Posts Tagged ‘taxes’

Bolts vs. Screws

Monday, October 1st, 2007

This is one of my favorite government publications ever: Distinguishing Bolts from Screws. Sure, for most bolts and screws it’s pretty easy–or is it?–but for all of the specialty fasteners in-between, the difference can get a bit hazy. Why does it matter, you ask? Apparently, they are subject to different import tariffs! Ouch. The poor engineers who have to deal with design changes because of this. And people wonder why it costs so much money to design a car or anything else.

My second-favorite government publication: Suspicious Activity Report-Casinos and Card Clubs. Casinos can use this Internal Revenue Service form to report customers who they believe might be a terrorist. I understand reporting this to the police or the FBI… but the IRS?

I guess we all know who wields the real power. 🙂 Yes, yes, in truth I can think of good reasons to do this… if someone ended up extorting money from me, I guess it seems there should be some kind of tax implication. And after all, it was the IRS that did in Al Capone. But still, it wasn’t a form I would have thought of! How on earth do people ever find these things come tax time?