Managed to make the last baksheesh payment this year by virtue of my wife cashing in three weeks of vacation pay. Sigh.

The good news is I get a rebate of about $750! Started out as $1500, but they chopped it down as a penalty for being one of those undeserving persons who pays too much taxes. The rebate is about three percent of the taxes I paid.

Once again, if everyone had to write a check for their taxes every year, this country would be a very different place.

Dave Barry on taxes

Be sure to mail your return in a timely manner, because this year, filing taxpayers will receive an Economic Stimulus Payment. This is a very exciting new program that I will explain using the Q and A format:

Q. What is an Economic Stimulus Payment?

A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

Q. Where will the government get this money?

A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my own money?

A. Only a smidgen.

Q. What is the purpose of this payment?

A. The plan is that you will use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

Q. But isn't that stimulating the economy of China?

A. Shut up.