Your Tax Refund Will Take Longer

Delays expected in tax refunds. The Internal Revenue Service announced that the Congressional debate over the fiscal cliff has caused it to delay processing individual tax returns by eight days. The IRS needed the extra time to program its computers to include the changes and extensions the legislation included. The IRS says it will begin processing 2012 tax returns by the end of the month.

The rush to buy guns and join the NRA. Gun stores around the country are reporting record-breaking sales, thanks to all the publicity about further gun-control efforts. “If I had 1,000 AR-15s, I could sell them in a week,” one dealer said. The National Rifle Association also reports a surge in membership, with more than 250,000 joining the group in a month. The NRA now has some 4.25 million members and says its goal is to reach 5 million “before this debate is over.”

Time to stop subsidizing Planned Parenthood. In its latest annual report, Planned Parenthood says that it performed a record 333,964 abortions in 2011 and received a record $542 million in taxpayer support in fiscal 2011-2012. But here’s the real shocker: The same report says the abortion group has total assets of more than $1.2 billion (yes, that’s billion with a “b”) and “excess assets” (what normal businesses call “profits”) of $87.4 million. No wonder many in Congress want to stop taxpayer funding of the group.

Save your favorite Monopoly token. Hasbro, maker of one of the world’s most popular board games, has announced a Monopoly token contest. Fans are urged to vote on the “Save Your Token” Facebook page for their favorite game piece: the race car, iron, Scottie dog, wheelbarrow, boot, hat, thimble or battleship. Whichever one receives the lowest total when the contest ends on Feb. 5 will be dropped from future editions. Fans can also vote on what should replace the loser: a toy robot, helicopter, cat, guitar or diamond ring.

–Chip Wood