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Tax Day
WASHINGTON (AP) — The calendar shows April 15, and you haven't even started on your federal tax return? Don't fret. If you're due a refund, April 15 isn't much of a deadline at all.
The Internal Revenue Service doesn't like to talk about it, but penalties for filing late federal tax returns apply only to people who owe money. The penalty is a percentage of what you owe. If you owe nothing, 5 percent of nothing is ...nothing.
But it doesn't make much sense for anyone to file late. If you are owed a refund, why wouldn't you want it as soon as possible? And if you have unpaid taxes, the late fees add up quickly.
The IRS says about three-fourths of filers get refunds.
Britain-Banksy Artwork?
LONDON (AP) — Street artist Banksy may have struck again, leaving an espionage-themed graffiti artwork in the hometown of Britain's electronic spy agency.
A stenciled artwork has appeared on a wall in the western England city of Cheltenham, depicting three figures in trench coats and trilbys snooping on a telephone booth.
Cheltenham is home to GCHQ, Britain's electronic eavesdropping agency. The secretive organization found itself in the spotlight after some of its covert activities were revealed by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.
GCHQ said Monday the agency was "as intrigued as the rest of the residents of Cheltenham about the appearance of the mysterious artwork."
The work has not been claimed on Bansky's official website, but has many of the elusive artist's hallmarks, including the stenciled technique and ironic social commentary.
Hungry and Angry
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new study suggests that a quick candy bar may stave off major fights between husbands and wives. At least it may keep them from sticking pins into voodoo dolls of each other.
Researchers monitored nightly blood sugar levels of 107 married couples for three weeks, asking them to stick pins into a voodoo doll representing their spouses to measure aggression. They found that the lower the blood sugars, the higher the crankiness, and the more pins were pushed into the doll.
Ohio State University psychology researcher Brad Bushman calls their mood "hangry," a combination of hungry and angry. He says the brain, which is 2 percent of body weight, consumes 20 percent of our calories.
The study was released Monday by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Marijuana Decriminalization
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Gov. Martin O'Malley has signed a bill that decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of marijuana starting in October.
Maryland is now the 17th state in the U.S. to decriminalize marijuana. The Democratic governor says the law should improve public safety by freeing police officers to focus on more serious threats.
The Maryland State's Attorneys Association sent O'Malley a letter Friday, urging him to veto the measure. The group's president says the bill was passed too hastily. Charles Smith wanted amendments that would keep it a crime to smoke pot in public or carry it onto school property.
O'Malley also approved a measure to improve the distribution of medical marijuana.
Dog on Tracks
NEW YORK (AP) — The dog that raced a New York commuter train has a new family.
New York's Animal Care & Control announced Monday that Tie has found a new home.
The agency got about 100 queries and three dozen applications for the energetic pooch. She's believed to be a shepherd-collie mix.
She was rescued last week after running alongside a Metro-North Railroad train on a parallel track. About half a dozen trains had to slow down.
Engineer Joseph Delia says Tie was running "like she didn't have a care in the world."
The transit authority says passengers applauded as Tie walked into the arms of police officers at a station in Manhattan.
The animal care agency notes it still has lots of deserving dogs, cats and rabbits in need of homes.
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