PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
CALL-IN @ 866-893-5722, 866-893-KPCC; OR JOIN THE CONVERSATION ONLINE ON THE PATT MORRISON BLOG AT KPCC-DOT-ORG
1:06 – 1:19
1:21 – 1:39
Don’t like your Christmas gifts? Let Amazon be rude for you
There are infamous examples of bad Christmas presents—fruitcake, bunny-themed pajamas from grandma, the toy rifle that will shoot your eye out (hat tip to “A Christmas Story”). But there are also honest mistakes made by gift givers that happen not just over the holidays but for birthdays and all other special occasions—differing tastes in music, clothes, bad sizing estimates. The embarrassment that is felt on the part of both the givers and recipients of bad presents is one motivation for Amazon.com’s patented new approach to giving gifts but another potent motivator is the economic inefficiency of returning those bad gifts. Amazon is working on a way for people to return gifts before they receive them, allowing users of the website to specify a “convert all gifts” option that would in effect keep an online list of lousy gift-givers whose choices would be vetted before anything ships. Critics say that Amazon’s idea takes the spontaneity, the surprise and the manners out of gift giving. But if it allows you to ditch the fruitcake before you even receive it, are manners a worthy sacrifice at the alter of bad gifts?
Representative of the Emily Post Institute
Representative of the Digital Division of the National Retailers Federation
1:41 – 1:58:30
STRATFOR report: Mexican Drug War – no easy options
In 2010: President Felipe Calderon declared war on
Scott Stewart, Vice President of Tactical Intelligence for STRATFOR, a global intelligence company.
2:06 – 2:19
2:21 – 2:39
Greening for green: Making the most of 2010’s energy-efficient home tax credits before it’s too late
One of the less volatile but still controversial elements of the $858-billion federal tax bill signed into law December 17th was the gutting of tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements. Still thinking about installing solar panels or insulation, replacing your front door or otherwise weatherizing your home? It would behoove you to do so in the next four days, before those tax credits are slashed from 30% of the cost to just 10% with a $500 maximum for things like insulation, exterior windows and storm doors, skylights and metal and asphalt heat-resistant roofs. Looking at some energy-efficient windows? If installed before this Friday, December 28th, they’ll net you a tax credit of $1,500, but wait until the New Year and you’ll be looking at just $200. Patt talks with a tax and energy expert about how to get in your last minute credits and about the larger question of how Washington’s decision to cut these tax incentives could affect homeowners’ decisions to invest in long term savings by installing high-efficiency upgrades.
CAN TALK ABOUT THE TAX CREDIT, WHAT QUALIFIES UNDER IT AND HOW IT WILL CHANGE
Tom Simchak (SIM-chak), Senior Research Associate,
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- ASE lobbied unsuccessfully for retention of the credits as they were in 2010
- To qualify for 2010 tax credits, work must be “placed and serviced,” so it’s a bit late to do anything in time for this year, but you could still run out and buy some attic insulation!
CAN TALK ABOUT HOW TO FILE FOR THE CREDIT AND MAKE SURE YOU TAKE ADVADVANTAGE OF IT ON YOUR TAXES THIS YEAR:
John W. Roth, senior tax analyst for CCH, a tax publisher in
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Selwyn Gerber, CPA managing partner and founder of Gerber & Co., Inc., located in
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2:41 – 2:58:30
Gavel crosses the aisle for the 112th Congress - what’s in store?
Congress wrapped up its so-called lame-duck session last week with an unexpected string of victories for President Obama and Democrats, including the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the nuclear-arms reduction agreement, a health bill for 9/11 responders, a food safety bill, middle-class tax cuts and the extension of jobless benefits. But legislators taking a holiday break won’t have long to rest before they’re back at their desks in
Rep. Henry Waxman, D – California’s 30th District, which includes
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