Category Archives: rant

From my HSA, I can pay a christian science practitioner but not for scientology counsoling. That’s pre-tax. Some pretend is apparently more acceptable than other pretend.

It’s on page 7 of IRS publication 502

You can include in medical expenses fees you pay to
Christian Science practitioners for medical care.

Now for the next quote, this one comes from The Church of Christ, Scientist website. This is what a christian science practitioner does:

Offer spiritually-based Christian Science treatment – a specific kind of prayer explained in the book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, which has resulted for many in physical healing and the resolution of a variety of life problems.

Wow. Reducing tax liberality is our national pastime… but paying someone to pray for you? I knew a guy in college that didn’t know a damn thing about medicine – but you might say he was an entrepreneur herbalist.

Bummer that his goods/services aren’t pretax – on page 15 of that IRS doc

You cannot include in medical expenses amounts you pay for controlled substances (such as marijuana, laetrile, etc.), in violation of federal law.

Legal or otherwise at least what he was selling had an effect.

I read the transcripts for the white house press briefings, it’s a sick morbid fascination.
It’s not that I like to stay informed, it’s more like art appreciation. Which is good, because there is little information disseminated – and even less factual information.
There can be appreciation for things you don’t like – I don’t get into on rap music, but I appreciate some of it. Any common thing done uncommonly well is nothing to sneeze at.

Former press secretary –Ari Fleischer was and will likely remain the Mozart of non-information. It’s not too hard to dodge the white house press corps, but he did it with style – he can talk for minutes without divulging, confirming or denying a fact when directly questioned.

The press secretary never gets ‘pinned down’, that’s there job – to just go to the next question. Last week the lovely Helen Thomas came as close as it gets on the pissing match between congress and the white house on war funding. If a bill isn’t passed many civilian contractors get the pink slip.

Q So this is a way to remind Congress that you want them to pass this bill?
MS. PERINO: That’s exactly what that was.
Q So you’re making them suffer —
MS. PERINO: I’m making the Democrats suffer?
Q No, you’re making the civilians who work for the Defense —
MS. PERINO: Oh, no, it is not us who are making any civilians suffer.
Q There ought to be —
MS. PERINO: We are calling on Congress to —
Q How many billions have we spent already for the Defense Department?

Transcript of the Gaggle.

When I first read that I was cheering for Helen, but after thinking on it… I’m even more sad. She didn’t force the point – she stood out merely because she had the courage to ask a follow up question. She later went on to ask about George’s Thanksgiving plans. I guess it’s better than some startlet’s undies (or lack thereof).