If it’s Tuesday, it must be Tax Day

It’s not too late — really. But soon it will be.

Tax procrastinators, you’ve already had two days’ reprieve to get in your 2011 federal tax returns. The normal April 15 filing deadline was extended since it fell on a Sunday; then April 16 was waived since it was Emancipation Day, a holiday in Washington, D.C., marking the anniversary of the Compensated Emancipation Act, signed by President Abraham Lincoln on April 16, 1862.

But here it is: April 17, which means just mere hours left to get today’s postmark or date stamp on the forms. Chronic procrastinators, of course, know that there’s always IRS Form 4868, the extension form. But they also know that filing for that six-month extension merely buys time to submit the tax forms, but doesn’t spare one from paying any taxes due by today’s deadline.

A vision of peace from the Dalai Lama

At the Stan Sheriff Center on Sunday, the Dalai Lama opened his remarks with a simple idea: We are all the same. From there he offered an inspiring message of hope for the future, that we are all capable of bringing peace to the world by creating peace within — by educating ourselves to distinguish reality from false appearances, and to liberate our minds from fear, frustration and anger. Only then, he said, can we break down the barriers of distrust that divide us and cause so much political strife in the world, including in his own oppressed country of Tibet.

Of course, he said with a smile, none of this applies if a mad dog is chasing you. That’s when inner peace won’t help at all.

The crowd erupted with warm laughter.