A New Dawn?

Outsourcing ~ Globalization

Who needs it? Don't knock it!

It may be our salvation!

I just received an ominous advisory from the IRS which states that I under-reported my 2004 income by $25,000 and that now, including penalties, I owe the government $8,998. It turns out that I had neglected to file a Schedule D to indicate that I had redeemed a note for $25,000 and that I had acquired that security several years ago for the identical amount of money. Mea culpa!

To undo the error, I needed to access my 2004 TurboTax Disc. While attempting to do so, instead of the Tax Program an error message appeared. It succinctly stated that my disc was outdated and it cited a phone number to call. I called and soon found myself wandering in cyber-limbo (Dante's 21st century Inferno). With no Virgil to guide me, and after much conversation and aimless downloading, I was eventually handed off to a gentleman in India.

With a tone and demeanor that exuded reassurance right from the start, he said, "Please go to the time and date section of your taskbar ~ Change the date to April 2005 ~ Now place the Tax disc in your CD drive ~ A "welcome" window will open ~ It will direct you to type in your Installation Code, just as you did last year." I followed his instructions and Eureka! Pandora’s box opened wide. Seldom have I had occasion to express such heartfelt gratitude.

Ergo ~ Though my local support was inexcusably ineffectual, in no time flat and from half a world away, my disc problem was quickly solved. And it was done with only a hint of an Indian accent. What needed to be sent to the IRS, I speedily dispatched. What remains now is for that agency to be compassionate and forgive my peccatum.

Ponder: With the internet expanding rapidly and business rooting itself everywhere on the globe, is it not conceivable that humanity will finally come of age? Are we not on the verge of discovering that we can survive and prosper without political and religious divides? Is there not reason to expect that the inter-relatedness and mutual dependency fostered and required by global business will bring us the harmony and mutual respect we seek? Let us pray that this new dawn that seems about to break will also illuminate the way for Islam?

Comments:

www.domgab85@aol.com

Dom ~ I just read about your encounter with the IRS and I hope Uncle Sam gets off your back. It is truly wonderful that we now live in a world that is "flat." More and more, I can appreciate the benefits of interchange between countries. As you already know, I am overwhelmed with personal obligations. My life has changed radically, but I must play the cards I’ve been dealt. My regards to Lenore ~ Tony Correoso