WASHINGTON – More than 15 million taxpayers could unexpectedly owe taxes when they file their federal returns next spring because the government was too generous with their new Making Work Pay tax credit.

Taxpayers are at risk if they have more than one job, are married and both spouses work, or receive Social Security benefits while also earning taxable wages, according to a report Monday by the Treasury Department's inspector general for tax administration......... story here

The tax credit, which is supposed to pay individuals up to $400 and couples up to $800, was President Barack Obama's signature tax break in the massive stimulus package enacted in February.

once again, something that barry & co dreamed up falls flat on it's face

The U.S. is looking at a mostly unused prison in Illinois as a place to move some terrorism suspects now detained at Guantanamo Bay, administration officials said. The idea of using the Thomson Correctional Center, 150 miles west of Chicago, has the support of some local elected officials, including Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate (oh.. and in case you didn't know, Dick Durbin, Senator for Illinois).

The state-of-the-art facility, built nearly a decade ago, remains mostly empty because the state doesn't have the money to run it at full capacity.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said he had a brief discussion with President Barack Obama this month about using the facility. He also wrote a letter last Thursday to Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Mr. Holder, saying the federal government would be hard-pressed to find a more secure prison. Mr. Quinn, a Democrat, said Illinois spent more than $120 million to build the facility, which has 1,600 cells on 146 acres. He said the local community is open to "any and all alternatives" for making use of it.

This whole thing stinks so bad and is so obvious it's comical. How many times do you read Illinois (obama's home turf) and democrat (obama's good old boy chicago political pals)? The fools built a prison they can't afford to run and of course it would be the best place to house these prisoners. barry wins and wins and wins on this one. oh... and one thing they neglect to mention in the story but was reported on the news tonight... the feds are going to take this albatross off the state of Illinois' hands - they plan on BUYING the thing!

The best place to house these criminals is at Gitmo. If you want to have trials for them, great - go for it. But have them tried right where they sit - it's insanity to bring them here. Although... old west justice in the form of pre-trial lynchings does have it's own appeal.

got this on craigslist... take the survey, help the guy out

Please take my anonymous "Roswell" survey to help me with my Masters thesis at Fordham University. The "Roswell incident" was the alleged landing of space aliens in Roswell, New Mexico. The survey is fast and fun. Just click on this link. Thanks!

In case we run out of masks during the N1H1 flu season, here is a ‘homemade’ mask you can make yourself.

I volunteered to do this trip when I still worked at the zoo. I didn't back out of doing it - chalk it up to more freebie volunteer work I guess. We took 8 buses (about 50 per bus) down to Chicago for the 8th annual shopping trip.

arrival time 6 am to register people

waaahhhh! I should be sleeping!!

Scott.. the driver of our bus. he was great

1 1/2 hours later... windy city dead ahead!

I'm completely drawing a blank as to these farmers names. haha! I have no clue why they are there, we never got back there to investigate

pile of boats waiting for the bridge to open up so they can get up the river

pretty buildings... someone more familiar with the city can name them I'm sure

water tower. looks like a ginormous sand castle

the flags are everwhere Chicago Olympic Candidate. Yeah.. sure.. whatever. There are big billboards that say help the Olympics come to Chicago and it is spray painted NO OLYMPICS on almost every one I saw. I guess barry and the wife are the only ones that really wanted them there

the city is getting their Christmas decs ready... the lighting ceremony is next week sometime. I'm not sure about the spray painted red trees.. looked pretty ghetto

shoe dept at Macy's.... it's only shoes people! they were serious.. and deadly. I kept my distance

ooooo... sparkly!

these guys all over the place... yawn. done to death IMO

Amtrak lovers Illinois like mustard on Chicago style hot dogs ... uh... right. first of all... lovers?? wth? secondly... catchy slogan ya got there ... NOT

buttloads of peeps on the streets. plus a siren going somewhere or other every effin minute of the day

Garretts popcorn? never heard of it yet people waited a good 45 mins in line to get some. no thanks.. jiffy pop here I come!

part of the festive holiday decs was this electric jello mold .... pity that we never saw it lit up

the girls are still smiling even though we couldn't locate the bus.. probably because they spent tons of hard earned cash and liked it!

the rain held off til we got onboard.. yay!

next trip will either be in December when Cindy is here or in March for the International plant show on the Navy Pier. I'm going to that one.. love me some plants!

local mall has a Santa Cam... very cute

DNR Is Allowing Qualified Hunters To Shoot Feral Pigs During Nine Day Hunting Season

MADISON -- Any Wisconsin deer hunter who also has a small-game license is invited by the state to shoot some feral pigs this season.

The state Department of Natural Resources said feral pigs carry diseases and are highly destructive.

So the agency is allowing qualified hunters to shoot any feral pigs they see during the nine-day gun deer-hunting season.

There's no limit to the number of feral pigs a hunter can shoot.

Landowners don't need a hunting license to shoot feral pigs on their own land.

Anyone else can shoot one as long as they have the proper license, as well as landowner permission if they're on private land.

However, hunters have to be sure the pigs are truly feral.

Domesticated pigs sometimes escape, and hunters who kill one can be liable for its replacement cost.

cripes... I wake up looking like I slept in a cement mixer. My hair resembles a cheap wig

plus

equals

I need help....

You don't have to be a Veteran to be a Patriot or understand sacrifice

I woke up this morning and once I got a look at myself said I have Donald Trump hair.

yeah... kinda like that