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Checker Players

3 Generation Of Checker Players

2011 Tax Savings

The Huffington Post   Janean Chun  
First Posted: 12/26/11 09:17 AM ET Updated: 12/26/11 09:17 AM ET
'Tis the season for procrastination, and Congress isn't the only player waiting until the 11th hour when it comes to taxes. Some small-business owners are scrambling in this last week of the year to try to reduce their tax burden. "Even though Congress failed to extend for 2012 various income tax provisions that expire at the end of 2011, it's still possible to do year-end tax planning now," says author, attorney and small-business advocate Barbara Weltman. Reporting income when you receive it and deducting expenses when you pay them gives you more control over your taxes. Ready to make some very last-minute tax moves that may save you money in 2012? According to Weltman, here are five things you need to know.
1. Don't bill yet for work you're doing now. Typically you'd send an invoice as quickly as possible, but Weltman suggests at this point, for tax purposes, you "consider waiting until the end of the year to send it. This will ensure payment is received in 2012, and taxes on the income are deferred for another year." One caveat, according to Weltman, is if you expect to be subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT) in 2011. If so, the opposite approach may make more sense -- bill immediately to receive the income in 2011, so "your income will be taxed at no more than 28 percent under the AMT vs. a regular tax rate of up to 35 percent," Weltman says.
Another factor to keep in mind: If you have any concerns about getting paid, it's not worth it to delay invoicing just for the tax benefits. "The sooner you start collections," Weltman says, "the more likely you'll receive all that you're owed."
2. Buy office supplies before the end of the year. Assuming you have the space to store it, try to stock up on the paper, toner or other office supplies you project to use throughout 2012. "Order them now so that the cost is deductible in 2011," Weltman says.
Weltman says an exception to this deduction is prepaid expenses for something that extends beyond the end of next year. For example, if you prepay a three-year subscription to a trade journal or renew a three-year membership to a trade association, that cost is deductible over three years, not just in 2011.
3. Invest in a qualified retirement plan. "If 2011 is expected to be profitable and you don’t yet have a qualified retirement plan, sign the paperwork to establish one for your business before the end of the year," Weltman says. "You'll then have until the extended due date of your return to fund the plan."
Weltman suggests you talk to a brokerage firm, mutual fund or other financial institution about what you need to do to adopt the plan for 2011. Find more information about qualified retirement plans in IRS Publication 560 (while it has not yet been updated for contribution and benefit limits in 2011, the general rules continue to apply).
4. Splurge on equipment. Want an iPad? Need more office computers? Tempted by the after Christmas sales? According to Weltman, if you buy the equipment and start to use it in your business before the end of the year, you can claim a full-write off. The write-off is available whether you finance the purchase in whole or in part. Here's what Weltman says you need to do to get this deduction:

• Use the Section 179 ("expensing") deduction for pre-owned property. This write-off is allowed only if you are profitable. The dollar limit on purchases for 2011 is $500,000.
• Use 100 percent bonus depreciation for new property, whether or not you are profitable. The write-off of the entire cost of eligible property can create or increase a net operating loss, which can mean a refund of some or all of the taxes paid in the prior two years.

5. Settle up your accounts payable. "You may have bills piled up that are not due until 2012 -- if you pay them now, you can deduct the expenses in 2011," says Weltman. If you don’t have the funds in your bank account at the moment, Weltman says you should consider putting the expenses on your business credit card if the vendor or other party allows it. Costs charged to a major credit card before the end of the year are deductible this year even though the credit card bill isn’t due until 2012.
Though you may be tight on time, Weltman says you shouldn't skip one more important step: "Contact your CPA or other tax advisor immediately to discuss whether these or other last-minute actions make sense for your tax situation," she says.

Last-Minute 2011 Tax Savings: 5 Things You Need To Know

Holiday Sides

Homemade Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 5 med. baking potatoes, peeled and sliced
• 1 C. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 C. garlic seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 C. milk
• 1 Tbs. butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the potatoes into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cook for 5-10 minutes, just until soft. Drain water, and mash potatoes. Beat in the butter, and about half of the milk using an electric mixer. Add more milk if needed to achieve the desired consistency of mashed potato. Season with salt and pepper. Spread potatoes evenly in a 9x13-inch baking dish, or desired casserole dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and cheese over the top. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cheese is melted and the top is browned. Serve immediately.

Bobbie's Corn Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 can whole kernel corn with liquid
• 1 can creamed corn
• 1 box Jiffy (must use Jiffy) corn muffin mix
• 2 eggs
• 8 oz. sour cream
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 8 oz. shredded mild or sharp cheddar depending on taste

Directions

It is very important to add things in order according to directions and mix each time as directed. Otherwise it will affect the end result. In a large mixing bowl. Beat eggs and add sugar. Beat well. Add sour cream and beat well. Add both cans of corn and stir well. Add Jiffy mix and about 6 oz. of the cheese. Mix well and pour into a 9x13 inch casserole that has been sprayed well with Pam. Top with remaining cheese and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. 

Holiday Hams

Holiday Coca-Cola Baked Ham

Ingredients

• 1 10-12-lb. bone-in ham
• whole cloves
• 1 1-lb. box dark brown sugar
• 1 12-oz. can Coca Cola (no diet)
• 1 14-oz. can pineapple rings, drained and the juice reserved
• 1 C. sweet concord grape wine

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a sharp knife, remove the rind from the ham. Score surface of the ham crosswise and lengthwise, forming a crisscross pattern about 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart. Place 1 clove in the center of each square. Place ham, fat side up, in a roasting pan. Press brown sugar onto the surface of the ham. Expect some sugar to fall into the roasting pan. Place in oven and bake until brown sugar just begins to melt, about 30 minutes. Pour the Coca-Cola over the ham, mixing with melted sugar in bottom of roasting pan. Baste ham with the cola mixture and bake an additional 30 minutes.Meanwhile, combine reserved pineapple juice and sweet concord grape wine in a small bowl. Baste ham with pineapple mixture every 20 minutes. Bake ham for a total of 16 minutes per pound. During the last 20 minutes of baking time, remove ham from oven and decorate with the pineapple rings. Use 2-3 wooden picks (toothpicks) to hold each ring in place. Place a cherry in the center of each ring, also using a wooden pick. Return to oven and continue to bake the final 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for at least 15 minutes before transferring to serving platter. Skim excess fat from drippings in the pan. Serve drippings as sauce with the ham. 

Baked Honey Ham

Ingredients

• 2 C. honey
• 2 C. brown sugar
• 1/3 C. cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. cloves
• 5-6 lb. bone-in ham, or 3-4 lb. boneless ham

Directions

Combine honey, brown sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Bake bone-in ham at 350 degrees for 1 hour to heat through, basting with honey sauce occasionally. If desired, bake another 10 minutes at 450 degrees to glaze the top.

To cook boneless ham, slice half way through at 1/4-inch intervals, then tie with string. Place in roasting pan. Heat honey sauce and pour over ham to marinate for 24 hours before baking. Then bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until heated through. If desired, bake another 10 minutes at 450 degrees to glaze the top.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Sugar-Free Holiday Treats

Sugar-Free Cherry Pie

Ingredients

• 2 16 oz. cans pitted tart cherries, in water - not syrup
• 1 large box cook and serve sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
• 1 small box sugar-free cherry gelatin
• Sugar substitute to equal 4 tsp. sugar (such as Sweet N Low or Equal)
• 1 baked 9-inch pastry shell

Directions

Drain cherries, reserving juice. Set cherries aside. In a saucepan, combine cherry juice and dry pudding mix. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil and is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin powder and sweetener until dissolved. Stir in the cherries; transfer to pie shell. Cool completely. Top with Sugar-Free Cool Whip. Store in refrigerator.

Yield: 8 servings

Sugar-Free Cherry Tea Mix

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. unsweetened cherry-flavored soft drink mix
• 1 1/4 C. sugar-free instant tea mix (artificially sweetened)

Directions

Combine items in a small bowl until well blended. Store in an airtight container. To serve, stir 2 tsp. tea mix into 8 oz. hot or cold water.

Kidz R Kidz Xmas Party

My Granddaughter Daycare Xmas Party.
Colors - Lime Green/Chocolate

 
                             



Xmas Lunch With Friend

Lemon Juice

20 Unusual Household Uses

From EcoSalon's Stephanie Rogers:
When life gives you lemons, use them to clean your house.
Juicy, aromatic and highly acidic, lemons bring out the flavor in sweet and savory foods but they nearly always play a supporting role in the kitchen. Stop relegating them to the rim of your glass and give these winter citrus fruits their due -- because they're serious cleaning and freshening powerhouses.
These 20 unusual uses for lemon juice will make your home look and smell fresh, brighten your laundry, and improve your hair, nails and skin.
Quick tip: roll a fresh lemon under your palm on the countertop to soften it up for easier juicing.
List and captions courtesy of EcoSalon.

Fingernail Brightener - Nails looking dull and yellowed after a long period covered in dark polish? Just squeeze a lemon into a small dish, clean your nails and soak them in the lemon juice for a minute or two. Some women claim that this treatment will also make nails stronger, particularly when adding a tablespoon or so of olive oil to the dish.

Food Preservative - Keep cut fruit and vegetables like apples, pears, avocados and potatoes from turning brown by squeezing on a little bit of lemon juice. You can also perk up droopy lettuce by soaking it for an hour in a bowl of cold water and the juice of one lemon.

Emergency Deodorant - Caught smelling less-than-fresh, with no deodorant around to save the day? Cut a lemon in half (or snag a wedge from your drinking glass) and rub it under your arms. The citric acid in lemon juice will reportedly kill odor-causing bacteria. In fact, you could use this trick to ditch conventional deodorants altogether.

Odor Destroyer - Even garlic, fish, mothballs and that disgusting gunk in your garbage disposal can't stand up to lemon juice's odor-eliminating power. Use a cut lemon or fresh-squeezed lemon juice to remove bad smells from your refrigerator, cutting board, microwave or practically any other surface. You can even add it to the cooking water of stinky foods like cabbage, or just simmer lemon peel in water on the stovetop as a natural air freshener.

Insect Deterrent -  Many insects are highly sensitive to smell, including spiders, ants, fleas and typically so-hardy-they're-almost-alien cockroaches. Squirt lemon juice in windowsills, the thresholds of doors, along baseboards and into any cracks where insects might get into the house. Add lemon juice to your floor wash for even more insect-repelling action.

Lighten Age Spots and Freckles - There's some debate as to whether this actually works, but if you're desperate to reduce the appearance of freckles or dreaded age spots, lemon juice might be worth a try. Apply lemon juice with a cotton ball once per day and over time -- we're talking months -- they may lighten a little bit.

Glass Cleaner - Lemon juice will make hard water stains, debris and other marks on glass disappear. Use straight lemon juice on a sponge for tough jobs, or dilute a few tablespoons in a cup of water and spray it on. Wipe it off with newspaper for totally transparent windows (that might just kill a bird or two.)

Stain Remover - Sweat, mildew, berries, wine, oil -- pretty much any substance that leaves a stain on fabric can be removed with good old lemon juice. Durable fabrics can be rubbed with a paste of lemon juice and salt while more delicate fabrics might require a gentler touch, saturating the stain with lemon juice and then washing it out.

Sore Throat Soother - Gargle with a teaspoon of lemon juice in 1/8 cup of warm water to help shrink swollen throat tissue and kill bacteria. Frequent cups of hot tea made with a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of lemon juice will also do the trick.

Toilet Cleaner - When mixed with household borax (not the insecticide kind), lemon juice can remove even those stubborn rust stains from the toilet bowl. Make a paste of borax and lemon juice and apply it to the stain with a scrub brush or sponge. Let it sit for up to two hours, then scrub away.

Metabolism Booster - Does lemon juice really boost metabolism? Some of the claims raise red flags as being a bit too enthusiastic, and most of these lemon-based "metabolism boosters" are recommended as food replacements in starvation diets. But hey, adding a little lemon juice to your water every day will make it taste better, and drinking more water can definitely help you lose weight. So, there's that.

Dandruff Treatment - Lemon juice may not cure dandruff or prevent it from occurring in the first place, but it can remove flakes that are already present so you don't have to worry about them making an appearance on your clothing. Massage lemon juice into your scalp, leave it on for ten minutes and shampoo as usual.

Metal Polish - Slice a lemon in half, dip it in salt and rub it onto metal surfaces like stainless steel ranges and copper pots to eliminate grime and make them gleam.

Rice De-Sticker - A few drops of lemon juice added to simmering rice will keep it from sticking to the pot, making clean-up a lot easier.

Hair Highlighter - You can achieve natural-looking highlights at home with nothing more than a little lemon juice, a sunny day and something to occupy your hands for an hour or two. Either apply it directly to the strands you want to highlight or get an overall lightening effect by spraying on a diluted mixture of 1/2 cup lemon juice to 1/2 cup of water. The intensity of the lightening will vary depending on your hair type and texture.

Laundry Brightener - Just as it removes stains, lemon juice can act as a natural, non-toxic alternative to bleach. Add a quarter cup of juice to the washing machine to brighten whites. Lemon juice's stain-removing power is further heightened by hanging the treated laundry up to dry in the sun.

Heartburn Relief - The efficacy of this trick depends on whether your heartburn is caused by too much acid in your stomach, or not enough. If it's the latter, drinking a little lemon juice in water can quickly relieve discomfort.

Facial Treatment -

Applied with a cotton ball, a little lemon juice acts as an astringent, eliminating oil and tightening pores for a smoother look. Mix salt and lemon juice into a paste for an all-natural exfoliant.

Itchy Skin Soother - Apply full-strength lemon juice to unbearably itchy skin rashes like poison ivy to soothe them and keep them from spreading.

Hangover Help - The next time you're groaning in pain the morning after enjoying just a tad too much alcohol, try drinking a little lemon juice squeezed into warm water or tea. Not only does it help you re-hydrate, but the lemon juice can reportedly help balance the pH levels in your body and replace the vitamin C lost in the binge.

Hearty Turkey Soup

ingredients

• 1 meaty turkey frame
• 4 cups water
• 4 cups turkey or chicken broth
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Chopped cooked turkey
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, cut into thin strips
• 1-1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 3 cups sliced or cubed vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, or turnips
• 1-1/2 cups high-fiber or whole wheat pasta, such as rotini or penne
• 1 15-oz. can Great Northern beans or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

directions

1. Break turkey frame or cut in half with kitchen shears. Place in large pot. Add water, broth, onion, garlic, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
2. Remove turkey frame. Cool; cut meat off bones; coarsely chop meat. Add enough turkey to equal 2 cups. Set aside. Discard bones. Strain broth; skim off fat.
3. Return broth to pot. Stir in tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Stir in vegetables. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer for 5 minutes. Add pasta. Simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until pasta is tender and still firm and vegetables are tender. Stir in turkey and beans; heat through. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Blue Pitbull

I met Myaski on my daily walk in the Park this weekend.  Myaski is UKC blood line and bred in the USA. Myaski max weight can be 125 pounds. 

The blue pitbulls are great guardians. Their potential as guardian dogs can be exploited only if they are trained properly, because blue pitbulls need to be taught the commands you want them to do. Other than that, blue pitbulls are extremely obedient and fast learners as well, so training should not be an issue. They have a life expectancy of about 12 years and must have plenty of exercise. Pitbulls have always been controversial, because there are many reported cases in which they attacked people on the street, or even their owners.

Granddaughter's Birthday

Grandson Earning Orange Belt