text:
Now that his re-election is secured, President Barack Obama has a freer hand to deal with a world of familiar problems in fresh ways, from toughening America's approach to Iran and Syria while potentially engaging other repressive countries such as Cuba and North Korea and refocusing on moribund Middle East peace efforts.
The first tweaks in his Iran policy could come within weeks, officials said.
But a pressing task for Obama will be to assign a new team to carry out his national security agenda. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has announced her plans to retire but could stay a few weeks past January to help the administration as it reshuffles personnel. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is likely to depart shortly after her. CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus is expected to stay on.
The favorite to succeed Clinton, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, would face a difficult Senate confirmation process after her much-maligned explanations of the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, meaning she could land instead as Obama's national security adviser. That job that doesn't require the Senate's approval. Tom Donilon, who currently holds that position, and Chuck Hagel, a former Republican senator, are among the other contenders.
The chances of another early favorite, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry, are hampered by Democrats' fear that Republican Scott Brown, who lost his Massachusetts Senate seat Tuesday, could win Kerry's seat in a race to replace him.
Officials, however, are pointing to Jon Huntsman, the former Utah governor, Obama's ambassador to China and Republican presidential candidate, and the State Department's current No. 2, William Burns.
Huntsman is still widely respected by the administration even if he'd hoped to unseat Obama. Choosing Huntsman would allow the president to claim bipartisanship while putting an Asia expert in the job at a time when the U.S. is focusing more attention on the world's most populous continent. Burns would be an option as caretaker secretary until postelection passions in Congress subside and a permanent replacement might face smoother confirmation. He is a career diplomat who has no political baggage and would be unlikely to stir significant opposition among lawmakers.
At the Pentagon, speculation about successors has been limited. Panetta's deputy, Ashton Carter, is seen as a possibility, along with Michele Flournoy, who served as Defense Department policy chief from 2009-12 and would be the first woman in the top job.
New Cabinet members will enter at a time of various global security challenges, from the Arab Spring to China's rapid economic and military expansion in Asia. But the president's escape from any future campaigning also offers unique diplomatic opportunities, which Obama himself hinted at in March when he told then-Russian president and current prime minister Dmitry Medvedev that he'd have "more flexibility" on thorny issues after the election.
Obama's immediate predecessors, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, used their second terms to launch major, though ultimately unsuccessful initiatives for an Israeli-Palestinian accord, an elusive goal that Obama also deeply desires. This summer he listed the lack of progress toward peace among the biggest disappointments of his presidency so far, suggesting another U.S. attempt in the offing.
Clinton's Camp David negotiations and Bush's Annapolis process became signature foreign policy priorities in 2000 and 2007. But the Israelis and the Palestinians remain as far apart as ever on the contours of an agreement, from the borders of their two separate states to issues related to refugees and resources.
Any Obama-led plan for the Middle East will be complicated by Israel's fears about the Iranian nuclear program, civil war in nearby Syria and the new reality of an Islamist-led Egypt having replaced America's most faithful Arab ally. Obama's difficult relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could also complicate the process.
With Iran, the president is holding out hope that crippling economic sanctions will force the Islamic republic's leaders to scale back its uranium enrichment activity. Iran insists its program is designed for energy and medical research purposes, even as many in the West fear the ultimate goal is to produce nuclear weapons. Obama has stressed the narrowing time frame for Tehran to negotiate a peaceful solution to the standoff, while pressing Israel to hold off on any plans for a pre-emptive strike.
Officials say the administration is likely to adjust its two-track approach to Iran — which offers Tehran rewards for coming clean on its nuclear program and harsher penalties for continued defiance — in the coming weeks. Details are still being debated. In the end, however, Obama may have to resort to a military strategy if Iran continues to enrich uranium at higher levels and nears production of weapons-grade material — a possible scenario he acknowledges.
"The clock is ticking. We're not going to allow Iran to perpetually engage in negotiations that lead nowhere," Obama said in his last foreign policy debate with Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. "We have a sense of when they would get breakout capacity, which means that we would not be able to intervene in time to stop their nuclear program."
Syria's widening conflict is another concern. More than 36,000 people have died in the last 20 months, as a brutal crackdown on dissent by President Bashar Assad's regime has descended into a full-scale civil war. Obama has demanded Assad's departure, yet has ruled out military assistance to the rebels or American military actions such as airstrikes or enforcing a no-fly zone over Syria.
Last week, in a significant shift in policy, the secretary of state demanded a major shakeup in the opposition's ranks in the hopes of rallying Syrians behind the rebellion. However, Clinton's spokeswoman, Victoria Nuland, reiterated Wednesday the administration still rejects the notion of providing weapons to anti-Assad fighters or any talk of armed intervention.
In other places, Obama's engagement efforts may get another look. After some success with a rapidly liberalizing Myanmar, there are hopes for democratic reforms and human rights advances in Cuba and North Korea, among others.
But short of a rapid change in attitude from these governments, Obama's options for a landmark breakthrough in U.S. diplomacy are limited. He won't be able to reach out to Havana until it frees the jailed U.S. contractor Alan Gross, while Pyongyang will have to denuclearize if it wants better relations with America — steps neither regime has shown a willingness to entertain. The recent re-election of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has halted chances for now of any rapprochement between Washington and Caracas.
In Afghanistan, the president will seek to stick to NATO's 2014 withdrawal date for most international troops, a central campaign promise. His administration has been trying unsuccessfully to jump-start peace negotiations between President Hamid Karzai's Western-backed government and the Taliban. The so-called reconciliation effort relies heavily on America's frustrating and unreliable ally Pakistan, where extremist groups such as al-Qaida and the Haqqani network will continue to face U.S. drone attacks.
Behind all the diplomatic efforts are larger questions of American geopolitical strategy. Obama had initial success improving U.S. relations with Russia, getting a nuclear arms-reduction pact in 2011, but has since seen America's former Cold War foe frustrate U.S. missile defense plans and hopes of an international consensus on Syria. The president has continued to trumpet the benefits of his Russia "reset" policy but may take a firmer stance against Moscow if it refuses to show compromise.
For economic reasons, China policy is less likely to change. The world's two biggest economies are deeply interdependent and, despite lingering disagreements over Beijing's currency exchange rates and intellectual property infringement, neither side will want to do anything that threatens a trade war and jeopardizes China's booming growth or America's still-fragile jobs recovery.
Associated Press writers Donna Cassata, Robert Burns and Kimberly Dozier contributed to this report.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press


text:
A federal judge said Wednesday that Boston Marathon bombings suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev may see autopsy photos of the three people who died after the explosions near the finish line of last year's race.
District Judge George O'Toole "rejected a claim by the government that Tsarnaev should not see the photos because it would disturb the families of the victims," NBC News writes. The news network adds that:
"Under court rules, lawyers for Tsarnaev are allowed to see the photos as they prepare a defense. The government sought a special restriction — that Tsarnaev himself not be allowed to see them unless the government offered them as evidence at trial.
"The government argued in court papers that allowing Tsarnaev to see all the photos would subject marathon victims to 'needless harm and suffering.'
"The defense lawyers said they had never heard of such a restriction, and that decisions about what Tsarnaev can and can't see are best left to his lawyers."
O'Toole denied the defense lawyers' request, however, that some of the charges against Tsarnaev be dismissed. New England's NECN.com writes that the attorneys had argued that "many of the charges in the 30-count indictment Tsarnaev is facing are redundant."
It was one year ago April 15 that the two bombs went off. During the four-day hunt for the bombers, an MIT campus police officer was killed.
Tsarnaev's older brother, Tamerlan, died after a gunbattle with police in the Boston suburb of Watertown, Mass.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, now 20, was captured in Watertown last April 19. His trial is expected to begin in November.
This year's Boston Marathon will be run next Monday. In recent days, related NPR reports have included:
-- After Losing A Leg, Woman Walks On Her Own — In 4-Inch Heels
-- Boston Stronger: City Marks One Year Since Marathon Bombings
-- Runner Returns To Boston With A New Outlook On Life
Also of note: Running Toward Boston, an NPR Tumblr from eight people who are training for the race.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Celeste Headlee in Washington. Imagine April 15 but without tax returns, without the mad scramble to finish them, the long wait at the post office, the piles of receipts piling up for deductible expenses, in other words an America without tax returns.
It's a system known as return-free filing, and the very idea is pitting taxpayer advocates against tax preparation companies. With return-free filing, the government tells you what it thinks you owe in taxes, and then you make changes as you see fit. Taxpayer advocates say it would simplify the entire process.
But the other side argues the current system gives consumers more choice in the tax process. The debate raises really larger questions about the business of tax preparation and what's best for taxpayers in general. So we're wondering: What have you learned when it's time to call in professional help on your taxes? When is it time to get professional help? Our number is 800-989-8255. Our email address is firstname.lastname@example.com. And you can also join the conversation at our website. Go to npr.org, and then click on TALK OF THE NATION.
Later on in the program we're going to talk about exhuming Pablo Neruda's body. But first happy tax day, if one says that anymore. We're joined by Eric Toder, an institute fellow at the Urban Institute. He's also co-director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center and the former director of research for the Internal Revenue Service. That's a long list, Eric. Welcome to the program.
ERIC TODER: Thank you very much.
HEADLEE: So can you explain to us first what is return-free filing? How exactly does it work?
TODER: OK, so there are two kinds of return-free filing. There's the kind that's done in the United Kingdom, which is where basically people - the majority of taxpayers don't have to file a tax return. Many do, but people in certain circumstances don't. And that, the way that works is you're withholding, that's the amount that's withheld from your wages, your interest and dividends and so forth, is your final tax liability.
HEADLEE: In other words...
TODER: You don't have...
HEADLEE: Right, you don't change what you already paid with your...
TODER: You don't change what you've already paid. Now you need to have special kinds of provisions in a tax system to make that possible for people. That really would not work here.
HEADLEE: But OK, but you say most people don't need to file taxes, meaning most people don't itemize. And yet I was shocked to see that...
TODER: Well, this is - we're talking about now the U.K., where they don't have itemized deductions.
HEADLEE: I see, OK, so that makes a difference.
TODER: You get your interest off, or you used to get it, and your charitable you get off. There's basically a refund paid to the charity, not to you. It doesn't actually even show up on your tax return.
HEADLEE: It seems, though, Eric, that most people would have to make a change, that most people do - you know, most people do owe something different than what was withheld.
TODER: In the United States that's correct, yeah, and it would be almost impossible in our system, where we don't have individual filing like they do in the U.K. So your return, if you're married, depends on your income and your spouse's income. It would be really difficult to have exact withholding.
HEADLEE: Exactly, which would mean everyone would end up having to change it anyway.
TODER: That's right, everybody's going to have to change it anyway. Now there's a second method, which is called Tax Agency Reconciliation. It's done in Sweden and some other places. And the way that would work would be basically where the IRS has information about you. So if it knows your - it knows your wages because that's supplied by your - we'll get to that.
But in theory the idea is they know your wages because it comes from your employer and is reported to them. They know your dividends and interest because your bank reports it to them. And they know your pensions; they know your Social Security benefits. So there are certain things that are reported to them on match documents.
HEADLEE: Right, OK.
TODER: So if those are your only sources of income, and the only things you itemize are things like mortgage interest, for which your bank sends a match deduction, and state and local taxes, which they would...
HEADLEE: They also report for you.
TODER: ...could be able to get theoretically. There isn't a match document for that. Then in theory what they could do is send you a pre-filled form. This is what's done in Sweden and some other places. They send you a pre-filled form, and then you either sign the form and say OK and send it back, or you say no, you've got some of those numbers wrong, or I actually had some other sources of income, and then you add other things and do it yourself.
HEADLEE: OK, we're speaking with Eric Toder, who is an institute fellow at the Urban Institute and co-director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. But let me bring Liz Day into this and see if we can simplify it even further. Liz Day is ProPublica's director of research. Her piece was called "How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing." And she joins us from the studios in New York City.
Let's talk about your piece in particular because I talked about why taxpayer advocates right now are arguing with people like the makers of TurboTax, Intuit Corporation. What is the debate here? Lay out the two sides of this argument.
LIZ DAY: Sure, so return-free tax filing, it sounds like you have already sort of discussed the basics, but essentially it would allow the IRS to offer certain taxpayers with simple tax situations the option to get a prefilled tax return using information the government already receives.
Taxpayers could then review, sign it and send in for free. Or they could choose not to and throw it away and use the usual methods that they would file their taxes. It's completely voluntary.
Now return-free tax filing has some support from, you know, tax experts and advocates. President Reagan talked about it favorably back in 1985. And President Obama also spoke about it on the campaign trail. Yet it also has some opponents and some of which have recognizable names, most notably Intuit, the maker of TurboTax.
They've lobbied on bills regarding return-free tax filing and have, you know, argued that it could basically have taxpayers ending up owing more money. Other...
TODER: OK, can I add something to that?
HEADLEE: Sure, Eric.
TODER: Because Liz has mentioned it. If you say Intuit is against it, you could say OK, they don't like the competition. They have a good business.
HEADLEE: Right, they make a lot of money, right.
TODER: And they make a lot of money and don't want somebody else doing something for taxpayers that would cut into their profits. But, you know, I testified on this issue before the president - President Bush's tax reform panel in 2005, and actually one of the people on the panel who was very much against this idea what Charles Risotti, who was a former commissioner of the IRS.
And he was coming at it from a very different point of view, from having kind of done the numbers of what it would cost the IRS and whether this would really be cost-effective. So there's other issues. It's not just one company that's concerned about their profits.
DAY: Absolutely, it's not just Intuit who opposes this, and, you know, independent tax experts like yourself, you know, raise very important questions like should we be asking the IRS, who's, you know, an already stressed agency to do this, you know, additional work. And would taxpayers that got a pre-filled return really scrutinize it to make sure the numbers are correct, and are they getting, you know, all the tax deductions and credits that they qualify for?
As to the cost, which is, you know, a really important question, as well...
HEADLEE: The cost of...
DAY: The cost for the IRS to implement a system like this. It's really unknown. The last time the government studied it, you know, is many years ago. They studied it in the late '80s, and the IRS said this will cost money, more money than we would save, because we'd have to, you know, upgrade our infrastructure considerably. That was also with, you know, 1980s computers.
The GAO, which is the Government Accountability Office, later studied this in the late '90s and said wait, actually we could save some money if we did this, you know, if all taxpayers eligible used it, because we would get more accurate returns, we would have less audits, and, you know, the e-filing rates might also go up.
HEADLEE: I see, and OK, let me read an email here that we just got from a listener. Owen(ph) in Springville, Utah, says this: I've worked some in Finland and continue to work for clients there. Even though I've never been liable for income tax there, a couple of times clients have withheld tax. The Finnish government automatically refunded my money with interest without me ever filing a return: no-brainer.
So that sounds like somebody who is all for return-free filings. And we want to throw this question to those of you out there. I assume most people are taxpayers. So we want to know: What have you learned about when it's time to call in a professional for help on your taxes? Our number is 800-989-8255. Our email address is email@example.com.
Let me just put something to you, Eric, which is right now, I saw a statistic that said one in - I mean nine out of 10 Americans use professional tax help of some kind, whether it be TurboTax or H&R Block or something like that. But I can't imagine 90 percent of Americans need professional help, which would suggest that there actually is an industry out there which is possibly selling a product that people don't need.
TODER: Well it depends on what you mean by need. I mean, right now about 60 percent use preparers; about 30 percent use software; about 10 percent do it on their own with paper and pencil. But the software people are generally fairly sophisticated users who have complicated returns.
The people who use preparers fall in two buckets: They're people who have extremely complicated returns, the most complicated people use preparers. And surprisingly, the least complicated people use preparers. So there's a lot of people that just don't want to deal with a tax return, and they go to a preparer.
HEADLEE: All right, but there is the possibility for abuse, is there not, Eric? I mean, there's the possibility that people who don't have a really high financial literacy are being overcharged? Oftentimes when you go to a tax preparer or even software, you get charged for every form that gets submitted to the IRS.
TODER: No, actually the software, I believe, because I do it, there are certain packages that have a price, and it's a pretty standard pricing thing. You don't get charged per form.
HEADLEE: But when you go in oftentimes to an office, you get charged per form, right?
TODER: No, I think there's a pretty standard price. Yeah, I guess you do...
HEADLEE: You do. You get - I can say definitively you do get charged per form.
TODER: If it's a more complicated return. But, you know, and I'm not familiar with the pricing of the preparers because I don't use them, but...
HEADLEE: I'm just - I'm simply saying that there is a business here that's trying to sell extra - wait, hold on one second, Eric. There is a business that's charging extra per form and might be tempted to make something more complicated than it is, right?
TODER: You know...
HEADLEE: OK, I'm going to let you think about for just a second while we take a break.
TODER: That's a hypothetical possibility. I've heard complaints about preparers and complaints about refund anticipation loans and stuff they try to sell people. But in terms of what you just said, the average person...
HEADLEE: OK, we're going to get back to it in just a second, Eric.
TODER: ...with a simple return is getting something really complicated...
HEADLEE: We're going to get back to that in just a second, Eric. We need to take a break here, and we want to hear from taxpayers, 800-989-8255. Or email at email@example.com. More in a minute. I'm Celeste Headlee. This is TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News.
HEADLEE: This is TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News. I'm Celeste Headlee. It is tax day. That means some of you listening right now probably have receipts and pencils and forms spread out across your desk or your kitchen table, a mad tangle of income and investments and donations and deductions.
But what if the government prepared your return for you, and you just checked it over, made changes and then submitted it? That was called return-free filing. It could be a voluntary option for taxpayers, but it's not yet.
And a new piece from ProPublica says one reason for that is Intuit, the company that makes TurboTax, has fought it. Liz Day from ProPublica is here today. And Intuit has actually responded to ProPublica's reporting in an email, explaining its position. And I quote here from that statement: Relying on an actual withholding or government reconciliation tax system, eliminating or curtailing citizen participation in the taxation process, has far-reaching implications for accuracy in public tax expenditures, which are often targeted by policymakers to those lower and middle-income citizens with the simplest returns.
This in turn has implications for accuracy and fairness in taxation itself. And Intuit continues: This is not about Intuit, although some work very hard to make it appear that way. This is about a basic belief that taxpayers deserve the right to voluntary compliance so they can keep more of their hard-earned money.
So we wonder: What have you learned about doing your taxes, about when it's time to call in professional help? Call us at 800-989-8255. Or send an email to email@example.com. We're joined right now by Liz Day at ProPublica, she's the director of research there, joining us from studios in New York City. Also Eric Toder, who is an institute fellow at the Urban Institute, also co-director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center.
And we have another co-director of the Urban-Bookings Tax Policy Center joining us as well: William Gale, senior fellow in economic studies for the Brookings Institution as well. William, welcome to the conversation.
WILLIAM GALE: Thanks very much.
HEADLEE: Who knew that taxes could be so passionate, right? Let me get your view of return-free filing. Right now, as I understand it, it's being proposed as a voluntary thing, that people could choose to do it either this way or the old way, right?
GALE: Right, there's a - there seems like there's a lot of misinformation floating around about this. And the statement that you read from Intuit is a perfect example of that. They mentioned the prospect of eliminating citizen participation in the tax system. This has nothing to do with that.
They mention taxpayers' right to voluntary compliance. This has nothing to do with that. What they're putting out is a total bait-and-switch argument about - that's totally irrelevant to the issues at hand. The basic question is that this is kind of a good government thing to do.
It would be helpful to people if the IRS simply summarized the information that they already had about the taxpayer and sent it to the taxpayer. It doesn't violate anybody's rights, it doesn't stop anybody from doing their own tax return if they want to. It's simply a way of economizing on information and giving the taxpayer essentially a running start in filling out their tax forms.
HEADLEE: OK, so let me go back to Liz Day, since Intuit was basically responding to ProPublica's reporting here. Why does Intuit or anyone else who's lobbying against return-free filing, or arguing against it, why would they do that? What's the motivation behind not offering this as an option?
DAY: Well, it would - many Americans could opt to use this method and no longer use, say, TurboTax or H&R Block or, you know, the tax guy up the street. So it would take out a good chunk of business from the private sector. So you know, some advocates say that, you know, that's one reason it's being opposed.
Another argument that, you know, Intuit made in that statement is that citizens who use this method could end up paying more in taxes, and that's an argument shared by Grover Norquist, who's also opposed to return-free filing, who, you know, essentially says there's a conflict of interest if the IRS is both the tax preparer and the collector and that they would err on the side of overstating how much you owe in taxes versus...
HEADLEE: Grover Norquist is, of course, the president of Americans for Tax Reform. Go ahead.
DAY: Yes, and that, you know, Americans could end up paying more in taxes, though, you know, it's important to keep in mind this is a voluntary system. You would get the return, you would review it, you would make sure it's correct, and you know, you could also choose not to use it.
If you found it was - you know, you were ending up paying more if you used it, you could, you know, use TurboTax and save more money, as they argue.
HEADLEE: Liz Day is ProPublica's director of research. Her piece is called "How the Maker of TurboTax Fought Free, Simple Tax Filing." And she joined us from the studios in New York City. Liz, thank you so much.
DAY: Thank you.
HEADLEE: I wanted to take a phone call, and we are getting phone calls from you out there on this tax day. Our number is 800-989-8255. The question is: What have you learned about when it's time to call in a professional? So let's hear now from Corrinda(ph), I hope I'm pronouncing that right, Corrinda, in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
CORRINDA: Yeah, you absolutely - you got it right.
HEADLEE: I'm so glad. When do you think it's time to get professional help on your taxes?
CORRINDA: Well, right out of college I joined AmeriCorps for two years and then landed my first real job, first big job. So I went from the AmeriCorps budget to, you know, a decent salary. And on top of that moved home, bought a condo, started a Master's program, began a Ph.D. program, couple of side jobs, donate to NPR twice a year, of course.
So it really put me into a totally different tax bracket. So, you know, kind of being a younger person, that might be OK to just file the E-Z, but when you begin to become a more active participant in your community, that's when it's time to get the help of a tax preparer.
My preparer helped to make sure that I can write off my school expenses and that everything line by line is absolutely correct.
HEADLEE: All right, that's a really great argument. Thank you so much. That's Corrinda in Fort Wayne, Indiana. And we also have this email from Bayport, Minnesota, who says: You need it anytime you're self-employed. It's an absolute morass of forms and deductions. How would returnless taxes work with the self-employed, where no W-2s or 1099s are available?
And Eric, let me go back to you. I'm sorry we had to cut you off earlier.
TODER: Well, the answer is it wouldn't - that simple.
HEADLEE: You say it would not work?
TODER: It would not because the biggest thing in tax preparing is collecting information you need to supply to the IRS, and a lot of this is based on self-reporting. The IRS just doesn't know it for a self-employed person. They don't have the matching documents.
HEADLEE: So Eric, you're saying return-free filing, we shouldn't offer it as an option?
TODER: No, no, wait. I am saying that, but I'm not saying that because it doesn't work for everybody it shouldn't be offered. I'm just pointing out it wouldn't work for this person.
HEADLEE: OK, but do you think it should be offered as an option for people?
TODER: Well, I think this is a cost-benefit thing, and this has been made to sound like, I think, you know, you've heard wrong arguments by some people who exaggerate how much this would save, and you hear other wrong arguments by TurboTax or Grover Norquist that say that somehow it's an assault on personal freedom, which it isn't.
This is really a question of: Is this something, given a very pressed revenue service and one which is having a hard time doing the tasks it's supposed to do, to take on something which is really fairly complicated? Because you've got to consider the timing in which they get the information and then how long it takes them to get the information to the taxpayer.
For example, right now the W-2 information doesn't come to the IRS until after the filing season.
HEADLEE: I see. OK, that's Eric Toder...
TODER: But that can be changed, don't get me wrong, but this is a lot more complicated than people make it out to be.
HEADLEE: I think everyone believes that taxes are complicated. Eric Toder, co-director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. And also with us is the other co-director, William Gale. So William, why should we have return-free filing? I mean Eric is right, the tax code is incredibly complex. The IRS often makes mistakes now with this current that we have. Why on Earth would we trust them to get it right?
GALE: It's not a matter that the IRS would get it exactly right necessarily every time. Imagine instead about your credit card. Every month you pay your credit card bills. Imagine if the way you did that was you collected all your receipts and then you sent them into the credit card company and said this is what I think I owe, and then the credit card company looks at those receipts and says no, no, no, you owe this other amount.
So we pay our credit cards in this intelligent way, where the credit card company sends us a bill. And we look at it, we can contest it, and then if it's OK, we pay it. All the return-free filing system is suggesting is that we do the same thing on taxes. Now, it's...
TODER: But what would the credit care system...
GALE: This is not going to work - this is not going to work for everyone, as Eric mentioned.
HEADLEE: Yeah.
GALE: And - but there are 50 million taxpayers who are in situations where it would work. And I don't think we should let what we can't do, which is solve the problem of all several hundred million taxpayers, get in the way of the things that that we actually can do, which is simplify and provide good government for tens of millions, probably 50 million, taxpayers who are in relatively simple situations where we could offer this service.
HEADLEE: This service. All right. So let's go to another call here. Another one from Indiana, Don(ph) in Evansville, Indiana. When is it time to call in a professional, Don, for you?
DON: Well, hi. And thanks for taking my call.
HEADLEE: Sure.
DON: You know, for me, you know, I work for a nonprofit organization, and I've always - I always had the thought that, you know, sometimes the government might decide they want to audit me. And if they decide to audit my taxes, for me, I'd like to have the help of a professional that is very familiar with my tax - all my taxes and stuff so that they can help me in that kind of a case. And so I think that I always like to have a professional on my side who knows what they're doing and knows all the ins and outs of the tax code and all of that.
HEADLEE: And there you go. Let me bring this back to you, Eric, because a lot of people - thank you very much, Don, in Evansville. Eric, a lot of people go to a tax preparer even when they don't need to because they want some kind of insurance against an audit.
TODER: I think in Don's case, what he's describing is a situation and he's not the kind of person Bill is talking about because I think Bill and I would both agree that he probably needs to go a tax preparer.
HEADLEE: Ah, I see.
TODER: (Technical difficulty) people have complications with their business returns. There are tax situations where they might use a deduction that's a little unusual where they really need advice.
HEADLEE: Yeah.
TODER: And I don't think Bill and I disagree on that. I think the question is what's to be done with, you know, whether it makes sense to - and I think it's not a matter of (unintelligible) to require the IRS to offer this service to the number of people who would be able to use it, and here are some people who would be able to use it.
HEADLEE: Well, let me bring then to you, William Gale, the argument that that some are making which is that the current system in someway victimizes some taxpayers who end up paying for tax preparation when they don't need to. What's your response to that?
GALE: I don't know of any evidence for or against that. I - that sounds a little sensational to me.
HEADLEE: Yeah. I agree with you. But the return-free filing, the people that would be most likely to use it, would they be the people that Eric mentioned, somebody who just files a 1040EZ with no itemization?
GALE: Yeah. Typically, if you - yeah. If you - the people most likely to use it would be people who have relatively simple forms of income, so no self-employment income, no capital gains and don't have itemized deductions. You could work in child credit and the EITC with a few minimal changes in the system. Basically, you could get about 50 million people or more who file taxes onto this system. You certainly couldn't get everyone onto the system.
HEADLEE: You're listening to TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News. And let's take a call here. This is Sy(ph) in Saginaw, Michigan. Sy, what do you think? When have you learned about whether or not to call in a professional on your taxes?
SY: Well, I actually am not in favor of professionals very much. I've done my own taxes through TaxACT.com for, oh, maybe 12 or 15 years now. The last two years, I've got a couple of friends that work for H&R Block, and they kept trying to convince me to come in. So I so decided I'd have them look them over. Two years ago, I had H&R Block and Jackson-Hewitt look over my taxes because they'll check it for free and then they'll let you know before they charge you.
And then last year, I had H&R Block do it again, and both times, they were going to chare me over $150 for their services and actually found me a much larger return than what I had by doing it myself through the online service, and the online service costs me $15.
HEADLEE: OK. That's interesting. That's Sy calling from Saginaw, Michigan. And thank you very much, Sy. And let me read this email from Blaine(ph) in New York who says - disagrees with Sy. He says: As a seasonal preparer, you need a preparer if you're not willing to learn about a tax code that's much larger than the King James Bible. We often correct returns where people didn't understand the questions. And what about that, Eric, wouldn't we solve this problem in another way if we just made the tax code simpler?
TODER: Of course, we would.
TODER: And that's...
TODER: That - we seem to be going in the opposite direction, unfortunately. If you read the latest budget and what they're preparing, you know, you've got two ways now to figure out your taxes, or three if you decide whether to itemize or you decide whether you're on the alternative tax. Now, you're going to pay an alternative - another alternative 28 percent maximum rate or if you're really rich, a Buffett tax. You know, they're always layering some different new thing you have to do.
HEADLEE: New provisions and new things. To a certain extent, I guess, some of them are deductions that you want. But, William Gale, is return-free filing the solution for a tax code which we will never make simple? Is that really what we're talking about?
GALE: I think it's important not to oversell the costs or the benefits of it. It's never going to solve the issues with why we have a complicated tax system. I view it as more of as a way to help people navigate through the system, and it might have some benefit in terms of keeping the system - parts of the system simple because there would be a threshold where if you take this deduction, you can't do the pre-populated returns. There's - I mean there's experience of this in these other countries that that have done pre-populated returns.
And it's important to understand it's not some policy that's never existed anywhere in the past. It actually is in operation in other countries and those countries, you know, they don't have simple, incredibly easy tax systems. They face the same concerns we do with fairness and trying to measure income right and stuff like that. So it's definitely not a cure-all but...
HEADLEE: But did it save those countries money? Either the taxpayers or the government?
GALE: There's been some studies of this, and I think it is mixed. I think it depends on how you measure the government cost. I think one of the big savings, which is hard to measure, is taxpayer anxiety and stress. Somebody mentioned this a few minutes ago about going to a preparer just to be sure you get it right.
HEADLEE: Right.
GALE: You know, just like the view point of, look, I don't mind paying my taxes. I'm happy to pay my fair share. I just don't want to get it wrong and get hauled in to court and all that.
HEADLEE: Yeah. And we'll have to leave it at that. That's William Gale, senior fellow of economic studies at the Brookings Institution, co-director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, joined us from studios at Brookings. And the other co-director at the Tax Policy Center, Eric Toder, who is institute fellow at the Urban Institute, and joined us by phone from his office in Washington, D.C. Eric and William, thank you both so much.
GALE: Thank you.
TODER: Thank you.
HEADLEE: Up next, we turn to The Opinion Page. Chilean poet Pablo Neruda's body has been exhumed after his driver raised the possibility he'd been poisoned. Our next guest says Neruda's legacy is so vibrantly alive it matters little how he died. Ilan Stevens - Stavans joins us after a short break. I'm Celeste Headlee. This is TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


text:
I love cheese crackers especially Cheez-It I can eat it just like that or even put it in my soup. Why bake my own cheese crackers when I can just buy a box of it? Well, I simply like the idea that I am able to bake something I like to eat and also it's much healthier without all the preservatives. These homemade cheese crackers are the most tender, rich, buttery, cheesy crackers you have ever eaten. It involves very little fuss. Just put everything in the food processor, roll out the dough, cut it and then bake it.
1 stick butter (113 grm) – at room temperature
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups Flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper (less if you prefer less spicy)
1 tsp of paprika
2 tbsp of cold water (more or less)
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degree F. Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper.
2. Put all the above ingredients except water in a food processor. Pulse until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Slowly add in one tbsp of cold water or a bit more until the mixture comes together into a ball.
3. Take out the dough and lightly floured work surface, give the dough a few knead and let it rest for half an hour.
4. Roll the dough out thinly about 1/8" thick. Cut out into desired shapes
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the crackers start to get just golden on the edges
Remove the baking pan from the oven, and transfer the browned crackers to a cooling rack.


text:
WARNING: UK kids at risk from virus that can leave victims paralysed
Cases of enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), which has no known cure or vaccine, have more than doubled in the last year.
Linked to cases of very young children being left unable to walk, the virus can leave kids fighting to breathe or swallow.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe public are advised to take good hygiene precautions when sneezing and coughing, wash their hands and avoid close contact with people with colds and flu-like illnesses.
It is understood four young victims have been hospitalised in the UK, with a boy and primary-aged girl in the Edinburgh area in intensive care for more than a month.
The outbreak follows one in Wales during the winter of 2014-15.
Public Health England has now published a risk assessment stating the virus is associated with 'polio-like' neurological symptoms.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLast year only 14 cases of EV-D68 were detected in the UK, but this year has already seen 38 lab-confirmed infections.
Most young patients have been admitted to hospital with respiratory problems, with some suffering neurological issues.
While doctors have been notified, affected families fear too little has been done to alert the public.
One source, speaking to Mail Online, said: "There's a real concern the spread of this virus isn't being made public.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"GPs need to know this virus is out there so they can recognise symptoms and make quick referrals. Symptoms seem to start with a sore throat but, within a day or so, they are left unable to breathe as their muscles stop working and they become floppy.
"It's a terrifying disease that leaves a lot of the children permanently paralysed. Health officials seem to be really keen this is kept secret but parents and doctors need to know."
NHS Lothian incident management team chair Dr Kate Templeton confirmed: "We have been investigating a possible cluster of patients infected with enterovirus D68. The patients are all now testing negative for the virus."
EV-D68 is linked to a phenomenon called acute flaccid paralysis that causes patients' muscles to rapidly weaken.
If the muscles needed to breathe fail, patients can die.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdChildren are more vulnerable because they have not built up immunity to such viruses.
An outbreak of EV-D68 in the US killed 14 people and infected 1,153 between August 2014 and January last year. Public Health England has confirmed the virus is circulating but said cases are in line with expected numbers.
Many people who contract the virus only ever have mild cold-like symptoms and do not suffer paralysis.
The public are advised to take good hygiene precautions to minimise the risk of infection


text:
Don't miss out on these Tax credits and deductions
Posted on: February 24th, 2013 by Amy BolgerThe IRS expects that 75 percent of all 2012 returns will be entitled to a refund, so if you haven't started preparing your taxes yet, time to get on it: There is no reason to wait for April 15 to roll around to get that money back from Uncle Sam. And remember: If you do not file your return by the due date, you may have to pay penalties and interest. Even if you can't meet the deadline, you can file for an extension, which will give you until October 15 to file your 2012 tax returns.
UPDATES for 2012:
- The IRS is providing taxpayers whose incomes are $57,000 or less with "Free File", available through IRS.gov, where a number of tax software companies make their products available for free. Additionally, some states are offering similar options. Electronic e-filing is available to all taxpayers, regardless of income.
- Mailing your return: If you are filing a paper return, you may be mailing it to a different address this year because the IRS has changed the filing location for several areas. See Where To File for a list of IRS addresses.
- Exemption amount: $3,800 from $3,700 in 2011.
- Standard deduction: For married couples filing a joint return, the standard deduction is $11,900 for 2012. For single individuals and married couples filing separate returns, it is $5,950 and for heads of household it increases by $200 to $8,700 for 2012.
- Tax-bracket thresholds increase for each filing status. For a married couple filing a joint return, for example, the taxable-income threshold separating the 15% bracket from the 25% bracket is $70,700, up from $69,000 in 2011.
- Estate and gift tax: The exclusion amount for 2012 is $5,120,000. The exclusion for gifts to a spouse who is not a citizen of the United States increases to $139,000 for 2012.
- Itemized deductions and personal exemptions: The itemized deduction limitation and personal exemption phase-out rules were repealed for 2011 and 2012, which means taxpayers can deduct the full amount of their itemized deductions and personal exemptions in 2012. These limitations ($250,000 for individuals and $300,000 for joint filers) will go back into effect for tax year 2013
Get ALL your Credits:
Tax credits are the best tax deal going, because they reduce your taxes dollar for dollar, instead of being calculated based on your tax bracket.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable credit for low and moderate income workers and working families. The 2012 income limit for the EITC is under $50,270 for joint filers and under $45,060 for singles and the maximum credit is $5,891. The credit varies by family size, filing status and other factors, with the maximum credit going to joint filers with three or more qualifying children. Use Schedule 8812 to figure your additional child tax credit for 2012. (Details are in IRS Publication 596 — PDF)
Child Tax Credit is up to $1,000 for each qualifying child who was under the age of 17 at the end of 2012. This credit can be claimed in addition to the credit for child and dependent care expenses, but phases out for married couples that earn more than $110,000 and single filers who earn more than $75,000. In an IRS-esque type move, taxpayers should use Schedule 8812 (instead of Form 8812) to figure the additional child tax credit. (Details are in IRS Publication 972 — PDF)
Child and Dependent Care Credit is available if you pay someone to care for a dependent under age 13, so that you can work or look for a job. The credit is 20 to 35% of your child-care expenses up to $6,000 (the size of your credit depends on your income). This credit will be reduced significantly next year. (Details are in IRS Publication 503 — PDF)
Retirement Savings Contributions Credit is designed to help low and moderateincome workers save for retirement. Individuals with incomes of up to $28,750, head of households with $43,125 and married couples with joint incomes of up to $57,500 may qualify for a credit of up to $1,000 per person. (Details are in Form 8880 — PDF)
Energy and Appliance Tax Credit If you made any energy-efficiency improvements to your home in 2012, you may be eligible for a tax credit of 10 percent for the cost, up to a maximum of $500. Approved improvements include new windows, insulation, high efficiency furnaces, water heaters and air conditioning, among many. Be sure to keep your receipts and manufacturer certification. (See which Energy Star items qualify for the tax deduction and use IRS Form 5695)
Adoption Tax Credit in 2012 has reverted to being nonrefundable, with a maximum amount (dollar limitation) of $12,650 per child from $13,360 in 2011. The income limit on the adoption credit is based on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). For tax year 2012, the MAGI phase out begins at $189,710 and ends at $229,710. (IRS Topic 607)
College Costs
American Opportunity Tax Credit: For tax year 2012, students can claim a $2,500 "higher education tax credit" for the first four years of college. The credit is based on 100 percent of the first $2,000 of tuition and related expenses, including books, paid during the tax year, plus 25 percent of the next $2,000 of tuition and related expenses paid during the tax year (subject to income phase-outs starting at $80,000 for singles and $160,000 for joint filers).
Lifetime learning credit: The modified adjusted gross income threshold at which the lifetime learning credit begins to phase out is $104,000 for joint filers, up from $102,000, and $52,000 for singles and heads of household, up from $51,000.
Tuition and fee deductions: Every family can deduct up to $4,000 of college tuition and fees in 2012, subject to income limitations. If your modified AGI is between $65,001 and $80,000 for singles or between $130,001 and $160,000 for joint filers, you are entitled to a reduced deduction of up to $2,000. (IRS Publication 970)
Student loan interest deduction: The $2,500 maximum deduction for interest paid on student loans begins to phase out for a married taxpayers filing a joint returns at $125,000 and phases out completely at $155,000, an increase of $5,000 from the phase out limits for tax year 2011. For single taxpayers, the phase out ranges remain at the 2011 levels.
Itemized Deductions: Nearly two out of three taxpayers take the standard deduction rather than itemizing deductions, such as mortgage interest, charitable contributions and state and local taxes. You may be leaving money on the table. If your deductible expenses exceed the 2012 standard deduction limits above, be sure you itemize and grab these write-offs.
Miscellaneous deductions: These are deductible if they total more than 2 percent of your adjusted gross income. They include tax-preparation fees, job-hunting expenses, business car expenses, and professional dues.
Sales tax: You can deduct sales tax paid in 2012 if the amount was greater than the state and local income taxes you paid. In other words, you get to choose: Write off your sales taxes or write off your income taxes. If you didn't keep your sales-tax receipts, use the IRS's sales tax deduction estimator. Even if you claim the sales tax amount from the IRS tables, you can add in tax paid on vehicles or boats purchased during the year, except to the extent the sales tax rate on them is more than the general sales tax rate. If you live in a state with a high income tax, like California or New York, you will probably be better off claiming your state and local income taxes rather than sales taxes. If you live in a state with no income tax, like Florida, Texas, or Washington, be sure to take the sales tax deduction when you itemize.
Medical expenses: This one is hard to claim, because the bar is so high to qualify. You can only deduct the portion of your 2012 medical expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income.
Mileage: Deducting miles driven for work or other purposes can be a huge tax break and save you significant money. The 2012 rate for business use of your car remains 55.5 cents a mile; medical and moving is 23 cents per mile; and charitable use is 14 cents per mile.
Mortgage insurance deduction: Borrowers with AGI's up to $100,000 may be able to treat qualified mortgage insurance as home mortgage interest, which means that 100 percent of 2011 premiums may be deductible. The insurance contract had to be issued after 2006 and deductions are phased out in 10 percent increments for homeowners with AGI's between $100,001 and $109,000. (IRS Publication 936)
Classroom deduction for teachers: K-12 educators who work at least 900 hours during the school year can claim an above-the-line deduction of up to $250 ($500 if married filing joint and both spouses are educators, but not more than $250 each) for any un-reimbursed expenses (books, supplies, computer equipment (including related software and services), other equipment, and supplementary materials) used in the classroom. (IRS Topic 458)
IRA/Roth Conversion
When you contribute to an individual retirement account, you help fund a future goal while lowering your current tax bill. In other words, socking cash in an IRA is like saving with help from your Uncle Sam.
You have until tax filing to contribute up the lesser of your taxable compensation for the year or $5,000 to a 2012 IRA ($6,000 if you are 50 or older). If you are self-employed, have a Keogh or SEP-IRA, and have filed for an extension to October 15, you can wait until then to put 2012 money into those accounts.
Even if you're covered by a retirement plan at work, you can deduct some or all of your IRA contribution. The 2012 IRA limits for modified AGI as follows:
- More than $92,000 but less than $112,000 for a married couple filing a joint return or a qualifying widow(er)
- More than $58,000 but less than $68,000 for a single individual or head of household, or
- Less than $10,000 for a married individual filing a separate return.
For married couples filing a joint return, in which the spouse who makes the IRA contribution is not an active participant in an employer-sponsored retirement plan but the other spouse is a participant, the deduction is phased out if the couple's income is between $173,000 and $183,000, up from $169,000 and $179,000 in 2012.
Charitable donations from IRA's: Taxpayers aged 70 1/2 or older can make direct tax-free transfers of up to $100,000 from IRAs to qualified charities. The transfers can satisfy minimum required distributions without increasing adjusted gross income.
Roth IRAs
Roth IRAs allow taxpayers to invest money for future retirement needs. Unlike a traditional IRA, there is no current tax deduction available for contributions to a Roth and all funds within the Roth IRA compound tax-free and all withdrawals from the account are also tax-free. To qualify to contribute to a Roth, your income must fall within the Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) limits. The 2012 limit for 2012 is $173,000 to $183,000 for married couples filing jointly, up from $169,000 to $179,000. For single taxpayers, the income phase-out range is $110,000 to $125,000, up from $107,000 to $122,000 in 2011.
Roth conversion: If you converted or rolled over an amount to a Roth IRA in 2010 and did not elect to report the taxable amount on your 2010 return, you generally must report half of it on your 2011 return and the rest on your 2012 return. (See Publication 575 for details)


text:
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that is responsible for causing acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The virus destroys or impairs cells of the immune system and progressively destroys the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. In adults and adolescents, HIV is most commonly spread by sexual contact with an infected partner. In the U.S., nearly all HIV infections in children under the age of 13 are from vertical transmission, which means the virus is passed to the child when they are in their mother's womb or as they pass through the birth canal, or through breastfeeding. Before 1985, a small group of children were infected with the virus by contaminated blood products. Routine screening of blood products began in 1985. Not every child born to an HIV-infected mother will acquire the virus.
In the U.S., teens and young adults between the ages of 13 and 24, especially among minority groups, represent one of the fastest growing HIV-positive groups.
The number of infants who become HIV positive when born to an infected mother has decreased. This reduction is due to increased HIV testing and the use of new anti-retroviral medications that are given to the mother before her baby is born, and given to the baby after birth. Because transmission often occurs during delivery, cesarean section may be indicated for some women.
The following are the means by which the HIV virus is spread:
Vertical transmission. HIV can be spread to babies born to, or breastfed by, mothers infected with the virus.
Sexual contact. In adults and adolescents, HIV is spread most commonly by sexual contact with an infected partner. The virus enters the body through the lining of the vagina, vulva, penis, rectum, or abraded or irritated tissues in the lining of the mouth through sexual activity.
Blood contamination. HIV may also be spread through contact with infected blood. However, due to the screening of donated blood for evidence of HIV infection, the risk of acquiring HIV from blood transfusions is extremely low.
Needles. HIV is frequently spread by sharing needles, syringes, or drug use equipment with someone who is infected with the virus. Transmission from patient to health care worker, or vice-versa, through accidental sticks with contaminated needles or other medical instruments, is rare.
No known cases of HIV/AIDS have been spread by the following:
Casual contact, such as sharing food utensils, towels, and bedding
Swimming pools
Toilet seats
Biting insects (such as mosquitoes)
The symptoms vary depending on the age of the child. The following are the most common symptoms of HIV infection. However, each infant, child, or adolescent may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
Infants. HIV status may be difficult to determine in the first year of like, so repeated tests may be done. Symptoms may include:
Failure to thrive. Delayed physical and developmental growth as evidenced by poor weight gain and bone growth.
Swollen abdomen. This is due to swelling of the liver and spleen.
Swollen lymph nodes
Intermittent diarrhea. Diarrhea that may come and go.
Oral thrush. A fungal infection in the mouth that is characterized by white patches on the cheeks and tongue. These lesions may be painful to the infant.
Children. Symptoms seen in children older than 1 year of age can be divided into three different categories, from mild to severe. They may include the above symptoms, but may also include the following:
Mild |
Moderate |
Severe |
Swollen lymph nodes |
Pneumonitis--swelling and inflammation of lung tissue |
Two serious bacterial infections in a two-year period (meningitis, blood infection, or pneumonia) |
Swelling of the parotid gland (salivary glands located in front of the ear) |
Oral thrush that lasts for more than two months |
A yeast infection that occurs in the digestive track or lungs |
Constant or recurring sinus infections |
Constant or recurring diarrhea |
Encephalopathy--an inflammation of the brain |
Constant or recurring ear infections |
A fever that persists for more than one month |
Tumors or malignant lesions |
Dermatitis--an itchy, rash on the skin |
Hepatitis--an inflammation of the liver that is often caused by an infection |
Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (the type of pneumonia most commonly seen with HIV) |
Abdominal swelling from increased liver and spleen size |
Complicated chickenpox |
Kidney disease |
Adolescents. Symptoms of HIV in teens may be the same as in children, and may also be more similar to the symptoms commonly seen in adults with HIV. Some teens and adults may develop a flu-like illness within a month or two after exposure to the HIV virus, although, many people do not develop any symptoms at all when they first become infected. In addition, the symptoms that do appear, which usually disappear within a week to a month, are often mistaken for those of another viral infection. Symptoms may include:
Malaise (not feeling well)
Enlarged lymph nodes
Persistent or severe symptoms may not surface for 10 years or more, after HIV infection first enters the body in teens and adults. This "asymptomatic" period of the infection is highly variable from person to person. But, during the asymptomatic period, HIV is actively infecting and killing cells of the immune system. Its most obvious effect is a decline in the blood levels of CD4+ cells (also called T4 cells)--the immune system's key infection fighters. The virus initially disables or destroys these cells without causing symptoms.
An HIV-infected child is usually diagnosed with AIDS when the immune system becomes severely damaged or other types of infections occur. As the immune system deteriorates, complications begin to develop. The following are some common complications, or symptoms, of the onset of AIDS. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
Lymph nodes that remain enlarged for more than three months
Lack of energy
Weight loss
Frequent fevers and sweats
Persistent or frequent yeast infections (oral or vaginal)
Persistent skin rashes or flaky skin
Pelvic inflammatory disease that does not respond to treatment
Short-term memory loss
Severe or unusual infections (opportunistic infections)
Some people develop frequent and severe herpes infections that cause mouth, genital, or anal sores, or a reactivation of chickenpox known as shingles.
The symptoms of an HIV infection may resemble other medical conditions. Always consult your child's doctor for a diagnosis.
Diagnosis of HIV infection during infancy depends on the detection of the virus. Since all infants born to HIV-infected mothers have a positive antibody test at birth because of the passive transfer of the HIV antibody across the placenta, virological testing is used to confirm the diagnosis.
For infants born to HIV-infected mothers, viral diagnostic testing is usually performed within the first 2 days of life, at 1 to 2 months of age, and at 4 to 6 months of age. A diagnosis of HIV infection can be made with two positive virologic tests obtained from different blood samples.
For children over 18 months, adolescents, or adults, diagnosis is made by testing the blood for the presence of HIV antibody.
MMR, or measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, is safe to give to children with HIV, unless they have a severely weakened immune system.
DTaP/Td vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) is safe to give to infants and children with HIV.
Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) and Hep B (hepatitis B) vaccines are safe to give to children with HIV.
Hepatitis A and B vaccines are safe to give to HIV-positive children.
VZIG (varicella immune globulin) should be considered for known HIV-positive children, depending on their immune status.
A yearly influenza vaccine (or "flu shot") is recommended for children with HIV, as well as any individual living in the same household as a child with HIV. There are two types of influenza vaccine; children and adults with HIV should receive the "shot" form of the vaccine--not the nasal spray form, as it contains a live virus. Pneumococcal vaccine can be safely administered to age-appropriate HIV-infected children.
Always consult with your child's doctor regarding immunizations for an HIV-infected child.
Individuals who are HIV positive will likely need to see a specialist. As with many other conditions, early detection offers more options for treatment. Today, there are medical treatments that can slow down the rate at which HIV weakens the immune system. However, there are other treatments that can prevent or cure the conditions associated with HIV. Anti-retroviral drug therapy may be given to a pregnant woman, which has proven to greatly reduce the chance of an infant developing HIV. A cesarean section may be recommended to reduce infant transmission from the birth canal. In the U.S., where other feeding options are available, an infected mother should be discouraged from breastfeeding her infant. Consult your child's doctor for more information regarding various drug therapies.


text:
We actually did install a large map shortly after that and key that major WHOMP WHOMP sounds once again.... it wasn't good.
I mean, it wasn't thaaaaaat bad. But I really didn't love it. And since I think it is important to document my design successes and failures, here ya go! I found a jumbo sized map on eBay for around $30 so I thought to be able to achieve a full size wall feature for around $50 total {$20 for the wood frame}, was a steal of a deal. Once I got the map up, I realized that the inexpensive option left me desiring something more. The colors were wrong and it just felt like I tried too hard and achieved a cheesy end result. Yet that is the way it stayed for over a year.
Then, a while back with special thanks to Pinterest, I came across this awesome sign idea and tutorial done by the adorable Ashley over at The Handmade Home blog.
I instantly knew it was the perfect solution for the map in the boys bedroom.
Since I can't very well draw, cut or create a map on my own, I snagged one up from Lulukuku decals back in February while I was hosting a giveaway. Yes, I said February.... sigh.
Nothing like a good Pinterest challenge being hosted by some of my favorite bloggers, Sherry & Katie, to kick my rear in gear!
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I picked up a 4 x 8 foot piece of birch wood from Home Depot on Saturday, and we asked oh so nicely for them to cut it down into planks for us.
We took the wood straight to a family member's workshop and got to staining the planks a pretty dark walnut color.
To stain them, we just plopped them down on some wooden boards being held by saw horses and I walked up and down each side using a foam brush to brush on the stain.
Bryan followed behind wiping the stain back off with a soft rag.
Two coats later and we were ready for install.
After removing the previous map, we decided it would be easiest to keep the already there white wooden frame.
Bryan had to give each board a quick cut on one end to ensure it would fit nice and snug into the frame, and attached the wood to the wall with an air nailer.
Halfway there!
The wood was SOOOOO pretty. I could have kissed it {or did I!?}. I loved that the room finally had the perfect natural element that it was lacking previously.
All done!
The next step was to install the giant vinyl map. We started by piecing things together, re-learning some geography, and taping it up where we ultimately wanted it to land.
My gal, Emily, popped over to help install. She was a vinyl transferring champ!
One continent at a time....
Until it was done!
It was looking good! But the next step was to give the map a nice light blue ocean and leave the land the pretty earthy walnut. After a good rub down on all the edges of the vinyl map.... I covered it all in a coat of gray blue paint {Behr's Light French Gray leftover from our laundry room walls} using a small roller.
I cried inside a little bit, painting over the pretty stain... And crossed my fingers BIG time that it wouldn't ruin the entire project....
This was also the point in the project that my sweet little five year old Parker came in and asked where his map went... and got upset with me for making it go away.
So I quickly started picking away the vinyl pieces {it's best to do it while the paint is still wet}, to reveal the lovely wood again!
We had smiles once again! Whew!
Once it was all dry, it was done and gorgeous!
I love the colors. I love the planks and the worldly natural feel. I love the simple lines outlining the map. I love the walnut color. I. Love. It. All. And have since been begging the boys to trade rooms with mommy....
The red wire airplane was actually in their room waaay back when, and finally had the perfect backdrop to be re-hung in front of!
Thank you to Ashley from the Handmade Home for inspiring a new idea to get me out of my map rut, and for Sherry & Katie for challenging me to get on it already!
The map combined with the upholstered headboards really gave the room a more finished and cozy feel! Dreamy eh?
Anyone else make a design oops that turned out to be a winner in the end thanks to some new found inspiration? What Pinterest inspired projects have you been whipping up? Spill the stories!


text:
Tri-state area escapes list of state with highest obesity rates
A new government survey shows 12 states now have very high obesity rates.
Overall, more than a third of adults are obese but rates vary by state.
The latest figures are based on a 2011 telephone survey that asked adults their height and weight. For the first time, households with only cell phones were included.
State rates remained about the same although states with very high rates went from nine to 12. At least 30 percent of adults are obese in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia.
Colorado was lowest, at just under 21 percent, and Mississippi was highest at nearly 36 percent.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the figures Monday.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.


text:
In your opinion what is the most amazing shot a player could pull off? What shot would you like to able to make?If you don't know what kind of trick shots I'm talking about...Here are some examples in my new video!
Show it some love! THX!
PS: mine would be the tweener


text:
"Package came for you," I looked up to see my co-worker Shanette holding a box for me. "Now will you stop hovering and looking for the mail guy?"
"YES! Thank you!" I snatched the box from her hands with gusto. I had been waiting eagerly over the past week for this to arrive - a box with what I assumed to be a small sample of sweet vanilla.
About a week before I had received a letter from Beanilla where a guy named Rob had inquired if I would like to try a some of their vanilla beans, and if I enjoyed them if I might write about them and if I didn't then no worries. I told him I would love to and that since this was the first offer of anything due to the blog I couldn't have been more ecstatic.
That is until I opened the box. The second the box opener sliced through the tape a gust of vanilla surrounded me. Rushing out of the box like Pandora's demons they quickly engulfed my office and everything was redolent with sweet, creamy, and spicy vanilla aromas.
Rob had sent me well over 200 vanilla beans of varying varieties. So many that I even called over all of my blogging and cooking friends and offered them free vanilla beans. Even after all the gifting, giving, and mailing I still had more than enough to last me years. In fact I still have a jar full of beans from that original shipment and since each bean can be used so many times I doubt I'll run out any time soon.
Since that post went up I ran across Indian vanilla beans - India now becoming a major exporter of beans that possess a dark rummy scent that hints of cherries like the Bourbon variety. In addition, Rob recently wrote me and asked if I would be down with trying some new beans imported from Indonesia. I agreed and he once again sent me a large package of beans, along with a few samples of vanilla paste and extract (the paste now becoming my choice of vanilla for blondies, bread, and other rich baked goods). The beans themselves were strong, the scent reminiscent of sweet prunes and cinnamon. One of the most unique vanillas I've ever encountered.
I decided to run a new test to try out some of these vanillas. Looking at my old notes I decided to make a few batches of sugar cookies and whipped cream, two nicely blank slates which would best be able to show off the flavor of the vanillas. While at first I was curious if each would be just the same old vanilla once baked, each demonstrated a prideful arrogance in its individual flavor profile. One cookie had a a slight creamy flavor to it, while when sniffing the other I caught a slight boozy scent. One whipped cream was classic vanilla, and the other a smokey hint of tobacco seemed to linger in the background.
Once again, varieties of vanilla had proved themselves to possess particular flavor qualities that should be taken into consideration when purchasing vanilla.
Bourbon - Bourbon is defined by its fruity profile. Your nose may detect scents of figs, papaya, persimmon and cherries. Its diverse qualities make it good all around variety, but I personally prefer it with cookies and cakes where I want the vanilla to add dimension and complexity.
Mexico - This vanilla is sweet, smooth, and creamy; designed for infusions in milk, pastry cream, whipped cream, and all manner of ice creams. My personal favorite.
Tonga - This variety reminds me of cherries and of autumn, very brisk and felicitous. More of a delicate flavor. I've dedicated this one to using in developing fruit sauces for adorning meats as it seems to compliment the savory tastes of chicken and pork and at the same time enhance the fruit.
Papua New Guinea - Subtle notes of chocolate and red wine define this vanilla. Not a favorite as often it seems to disappear in the background of other more prominent ingredients, and when I want vanilla to stand front and center I usually want something a bit bolder. Still, for delicate tea cakes and that ilk of pastry this is a choice vanilla.
Tahiti - Generally floral, with hints of licorice and fig. I found that I prefer this vanilla in jams and preserves as it adds a floral bouquet to the overall taste. In addition, that slight licorice taste makes it choice for developing your own chai mix or spice rubs where you wish to include vanilla. Some Tahitian species are grown in other places that actual Tahiti. Tahitian strains actually grown in Tahiti have a darker, chocolate-like flavor.
India - The beans are huge and very oily, with a very muted, woodsy quality. A good vanilla that would stand up well to spices with a more heady comportment in a dish where the presence of cloves, rosemary, cinnamon, or thyme (and other such flavors with a dominating flavor) may threaten to eclipse other vanilla varieties.
Indonesia - These beans are thick, oily, and pliable. One of the mightiest of beans in physical presence. Also, it's one of the oddest. The scent of vanilla is somewhat fermented and the overall scent profile is one you would associate with prunes. In fact, I would say they smell more like prunes than vanilla. However, when cooked the vanilla flavor becomes more pronounced. Perfect for stewing fruit, or in pies and compotes.
Tahitensis & Planifolia Blend - The most typical and assuring of the vanillas - a genetic Wunderkind. This is what you might assume "typical" vanilla to smell like. A bit of a one note wonder, but because it possesses such a strong and reliable vanilla flavor that doesn't change with cooking it's my regular go-to vanilla variety. Probably the one I use more than any other - particularly for making vanilla extract or vanilla sugar. It's also one of the cheapest varieties.
So which one to pick? I suggest going with one or two that intrigue you the most and starting with that. As I noted earlier in the post sugar cookies are a great way to test the flavor profiles of vanilla. Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream are other good options. Whatever you do decide to use be sure that vanilla is the only and predominant flavor.
Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
Adapted from Anita Chu's Field Guide to Cookies
Makes about 5 dozen
3 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
pinch of kosher salt
1 cup of butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups of sugar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 vanilla bean
2 eggs
1. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugars together at high speed for about 3 minutes.
3. Cup open and scrape out the contents of the vanilla bean. Add to the butter-sugar mixture and mix in for 30 seconds.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix a bit more.
5. With the mixer on a low speed slowly add the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
6. Cover dough and refrigerate for 45 minutes. While it chills, preheat the oven to 325F and line some baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Roll the dough into balls about 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter. Place them on the baking sheets and give them a small press to flatten them.
8. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Allow to cool on the sheets for a minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Thanks again to Rob at Beanilla. You've given me a chance to explore one of my favorite flavors and share that knowledge.


text:
ng_ether(4) [php man page]
NG_ETHER(4) BSD Kernel Interfaces Manual NG_ETHER(4) NAME
ng_ether -- Ethernet netgraph node type SYNOPSIS
#include <netgraph/ng_ether.h> DESCRIPTION
The ether netgraph node type allows Ethernet interfaces to interact with the netgraph(4) networking subsystem. Once the ng_ether module is loaded into the kernel, a node is automatically created for each Ethernet interface in the system. Each node will attempt to name itself with the same name as the associated interface. Three hooks are supported: lower, upper, and orphans. The hook name divert may be used as an alias for lower, and is provided for backward compatibility. In reality, the two names represent the same hook. The lower hook is a connection to the raw Ethernet device. When connected, all incoming packets are forwarded to this hook, instead of being passed to the kernel for upper layer processing. Writing to this hook results in a raw Ethernet frame being transmitted by the device. Nor- mal outgoing packets are not affected by lower being connected. The upper hook is a connection to the upper protocol layers. When connected, all outgoing packets are forwarded to this hook, instead of being transmitted by the device. Writing to this hook results in a raw Ethernet frame being received by the kernel just as if it had come in over the wire. Normal incoming packets are not affected by upper being connected. The orphans hook is equivalent to lower, except that only unrecognized packets (that would otherwise be discarded) are written to the hook, while other normal incoming traffic is unaffected. Unrecognized packets written to upper will be forwarded back out to orphans if connected. In all cases, frames are raw Ethernet frames with the standard 14 byte Ethernet header (but no checksum). When no hooks are connected, upper and lower are in effect connected together, so that packets flow normally upwards and downwards. HOOKS
This node type supports the following hooks: lower Connection to the lower device link layer. upper Connection to the upper protocol layers. orphans Like lower, but only receives unrecognized packets. CONTROL MESSAGES
This node type supports the generic control messages, plus the following: NGM_ETHER_GET_IFNAME (getifname) Returns the name of the associated interface as a NUL-terminated ASCII string. Normally this is the same as the name of the node. NGM_ETHER_GET_IFINDEX (getifindex) Returns the global index of the associated interface as a 32 bit integer. NGM_ETHER_GET_ENADDR (getenaddr) Returns the device's unique six byte Ethernet address. NGM_ETHER_SET_ENADDR (setenaddr) Sets the device's unique six byte Ethernet address. This control message is equivalent to using the SIOCSIFLLADDR ioctl(2) system call. NGM_ETHER_SET_PROMISC (setpromisc) Enable or disable promiscuous mode. This message includes a single 32 bit integer flag that enables or disables promiscuous mode on the interface. Any non-zero value enables promiscuous mode. NGM_ETHER_GET_PROMISC (getpromisc) Get the current value of the node's promiscuous flag. The returned value is always either one or zero. Note that this flag reflects the node's own promiscuous setting and does not necessarily reflect the promiscuous state of the actual interface, which can be affected by other means (e.g., bpf(4)). NGM_ETHER_SET_AUTOSRC (setautosrc) Sets the automatic source address override flag. This message includes a single 32 bit integer flag that causes all outgoing packets to have their source Ethernet address field overwritten with the device's unique Ethernet address. If this flag is set to zero, the source address in outgoing packets is not modified. The default setting for this flag is disabled. NGM_ETHER_GET_AUTOSRC (getautosrc) Get the current value of the node's source address override flag. The returned value is always either one or zero. NGM_ETHER_ADD_MULTI (addmulti) Join Ethernet multicast group. This control message is equivalent to using the SIOCADDMULTI ioctl(2) system call. NGM_ETHER_DEL_MULTI (delmulti) Leave Ethernet multicast group. This control message is equivalent to using the SIOCDELMULTI ioctl(2) system call. NGM_ETHER_DETACH (detach) Detach from underlying Ethernet interface and shut down node. SHUTDOWN
Upon receipt of the NGM_SHUTDOWN control message, all hooks are disconnected, promiscuous mode is disabled, and the source address override flag is re-enabled, but the node is not removed. Node can be shut down only using NGM_ETHER_DETACH control message. If the interface itself is detached (e.g., because of PC Card removal), the node disappears as well. EXAMPLES
This command dumps all unrecognized packets received by the ``fxp0'' interface to standard output decoded in hex and ASCII: nghook -a fxp0: orphans This command sends the contents of sample.pkt out the interface ``fxp0'': cat sample.pkt | nghook fxp0: orphans These commands insert an ng_tee(4) node between the lower and upper protocol layers, which can be used for tracing packet flow, statistics, etc.: ngctl mkpeer fxp0: tee lower right ngctl connect fxp0: lower upper left SEE ALSO
arp(4), netgraph(4), netintro(4), ifconfig(8), ngctl(8), nghook(8) AUTHORS
Julian Elischer <firstname.lastname@example.com> Archie Cobbs <email@example.com> BUGS
The automatic KLD module loading mechanism that works for most other Netgraph node types does not work for the ether node type, because ether nodes are not created on demand; instead, they are created when Ethernet interfaces are attached or when the KLD is first loaded. Therefore, if the KLD is not statically compiled into the kernel, it is necessary to load the KLD manually in order to bring the ether nodes into exis- tence. BSD
August 4, 2006 BSD


text:
TWENTY British soldiers killed in action during the First World War have finally been laid to rest with full military honours, almost 100 years after they died.
The soldiers who perished in the Battle of Loos in 1915 were found in 2010 during clearance work for a new prison near Vendin-le-Vieil, north of Arras, in France.
Only one of the troops discovered has been identified - Private William McAleer, of the 7th Battalion the Royal Scottish Fusiliers, part of the 45th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division.
Born in Leven, Fife, 22-year-old Pte McAleer died shortly after the battle began and he was identified due to his body being found with his small home-made metal ID tag.
Little is known about Pte McAleer but it is known that his father was a miner who died in a pit accident, and his mother later remarried.
Among the other soldiers who died and were found at the same time were a Northumberland Fusilier, another six Royal Scottish Fusiliers and a member of the York and Lancaster Regiment.
In addition, there were two Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders and nine others whose regiment has not been identified.
The remains of 30 German soldiers were also found nearby, and they were handed over to the German authorities.
Today representatives from all the regiments with links to the British troops attended a reinterment service at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Loos-en-Gohelle, near Lens.
Those who could not be identified were buried as soldiers "Known unto God" in front of more than 200 people, including Pte McAleer's great step nephew, Stephen McLeod.
Father of two Mr McLeod, 47, a former Black Watch soldier who lives in Cowdenbeath, said Pte McAleer was "an enigma".
The occupational therapist said he learned about Pte McAleer through his grandmother, but how he met his fate had always been shrouded in mystery.
He said: "I knew about his existence and knew he died in the First World War, but I didn't know his body wasn't found.
"That was news to myself when the military put out an appeal for his descendants to come forward. It was my cousin who heard the appeal, who in turn contacted my brother."
Mr McLeod, who was a Black Watch soldier for nine years from the age of 18, said he was touched to honour Pte McAleer in France.
He said: "To come to the Commonwealth and show my respect, especially as a former soldier, to those who have fallen, is a great honour.
"But to be able to come here in the centenary year and show respect to kith and kin is unique. It's unfortunate that we have the other 19 soldiers unidentified.
"It would have been nice if their descendants were able to show their respects."
All 20 soldiers were given full military honours. Pte McAleer's coffin was given his own burial plot, with his headstone reading "13766, Private W. McAleer Royal Scots Fusiliers, 26th September 1915, age 22".
The remainder were buried in six other plots side by side.
In thick fog, a piper led six bearers as they carried Pte McAleer's Union flag-draped coffin topped with a wreath, belt and cap past the crowds and the burial plots of hundreds of other fallen soldiers.
A military firing party fired a salute during the service, led by the Reverend Colin MacLeod, and the Last Post was played.
Lieutenant Colonel Robin Lindsay, commanding officer of 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, said afterwards: "The circumstances at the time denied them the opportunity for a proper burial.
"This is an opportunity to remember them in a proper manner and give them a proper burial. This opportunity is very important, especially in the centenary year."
More than 950,000 British and Commonwealth military personnel died in the First World War, with a further 2.2 million armed forces members wounded in action.
Of those killed, some 600,000 have a marked grave but there remain more than 300,000 British and Commonwealth personnel with no known grave.
The Ministry of Defence no longer actively searches for bodies.
But almost 100 years later, remains of those killed between 1914 and 1918 continue to be found during agricultural or construction work on the battlefields.
The Battle of Loos began on September 25, 1915 and was the largest conflict for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in the war to that time.
The opening of the battle was noted for the first use of poison gas by the British Army. The attack at Loos consisted of six divisions before ammunition and heavy artillery had been sufficiently stocked.
It began in what was referred to at the time as the "Big Push", with more than 30,000 Scottish soldiers taking part in the attack.
Initial success for the division soon ground to a halt, with reserves too far behind to make a significant impact, making it impossible to build on the early gains.
Although the British had broken into enemy lines, they could not break through. Pte McAleer and the 19 other British troops were found near Hill 70, the scene of bitter fighting in the first two days of battle.
On September 25, 1915 Pte McAleer's battalion had reached Hill 70 to the east of Loos and dug in behind the crest line.
They fought off a German counter-attack during the night before being ordered to attack a German redoubt the following morning.
Although they entered the German trenches, after fierce hand-to-hand fighting they were forced to retreat to their start positions.
They were then subjected to heavy artillery bombardment which led to their withdrawal later after two unsuccessful bids by 21 Division to join up had failed.
Records of the 7th Battalion the Royal Scots Fusiliers showed that in just two days of battle, 69 died, 258 were wounded and 181 were missing.
By the end of September, it was clear that the hoped-for breakthrough was not going to materialise, with huge losses being sustained.
The Loos Memorial near where the 15th (Scottish) Division went into action carries the names of more than 20,000 missing from the battle.
This year, the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC) will conduct more ceremonies across mainland Europe for the remains of a further 43 British soldiers killed in the First World War.
In October, 15 soldiers from the Yorks and Lancashire Regiment who are believed to have died in battle around Beauchamp Ligny, France, will be buried.And six soldiers, believed to have been serving with the Lancashire Fusiliers and Kings Own Regiments, are to be buried in early September at Prowse Point Cemetery in Belgium.
In addition, a soldier from the Welsh Guards and an officer from the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Regiment will be buried in separate events on dates to be decided later this year.
Unlike in Pte McAleer's case, metal identification discs were not commonly used in the First World War and many paper records were destroyed in the blitz of the Second World War.
A soldier may be identified by his regiment and the location of the find, or from uniform recovered along with the remains.


text:
Free CA CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Test 4
- Perfect for first-time and renewal CDL/CLP applicants, and those adding endorsements
- Based on 2024 CA commercial driver's license manual
- Triple-checked for accuracy
- Updated for July 2024
About this test
This fourth CA Pre-Trip Inspection practice test contains another set of 31 multiple-choice questions based on the official CDL manual. Just like our other practice tests, this one is also designed to prepare you for the Pre-Trip Inspection portion of your 2024 Commercial Driver's License exam. There are several answer options, but only one of them is correct. Each question also includes a hint and an explanation. It is recommended that you check each question's explanation to gain some further insight into the rule being tested. Every time you answer a question, you'll get immediate feedback with a detailed explanation, so you won't need to wait until the end of the test to know the correct answers. Good luck and drive safely!
Thoroughly prepare for your CDL Pre-Trip Inspection with our detailed guide, offering step-by-step procedures and essential tips at our Pre-Trip Inspection section.
What to expect on the actual CA CDL exam
correct answers to pass
passing score


text:
I have finally found the bread recipe that yields the "right" texture!!
I really like my bread to be cottony soft and fluffy. I found this recipe from this site sometime back, but didn't get to try it till now. I have seen another Hokkaido Milky Loaf recipe from a cookbook, but that is made with Hokkaido's Furano fresh milk, which of course is not available here. This recipe uses ordinary fresh milk.
I followed the recipe exactly but only halved the portion as we wouldn't be able to finish such a big loaf. The special thing about this recipe is that it uses whipping cream. I guess this makes the bread soft and increases the moisture. The bread was still moist when left overnight even though no additives such as bread improver is used! This bread can be made by using the straight dough method or the Water roux method. I find the Water roux method too troublesome, although it will yield a much softer texture.
It was a breeze making this loaf using the straight dough method. I simply added all the ingredients into my bread machine, set it to the "sweet bread" function and let it run on its own. Do note that if you are using a bread machine to do the kneading, you will have to scrape down the side of the pan from time to time. The dough appeared to be very sticky and wet in the beginning. When the loaf is done, do remove it from the pan carefully. When fresh out of the oven, the loaf was very delicate! It was so soft that I deformed it when I tried to remove the kneader at the bottom :'(
A closer look at the texture of the bread. This is the best bread I have made so far. The texture is truely cottony soft, and it tasted even better than the sweet bun bread that I have made earlier. The bread is delicious eaten plain and it is not necessary to warm or toast it even though it was left overnight. This is the kind of bread that I will make and give it away to friends and family members :))