iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 30/09/2026

At least old Clippy was polite enough to ask whether you wanted it to just shuffle off its mortal coil...

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 30/08/2026

Score one for Microsoft/Bing Maps?

000

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 28/08/2026

This was long overdue. Hallelujah! And to be fair to the courts, it is a *statutory* prohibition.

In this context, given the significant cost of
hiring a private court reporter, we do not imply some absolute
standard of indigency. Instead, any litigant who cannot afford
to pay a private reporter may apply to proceed in forma pauperis
and qualify as indigent for this purpose. (See fn. 3, post.)

100

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 03/08/2026

This is the current version, retails for $29.99. Tons more play value! www.lego.com/en-us/produc...

030

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 03/08/2026

Time to give the Fire Chief a truck to play with! (she's at least 18 months, right?) a.co/d/0hZVYTLx

130

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 17/05/2026

If one has drunk the "losers and suckers" kool-aid... But the Memorial rules do allow the Superintendent to permit this (why!?) www.nps.gov/perl/learn/m...

the following compendium
actions apply to all lands and waters administered by the National Park Service (NPS) within
the boundaries of Pearl Harbor National Memorial:

...

36 CFR §3.23 – SCUBA AND SNORKELING
(a) SCUBA diving and snorkeling is permitted in the following swimming, docking, and
mooring areas under the terms and conditions noted:
• SCUBA diving and snorkeling is only allowed under the terms and conditions of a
permit issued by the Superintendent.

100

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 22/04/2026

beware of tax on tips... this is pandography!

"Arbitrary and capricious!"
- @lexlanham

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 13/03/2026

Could you share the prompt or its outline? I want to see how far the OpenAI reasoning models can take it. I get a bare summary:

000

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 08/03/2026

And have for decades! My "home" line when I lived there.

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 02/07/2025

Google Maps seems to use a red "dharma wheel" for Buddhist temples in HCM (at least from the US). Unhelpful, but at least not as surprising!

Google Maps- Buddhist temples in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 02/05/2025

Very true. I DM'd you a link with some resources that may help in resolving this issue in a culturally sensitive manner, via Starts' internal system (and their "warranty of habitability"-like obligations). It's softer, with more face-saving steps than this US analog of an informal complaint:

Subject: Request for correction of noise in daily life (S・COM case number: 123456)

Starts Amenity Co., Ltd.
To the person in charge at the Access Center
To the manager at the Narita branch

Thank you for your continued support. My name is △△ and I live in ◯◯ (room number).

Regarding loud music from the room next door (room ◯ on ◯ floor), we measured 50dB to 65dB at night on the following seven occasions between April 28th and May 5th.

・4/28 22:15-23:40 62dB
・4/29 00:10-01:30 65dB
＜Omitted＞

In accordance with the intent of Article 605-4 of the Civil Code and Article 40 of the Rental Housing Management Business Law Enforcement Regulations,
we would like to ask for immediate corrective measures (written instructions or a direct visit).
This matter has been reported to S・COM at 02:15 on May 6th
by phone at 0800-111-2024 as case number 123456.

If you do not respond or report within one week,
we plan to contact the Narita City Environmental Protection Division and Narita Police Station.

Thank you for your confirmation.

220

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 02/05/2025

Note that the dB limit is measured at the *source* per the ordinance, not at the listener. What levels are you seeing? I'm researching the culturally appropriate options, but legal precedent is on your side: www.skklab.com/lawsuit_and_... Compare the attached: a record/measurements matter! (2/2)

Favorable noise judgment from children upstairs.

Unfavorable noise judgment when no evidence/testimony in record except allegations.

120

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 02/05/2025

Great, that qualifies as "using loudspeakers from indoor towards outdoors" under Narita City Pollution Prevention Ordinance No. 18/ Enforcement Regulation Rule No. 8, 1972 (see attached). Limit is 45/50 dB in residential areas. www1.g-reiki.net/narita/reiki... (1/2)

220

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 02/05/2025

Looked it up for 1040s: five calendar days to perfect e-file; ten days for a *paper* return if 2nd attempt is rejected OR TP chooses paper-file after initial reject. Must include explanation/rejection copy with such a paper return. #TaxBS #TaxSky Pub 1345, PDF page 29: www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/...

Resubmission of Rejected Tax Returns
If the IRS rejects the electronic portion of a taxpayer’s individual income tax return for
processing, and the ERO cannot fix the reason for the rejection, the ERO must take reasonable
steps to inform the taxpayer of the rejection within 24 hours. When the ERO tells the taxpayer
that it hasn’t filed the return, the ERO must provide the taxpayer with the business rule(s)
accompanied by an explanation. A rejected individual income tax return that was submitted
on or before the due date of the return will be considered timely filed if the taxpayer corrects
the electronic portion of the return and resubmits the return by the fifth calendar day after the
due date of the return. If the taxpayer chooses not to have the electronic portion of the return
corrected and transmitted to the IRS, or if the IRS can’t accept the return for processing, the
taxpayer must file a paper return. To timely file a rejected return submitted on or before the
due date of the return, the taxpayer must file the paper return by the later of the due date of
the return or ten calendar days after the date the IRS gives notification that it rejected the
electronic portion of the return or that the return can’t be accepted for processing. Taxpayers
should include an explanation in the paper return as to why they are filing the return after the
due date

060

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 27/04/2025

More like a restorruptive experience? 😂

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 27/04/2025

If you read the original article, you will understand that probable cause is the word of the arresting officer until it is litigated in court. The officer here claimed that the citizen told him he was in the country illegally. Therefore, arrested. Here's the excerpt:

After Riggans’ inspection of his Social Security card and birth certificate, which an advocate waved in the courtroom, the judge said she found no probable cause for the charge.

“In looking at it, and feeling it, and holding it up to the light, the court can clearly see the watermark to show that this is indeed an authentic document,” Riggans said.

The arrest record the trooper filed states that Lopez-Gomez had said he was in the country illegally but that he had handed over his ID.

100

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 26/04/2025

This sentence is excruciating to parse, @nytimes.com; please do better!

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, was sitting a few chairs down from Mr. Trump, and White House reporters traveling with the president, but kept at a considerable distance, reported that the two appeared to chat, funereal protocols aside.

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 21/04/2025

Well, TIL about "Pope Joan:"

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 21/04/2025

It isn't lack of empathy, Francine, but sheer ignorance Polls show a consistent belief that foreign aid is 20-25% of the budget, and should be 10%. It's actually been ~1% of the budget in recent years! www.brookings.edu/articles/wha... And, a Feb 2025 poll shows this misbelief persists! (see pic)

https://publicconsultation.org/foreign-aid-2025/

Estimates of Foreign Aid Spending
Public opinion research has consistently found that the majority of Americans greatly overestimate the percentage of the federal budget that goes to aid, which is currently, and historically, about one percent.

Before evaluating any specific foreign aid programs, respondents were asked about what percentage of the federal budget they think goes to foreign aid. The majority of respondents estimate that at least 20 percent of the budget goes to foreign aid. Then, asked what percentage of the federal budget should go to foreign aid, the majority says that it should be at least 10 percent (Republicans 5 percent, Democrats 10 percent).

A separate analysis found that an overwhelming majority of 89% of Americans say the US should spend at least one percent of the federal budget on foreign aid. This includes 84% of Republicans and 94% of Democrats.

Similar misperceptions have been found regarding the amount the US spends compared to other developed countries, relative to the size of each country’s economy, which is less than most other countries and less than the average. Asked whether the US spends more, about the same, or less, relative to the size of its economy, than other developed countries, a bipartisan majority of 64% said more (Republicans 70%, Democrats 59%).

110

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 18/04/2025

Eeks! Before *1997*--before the Sec. 121 residence gain exclusion, we had: Sec. 1034, which allowed rolling over *unlimited* gain from the sale of a primary residence so long as you bought a more expensive primary residence within 2 years of the sale... #TaxBS #TaxSky (or pre-TCJA nonreal 1031)

1034. Rollover of gain on sale of principal residence
(a) Nonrecognition of gain
If property (in this section called "old residence") used by the taxpayer as his principal residence is sold by him and, within a period beginning 2 years before the date of such sale and ending 2 years after such date, property (in this section called "new residence") is purchased and used by the taxpayer as his principal residence, gain (if any) from such sale shall be recognized only to the extent that the taxpayer's adjusted sales price (as defined in subsection (b)) of the old residence exceeds the taxpayer's cost of purchasing the new residence.

290

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 17/04/2025

Here's your Gold Star from Treasury! #TaxBS #TaxSky

Debbie: Federal Revenue Heroine and Economic Stimulus Queen

030

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 17/04/2025

Putting this on your virtual vision board and willing it to manifest... (I still think a water bottle with a built-in calculator is cool...)

Brian Streig, CPA - leaping from weeks on a chair on April 15 to running half-marathons on April 16

120

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 14/04/2025

Ashley won't toot her own horn; she created an excellent, concise online course on effectively talking to GenAI (prompting). Just 12 quick 5-minute video lessons full of practical tips & exercises (~1hr) I found it immensely helpful. Now N/A (updating?). Landing page from the Wayback Machine:

https://web.archive.org/web/20250116074101/https://www.kta.ai/birdzzzandbeezzz

What it is:
12 short video lessons that will cover a highlight reel of common missteps and best practices. You'll also get an additional downloadable resource in each section; jam packed with knowledge and Snaggable Prompts to use right away.

The goal is to arm folks new to GenAI with the confidence and skills to successfully navigate the endless possibilities.

The examples are geared towards new staff but can be easily modified for more experienced professionals.

What topics will be covered:
Basic, Better and Even Better Prompting
Handling Hallucinations
Privacy and Data Protection
Modifying the output to make it easier to understand.
Changing the tone/voice so it doesn't sound like ChatGPT.
Mitigating Bias and Calling in Experts
Leveraging GenAI for Effective Communication
Effective AI-Enabled Research Skills
Solving Problems
Task and Project Management
Prompting for Excel
Working with client data
…and more…
12 Video Lessons & Handouts
This class is meant to be less than an hour (excluding the introduction to the tools), so you'll have access to 12 five-minute videos about each topic. If you want to do a deeper dive, you'll have access to downloadable handouts with more information.

Practical Use Cases & Examples
It's easy to understand how GenAI works. It's FAR more difficult to come up with use cases that apply to YOUR life.

Well, we've got you covered with practical use cases for the tax and accounting professional.

Content is 100% Organic & GenAI Free
No GenAI was harmed in the making of this class. The framework, lessons and prompts are all handcrafted.

(Which, I realize, is ironic but #1 - GenAI doesn't know how to best prompt itself and #2 - the class outlines it suggests are BORING 😂)

230

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 13/04/2025

In angst? Perhaps ease in with their "Colon Cleaner + Flushing Agent...'

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 10/04/2025

Settings... Privacy & Security... Check "Logged-out visibility: Discourage apps from showing my account to logged-out users"

020

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 10/04/2025

By the way, NAME CONTROL is just the FIRST FOUR characters for every TP: alphanumeric plus hyphen and ampersand. Only the first four need to match. www.irs.gov/businesses/c... #TaxBS #TaxSky

Name Control
Underlined

Name Control Rule

Rule

Sumac Field Plow Inc.

11th Street Inc.

P & P Company

Y-Z Drive Co

ZZZ Club

John Hackberry PA

ELM

OAK! Tree

SUMA

11TH

P&PC

Y-ZD

ZZZC

JOHN

ELM

OAKT

Derive the name control from
the first four significant characters
of the corporation name.
Blanks may be present only at
the end of the name control.

The Willow Co.

The Hawthorn

WILL

THEH

When determining a corporation’s
name control, include the word
“The” when it is followed by only
one word.

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 08/04/2025

🙄 8275... GTFO... FAFO! Perhaps bluntly remind them of §7206 - 100k and/or 3 years in pokey...?

000

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 06/04/2025

Lick ice-cream, sip Pedialyte, and lick small-pet salt lick. Problem solved:

Andrea staying hydrated and electrolyted in the final week of tax season.

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 05/04/2025

Once you fall off a cliff, do you really care about its name?

melania trump wearing "i really don't care do u" jacket

110

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 04/04/2025

I swear I hadn't seen this before posting a correct picture on the other place 😂 Edit: this one

A 29-year-old, self-proclaimed "Grumpy" CPA, sautees onions at TaxRetreat 2023.

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 03/04/2025

Do-io labeled you "Forever 21" at that other place! This is perfect then. Still tofu scramble, though, I'm afraid, but it looks like you've added some shallots and mushrooms now to the tofu? 😂

Perpetually 29 Grumpy CPA cooking st TaxRetreat

140

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 03/04/2025

I have vague memories of a TELEX machine. Perfect for holding meetings. More instant than fax. To the point. Memorable 'numbers' that include your name. ASCII art only. Sorry, @foremantaxlaw.com

Sample Telex message to Vulcan Iron Works.

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 01/04/2025

Remember the old 'ditto' marks — " — as shorthand for 'same as above?' Hold the " key down on pages 2/3 and have a ball.

Use of ditto " marks to mean same as above

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 01/04/2025

No lasers!!?? My pool of pet sharks was so looking forward to them 😭

Austin Powers - Shark with Frickin' Laser Beams Attached to Their Heads

030

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 31/03/2025

I'm sorry, Sam... you're temporarily furalyzed.

Definition of “furalysis”: noun the condition in which a person is unable to move due to the presence of a cat on their lap.

000

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 28/03/2025

The Swiss Alps cover 60% of the country, so the possibilities are boundless! Do you like trains?

100

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 24/03/2025

Just be stoic for a tiny bit longer! 😂

020

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 23/03/2025

I didn't think it was a typo at first. Perhaps a bit old-fashioned. cf. "cool cat" Courtesy the OED:

1946–
slang. A ‘regular guy’, fellow, man.
1946
Cat, regular fellow, guy.
M. Mezzrow & B. Wolfe, Really Blues Gloss. 372/1Citation details for M. Mezzrow & B. Wolfe, Really Blues
1959
'At-dam, man, youre the selfishest kat I seen yet.
A. Anderson, Lover Man 116Citation details for A. Anderson, Lover Man
1959
The coloured cats saw I had an ally, and melted.
C. MacInnes in Encounter August 35/2Citation details for C. MacInnes in Encounter

000

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 23/03/2025

Those instructions do read like complete gobbledygook!

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 23/03/2025

Don't get me wrong -- the law is the same for everyone. But see the excerpt from today's WaPo article about some who think they can cheat on their taxes because now, there won't be enough auditors. That's a bad idea, as explained. Corporations and the very wealthy don't try such blatant tricks.

The IRS has noticed an uptick in online chatter from individuals declaring their intention to not pay taxes this year or to aggressively claim credits and deductions for which they are ineligible, the three people said — wagering that auditors will not examine their accounts.

131

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 18/03/2025

I got the XL (32 keys) over the MK2 (15 keys) about 1.5 yrs ago and love it. I want muscle-memory of sorts, not having to look at the icon and then press. (You can do double-click, triple-click, etc. but it's a bit of a pain to set up.) See attached images. XL is currently $70 more than the MK2.

MK1: 15 keys, fixed USB cable, flimsy adjustable angle stand

XL: 32 keys, detachable USB C cable, magnetic detachable fixed angle stand

MK2: 15 keys, detachable USB C cable, magnetic detachable fixed angle stand, interchangeable face plates

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 16/03/2025

From www.fjc.gov/history/admi...

On at least two notable occasions, federal court decisions have been rendered unenforceable as a result of a president’s refusal to accept them. In Worcester v. Georgia (1832), the Supreme Court overturned the conviction of a missionary living among the Cherokee Nation for refusing to take an oath to obey the laws of Georgia. In an opinion written by Chief Justice John Marshall, the Court held that the Cherokees constituted an independent political community to which the state of Georgia could not apply its laws. Accordingly, the Court ordered Worcester’s release from custody.

Georgia’s governor refused to release the missionary, vowing to defy the Court’s decision. President Andrew Jackson refused to intervene, maintaining that Georgia had the right to apply its laws to any person living within its borders. Jackson also embraced the view that both the executive and legislative branches had as much right as the judicial branch to interpret the Constitution. While the story is likely apocryphal, Jackson supposedly remarked, “John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it.” (The quotation is believed to have first appeared in an 1864 book by newspaper publisher Horace Greeley.) Eventually, Jackson acted in direct contravention of the Court’s decision in Worcester. Ignoring the Court’s ruling that the Cherokees were an independent people entitled to the land on which they lived, Jackson sent federal troops to evict them. The result was the Cherokees’ forced and deadly migration west along the infamous Trail of Tears.

051

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 15/03/2025

😆 Would the big ol' up-and-down ratchet make these ones more proletarian? 😂

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 12/03/2025

959 tabs open, 16 groups. *On a phone* Only with Bromite, the free and open-source Chrome alternative for #Android users - with built in ad-blocking and privacy enhancements. Check it out: www.bromite.org

010

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 10/03/2025

The VA's system looks straight-up ELEGANT compared to the IRS's IDRS (Integrated Data Retrieval System). Behold! #TaxBS #TaxSky

IRS IDRS IMF ENMOD screen, IRM Exhibit 2.3.15-4
https://www.irs.gov/irm/part2/irm_02-003-015r

3351

Ish Dalal @ish.tax · 10/03/2025

For a second, I thought I was Babylon 5-ing. But nope, here's what co-creator Bruno Heller had to say. (Source: web.archive.org/web/20090701...)

"I discovered halfway through writing the second season the show was going to end," Heller said. "The second was going to end with the death of Brutus. Third and fourth season would be set in Egypt. Fifth was going to be the rise of the messiah in Palestine. But because we got the heads-up that the second season would be it, I telescoped the third and fourth season into the second one, which accounts for the blazing speed we go through history near the end. There's certainly more than enough history to go around."

000