“You told me again you preferred handsome men,
But for me you would make an exception!”
~
The Times When An Average American Consumed 90 Bottles Of Whiskey A Year
A Beeple JPG File Sells for $69 Million At Auction
The price was a new high for an artwork that exists only digitally, beating auction records for physical paintings by museum-valorized greats like J.M.W. Turner, Georges Seurat and Francisco Goya. Bidding at the two-week Beeple sale, consisting of just one lot, began at $100. – The New York Times
John Keats and F. Scott Fitzgerald were two men who struggled to make it as writers. Does the connection go deeper? Total Failures like Jozef Imrich
Lessons for the Next Pandemic. "To prepare for the next pandemic, the government must put science and data above all else."
On the unrealistic expectations of the American system of work. "Long before Covid-19 hit, Americans were expected to work like they didn't have families."
The IRS published the latest executive column, “A Closer Look,” which features Commissioner Chuck Rettig discussing how IRS employees helped taxpayers, members of their community and each other during the pandemic. “I’m proud to be on this journey with my dedicated colleagues, and I want everyone to know: Our people make a difference, they care, and they take pride in serving our country.” said Rettig. Read more here. Read the Spanish version here.
“A Closer Look” is a column from IRS executives that covers a variety of timely issues of interest to taxpayers and the tax community. It also provides a detailed look at key issues affecting everything from IRS operations and employees to issues involving taxpayers and tax professionals.
Check here for prior posts and new updates.
Schiess, Wayne, Graphics in Briefs: Why Not? (Fall 2020). The Advocate (Fall 2020), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3785445 – “Legal writers should use graphics and visuals as persuasive tools in their documents, and it’s already happening. This article discusses the support for using graphics from experts and practicing lawyers. It addresses the most common reasons lawyers give for not using visuals in legal writing. It then offers some practical tips for using graphics and some simple ideas for creating them—with some basic examples.”
Had enough Zoom meetings? Can’t bear another soul-numbing day of sitting on video calls, the only distraction your rapidly aging face, pinned in one corner of the screen like a dying bug? Well, if so, then boy do we have the app for you. Meet Zoom Escaper: a free web widget that lets you add an array of fake audio effects to your next Zoom Call, gifting you with numerous reasons to end the meeting and escape, while you still can.
You can choose from barking dogs, construction noises, crying babies, or even subtler effects like choppy audio and unwanted echoes. Created by artist Sam Lavigne, Zoom Escaper is fantastically simple to use. All you need do is download a free bit of audio software called VB-Audio that routes your audio through the website, then change your audio input in Zoom from your microphone to VB-Audio, and play with the effects.
Here is much more, via Schaffin and also Michael Rosenwald.