What movies, music, and celebrity headlines can teach us about taxes — Taxgirl’s take on tax in pop culture and the news.
A court in London has ruled that Pringles, the iconic snacks in the ubiquitous red tube, are not potato chips. Really. Apparently, there are not enough potatoes in Pringles to have them legally qualify as “potato chips” or “potato crisps.” That matters to the tax office because, in the UK, most food is exempt from a…
Paul Hogan, who rose to prominence in the 1980s as “Crocodile Dundee”, feels pretty important these days. He is being pursued by the Australian Tax Office and the Internal Revenue Service for moneys allegedly owed. Hogan estimates that he has paid the ATO $100 million in tax. Yet, the ATO continues to pursue him –…
A federal judge has granted Wesley Snipes’ request to travel overseas while he waits the outcome of his appeal. Snipes had requested to go to London to sit in on the editing process for his new horror flick Gallowwalker and to fly to Bangkok to film the action thriller Chasing the Dragon. The prosecution argued…
Yeah, yeah, I know. It was a bad joke last year, too, but I was hoping that it would grow on you. I’m speaking again at BlogHer – this time, it’s in San Francisco (insert squeals here). My session is Friday morning, July 18 at 10:30am. The description is here: If you’re a blogger, and…
Wesley Snipes has filed a request in federal court for permission to leave the country for two trips while his appeal on tax evasion charges is being considered. Snipes has requested to go to London to sit in on the editing process for his new horror flick Gallowwalker. Snipes has also requested permission to fly…
President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has introduced a proposal to ban advertising from state-owned television channels. In the US, there are usually limitations on advertising on public television. Most public television in the US is financed through a mix of corporate and government contributions and donations of private individuals. However, in a number of countries…
Okay, so it’s not quite summer yet. But it sure feels like it in Philadelphia – we’ve hovered near the 100 degree mark for three or four days in a row. The heat and humidity is beginning to make me wish fondly for coastal NC summers (and if you’ve been to coastal NC in the…
Keith Olbermann’s trademark “Worst Person In the World” segments – usually reserved for Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly – may be coming back to haunt him. After revelations that he owes the state of New York $2,269 in back taxes for his corporation, Olbermann Broadcasting Empire, many of his former targets are turning the tables. The…
The first ever winner of CBS’ Survivor has appealed his tax evasion conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court. Richard Hatch was convicted of failing to pay taxes on the $1 million prize on Survivor in 2000. He was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison. He had previously appealed his conviction to the United States…
Quick: Who is most responsible for the Reagan tax cuts? Donald Regan, Secretary of the Treasury during Reagan’s administration? Nah, the real force behind the Economic Recovery Act of 1981 was Jodie Foster, according to Robert Mundell, Columbia University’s Nobel laureate economist. The Financial Times reports that Mundell cites the Oscar winning actress as most…