In the wake of recent, devastating events and the social fallout, the Coronavirus doesn’t seem to be taking up as much space in the collective unconscious. Perhaps this is because, after fighting an unseen enemy for months, Americans now have a tangible personification of evil in Derek Chauvin. Like the rest of the world, Bourke Accounting employees are talking about little else.
It was during one of these conversations that Bill asked me if I had heard about the protests that have been taking place worldwide. I allowed that I saw a headline or two, but hadn’t really looked into it. When I did look into it, I was surprised.
Since the Revolutionary War, America has sort of been like the tough, cocky, reckless (sometimes mad dog dumb) younger sibling to the rest of the world; as far as countries go, we’re the baby. And as far as our attitude goes, “My Way” might as well be acknowledged as our theme song.
It’s wonderful that people, thousands of miles away, are empathetic and strong enough to lend their voices to protest despicable and lethal racist practices. While our current troubles are clearly a dark mark on America’s reputation, it is astounding that the gravity of our plight has reached so far. For example, a few days ago in Berlin, Germany, protesters demonstrated outside of the U.S. Embassy (NPR.com). Also, in London, England, in Trafalgar Square, demonstrators took a knee for nine minutes (NPR.com). Even Iran hosted protesters for a candlelight vigil, complete with “Black Lives Matter posters and illustrations of Floyd posted” (NPR.com).
So far, the international protests have been extremely peaceful. Maybe it’s because protesting another country’s problems is one thing and destroying your own city is quite another. Maybe they’re just better behaved than us. From what I’ve read, the only incident that even hinted at potential violence was in Australia; apparently a demonstration was cancelled because people on social media “threatened to create havoc and protest against the event” (TheGuardian.com). Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison also warned protestors against “importing things happening in other countries” (TheGuardian.com) to their own. After watching some US protests, it’s hard to blame him.
Besides showing solidarity against prejudice in general, many international activists point out that there are race relation difficulties within their own countries. For example, Australian protesters mention that, since 1991, there have been “more than 400 Indigenous deaths in [police] custody” (TheGuardian.com). These deaths have yet to be explained. Additionally, in England, riots erupted after police shot and killed Mark Duggan, a man “under suspicion of planning an attack” (BBC.com). During the riots, it was discovered that the police were “four times more likely to use force against black people than white people” (BBC.com).
Sadly, bigotry is not just an American pastime. With the world watching, we can prove that the US does not condone discrimination. We can also demonstrate that change can happen without violence and destruction. We must not allow ourselves to be drawn into a bloody civil war because some guy, squatting in the White House, has nothing better to do than antagonize a wounded nation. Let’s show the world that, while we may be cocky, we’re not as dumb as we look.
Bourke Accounting understands the importance of solidarity – not just regarding their clients, but concerning the world, as well. Your Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers know that teamwork makes the dream work (laugh at me all you want, but you know I’m right). With Bourke Accounting, as with life in general, cooperation makes us better than we are alone. When we stand up for each other, we stand up for a greater, more peaceful world.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned, in a Bourke Accounting blog, that I am going back to 2019 until 2020 gets fixed. I’ve changed my mind. I am now going back to the Mesozoic Era. And I’m not sure if I’m ever coming home.
Yesterday, the cashier at my local grocery store decided that I was the perfect person to hear her problems (I have never seen this woman before). Her husband has been unemployed for two years, her kids are running wild, she thinks her uncle is doing drugs again, it went on for a while. At the end, she looked at me expectantly. Like a talking deer in headlights, I made a few sympathetic noises and then said, “Aw, man, it’s gonna get better.” I smiled comfortingly (and invisibly) behind my mask.
“Thanks,” she said, through tight lips. “You know, that was just toxic positivity, right?” I was about to apologize, but since I didn’t know what I would be apologizing for, I accepted my receipt and left. Got to say, I was a little bummed and severely confused.
I’ve heard of “toxic friendships,” “toxic masculinity,” “toxic relationships,” “toxic chemicals,” even. But what, WHAT in the name of all things holy is “toxic positivity?” I found out.
According to ThePsychologyGroup.com, toxic positivity is the “excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state,” no matter what the situation. In English: Toxic positivity is putting on a happy face when you’re dying inside. However, you can also be “guilty” of toxic positivity when dealing with others if you encourage “people to always see the bright side, and not open up about anything bad” (TheTab.com).
When I offered that things would get better, I, unbeknownst to me, was “disallowing the existence of certain feelings” (ThePsychologyGroup.com) and neglecting to give her emotions validation. In addition, I will now be responsible when the clerk falls “into a state of denial and repressed emotions” (ThePsychologyGroup.com). Apparently, I should have said something along the lines of: This is hard, but I believe in you and I’ll be thinking of you. Instead, I, most likely, made her “feel unsafe expressing negativity” (TheMighty.com) and now she is going to stuff all of her emotions inside, forever and ever.
Obviously, we all know that it’s unhealthy to pretend that everything is always great, even when it’s not. Shrinks have warned that “suppressed emotions can…manifest in anxiety, depression or even physical illness” (ThePsychologyGroup.com). I believe this to be true, but I also believe that there’s a time and a place for everything. Maybe it’s my fear of publicly airing dirty laundry, but if I’m having a rough time in my personal life, I’m not sure that my employers, customers or co-workers really need to hear about it.
However, from all that I’ve read about “toxic positivity,” I am making the lives of those around me worse because I don’t talk about every problem. How? Since I don’t discuss every problem, I am leading them to believe that they are somehow abnormal. Yup. Because I don’t believe anyone needs to hear about a current bout of constipation, I am making them feel bad about themselves.
Who knew? I guess we should all take the advice of ThePsychologyGroup.com: If you recognize yourself as a transmitter of toxic positivity, it’s time to cut it out. Hey, guys! Did I mention constipation? There, everyone feels better now.
Your Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers actually need to know about messy divorces. However, as a Bourke Accounting client, you’re not going to have to make sympathetic noises as your expert relates childhood trauma. Like I said, there’s a time and a place. Maybe as you develop a close relationship with your Bourke Accounting pro, we can all share little secrets. Until then, rest assured that no one is going to accuse you of toxic positivity.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
If income taxes were suddenly abolished, I would be out of a job. Since I like working for Bourke Accounting, and hate job interviews, that would be hard for me. Also, we’d all notice quite a change in our society if taxes were no longer a thing: sure, we’d have more money in our pockets, but no one to call if a stranger, emerging from a dark alley, decided to relieve us of that money.
We understand that taxes are a necessary evil that we simply have to live with. Well, most of us understand that. There are, however, people who refuse to accept the inevitability of our American taxation system. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you The Tax Protester.
First off, a tax protester should not be confused with a tax resister. A tax resister is someone who refuses to pay taxes because s/he disagrees with something the American government is doing. For example, before women won the right to vote, many Suffrage organizations suggested that, as a form of passive resistance, taxes not be paid. These thoughts were later reflected during the Vietnam war when many protestors, as “conscientious objectors,” decided that they did not want to fund a war that they felt was immoral (En.Wikipedia.org).
Tax protesters are a little different. Tax protesters refuse to pay taxes, “claiming that the tax laws are unconstitutional or otherwise invalid” (En.Wikipedia.org). Naturally, there are some tax protesters who believe that the government “covers up the ‘truth’ about the income tax in order to continue oppressing the people and taking their money” (ADL.org), but we’re just going to slide right past that one.
One argument that tax protesters use is that “money you receive for working isn’t technically income [but] an equal exchange of your labor for fair market wages” (USAToday.com). Because this is a “trade,” there is no “’gain’ to be taxed” (USAToday.com). They concede that taxes should be paid if one sold a lot of stocks or won the lottery, but W2 earnings should be left out of every taxation equation.
Another tax protester rationalization compares paying taxes to slavery. The belief suggests that, since slavery is illegal, so are taxes. Kentucky’s own Rand Paul pontificated that “if we tax you at 50%, you are half-slave, half-free” (USAToday.com). The Internal Revenue Service has never felt this to be a compelling debate issue.
Then there are the folks who have decided that a tax bill doesn’t pertain to an individual, since “IRS correspondence is written in all capital letters” (TheDailyBeast.com). Because of this, protesters feel that a tax bill is really addressed “to a legal entity which shares your name but is not you” (TheDailyBeast.com). Again, the tax courts don’t agree with this defense in the slightest.
Having the tax court disagree with a claim is one thing; however, if the IRS deems you are filing a frivolous argument, you can be fined from $5,000 to $25,000 (USAToday.com). In addition, there’s the chance that the IRS will prosecute for tax evasion – complete with prison and penalties (USAToday.com).
Perhaps I have become complacent, but it seems to me that defiantly refusing to pay taxes is rather like screaming at a cloudy sky because you wanted to go to the beach. It might make you feel better in the moment, but what is it really going to accomplish?
Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers don’t want you to go to prison. Your Bourke Accounting pro will listen to you vent about the tax system, but as soon as you suggest some hairbrained scheme, your expert will shut you right down. Your Bourke Accounting specialist wants to keep your good name intact, as well as making sure that you never have to learn how to make a shank.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
Bourke Accounting clients are pretty nice. They’re polite, they’re friendly and they don’t make ridiculous demands that are impossible to meet. Most importantly, our clients don’t talk down to any of us. I like them.
I realized how very lucky I am yesterday while at a Walgreens. Prominently displayed was a sign in the window advising that face coverings must be worn. All right, no problem, let me just fish this out of my purse and, yay – I was compliant. The masked gentleman guarding the doors acknowledged me with a nod and I returned my own masked head nod. Within five minutes, there was a commotion.
The source of the trouble was an unmasked woman who had just walked in, accompanied by a little girl (who was similarly devoid of facial covering). The employee informed her that she would have to leave if she did not have a mask. The woman mentioned that she lived in America and had no idea what country he was from. She then, inexplicably, enlightened him that her handbag cost more than he made in a month. Finally, she proudly stated that some kid, from somewhere, wasn’t going to tell her what to do. The employee sighed, pulled out his phone and said that his only choice was to get the authorities involved. The poor child looked mortified as her mother stalked out of the store, four-letter words and disparagement of the gentleman’s parentage raining down.
I looked over at the employee and said something along the lines of, “Jeez, relax, Karen,” he chuckled and I went about my business. It has recently come to my attention, however, that some people find the term “Karen” to be sexist, ageist, classist and on par with a racial slur. Eh, say again? Okay, what is a “Karen”? A “Karen” is typified by the example above: an entitled, culturally insensitive, snobbish nightmare. Generally, “Karens” aggressively treat those they deem “beneath” them as sub-human.
The Guardian argues that the term is used to silence women in general and confident women specifically. In addition, because “Karens” are generally on the older side of 25, it’s a way to tell mature women that they are irrelevant. Finally, because a “Karen” is thought to be well-off, the title engages in “wealth shaming” (seriously, this is a thing now).
I rather think these opponents of the “Karen” moniker are missing the point; it is a term that attacks who a person is, rather than what a person is and is not meant to characterize all women; “Karen” even has a male counterpart, which I’ve seen as “Kyle” or “Bill.” When we see a customer berate a store clerk and scream for a manager because an expired coupon cannot be honored, we are judging the behavior of the shrieking individual, not the quality of her/his shoes.
While it’s true that our country still faces discrimination issues, I don’t believe that we should go looking for fire where there isn’t even any smoke. There are enough legitimate examples of prejudice to fight against. And, really, people who misbehave and treat others terribly should not be surprised when the recipients of their abuse get a little snarky.
Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers, being utter professionals, can handle a “Karen” or a “Kyle.” However, it doesn’t come up much as, like I stated, Bourke Accounting clients are wonderful. Perhaps it’s the fact that Bourke Accounting experts are personable and impressively knowledgeable or perhaps it’s just that Bourke Accounting got lucky. Either way, here’s a big “thank you” to all of Bourke’s great clients!
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
None of my Bourke Accounting co-workers were homeschooled. Maybe our parents weren’t very innovative, but we all gained our educations using the regular channels of school and college. In fact, throughout my entire life, I’ve only known one homeschooled person.
Some parents cite that, in what appears to be an increasingly violent society, they can keep their children better protected by homeschooling. There are also parents who believe that secular teaching contradicts their religious faiths. Some extol the virtues of devoting undivided time and attention to the education of their children on a one-on-one basis.
My homeschooled friend is one of the smartest people I know. There was a curriculum provided by the school district and frequent testing was required. Scholastically, this woman outshines me in every subject. However, she is also painfully socially awkward and dangerously naïve. Academically, the homeschooling worked very well. Socially? Eh, maybe not so much.
While I have a few doubts about homeschooling, there’s another type of education that I really question: Unschooling. Unschooling is the practice of “letting the learner choose what, when, how and where they learn” (Theglobeandmail.com). Not clear enough? Okay, what about this: unschooling is the “idea that children can direct their own learning…without the rigid structures of formal education” (Healthline.com). Basically, unschooling is letting little Johnny decide what, if anything, he feels like doing today. The premise is, that through the process of living life, these kids learn (Psychologytoday.com).
Unschooling falls under the umbrella of homeschooling and is legal in all states (Unschoolingmom2mom.com). However, the rules are different for every state; some states require testing, some don’t. If parents don’t test, how can they be sure that their kids are learning anything? According to Naturalchild.org, simply by using “direct observation,” the parents can tell. Naturalchild.org suggests that it’s okay if a child can’t read by age 12 – “there is no need to speed up or measure this process.” If the kids never learn to read, that’s all right, too, since they learned the subjects that inspired passion within them!
There haven’t been many long-term studies done on the effectiveness of “unschooling,” but there has been some limited research. One study showed that “unschooled children scored lower for academic ability” (Universityaffairs.ca) than homeschooled kids utilizing a more traditional curriculum. I think it’s great that kids can study what interests them, but there has to be room for the boring subjects, too. Also, I wonder about the wisdom of allowing a child to dictate what s/he will learn. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a panther – I don’t think I was in any position to tell my mom that I just wasn’t going to learn multiplication because it wasn’t exciting.
I also wonder how these kids will be able to assimilate into the working world; they have never experienced deadlines, schedules or completing dull tasks. Unschooler parents could argue that school is nothing but a training ground for a future in the workforce and, to an extent, that’s fair. But. Unless the kid has a really big trust fund, that training is going to come in really handy (if the kid ever wants to move out, that is).
Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers weren’t unschooled. But our Bourke Accounting experts appreciate that there are many ways to learn and they are always eager to hip the uninitiated to the world of accounting. While our Bourke Accounting pros may have mastered their craft in the old-fashioned way, they never stop learning. I guess it just worked out that numbers happened to be their passion.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
I wouldn’t say that we’re over-the-top, dedicated health enthusiasts at Bourke Accounting, but we try to stay active and eat sensibly. In the break room, bottled water and granola bars share space with cookies and chips; we follow the old “everything in moderation” credo. During our staff lunch meetings, no one gorges themselves and no one talks around mouthfuls of food. We are civilized.
It is perhaps because of this that I’ve been sheltered from some of the scarier aspects of society. I am not naïve and I know that there are some questionable trends available on the internet, but I just found out about something that leaves me perplexed (well, perplexed and a little ill):
Mukbang is a social media genre that originated in South Korea. The word itself is a combination of two Korean words: “mukja,” meaning “let’s eat” and “bang song,” meaning “broadcast” (Menshealth.com). People film themselves eating food. That’s it. Sometimes they interact with the audience, sometimes, they just eat quietly. It is believed that this movement has become so popular because, in Korea, it’s not common for people to go to restaurants by themselves, as “dining is a social activity” (Menshealth.com). When forced to eat at home alone, people were lonely. With mukbang, the audience can kind of pretend that they’re sharing a meal with another person.
Like with most things, Americans have put their own spin on this practice. While Korean mukbangers eat large quantities of food, the Americans bring it to an entirely new level. Take, for example, Youtuber Erik Lamkin. A few years ago, Mr. Lamkin engaged in “The 100,000 Calorie Challenge.” In a span of 100 hours, Lamkin consumed, as the title suggests, 100,000 calories (Insider.com). Keep in mind that an average 24-year old should be eating about 2,800 calories per day. And, of course, American mukbangers seem to seek out the unhealthiest, greasiest food imaginable.
I took one for the team recently and watched a few American mukbangers in action. These are not well-mannered and dignified eaters. Food flies out of mouths, there’s slurping, there’s the licking of fingers…there is also non-stop commentaries on just how good the food is. Oddly, what makes the above my nightmare, is one of the biggest reasons people love these videos. Many audience members report that they find the loud smacking, chewing, crunching (arrgh! You get it) very relaxing (Mashed.com).
And does being a mukbanger pay? You betcha – popular mukbangers “can earn nearly $100,000 a year” (Insider.com). 100K to slather the pinnacle of artery clogging food across your face on a daily basis? Right. Everything’s totally clear now. That money will come in handy: side effects of mukbanging include “weight gain, heart disease and diabetes” (Mashed.com).
In a hungry world, it’s distasteful that people force-feed themselves huge quantities for the amusement of the masses. Also, a moment of fame isn’t worth destroying the body or promoting seriously bad eating habits to impressionable audiences. What happened to good old-fashioned movie stars?
If you walk in with a big bag of mukbanger money, your Bourke Accounting tax preparers and bookkeepers can assist you. Bourke Accounting experts, while maybe not witnessing your craft, still know how to keep you on the good side of the IRS. In addition, and if you should ever want to try a different line of work, your Bourke Accounting pro can offer advice concerning your future endeavors.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
A while ago, in a Bourke Accounting blog, I mentioned that I am a big fan of old radio dramas. One of my favorites is called The Black Museum, hosted by Orson Welles. On this program, Welles describes a mundane object, like a coat button, and proceeds to illustrate how everyday items have been integral in providing evidence against murderers.
Welles is supposed to be speaking from the “repository of death” (Oldradioworld.com) that is Scotland Yard’s “Black Museum.” On the show, The Black Museum is a collection of catalogued items “all touched by murder” (Oldradioworld.com) that have provided invaluable proof of guilt to London’s police. Naturally, I started wondering if such a warehouse of the macabre actually exists underneath Scotland Yard. I should have known better than to doubt Orson.
The Black Museum was “established in the mid-1870s” (Wemakemoneynotart.com) as a storage space for the belongings of arrested individuals. When these belongings went unclaimed, generally because the owners had been convicted, the police started to display the objects as “a teaching tool for newly trained officers” (Wemakemoneynotart.com). It was given its ominous moniker in 1877, when a reporter from The Observer was denied entry (En.Wikipedia.org), as the general public was (and is still) not authorized to visit.
The Black Museum (now, sadly, renamed “The Crime Museum”) houses and preserves over 500 various objects (Atlasobscura.com). Included are letters allegedly from Jack the Ripper, reconstructions of IRA bombs and run-of-the-mill weaponry such as guns and knives. Perhaps one of the most grotesque exhibits is a small pile of gallstones, which effectively put the noose around Acid Bath Murderer, John George Haigh’s, neck in 1949. Haigh dissolved the bodies of a least six people in vats of sulfuric acid. When it was discovered that Haigh was the last person to see victim Olive Durand-Deacon, the police searched his residence. At the bottom of one of the vats, undissolved, police found a partial set of dentures and, yeah, Ms. Durand-Deacon’s gallstones (Theguardian.com).
Remember that example of a button I mentioned earlier? The Black Museum aired an episode in 1951 (“The Brass Button”) that was based on true events. In 1919, David Greenwood was convicted of the rape and murder of Nellie Trew after a very unusual button was found next to the body. When the police published a picture of the button in the newspaper, Greenwood was arrested for the crime (Blackkalendar.nl). A button. Something as simple as a snazzy button was responsible for taking a violent killer out of the game.
Perhaps it’s the shear ordinariness of the objects in The Black Museum that make them so frightening. Behind glass, there is a pair of binoculars from 1945 – seemingly interesting only as an antique. However, when one tries to adjust them, spring loaded spikes shoot out from the eyepieces. These were given as a gift from a man to the woman who left him (wemakemoneynotart.com). They look innocent enough.
Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers know that the big picture is important. However, Bourke Accounting experts also know that the tiniest of mistakes can lead to trouble down the road. Because of this Bourke Accounting pros meticulously verify that every document you receive is 100% accurate. Hey, the devil is in the details.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
Sick days are no fun (legitimate ones, anyway): moping around the house, feeling awful and, maybe for extra happy awesome time, spending a few hours in the doctor’s office. And then there’s the added bonuses of lost money and guilt for having co-workers take up the slack. Sick days are no fun.
If you think about it, a lot of America has been having a legitimate sick day for these last two months. Hopefully, you weren’t hanging out at the doc’s or feeling guilty, but there was certainly a lot of money lost.
Whether you agree with the timing or not, it seems that our country is going to be reopening very soon. Within a few weeks, if luck is with us, life is slowly going to return to normal. Well, at least to the extent that backyard barbeques can be planned again. However, we are going to be facing long-lasting and far-reaching financial issues that won’t be as easily solved as deciding between hot dogs or hamburgers.
First, let’s start with the enormous hospital bill corona will leave for us. According to a study reported by CNBC.com, the average cost of a coronavirus hospital stay is $30,000. Some insurance companies have promised that patients won’t have to pay “deductibles, copays…and other charges” (Marketwatch.com) associated with the virus. That’s nice, but some companies are free to decide not to promise anything. And what about the uninsured? When all is said and done, it’s projected that about 2 million uninsured people will end up hospitalized (CNBC.com). The White House announced that “funding under recently passed legislation [will be used] to help cover the cost of treating the uninsured” (CNBC.com). It’s great, it’s tremendous, it’s the best! Oh, um, but, at some point, all of this money has to be replaced somehow, right?
Obviously, raising income taxes right now wouldn’t really work – you can’t squeeze a brick and expect a Tequila Sunrise. Also, raising sales taxes wouldn’t help the economy, either – the hardest hit individuals would just buy less.
Naturally, as an off-white collar worker, my first thought is to tax corporations and the wealthy. They can afford it! Sadly, we’re treading in murky waters and, what might have worked in the past, might not work today. Let’s say that everyone goes back to work and everyone is happy and secure again. Then, companies are told to pay a lot more in taxes for doing business. I’m not going to say Big Business is ruthless, but who would suffer the most on account of these taxes? If companies can lay off a large number of employees to offset their IRS bills, face it, they will. Instead of having a Depression–like economy, we might see ourselves in a Depression-Depression economy.
Forbes.com mentions the possibility of a “one-time levy on existing wealth” for the richest taxpayers. I’m not trying to sound like Ayn Rand here, but I don’t know if that’s totally fair, either. Rich people buy stuff, rich people pay tax on stuff, then they must pay another tax because they have so much stuff? Bloomberg.com suggests that perhaps taxing “individuals and companies differently depending on how well they fared during the lockdown” would be a suitable alternative. I agree. I wouldn’t mind paying a bit extra to help, as I’ve been writing and filing in my own little safe bubble throughout this thing.
No matter how we go about paying for the pandemic, it won’t be totally painless. We must understand that “this too shall pass” and keep everything in calm perspective. What’s the alternative?
While Bourke Accounting has no input regarding tax changes, they will be well-versed in new laws before you even sit down. Bourke Accounting tax preparers and bookkeepers will happily take the time to make sure you understand everything about our quickly transitioning world. And, as always, you know that you will receive the most effective and comprehensive service available.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
Bourke Accounting professionals are practical and they are ethical. If you forget to include some extra income, your Bourke Accounting tax preparer will quietly fix the problem; they won’t report you to the IRS for attempted tax fraud. While I consider myself a pretty ethical person, I wonder if maybe I’m just a touch too practical compared to my Bourke co-workers.
For example, earlier in May, rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine earned about $2 million in less than a week from his newly released single, “Gooba” (Billboard.com). So, 6ix9ine decided to donate 10% of that to No Kid Hungry, a charity fighting childhood hunger (Billboard.com). That’s right, this weird little facially tattooed guy was willing to give $200,000 to make sure that, even during the pandemic, kids would be able to eat. Let’s say the average cost of a Kraft Lunchables is about $1.48 (not the best food choice, I know). That means that $200,000 would provide about 135,135 kids with at least one meal.
However, Laura Washburn (No Kid Hungry’s director of strategic communications), said “thanks, but no thanks.” While she announced that the charity was grateful for the offer, she said that it is the policy of No Kid Hungry to “decline funding from donors whose activities do not align with our mission and values” (Billboard.com). Tekashi 6ix9ine is not a good, law-abiding citizen. He has been trouble in the law for a vast host of reasons – assault, weapons charges, racketeering and even something to do with a 13-year-old girl when he was 18. He is no one’s role model, he is a criminal.
I wonder though, does a hungry child care if the hands that are providing clean food are dirty?
Another example of denied charity happened in Pennsylvania last July. Hundreds of parents received letters from the Wyoming Valley West School district regarding unpaid school lunch debts that amounted to $22,000 (CNN.com). The letters threatened parents that the district might be forced to report them to Child Protective Services and, most likely, the children would end up in foster care” (CNN.com). Todd Carmichael, co-founder and CEO of locally based La Colombe Coffee, offered to pay the entire debt (CNN.com). However, the school board president, Joseph Mazur, said no, citing that “the parents who owe the money can afford to pay it” (MSN.com). Mazur simply stated that it wasn’t Carmichael’s responsibility. Thankfully, the backlash from this refusal made the papers and the board finally relented and allowed Carmichael to carry on with his good deed.
Some people complain that, if parents can’t afford children, they shouldn’t have children. That’s a fair argument, Captain Hindsight, but, what is your suggestion for the kids who are already here? Children won’t understand that, because their parents aren’t good at budgeting, they don’t get to eat today. Honestly, these kids are going to be our doctors and attorneys – have you ever tried concentrating when you’re really hungry? As Americans, yeah, sorry, it’s our responsibility to protect our most vulnerable citizens.
Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers are practical and ethical. Bourke Accounting won’t engage in fraud with you, but they will definitely protect you to the best of their abilities if you find yourself in a sticky situation. And really, since our Bourke Accounting experts are so talented, they can offer you – legal – advice to help you throughout all of your financial journeys.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.
Within the next few weeks, it looks like America is going to be opening for business as usual. I know your Bourke Accounting experts are looking forward to sitting down with you again. While it’s been a blast for them to have entire conversations traded through Post-It notes, crackling cellphones and weird Jetsons-type video calls, they like the good ol’ fashioned face-to-face encounters best of all.
However, just because we say it’s going to be business as usual, that’s not really the case; we are going to be feeling the effects of the last few months of quarantine for a long time. Between probable tax hikes, bankruptcies and a general reluctance to stand close to strangers, we are going to have to relearn what it means to be social and working animals again.
Because of this, I was thinking of certain aspects of American life that might take a bit longer to rebuild:
1) Familial relationships. While we love our families, the extended lock-down could prove fatal to marriages. Divorce attorneys are predicting that, once courts are completely open, the surge in break-ups might be astounding (ABCnews.go.com); familiarity breeds contempt and all. Sadly, the causes of Corona divorce are more existential than simply noticing how often your spouse has a finger up her/his nose. Marcy Katz, attorney, suggests that higher divorce rates may be caused by people “coming to terms with their mortality and want[ing] to make positive changes in their lives” (ABCnews.go.com). Basically, it’s a “It’s not you, it’s me and I don’t want to waste the rest of my life with you” scenario.
2) Our bellies. A lot of people eat out of stress and fear. Because of the 24-hour news cycles, scary internet conspiracy theories and too much free time, many people are turning to food for comfort. In addition, without the structure of a normal workday, people may be eating out of boredom or simply because they can. Also, when the only chance to leave the house is to visit the grocery store, people stock up on items that aren’t really needed and make more frequent trips. And, finally, in uncertain times, there is solace to be found in over-flowing pantries and fridges.
3) Our feet. So, you’ve been padding around the house in your socks for the past few months and now your feet, back, knees, everything hurts. Miguel Cunha, MD says that “walking barefoot on hard surfaces for long periods of time alters the distribution of pressure and weight across your feet” (Menshealth.com). While it feels great to kick off those confining work shoes for the weekend, going without support for too long can cause problems throughout the entire body. To help your feet and to avoid tracking alien bacteria and viruses all through your place, Dr. Cunha suggests buying supportive house shoes that never touch the outside (Menshealth.com).
We know it’s going to be a long road back to normalcy; none of us have ever before experienced the events of these last months. With patience, hard work and diligence, we will eventually and really return to business as usual.
Bourke Accounting bookkeepers and tax preparers can’t wait to see you. While Bourke Accounting has continued to offer the most knowledgeable and accurate service available, they, too are anxious for the good ol’ days. Bourke Accounting experts enjoy holding your hand through the tough times and being a shoulder to cry on through the even tougher times. While they may be bean counters, they are very social bean counters.
Come see us any time. Our number is 502-451-8773 and don’t forget to visit our website at www.bourkeaccounting.com. See you soon!
Written by Sue H.