SHORT STORIES REDUX

Once again, my feature of short items that have been sitting on my desk and in my brain that deserve discussion.

(1) I received a telemarketing call from the Sun-Times telling me that because I am a long time loyal subscriber, I can now subscribe to the on-line edition of the paper for only $1/year. I told the caller that I already can go the the Sun-Times website for free, so why should I pay the $1? He said it is because the on-line subscription edition will be EXACTLY the same as the actual newspaper. So I said, if I already have the ACTUAL newspaper and get on-line access for free, I don't understand what my $1 is buying? He had no answer for that and said good-bye. Am I missing something here?

(2) My friend Kim Kamin, an attorney with Schiff, Hardin, LLP, sent me some interesting information. The IRS has issued a list of small nonprofits that are in danger of losing their exemptions as a result of failure to file with the IRS for three consecutive years. Public charities whose total revenue for any given year and for the two preceding years averages less than $25,000 are not required to file an annual return (Form 990 or 990-EZ).

However, in 2006, Congress mandated that such charities must notify the IRS annually of their existence and give basic information on Form 990-N. Failure to do so for three consecutive years will result in automatic revocation of exemption.


Simply put, they won’t be a certified charity anymore. I looked through the 495 single-spaced pages listing the 14,954 organizations in Illinois that aren’t in compliance.


Some big names: Polish National Alliance, National Association of Letter Carriers, The Knights of Columbus, The Illinois Nursing Association, The International Association of Lions Clubs, etc., etc. My two favorites were the many chapters of the Fraternal Order of Police and The International Brotherhood of Teamsters that were named as non-compliant. I can see the IRS going after the police, but I bet they won’t touch the Teamsters!

(3) Last Friday, Illinois offered a 15% rebate, up to $250 per appliance, on Energy Star-qualified refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and clothes washers. According to the Sun-Times (I am a subscriber!), “The $3.6 million rebate program included $2.4 million in federal funds and more than $1.2 million from a state fund for energy-efficient residential use. The state had earlier estimated that $3 million in rebates would be given out Friday. Excluding the state funding, the rebates came from federal stimulus money.” David Vite, Illinois Retail Merchants Association President and Chief Executive Officer figured that approximately 27,000 appliances were sold in two and a half hours. “We have never seen anything quite like this,” he said.


Quinn's office said the rebate program generated $25 million in sales. That figure would be correct because that would justify the $3.7 million in rebates. So if we compare that number to the 27,000 appliances that were reported sold, it would mean the average price per unit was about $900. So with the rebate, people saved approximately $135 each.


If one shopped on the ABT web site instead, they would have received a 5% savings automatically on their first time shopping and gotten free shipping. So on that same $900 appliance; they would have saved $45 on the 5% discount and about $75 on the delivery fee for a total savings of $120. Only $15 less with no aggravation of going to the store!


Am I the only person who Illinois who ever figures the math on these kinds of deals?


(4) Tuesday, October 5th, is the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming November 2nd election. Also, if you moved or changed your name, you have to update your file. It is easy to check your status at www.chicagoelections.com. I visited the site hoping my name had been changed to Clooney, but it was still Posner. I guess George wants to keep the marriage quiet.

(5)I got so faked out by the Chicago Tribune one day this week. I woke up early at 5:00 a.m., picked up the newspapers in front of my door and crawled back into bed. In my sleep stupor, I thought that the deliveryman had dropped off the Los Angeles Times by mistake. I called Tribune subscriber services and after endless button pushing, I was able to register a complaint to an automated voice that I had received the wrong paper. Then I looked at my L.A. Times and saw that it was a phony wrap around ad for the new television show, Law & Order Los Angeles. Wanting to correct my mistake about the wrong delivery, I called the Tribune again. It took more endless button pushing before I discovered how to reach a human being. I was then on-hold for 9 minutes and 27 seconds. I then tried to explain to a man in India that I was wrong and my Tribune did not have to be redelivered. He did not understand my explanation. I fell back to sleep. At 5:48 a.m., my ringing phone woke me up. It was my local delivery man wanting to know why I complained. I apologized and told him the whole story. He rudely hung up. I hate the Tribune!

(6) In February, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) laid off 1,110 employees, yet their budget for 2011 is $1.34 billion, which is 5 percent higher than this year's budget. They say it is caused in part by a 3.5 percent wage increase for union bus and rail employees, as well as rising pension and health care costs. In 2011, non-union CTA employees will be required to take up to 18 unpaid furlough days and holidays to help stave off a budget deficit. Also, about 70 non-union positions will be eliminated next year. I understand that the union wage increase would cost the CTA more money than last year, but if 1,100 workers were laid off in 2010 then they are saving all those salaries for 2011. Add to the savings for 18 furlough days and, in total, the budget part for salaries should actually go down! Once again I don’t understand how government does the math!

(7) I passed by the New Colony Liquors Store on the corner of Dearborn and Van Buren the other day. They had a big sign that said, “We accept Link cards.” Now we know why nobody understands the math, they are too drunk.