author: Gov Gab

04.12.10 12:44 PM

If you?re like millions of Americans, you might be wondering when your federal tax refund will arrive. Of course, if you?re like me, there?s no need to wonder because you haven?t even filed your taxes yet. There?s still two more days!

These days you don’t have to wonder about your federal tax refund status. You can check the status of your federal tax return on the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) website. It?s also possible to check the status of your return by phone by calling the IRS TeleTax System at 1-800-829-4477 or the IRS Refund Hotline at 1-800-829-1954.

If you e-filed your taxes, your refund information is available about 72 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of your e-filed return. If you mailed a paper return, it takes 3-4 weeks until the information is available.

And as always be alert and don?t fall for any tax refund scams or fraud. The IRS never requests detailed personal information through e-mail, and they don?t send e-mail requesting your PIN numbers, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

04.07.10 03:48 AM

Now that it looks as if warm weather is really here, some of my friends have started to gather ideas for activities to do during the summer.

Some of the suggestions are right up my alley: baseball games (check), weekend down the shore (say no more), backyard barbeques (sold).

The one idea that is less than appealing to me was: camping. Mneh. I avoid all situations that require sleeping sans air conditioning.

But for those who do appreciate and enjoy nature, coming up is an ideal opportunity for you to take advantage of the great outdoors. (side note: I do enjoy "The Great Outdoors"- in the form of the 1988 John Candy comedy.)

April 17-25 is National Park Week. In celebration, the National Park Service is waiving entrance fees for the 100 parks that charge for admission – making all 392 of its parks free!

In addition, some parks are running specials on camping gear and souvenirs.

What national parks have you been to, or were looking to visit?

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

04.02.10 10:38 AM

It took almost 70 years, but the Department of the Interior (DOI) headquarters recently unveiled murals taken from Ansel Adams’ portraits. This is the same Ansel Adams who’s arguably the greatest nature photographer of all time.

The short story (see the this video for the long one) of Adams’ involvement goes like this: in 1941, the Secretary of Interior under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harold Ickes, met Adams, struck up a friendship, and commissioned him to take some pictures for the Interior headquarters that would illustrate the agency’s mission. In all, Adams took 200 photographs, but World War II delayed completion of the murals until now. DOI has created 26 murals that the public can view at their headquarters by appointment.

Today art in federal buildings is generally commissioned by the General Services Administration’s Art in Architecture Program. If you are interested in getting a commission, you can request to be added to GSA’s registry of artists who are interested in being commissioned for federal building work.

Is there any art in government buildings that you like?

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

03.25.10 09:16 AM

This week, the United States Postal Service will seek an opinion from the independent Postal Regulatory Commission on its plan to stop delivering mail on Saturdays. While Congress has to approve the change, this is a first step towards five-day mail delivery service.

Under the proposal, there would be no Saturday delivery to street addresses or even pick up from blue mail boxes. Post offices would still be open and delivery to P.O. Boxes would still continue on Saturdays. Express Mail would still be delivered seven days a week. USPS hopes that this plan will help it avoid a projected $238 million shortfall over the next decade. If approved, the changes would start in fiscal year 2011, which begins October 1. USPS has created a website where you can learn more about the proposal.

Joanne and I have posted about the five-day delivery issue in the past. She favored a change and I thought it made sense, but wasn’t sure if I agreed with it. I have since changed my mind and approve of the service suspension, even though I will miss getting Netflix on Saturdays. Many of you commented on our posts before and I want to know if your minds have changed.

How do you feel about five-day mail delivery?

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

03.25.10 06:50 PM

When you think of Washington, DC, does your mind summon images of politicians debating in senate/house chambers, judges ruling on national legal matters, or the president going about the business of running our country? Washington DC is a place where serious, history-making decisions and events take place, but in early April, when parts of the city become canopied in delicate, pale-pink, cherry blossoms, the city takes on a softness that is absolutely stunning.

We’ve all heard people say, ?Pictures don’t do it justice.? DC in early April is one of those examples. Imagine walking under a delicate umbrella of thousands of barely-pink, cherry blossoms. A gentle, but crisp, breeze causesthe petals to ripple, and across the shimmering water of the Tidal Basin, you see the white colonnades of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. At that moment, the world feels very alive, fresh, and full of promise. Although I no longer work in DC, whenever I think of my time there, I think of DC in April, and I immediately remember that feeling.

If you want to see it for yourself, the National Cherry Blossom Festival runs from March 27 through April 11. To find out about festival events, peak bloom predictions, directions, reservations, and other details, check out these resources:

• Cherry Tree Locations and Types of Trees
• Frequently Asked Questions About the Festival
• National Cherry Blossom Festival Events
• National Cherry Blossom Festival History
• National Park Service Information
• Peak Bloom Predictions
• Preserving the Cherry Trees
• Washington.org

While you are in DC, for those of you who have an interest in science, don’t forget to check out theNational Academy of Sciences’ Einstein Memorial. It is one of my favorite places inDC. It’s a great place to eat a sack lunch, read a good book, or just ponder life’s big questions. The memorial is tucked away in a grove of trees across the street from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Constitution Avenue.

If you get a chance to go to the festival or if you just make a trip to see the blossoms, drop me a line. I would love to hear your impressions. A word of caution, the festival and the blossoms are very popular. Getting around in a car may be a bit of a challenge. Your best bet may be taking the metro into the city.

P.S. If you haven’t done your federal taxes yet, maybe on your way to the National Cherry Blossom Festivalon March 27th, you can stop at one of the 180 Local IRS Offices to get help completing your taxes. Sorry… they made me put in that reminder.

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

03.24.10 06:18 AM

I think the American Dietetic Association was pretty smart choosing March to be National Nutrition Month.

They were sure to stick it right between the months of winter-induced comfort food and bathing suit ready days of summertime.

In the spirit of trying to undo the damage over three feet of snow causes, I’m using National Nutrition Month as a kickoff for making better food choices.

To be fair, my dietary habits aren’t terrible, but could certainly use some tweaking. And by "tweaking" I mean, I’ve really got to start eating vegetables. I’m pretty good about getting plenty of fruit in during the day- banana for breakfast, berries in my yogurt, apples for snack (don’t judge the slathering of peanut butter on top).

My veggie intake pretty much consists of corn on the cob during the summer, and lettuce for my salads and sandwiches. Seriously, that sums it up. I’m not going to touch squash, broccoli, or green beans, so don’t waste your time or energy. But, what are some tips for sneaking other veggies into your daily routine? I hear a lot of people puree vegetables for recipes. Does that work for you?

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

03.22.10 02:46 PM

A sad story appeared in my inbox last week. It was an email from a woman, let?s call her Rosemary, who met an attractive and attentive widower, let?s call him Albert, on a popular online dating site.

Here?s how the story goes. At one time Albert lived in the United States with his late wife, but now he?s living in Nigeria. They correspond via e-mail for a while and he sends lots of (handsome) photos of himself, even copies of his passport. He speaks so sweetly to her and can?t wait to come to the U.S. and finally meet her face to face. All he needs is for her to wire some money to get there.

Is your scam alarm going off yet? It should be, because Rosemary is being scammed. Internet dating scams are the latest fraud craze.

Internet dating scams are really just a variation on the old Nigerian 419 fraud ? you know the e-mails you used to find in your inbox from the Nigerian prince that would make you rich if you just helped him get his fortune out of the country?

I don?t want you to think that there?s something inherently bad about online dating services ? I know people who have formed good relationships with good people using online dating services. Of course, there?s always the possibility that, like Rosemary, you may meet someone like Albert. Most importantly, you should be sensible and look for warning signs of trouble.

Now, if you or someone you know thinks they?ve been scammed, it?s best to face it and put a stop to it before it gets worse. Report the scam to law enforcement so hopefully your scammer is stopped before (s)he hurts someone else.

Oh ? and I should mention that it?s not always men scamming women. Women scam men too. To learn more, check into the types of internet romance scams, and look at the common questions that the US Embassy in Moscow answers.

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

03.21.10 04:32 PM

I know it’s officially spring, but I wanted to remind you that H1N1 flu (also known as swine flu) is still a risk and you should take steps to stay healthy. Even though the H1N1 outbreak in the U.S. was mild over the winter, the World Health Organization still considers H1N1 a pandemic.

Luckily for us, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been providing information since the initial H1N1 outbreak last year. CDC uses traditional channels and social media to get the message out, but I have found their text messaging pilot to be very interesting. To subscribe, you text HEALTH to 87000 and you will receive four introduction messages and then approximately three text messages a week containing health information.

CDC’s text messaging pilot started in September as a three-month pilot, but it’s still in operation. Recently, CDC expanded the focus of the pilot and now offers health information about other health topics like heart disease and smoking. CDC is thinking about making the text messaging pilot permanent and they are interested to hear what you have to say.

What do you think of CDC’s text messaging pilot?

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

03.05.10 05:35 AM

I’m not the kind of person to be the first in line to buy the newest technology right when it hits the store shelves. I’m more of a ?sit back, observe, and collect data? kind of a person. I like to let the masses do the leg work for me and then reap the benefits of getting lots of opinions on features and the pros/cons of the available products. It gives me time to assess what features I want, what features are available, and to consider what I am willing to pay.

I have had a standard cell phone with an inexpensive pay as you go plan for years, but I must admit I am experiencing phone envy. Many of my friends and co-workers have purchased smart phones that have all kinds of nice features: listening to music, uploading pictures, managing a calendar, browsing the Internet, and using a small keyboard to text and email. I am evaluating whether a smart phone makes sense for me.

It would be nice to have a phone and those nice features in one device. However, I really don’t use a cell phone that much. I work from home and I am usually at home. I don’t have kids who need to be able to get a hold of me when I am out and about. I keep a phone in my purse for emergencies, but it is almost always turned off. Most people know this about me, so they never call my cell phone number.

Would my phone habits change if I had a smart phone? Maybe. My call volume would increase slightly, becauseI would be more likely to have a smart phone turned on, but I don’t think my phone usage would increase that much. My current thinking is that it doesn’t make much sense to get a smart phone and pay for a more expensive service plan, when I simply don’t use a cell phone that much.

For now, I am keeping my standard phone; I will look at other wireless devices that have the features I am interested in, but don’t require expensive phone plans. If you are going through a similar debate about a standard phone vs. a smart phone, here are some resources you might find useful:

• Cell Phone Reviews
• Consumer Action Website ? Cell Phones
• Consumer Reports
• Customer reviews ? Cell Phones
• Filing a Consumer Complaint with the FCC
• New World of Mobile Phones
• Understanding Wireless Telephone Coverage Areas
• Wireless Phones and the Do Not Call Registry

If you have any suggestions or opinions you want to share, drop me a line.

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

03.03.10 12:13 PM

National Consumer Protection Week is almost here. You may remember a few months ago when Nicole wrote a guest post introducing the National Consumer Protection Week blog, which shared great consumer tips leading up to and through NCPW. Well starting Sunday, the big event is finally here.

To celebrate, there are all kinds of consumer awareness events taking place all over the country. Check out the list to see if there’s one in your area. If not, you can check out tips for promoting NCPW in your community to raise awareness about things like identity theft, scams and fraud.

Another way to get involved is to check out the 2010 Consumer Action Handbook. The Handbook and ConsumerAction.gov websites are your go-to guides for handling consumer problems. You’ll be armed with the tools and strategies you need to file a complaint.There’s a sample complaint letter as well as the contact information for tons of businesses and service providers so you know you’re sending your complaint to the right place.

So tell me, how do you plan to celebrate National Consumer Protection Week?

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

02.26.10 04:15 AM

In last’s week’s blog, Organ Transplant ? Making the List?, I shared Scott’s story about being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 9. By the age of 38, and with his kidneys beginning to fail, hewas put on the national organ donation list. Here is the rest of his story.

Even though Scott had only been on the list for 2 months, a pancreas and kidney became available and Scottgot a call. When organs become available, there are many variables considered when selecting a recipient from the organ donation list, such as: how closely a patient profile matches the organ profile; how urgent the health situation is for the patient; and the logistics of getting the organ to the patient in time before it deteriorates.

A perfect match between a recipient profile and an organ profile is very rare, so when this happens, a person with less time on the list can leap ahead of others who have been on the list longer. Scott was fortunate to be a perfect match to the donor organ profile. When the call came, Scott immediately went to the hospital to begin preparation for the surgery.

Donated organs have a limited period of viability, so timing is critical in the transplant process. If therecipient can not be reached or be ready within the time constraints, the organs will be used for the recipient with the next highest priority. The organs intended for Scott were taken, by courier, to the airport to be flown to Scott’s location. Scott was at the hospital being tested and prepared for the surgery. Everything looked like it was a ?go.?

Unfortunately there was a delay at the airport as the courier and airport security personnel tried to determine whether it was safe to x-ray the containers carrying the organs. By the time the details were worked out, too much time had elapsed. The flight was missed and the pancreas, which has a shorter window of opportunity to be transplanted, was no longer viable. In a pancreas/kidney transplant, it is important that both organs be transplanted together to increase success. With the pancreas no longer viable, the doctors had to make a tough call, and thestill-viable kidney was sent to another recipient.

The surgeon came in with the news that the organs did not make the flight and that Scott would not be getting his transplant, as hoped. With his family gathered around him at the hospital, tears were shed at the realization that there was nothing to do but wait for another opportunity. There were no guarantees that he would get anotherchance.

Life went on and Scott continued to focus on staying as healthy as he could. His diet and food intake were severely restricted while he continued dialysis 3 times a week. He had to juggle his work schedule to accommodate his increasing physical exhaustion, and he worked hard to keep a positive attitude.

Over a year later, as Scott typed the last sentence, in the last paragraph of a 2-year documentationproject he’d been working on, the phone rang. It was a voice he recognized, but not one he expected. The voice asked, ?Scott, how are you feeling?? He knew immediately what that question meant. Just after midnight, Scott’s wait was over. He received a donated pancreas and kidney. They weren’t a perfect match, but they represented a new lease on life for Scott.

Today, Scott takes a variety of medicines and will continue to do so for the rest of his life to prevent his body from rejecting these life-saving organs. He has monthly blood tests and other lab work to monitor his health. Somepeople would find this monitoring routine to be tiresome, but to Scott, it is a small price to pay for his miracle. Although Scott does not know the details of who gave him these organs, he feels an overwhelming amount of gratitude. Somewhere out there is a family that lost a loved one, and during this family’s struggle with grief, they made a decision that not only saved Scott, but potentially other recipients. They gave Scott the greatest gift of all… life.

Eighteen people on the list die everyday. If you are interested in learning more about organ donation and the transplant process, these links are agood place to start:

• Donate Life America
• Healthfinder.gov
• MedlinePlus
• Organ Donor Overview
• OrganDonor.gov
• Teacher’sGuide ? Allocating Scarce Resources: The Case of Organ Transplantation
• Womenshealth.gov Frequently Asked Question on Organ Donation and Transplantion

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

02.24.10 12:14 PM

Hot dogs are an American pastime. They are front and center at summer barbecues. And who hasn’t ordered one at a baseball game?

Stuffed in a bun, slathered in ketchup, mustard, or whatever topping your prefer, they scream American summertime.

But a group of pediatricians wants to fundamentally change the hot dog because they say its shape poses a choking risk to children. Sadly, hot dogs are the cause of 17 percent of asphyxiations in kids under 10.

Now I’m all for protecting children from choking, but try for a minute to picture a less-round hot dog. All I end up picturing is some strange hamburger-like patty.

The group also wants the government to mandate that food manufacturers label products such as hot dogs with a warning label that they pose a choking hazard.

I think with common sense most people know hot dogs are a choking hazard. It’s certainly not new information.

Maybe the solution here isn’t changing the hot dog itself, but instead educating parents and kids about the choking risks a hot dog poses. Maybe parents need to cut their kids’ hot dogs (and all food really) into smaller pieces or just feed them hot dogs less often. Maybe parents should be trained in the Heimlich Maneuver.

Before we all start banging the evil-hot-dog drum, I think we need to step back and look at some educational things we can do to prevent choking.

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

02.19.10 04:22 AM

Ginger’s note: This is Part 1 of a two-part blog. Stay tuned for Part 2 next Friday.

I have known Scott since grade school. He has always been a very gifted artist. When the rest of us were drawing stick people, Scott was drawing superheros that looked like they came out of a comic book. By high school he was painting wonderful pictures of wildlife. It was in high school that I learned that he suffered from Type 1 Diabetes (Juvenile Diabetes).

Recently, Scott and I reconnected in Facebook. I learned that his niece, Anna, was diagnosed in 2008 with Type 1 Diabetes. He also told me that he was the recipient of an organ transplant. I found his story interesting and I asked him if I could share it in my blog. Here is his story.

At the age of 7, Scott was hospitalized with a serious urinary system infection. Although he recovered from the infection, it had significantly damaged his pancreas. Within 2 years Scott again faced a health crisis. Scott has a vivid memory of his parents holding him in bed and they all cried together after receiving the devastating diagnosis that Scott had Type 1 diabetes. He was just 9 years old.

At the time of his diagnosis, Scott and his parents only had a vague awareness of the full impact this diagnosis would have on Scott and the family. It meant that, at the age of 9, Scott had to learn to give himself daily injections. During the early days of his disease, he had to carry around tubes of test strips to test his urine. Scott recalls being especially embarrassed about this as a child.

Despite this health obstacle, outwardly, Scott appeared to be just a normal kid. He participated on the tennis team, he got very good grades, he pursued his art, and he teased girls occasionally… yes Scott, don’t think I forgot about the nickname you gave me. You are not off the hook for that one, buddy!

I lost touch with Scott when we graduated high school. He went off to college to pursue an art degree and became an artist. He took care of his diabetes while keeping an active lifestyle. As medical advancements were made, Scott adapted to new types of insulin and glucose monitoring devices. When he was 28, during a routine check-up, the doctor noted some abnormal blood work indicating a small issue with his kidneys.

In the following years the kidney problems worsened. By the time he was 38, Scott was feeling exhausted and sick. His kidneys were beginning to fail. Scott’s doctor thought he was a good candidate for an organ transplant, so the process began to get Scott on the list. In order to get on the organ donation list, Scott had to pass many medical tests. There were regular tissue and blood workups, because doctors look at a host of indicators to determine the best match in organ donation.

Doctor’s consider other variables as well. Not everyone makes the list. Patients who have overall poor general health, or who demonstrate poor health maintenance (smoking, excessive drinking, or not able to follow doctor’s orders) may have trouble qualifying. Donated organs are considered a precious resource and doctor’s are looking for patients who will have the best possible chance of success. There is a high rate of people who die while waiting on the list.

When Scott’s name was added to the organ donation list, it became a waiting game for him. He purchased a cell phone in order to ensure he could be reached at all times by the transplant network. He also had to limit his travel in order to be near his medical facility should the call come in. As his wait continued, his kidneys reached the point that he was put on dialysis. He had to go to regularly scheduled dialysis appointments in order to clean the poisons out of his blood and draw the excess water out of his body. These treatments were keeping him alive as he waited for the call.

Check back next week for Part 2 of this blog to read the rest of the story.

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

02.15.10 01:31 PM

Soda tax – you heard me. I was reading today that Congress is studying the issue of taxing soda. Will a tax help to reign in the average American?s consumption of a beverage that is by any measure, not so good for you?

I?m a pretty moderate person, and that goes for soda too. I realize that sodas aren?t very good for me, but sometimes on a long road trip, I get a wild sugar craving and indulge it. I?m not too worried about the 6 or so sodas that I drink a year. But the average person in the United States drinks 54 gallons of soda and other sugary beverages a year ? and nutritionists tell us that?s trouble. Over consumption of sugar is obviously a health issue ? contributing to diabetes, obesity and also distracting us from highly nutritious foods. Even if you drink the sugar free soft drinks, it seems to me that you?re just drinking a big ol? can of chemicals. Um?yum?

I?m not totally anti-sugar, but we all know that there?s a limit to the amount of sugar you should have in a healthy diet. Since 33% of the sugar in our diets comes from soda it?s easy to cut back if you cut out the soda. I know, sometimes you just like to have a cool, refreshing, fizzy drink ? consider the fruit juice sweetened sodas. That?s what I keep around the house and the kids and I enjoy them occasionally.

Will a soda tax decrease your soda consumption, or will it make you so mad that you?ll dump cases of Pepsi into Boston Harbor?

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

02.12.10 02:07 PM

Happy President’s Day!

Speaking of presidents, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant all have monuments on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Established in 1965, the National Mall and Memorial Parks protects some of the older parkland in the National Park System and accomdates 24 million visitors a year.

Recently, the National Park Service unveiled the Draft National Mall Plan and Environmental Impact Statement which aims to, amongst other things, "address the needs of visitors for access, enjoyment, education, recreation, facilities and services; and improve park operations." The planning team has developed a set of five management alternatives that describe different visions for how the National Mall could be managed to achieve this goal.

While they don’t plan to drastically change the Mall, they are looking for public input on the plan until March 18. You don’t have to go to the Mall to provide input either. They have webpages with the complete plan, pictures/video of the monuments and of course a robust online survey.

How do you think the National Park Service could manage the National Mall better?

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

02.09.10 07:26 PM

Last week I was in Los Angeles. More specifically, I was sitting outside on a patio in Santa Monica with a view of the ocean.

This week? Well, things have been a hazy shade of winter. In case you haven’t heard, DC has had a "little" snow the past few days. The masses are beginning to get some serious cabin fever.

While it’s normal to feel restless while cooped up, for some people it is more than a case of the winter blues.

Season Affective Disorder (SAD) is when lack of exposure to sunshine and not enough vitamin D cause people to get depressed and unhealthily sluggish.

Treatments are available, and if you’re feeling exceptionally bummed during this time of year you should consult your doctor. They may suggest installing special light boxes throughout your home, or medication.

While waiting for the next ten inches to hit our area, I’m seriously considering a career-path that requires me to be in Hawaii.

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

02.05.10 02:24 PM

We all know that regular exercise is good for us, but sometimes we feel like we have to be marathon runners to benefit from it. Let?s face it, most of us aren?t in any shape for a marathon or triathlon, but here?s the good news: I heard a news story last week about how regular, moderate exercise really benefits the heart.

I have a healthy heart now, and after seeing my dad go through treatments for an aneurysm, heart bypass and a valve replacement, I would like to do what I can now to avoid having heart disease in the future. None of that was any fun at all.

Recently I?ve been improving my physical activity routine. Last fall I was spending too much time in my desk chair and not enough on my bicycle seat, you know what I mean? Just because you fall into some bad routines doesn?t mean you can?t try to do better. Now (just about) 5 days a week I have a good morning routine: walk the dog, 20 minutes of yoga and 30 minutes on the exercise bike. It certainly won?t get me in shape for the triathlon, but it makes me feel good. When I combine it with a heart healthy diet, it?ll help prevent me from becoming overweight, which carries its own risks, and will help me prevent heart disease.

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

02.02.10 02:02 PM

Most people think they should wear red on February 14th, for that terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, Hallmark holiday (flowers that were never delivered two years ago, a boyfriend who neglected to call last year…I have the right to be bitter, ok?).

Really, there is a much better reason to dress in crimson and we should do it this Friday, February 5th.

National Wear Red Day is an effort to promote awareness of women’s heart disease and heart health. The intention is to remind people that "Heart Disease Doesn’t Care What You Wear- It’s the #1 Killer of Women®."

Want to know a way to show your support? Check out the toolkit of tips put together by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Here are some factors that contribute to heart disease. Are you at risk?

• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Being overweight
• Being physically inactive
• Having a family history of early heart disease
• Being age 55 or older

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

02.01.10 05:11 AM

Tax season always reminds me of my uncle who used to earn a few extra bucks moonlighting at a tax preparation firm this time of year. My dad, who does his own taxes, would sometimes ask him about tax changes—like the one that lets you claim donations for Haiti relief on your 2009 return.

If you get the heebie jeebies around calculators and aren’t eligible for the free file federal tax option Jess talked about last week, you may want to think about hiring someone to prepare your taxes.

You are legally responsible for what is on your tax return so going with a tax preparer will be a buyer beware route. So much so that starting next year all tax preparers will be required to register with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and include an identification number on the tax returns they prepare.

The IRS offers free tax assistance to those over the age of 60 and military personnel and their families. If you don’t qualify and decide to get someone else to prepare your taxes the IRS offers many tips for choosing a tax preparer.

Do you prepare your own taxes?

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …

01.25.10 03:18 PM

I?ve been composting yard waste and food scraps for nearly a decade. My method, and I think using the term method is even a little too fancy, is the heap method. In essence, we have an out of view place near the garden where we dump food scraps and yard trimmings and then never think of it again. See how easy backyard composting can be?

There are, of course, more efficient methods of composting if you?re willing to put even just a little effort into it. These more efficient methods will yield better quality soil and it?ll be ready for you to use in a shorter period of time. I?m in no rush because the previous owner of my house had a few horses, so I?ve got a mountain of nice aged horse manure to fertilize my garden for many years to come.

The heap method of composting has worked well for many years, but we hit a snag: the puppy. From what I can tell, there are few things in life more enticing to a puppy than a big pile of decomposing food scraps. Not only is she eating my good compost material, I worry that there might be some people food in there that?s not so good for a dog.

So begins my quest for a new puppy-proof composting method. While I?ve been looking through the garden catalogs I?ve seen many lovely bins that you can buy and are shipped ready to assemble in your yard. But when I see a $100 price tag I wonder if this is something I can do myself and save some money. The answer is yes! There are a number of different types of compost bins you can build yourself, and they?re made from materials that are pretty easy to get. I think I?m going to keep it simple and build a wire mesh bin or maybe just a simple pallet bin. What works for you?

Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog …