The only site I'll ever need...

[SKO]

I'm the fat one. No, wait, that won't do. I'm the hairy one. Shit, that's not enough either.

[PenPho]

Looks like freebaseballradio.com is a bust this year - anyone know a way to stream live radio of MLBcasts?

[Quality Start Machine]

Looks like freebaseballradio.com is a bust this year - anyone know a way to stream live radio of MLBcasts?

Pay for them, tightwad.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

4 for tomorrow.  Aisle 204, Seats 105-109.  $13 per ticket OBO.

[PenPho]

So...yeah, remember when I was making fun of Sterling and smg for their heteroerotic Apple IT banter?

Well, guess what? I need help with my Mac.
(flounces slips in, hat in hand).

So, my Entourage isn't properly syncing with my Exchange Server, meaning that what I see in Entourage (where I do 99% of my work) isn't matching up with what I see on my iPhone and my webmail.

My IT guy's only solutions is to empty the cache in Entourage, but then I'm going to have my Entourage match the server, which is the exact opposite of what I'd like (meaning that I'm going to lose a whole bunch of emails and subfolders that don't currently show up on my iPhone or webmail).

Essentially, I think I'm having a sync problem and I don't know how to fix it.

Any help from anyone who knows anything about this would be great appreciated.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

Looks like freebaseballradio.com is a bust this year - anyone know a way to stream live radio of MLBcasts?

Do we have a Chuck Dickens signal handy? 

[Tonker]

So...yeah, remember when I was making fun of Sterling and smg for their heteroerotic Apple IT banter?

Well, guess what? I need help with my Mac.
(flounces slips in, hat in hand).

So, my Entourage isn't properly syncing with my Exchange Server, meaning that what I see in Entourage (where I do 99% of my work) isn't matching up with what I see on my iPhone and my webmail.

My IT guy's only solutions is to empty the cache in Entourage, but then I'm going to have my Entourage match the server, which is the exact opposite of what I'd like (meaning that I'm going to lose a whole bunch of emails and subfolders that don't currently show up on my iPhone or webmail).

Essentially, I think I'm having a sync problem and I don't know how to fix it.

Any help from anyone who knows anything about this would be great appreciated.

Anybody want to buy a Mac?

[Wheezer]

So...yeah, remember when I was making fun of Sterling and smg for their heteroerotic Apple IT banter?

Well, guess what? I need help with my Mac.
(flounces slips in, hat in hand).

So, my Entourage isn't properly syncing with my Exchange Server, meaning that what I see in Entourage (where I do 99% of my work) isn't matching up with what I see on my iPhone and my webmail.

My IT guy's only solutions is to empty the cache in Entourage, but then I'm going to have my Entourage match the server, which is the exact opposite of what I'd like (meaning that I'm going to lose a whole bunch of emails and subfolders that don't currently show up on my iPhone or webmail).

Essentially, I think I'm having a sync problem and I don't know how to fix it.

Any help from anyone who knows anything about this would be great appreciated.

"Quit wandering around the lamppost" springs to mind.

[Quality Start Machine]

So...yeah, remember when I was making fun of Sterling and smg for their heteroerotic Apple IT banter?

Well, guess what? I need help with my Mac.
(flounces slips in, hat in hand).

So, my Entourage isn't properly syncing with my Exchange Server, meaning that what I see in Entourage (where I do 99% of my work) isn't matching up with what I see on my iPhone and my webmail.

My IT guy's only solutions is to empty the cache in Entourage, but then I'm going to have my Entourage match the server, which is the exact opposite of what I'd like (meaning that I'm going to lose a whole bunch of emails and subfolders that don't currently show up on my iPhone or webmail).

Essentially, I think I'm having a sync problem and I don't know how to fix it.

Any help from anyone who knows anything about this would be great appreciated.

Anybody want to buy a Mac?

You talking computer or raincoat?

[J. Walter Weatherman]

So, about this Illinois Use Tax...

The Web File site says this:

If you owe $600 or less in use tax for 2010, you may use Form IL-1040 to report and pay your use tax.

Note: If you owe more than $600 in use tax,

   * you must file Form ST-44, Illinois Use Tax Return, and
   * if you do not file Form ST-44, we will determine that you did not file a use tax return.

The Dept. of Revenue says the following:

In 2010, the General Assembly passed a law making it easier for individuals to pay their Use Tax by putting a line on Form IL-1040. It also created an Illinois Use Tax Amnesty which means individuals can pay Use Tax owed for prior years without penalty and interest on Form ST-44. Click here for more Use Tax information.

• The Department of Revenue was required by law (Public Act 96-1388) to put a Use Tax line on Form IL-1040.
• The legislators wanted to make citizens more aware of their Use Tax obligation by putting the Use Tax line on the return.  There is an explanation of Use Tax and individual's responsibility in the IL-1040 instructions.
• Other states have put a Use Tax line on their income tax returns.
• Putting a Use Tax line on the return will assist you in complying with the law and reporting your Use Tax obligation.

For starters, all of this verbiage suggests to me that self-reporting this stuff on your income tax return is not obligatory (though I guess the upshot is that, if you don't self-report on either your IL-1040 or Form ST-44, you're a delinquent).

But what exactly is the enforcement mechanism here?

Not that the estimated use tax (per the table at the first link) is particularly burdensome to me but, if I self-report $0 (or, say, $5) use tax liability (legitimately or not), how can the state possibly dispute this?

I do note that they offer this warning:

Note: If you estimate your taxes and we find that you owe additional tax, we may assess the additional tax plus applicable penalties and interest. We conduct routine audits based on information received from third parties, including the U.S. Customs Service and other states.

But, I mean, short of the state digging up records of the cigarette boat I bought at a Florida drug auction, this is mostly just bullshit trying to scare people into voluntary compliance, right?

Anyways, my question to The Only Site...

What the fuck is up with our state?

[Brownie]

So, about this Illinois Use Tax...

The Web File site says this:

If you owe $600 or less in use tax for 2010, you may use Form IL-1040 to report and pay your use tax.

Note: If you owe more than $600 in use tax,

   * you must file Form ST-44, Illinois Use Tax Return, and
   * if you do not file Form ST-44, we will determine that you did not file a use tax return.

The Dept. of Revenue says the following:

In 2010, the General Assembly passed a law making it easier for individuals to pay their Use Tax by putting a line on Form IL-1040. It also created an Illinois Use Tax Amnesty which means individuals can pay Use Tax owed for prior years without penalty and interest on Form ST-44. Click here for more Use Tax information.

• The Department of Revenue was required by law (Public Act 96-1388) to put a Use Tax line on Form IL-1040.
• The legislators wanted to make citizens more aware of their Use Tax obligation by putting the Use Tax line on the return.  There is an explanation of Use Tax and individual's responsibility in the IL-1040 instructions.
• Other states have put a Use Tax line on their income tax returns.
• Putting a Use Tax line on the return will assist you in complying with the law and reporting your Use Tax obligation.

For starters, all of this verbiage suggests to me that self-reporting this stuff on your income tax return is not obligatory (though I guess the upshot is that, if you don't self-report on either your IL-1040 or Form ST-44, you're a delinquent).

But what exactly is the enforcement mechanism here?

Not that the estimated use tax (per the table at the first link) is particularly burdensome to me but, if I self-report $0 (or, say, $5) use tax liability (legitimately or not), how can the state possibly dispute this?

I do note that they offer this warning:

Note: If you estimate your taxes and we find that you owe additional tax, we may assess the additional tax plus applicable penalties and interest. We conduct routine audits based on information received from third parties, including the U.S. Customs Service and other states.

But, I mean, short of the state digging up records of the cigarette boat I bought at a Florida drug auction, this is mostly just bullshit trying to scare people into voluntary compliance, right?

Anyways, my question to The Only Site...

What the fuck is up with our state?

Vote Republican. Or Libertarian. Or Whig.

[R-V]

So, about this Illinois Use Tax...

The Web File site says this:

If you owe $600 or less in use tax for 2010, you may use Form IL-1040 to report and pay your use tax.

Note: If you owe more than $600 in use tax,

   * you must file Form ST-44, Illinois Use Tax Return, and
   * if you do not file Form ST-44, we will determine that you did not file a use tax return.

The Dept. of Revenue says the following:

In 2010, the General Assembly passed a law making it easier for individuals to pay their Use Tax by putting a line on Form IL-1040. It also created an Illinois Use Tax Amnesty which means individuals can pay Use Tax owed for prior years without penalty and interest on Form ST-44. Click here for more Use Tax information.

• The Department of Revenue was required by law (Public Act 96-1388) to put a Use Tax line on Form IL-1040.
• The legislators wanted to make citizens more aware of their Use Tax obligation by putting the Use Tax line on the return.  There is an explanation of Use Tax and individual's responsibility in the IL-1040 instructions.
• Other states have put a Use Tax line on their income tax returns.
• Putting a Use Tax line on the return will assist you in complying with the law and reporting your Use Tax obligation.

For starters, all of this verbiage suggests to me that self-reporting this stuff on your income tax return is not obligatory (though I guess the upshot is that, if you don't self-report on either your IL-1040 or Form ST-44, you're a delinquent).

But what exactly is the enforcement mechanism here?

Not that the estimated use tax (per the table at the first link) is particularly burdensome to me but, if I self-report $0 (or, say, $5) use tax liability (legitimately or not), how can the state possibly dispute this?

I do note that they offer this warning:

Note: If you estimate your taxes and we find that you owe additional tax, we may assess the additional tax plus applicable penalties and interest. We conduct routine audits based on information received from third parties, including the U.S. Customs Service and other states.

But, I mean, short of the state digging up records of the cigarette boat I bought at a Florida drug auction, this is mostly just bullshit trying to scare people into voluntary compliance, right?

Anyways, my question to The Only Site...

What the fuck is up with our state?

Yes, it's a scare tactic for voluntary compliance.

Just put a nominal amount on there ($5 or $10 of tax) so you start the clock ticking on the statute of limitations. As long as you report something in good faith, once 3 years pass you're in the clear and the state can't touch you for the $9,000 dildo you bought tax-free from Amazon.

[Chuck to Chuck]

Vote Republican. Or Libertarian. Or Whig.

I did.  The guy lost.  The last time I did that and the guy won, it was George Ryan.

[thehawk]

The use tax has been on the books since 1955, but other than certain large purchases (cars mostly) no one ever tried to collect it.  Now that IL (and a bunch of other states CF and NY of note) are broke, and people are buying more and more through the tubes, they are trying to collect it.

You may find the following advice useful (its from my accountant):

For Illinois residents who did not make any significant purchases in 2010 and are unable to determine the total amount of purchases on which you did not pay Sales Tax, IL has provided a table that will estimate the Use Tax due based upon the amount of your income – it is calculated by multiplying your Adjusted Gross Income by .06 percent (or approximately $60 in Use Tax for every $100,000 of income).... 

So if you put down $60 for every $100,000 of income, my guess is that the nice state will leave you alone. 

[R-V]

So, about this Illinois Use Tax...

The Web File site says this:

If you owe $600 or less in use tax for 2010, you may use Form IL-1040 to report and pay your use tax.

Note: If you owe more than $600 in use tax,

   * you must file Form ST-44, Illinois Use Tax Return, and
   * if you do not file Form ST-44, we will determine that you did not file a use tax return.

The Dept. of Revenue says the following:

In 2010, the General Assembly passed a law making it easier for individuals to pay their Use Tax by putting a line on Form IL-1040. It also created an Illinois Use Tax Amnesty which means individuals can pay Use Tax owed for prior years without penalty and interest on Form ST-44. Click here for more Use Tax information.

• The Department of Revenue was required by law (Public Act 96-1388) to put a Use Tax line on Form IL-1040.
• The legislators wanted to make citizens more aware of their Use Tax obligation by putting the Use Tax line on the return.  There is an explanation of Use Tax and individual's responsibility in the IL-1040 instructions.
• Other states have put a Use Tax line on their income tax returns.
• Putting a Use Tax line on the return will assist you in complying with the law and reporting your Use Tax obligation.

For starters, all of this verbiage suggests to me that self-reporting this stuff on your income tax return is not obligatory (though I guess the upshot is that, if you don't self-report on either your IL-1040 or Form ST-44, you're a delinquent).

But what exactly is the enforcement mechanism here?

Not that the estimated use tax (per the table at the first link) is particularly burdensome to me but, if I self-report $0 (or, say, $5) use tax liability (legitimately or not), how can the state possibly dispute this?

I do note that they offer this warning:

Note: If you estimate your taxes and we find that you owe additional tax, we may assess the additional tax plus applicable penalties and interest. We conduct routine audits based on information received from third parties, including the U.S. Customs Service and other states.

But, I mean, short of the state digging up records of the cigarette boat I bought at a Florida drug auction, this is mostly just bullshit trying to scare people into voluntary compliance, right?

Anyways, my question to The Only Site...

What the fuck is up with our state?

Vote Republican. Or Libertarian. Or Whig.

The Illinois Whigs are going to repeal the sales tax? Those wily bastards.