Running Bear's September 2022 Coffee Shop

[logandsawman]

Good morning all,

It is a sunny and cool morning in East Central Minnesota. Going for a high of 81, I will be at work all day today, editing some old road plans for our Right of Way data base. I enjoy that work because it is a lot of looking at old deeds and looking up records. We have a pretty good file system here so it is work I do not mind at all.

Chad - I feel your pain, having recently completed our home here. Hang in there

Ken OBTC - the hardest thing for me in speech class was to relax. I have a tendency to talk fast and have been working on that my entire life. Making youtube videos really helped me in that area.

TomO - you are a fast walker. My knees could not tolerate that pace for more than a mile.

Willie - your parking area turned out nice.

This photo is from the old layout, if you remember that one was full of trees. I have only 2 trees on the new layout, decided to finish the other scenery details then add trees:

New chains on this load. I used the same ground cover techniques on the old layout, also some of the same track is still in use

more later, Dave LASM

 

[D&J RailRoad]

Fine for tax evasion? Well if you're talking about the little guy, doubtful. If they see criminal intent , sure, but it's been my experience with them that they tend to give the little guy the benefit of the doubt and treat such things as a clerical error or a mistake on your part, and provide you with an adjusted payment, which you are free to discuss with them (I have) and it generally works out (it did). Bottom line advice: 1: Don't be a criminal. 2: Pay your taxes. Easy Peasy. Is it a perfect system? Nope. Show me one. As long as there are humans in the equation, that's not gonna happen, but unless you give them the impression that you're involved in some sort of skullduggery, or are demonstrating bad faith, its unlikely you're going to have any problems. That's been my experience after some 51 years in the workforce and five or so years as a small business owner.

I think you are still missing the point. Watch the speech tonight and it will become clear. Jay walking isn't a serious crime either, but it can be used for other more serious charges, i.e. obstructing traffic, interfering with social order, inciting disturbance.

 

[ctclibby]

I think you are still missing the point. Watch the speech tonight and it will become clear. Jay walking isn't a serious crime either, but it can be used for other more serious charges, i.e. obstructing traffic, interfering with social order, inciting disturbance.

What speech and what time?

Conspiracy theories are fun. Farting in public is not against the law at all. Obnoxious, yes - unless you do a SBD. So now you can be charged with methane production without a license, do not have a tall smoke stack to discharge properly, have not paid production taxes on said methane and to top it all off, no business license or any kind of federal id. Gonna go to jail for years! Don't want to think about what the fine(s) would be.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

1.4KW per panel - that a typo?
Also, are you planning some sort of battery array? I am getting there although still in the "what if" and design stage.

No, no typo.
I considered a battery array of sorts but then figured there was no point in it because I bank my power with the local grid. Power outages are so rare it wouldn't be cost effective. Actually, I could buy a new 5kw generator every 5 years and I would still be ahead over a 20-year period. I prolly won't live that long.
Here's yesterday's view of the array. The one panel that is under performing is darkened by the app to stand out.

 

[Patrick]

Hello again,

Gotta go out in a bit to ship a box of crap and make a house payment. First one where no additional funds being added as we're trying to start saving as much as we can for when the wife is out of work. Payments shouldn't be a problem, but getting the additional will be. I can always cash in a 401k, but then what would we do for the future?

This will also be the last weekend for Netflix as cost cutting has begun. She likes to tell her friends that she's losing her income and my only solution is to cut the $15 a month for Netflix... It's actually the only service we're paying for as the Fire sticks we have are part of our Amazon account, which like the Sam's account, actually save us money. There's all sorts of free movies available on these units, along with the older Roku on the set in the basement (Train room).

 

[D&J RailRoad]

What speech and what time?

Conspiracy theories are fun. Farting in public is not against the law at all. Obnoxious, yes - unless you do a SBD. So now you can be charged with methane production without a license, do not have a tall smoke stack to discharge properly, have not paid production taxes on said methane and to top it all off, no business license or any kind of federal id. Gonna go to jail for years! Don't want to think about what the fine(s) would be.

During prime time tonight. The Battle for the Soul of the Nation.

 

[ctclibby]

No, no typo.
I considered a battery array of sorts but then figured there was no point in it because I bank my power with the local grid. Power outages are so rare it wouldn't be cost effective. Actually, I could buy a new 5kw generator every 5 years and I would still be ahead over a 20-year period. I prolly won't live that long.
Here's yesterday's view of the array. The one panel that is under performing is darkened by the app to stand out.

View attachment 151035

I get it, 1.4KWH I made the pix big and spied that. Didn't think that you have 1.4KW panels. Biggest I have seen so far are 400W panels. Usually you are looking at about a $1 per Watt to buy.
We have power outages so looking at the battery solution.

 

[Espeefan]

I think you are still missing the point. Watch the speech tonight and it will become clear. Jay walking isn't a serious crime either, but it can be used for other more serious charges, i.e. obstructing traffic, interfering with social order, inciting disturbance.

No, Ken, I don't miss your point here. I just don't think it's very likely. I don't see an army of armed IRS agents descending on us because we made an extra hundred bucks in a yard sale, or selling our used Athearn BB locos on e-Bay either. Be careful not to OD on the fear that is being pumped into everything these days. There are folks out there who want you afraid because frightened people tend not to think, just react. The IRS is a business in a sense. They are going to go after wherever they perceive the maximum return is. Just like a business focusing on the post profitable market. Consider that there are lots of very wealthy people out there who are suddenly aware that they may have to possibly pay their fair share of taxes. They probably aren't thrilled about that, so they're pointing their finger at you and saying "They're gonna getcha!" To which I repeat: Don't be a criminal. Pay your taxes.

 

[TLOC]

Back again. Walked later this morning and slower as the anchor was with. Terry with her COPD (no oxygen tank, yet) walks at a 20 minute per mile pace. Very slow compared to the non-COPD Terry but still damn good. When I am by myself and on the smoother trails I can motor pretty good. Back 15 years ago 4 miles walking before work was 48-52 minutes. Those days and that desire are gone.

My knees don’t hurt but my lower back and hip areas used to and sometimes still do. It’s why the last couple of years I alternate the walking with the swimming. It’s why I now use resistant rubber bands for strength exercise. But sometimes like today, even though I walked yesterday, Terry wanted to walk outside. Daily she uses the treadmill that I despise. The weather was perfect for her. I will swim around 9 or 10 tonight when we get back.

I am on the deck doing the cool down, then a shower! We will leave in about 30 minutes as Hiawatha Hobbies opens at 10 and I don’t have a need to be sitting at the doors waiting. It’s not a Black Friday event!

 

[ctclibby]

Back again. Walked later this morning and slower as the anchor was with. Terry with her COPD (no oxygen tank, yet) walks at a 20 minute per mile pace. Very slow compared to the non-COPD Terry but still damn good. When I am by myself and on the smoother trails I can motor pretty good. Back 15 years ago 4 miles walking before work was 48-52 minutes. Those days and that desire are gone.

My knees don’t hurt but my lower back and hip areas used to and sometimes still do. It’s why the last couple of years I alternate the walking with the swimming. It’s why I now use resistant rubber bands for strength exercise. But sometimes like today, even though I walked yesterday, Terry wanted to walk outside. Daily she uses the treadmill that I despise. The weather was perfect for her. I will swim around 9 or 10 tonight when we get back.

I am on the deck doing the cool down, then a shower! We will leave in about 30 minutes as Hiawatha Hobbies opens at 10 and I don’t have a need to be sitting at the doors waiting. It’s not a Black Friday event!

Boy, I would be sitting at the doors waiting. I hate waiting to start something and take off early. Wife is sorta getting used to that after 22 years, so that is a good thing?

 

[TLOC]

No, Ken, I don't miss your point here. I just don't think it's very likely. I don't see an army of armed IRS agents descending on us because we made an extra hundred bucks in a yard sale, or selling our used Athearn BB locos on e-Bay either. Be careful not to OD on the fear that is being pumped into everything these days. There are folks out there who want you afraid because frightened people tend not to think, just react. The IRS is a business in a sense. They are going to go after wherever they perceive the maximum return is. Just like a business focusing on the post profitable market. Consider that there are lots of very wealthy people out there who are suddenly aware that they may have to possibly pay their fair share of taxes. They probably aren't thrilled about that, so they're pointing their finger at you and saying "They're gonna getcha!" To which I repeat: Don't be a criminal. Pay your taxes.

I am not afraid of the IRS even though they are intimidating. I pay my taxes but have been audited 3 years in a row. I was treasurer of a social do-Gooder club in the 80’s. The guy before me was embezzling. $60,000. + over 10 years. I found issues my 1st three months in and reported it. The State IRS was more concerned then Federal so they did quick audits on me and the Club the 3 years I stayed on as Treasurer. The Federal only one year in that time frame.

people IMO are over reacting to PayPal, EBay and others about the tax thing. If we are selling trains, does anyone really think the Federal IRS is coming after them. Nope unless you are a huge brick and mortar shop. The States though are who pushed through those changes. They want the share of sales going through PayPal, EBay, Venmo and others. But if you sell say $5000 on PayPal and your state sales tax is 5% why wouldn’t you pay the $250.

just my thought, YMMV

 

[D&J RailRoad]

I still think ya'all are missing the point.
Can't talk politics here so the point can't be explained.
Just have to learn the hard way.
Just listen to the speech tonight and it will become clear.

 

[chadbag]

No, no typo.
I considered a battery array of sorts but then figured there was no point in it because I bank my power with the local grid. Power outages are so rare it wouldn't be cost effective. Actually, I could buy a new 5kw generator every 5 years and I would still be ahead over a 20-year period. I prolly won't live that long.
Here's yesterday's view of the array. The one panel that is under performing is darkened by the app to stand out.

View attachment 151035

That is cumulative for the day for that panel, right?

 

[troyphoto]

No, Ken, I don't miss your point here. I just don't think it's very likely. I don't see an army of armed IRS agents descending on us because we made an extra hundred bucks in a yard sale, or selling our used Athearn BB locos on e-Bay either. Be careful not to OD on the fear that is being pumped into everything these days. There are folks out there who want you afraid because frightened people tend not to think, just react. The IRS is a business in a sense. They are going to go after wherever they perceive the maximum return is. Just like a business focusing on the post profitable market. Consider that there are lots of very wealthy people out there who are suddenly aware that they may have to possibly pay their fair share of taxes. They probably aren't thrilled about that, so they're pointing their finger at you and saying "They're gonna getcha!" To which I repeat: Don't be a criminal. Pay your taxes.

Back when I was running my Wedding Photo biz, I got an office space for meeting with clients. It was in an artsy-fartsy enclave built in an old automobile factory in downtown Indianapolis. (The Stutz Bearcat was made there).

Wouldn't you know it, about 6 mos into the lease I got a notice not from the IRS, but the IN State Dept of Revenue. They estimated a sales tax amount for me based on what they thought I would be selling. Of course, they were waaaaaaaay off. Called my accountant. He said the penalty was cheap, and the realistic amount of owed sales tax on the non-service parts of my contracts would be easy enough to prove. So we filed for Sales Tax license and filed an "amended" report of our first year. Paying the penalty+actual amount was cheaper.

On my FB page, I keep having an LP friend snipe in whenever I post anything about taxing. He keeps posting that the broadest number of audits are done at the lowest income levels - and provides political think tank pieces to support that. I did some digging, and the issue at the bottom end seems to be taxpayers not understanding things like the Earned Income Tax Credit (or another one, I get them confused.)

So, those misreporting on self-done low-income returns flag a basic audit. My "Big L" friend says I'm naive for not trusting his biased think tank reporting.

I'm more concerned about issues like:

IRS audited former FBI directors Comey and McCabe

The two were subject to a rarely used program of intense scrutiny that is supposed to be randomly selected.

www.accountingtoday.com

 

[Espeefan]

Back again. Walked later this morning and slower as the anchor was with. Terry with her COPD (no oxygen tank, yet) walks at a 20 minute per mile pace. Very slow compared to the non-COPD Terry but still damn good. When I am by myself and on the smoother trails I can motor pretty good. Back 15 years ago 4 miles walking before work was 48-52 minutes. Those days and that desire are gone.

My knees don’t hurt but my lower back and hip areas used to and sometimes still do. It’s why the last couple of years I alternate the walking with the swimming. It’s why I now use resistant rubber bands for strength exercise. But sometimes like today, even though I walked yesterday, Terry wanted to walk outside. Daily she uses the treadmill that I despise. The weather was perfect for her. I will swim around 9 or 10 tonight when we get back.

I am on the deck doing the cool down, then a shower! We will leave in about 30 minutes as Hiawatha Hobbies opens at 10 and I don’t have a need to be sitting at the doors waiting. It’s not a Black Friday event!

Going after anything good?

 

[Sirfoldalot]

Summer finally arrives out here yesterday where it was 110 degrees in the shade under the north patio. I made a run to put some fuel in the P/U (the grandson has the CRV for a few days) and to Walmart next door - went into the store for THREE things in the grocery part and came out being 86 dollars poorer with like 42 items - I only put 10 Gal of gas in the truck for $50.00 as the price has been coming down a smidgen?

Nothing wrong with capitalism - just need to stop the Government from trying to regulate everything with larger and larger bureaucracy. The hoops I had to go through trying to build that house I mentioned yesterday. The bill from the "soils" engineer, 10K, AND grading required for the pad ,septic, and roadway , another 10K plus 6K for a building permit and 73K for the power company ---
I was going to have 100K plus invested without ever driving a nail.
This was 17 years ago - hate to think how much today?

HUGHIE - Thanks for the posting. My parents took me to tour the 'TEXAS' in 1950 while visiting kin in South Texas. I can still remember parts of the tour - the guns, the anchor, a propeller on deck, and the engine room - also went to the top of the San Jacinto tower next to the ship! Quite a sight for an 8 YO small town country bumpkin. My father had just purchased a 49 Chrysler Windsor and it had A/C - something that none of the other kin had?

KEN - You had to bring up horror stories with me about the IRS! Brings back memories of the 3 years in a row that I was audited while working overseas.
Ole J.C. - and that is not Jesus Christ wanted to tax our company housing along with any per diem we received while overnighting away from domicile. The IRS was claiming that the 'inflated' housing was worth $30,000 a year in additional income.
Fortunately, my tax preparer was a former IRS auditor and was able to convince them of their errors, and when he was done, actually got me an even larger refund.
Finally - the third yeaar, he slammed the books on the table of the IRS man and said that enough was enough - haven't been bothered since.
Now - the state of KAL - is a nightmare if one gets caught in a compliance audit where they look at ALL banking records and anything that has yur name on it!
Nothing more than a "fishing" expedition and just shows you the power that taxing authorities have.
I do not want one of those - and I understand that they are random - not because they think you did wrong.

CHET - Love your pic and that RED OLDSMOBILE is the cat's meow!

 

[JeffH]

Back when I was running my Wedding Photo biz, I got an office space for meeting with clients. It was in an artsy-fartsy enclave built in an old automobile factory in downtown Indianapolis. (The Stutz Bearcat was made there).

Wouldn't you know it, about 6 mos into the lease I got a notice not from the IRS, but the IN State Dept of Revenue. They estimated a sales tax amount for me based on what they thought I would be selling. Of course, they were waaaaaaaay off. Called my accountant. He said the penalty was cheap, and the realistic amount of owed sales tax on the non-service parts of my contracts would be easy enough to prove. So we filed for Sales Tax license and filed an "amended" report of our first year. Paying the penalty+actual amount was cheaper.

On my FB page, I keep having an LP friend snipe in whenever I post anything about taxing. He keeps posting that the broadest number of audits are done at the lowest income levels - and provides political think tank pieces to support that. I did some digging, and the issue at the bottom end seems to be taxpayers not understanding things like the Earned Income Tax Credit (or another one, I get them confused.)

So, those misreporting on self-done low-income returns flag a basic audit. My "Big L" friend says I'm naive for not trusting his biased think tank reporting.

I'm more concerned about issues like:

IRS audited former FBI directors Comey and McCabe

The two were subject to a rarely used program of intense scrutiny that is supposed to be randomly selected.

www.accountingtoday.com

Indiana is brutal on sales tax audits.

 

[Bruette]

I've been self-employed full-time since 1995. I've been audited twice. Each time they found a mistake. I disagreed; they called it a misunderstanding. All I had to do was to pay the correct amounts. No fees, no penalties. Good thing it was two different mistakes/misunderstandings.

I was audited by the state of Maryland once as well. Same thing. Pay what they say I owe, no penalties no fees.

Seems to me the IRS is only looking for criminals. I think it's more likely you would get attacked by bigfoot than be a victim of an IRS swindle.

Beware of people trying to frighten you. Don't worry about the taxman. Unless you took out loans on a lot of underreported, overvalued property.

"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

 

[truckdad]

I was reminded of some posts earlier in the week when the government of Kalifornia decided to outlaw the sale of gasoline vehicles by 2035. Then yesterday the utility authority told everyone not to charge their cars because the electric system was strained! There's just 400,000 EV's out there now, and 15,000,000 gasoline powered vehicles. What's going to happen when there's 16 million EV's???

Willie, on a related subject, our guv, if I heard him correctly this morning, ordered all ships docked in Ca ports to not use shore power and run their engines to use their own power!! I will be doing my part between 4pm -9pm and manually operating my turnouts............

 

[Espeefan]

Indiana is brutal on sales tax audits.

In general I found the state tax agencies were much more aggressive than the Feds.