Hear, hear. I owned and operated a retail store with my wife for a period of time. Do-it-yourselfer that I am, I decided to run the gauntlet of figuring our taxes for the business. In the end, I succeeded --- but it was a nightmare.
Tax policies aside, it's just a rule of law thing. the law says pay the tax, so you pay the tax -- and if you don't like it, you get off your ass and work to change it.
Well, let's go down this path the whole way, shall we? If I decide to sell my Playstation on ebay, then I should be able to deduct its cost --- just like any other business does. If I do this from my home, then my home is used for business purposes, and I should be able to deduct a portion of my rent, utilities, and phone service. Hell, I'll even deduct my computer, printer, and DSL service --- since it's used for business. And when I drive to the Post Office to mail the package, I can deduct for my transportation. I should also list any furniture used so that I can depreciate it. Better fill out the self-employment tax forms, and get a state sales tax ID number while we're at it.
As for the topic...as long as our tax code doesn't get fixed this is entirely correct of them to do.
Then every person who sells on ebay should be entitled to deduct the cost of the item sold, just like any other business. If I buy something for $50, then turn around and sell it for $75, I should be taxed on $25 income, not $125 (having at some point being taxed on the $50 I earned to pay for it). Furthermore, if I buy something for $100 and sell it for $5, I should be able to write it off as a loss, right? Paperwork reduction my ass.
I'm surprised the IRS doesn't come around to pick the peanuts out of my feces so they can get their cut.
I've got karma to burn. The parent isn't trolling --- but telling it like it is. Government at all levels throws tax dollars away, then comes back to the public for more. Why don't they just get it over with and take it all.
I still don't understand why anyone would want to watch a movie on their computer. Tinny little satellite speakers with a 17-20" monitor vs. Full blown 150W 7.1 surround sound and 50" widescreen tv. Hmmm. Decisions, decisions.
The Constitution is the highest law in the US, above even federal.
Not for long. GATS, MAI, and agreements of that ilk will ultimately spell the end of any kind of national sovereignty. Kiss your rights and the Constitution goodbye. But hey, at least you can enjoy the latest Madonna CD while your flesh rots away from the toxic chemical moat surrounding your trailer home.
The WTO exists precisely for the purpose of arbitrating disputes of this sort.
That's complete and total bullshit. The WTO exists precisely for the purpose of exploiting 99% of the world's population for the benefit of the other 1%. What's your salary? I'm guessing if you have faith in the WTO, it isn't chicken feed.
Wal*Mart does not have a line of DVD's. They retail DVD's manufactured by studios. Other retailers also have bargin bins. They are the same DVD's currently being sold in Blockbuster and Hollywood Video.
A prime example.. Ice Age or Ever After.. New $5.99. or Used at Blockbuster.. $12.95 & 14.95 respectively. (or 2 for $20.00) I got Ice Age and Ever After at the grocery store new. I got Open Season and Flushed Away used at 2 for $20. When the product is exactly the same, the low price is not and indicator of low quality.
I understand all that. Nevertheless, a great many DVD's have poor quality transfers. That's a fact. So, when I pay $9.99 for one of them, I'm not getting a good deal. That would be the equivalent of purchasing a $4.99 LP that was scratched all to hell. Many films are being remastered and re-released, at a higher price than they were originally released. Some films had sorry transfers. Some were widescreen, but not anamorphic. Compare the two releases of The Great Escape --- Cheapo non-anamorphic version vs. double cost anamorphic re-release (with extras disc).
Anyway, to make a long story short, I don't think DVD's are necessarily a terrific value when compared to CD's. Some are (James Bond Ultimate Edition comes to mind). But the movie studios need to get on the ball and have some uniform standards for releasing a film onto DVD --- anamorphic with a new hi def transfer is preferable.
The Dark Side of the Moon that you linked to appears to be an import (higher price). The Beatles white album is a little steep, but it is a double album.
I do purchase CD's (though not as often as I used to some years ago). But, I don't balk at their prices. Hell, I just paid $45 for a used copy of the rare and oop SWANS White Light From the Mouth of Infinity (a terrific album, by the way) and I consider it money well spent. I don't mind paying for quality music and film. But, I'm going to start shying away from the $9.99 Wal-Mart DVD's.
It's also laden with high prices. The most expensive conventional DVD's (with few exceptions) are priced in the $18-$22 range. The average price of DVD's I pick up are under $12 each.
A good many of those have poor transfers also. In fact, after recently purchasing a hi-def television, I've begun to notice drastic differences in picture quality between different dvd's. The tendency seems to be $10 for crappy transfers, $15-$20 for hi-def remasters. Of course, nearly any DVD from Criterion will be around $30. So, the price isn't that big of an issue for me.
Let me give you an example: It has long been known that the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter is between 3.1415 and 3.1416. Yet, the biblical value is 3. I put the question to a student of mine -- do you believe the mathematicians and the evidence of your own eyes? Or do you believe GOD? The sheeple responded, under her breath, "god."
Parasitic underclass. What a laugh! The parasites are the corporations that wreck the environment and usurp the power of the people by bribing government officials, and the banks that steal from the poor to give to the rich. But keep on believing in your little fantasy.
Great philosophy --- that completely ignores reality. Reality is that when more people do without, crime soars. So, you can spend your high salary on 10ft high electric fences and security cameras with mounted machine guns to protect your "earned" wealth from the masses of the great unwashed.
That being said, people make WAY too much fuss over how "bad" the education system is in the US.
I'm in a position to criticize this education system, having spent 12 years attempting to teach mathematics (including remedial mathematics) to its graduates. I've spoken with the students and their previous instructors, and determined that their public school teachers don't understand the material they "teach". My colleagues who teach history, art, biology, political science, and English say the students do little better in those areas. So yeah, the schools suck --- except when it comes to sports, of course.
You want to accuse "Joe-6-pack" of being stupid then go right ahead, but it's a result of his own choices. Anybody who wants to learn in an American school can still do fairly well.
Here's the rub --- in order to make an informed, rational, intelligent choice you have to be educated. It's a vicious circle: bad decisions lead to... more bad decisions. You can't bootstrap yourself from an illiterate, innumerate dunce to a Bill Gates or Einstein without a proper support network. Some are capable of doing more with less, but you can't just throw a computer or a book at a child, say "Teach thyself!" and expect good results.
What next? If a person can't keep from being killed, he shouldn't be alive in the first place? What's with this blaming the victim? How about we get some decent security as part of the e-mail infrastructure? How about we ramp up prosecution of these thieves?
I'll tell you a little story. Once I was operating a cash register, and got conned by a change-raising artist. How humiliating. I guess I shouldn't handle cash.
If we consider the shabby level of education received by Joe-6-pack in the American school system, it's doubtful that the poor bastard is familiar with the most basic methods of research. If it ain't on television, he probably hasn't got a clue about it.
Over the decades our socio-economic system has moved in a direction that requires people to be increasingly dependent upon that system for nearly everything --- food, information, health care, appliance and automobile maintenance, etc. How many working stiffs have the time and skill to grow their own produce, medicate themselves, repair their electronic/mechanical equipment, do research on the web or (heaven forbid) a poorly stocked local library? And now you ask them to be technology experts? Sheesh!
Ahhh, back in the day, when I was knee-high to a grasshopper, pa used to cut the skin off my arse with an electric knife for the smallest infraction. They just don't discipline these kids nowadays.
I started paying my use taxes a few years ago. On my state income tax form there was a check box for those who didn't keep good records of their out-of-state purchases. I'd Check it, add some miniscule percent of my income for use tax (about $20) and breathe a sigh of relief knowing that I could survive an audit. Pretty cheap protection money.
What happened to these children of "The greatest generation"?
I'll tell you what happened: They got swept up in the American Dream of owning 2 houses, 2 cars, a plasma television, dvd's, ad infinitum. Work, work, work. Spend, spend, spend. Who has time for politics when there is so much work to be done and so much shopping to do?
Our puppet masters have learned from the mistakes of former puppet masters --- there will be no revolt of the citizenry in this country. Even the poorest soul who works at McDonalds goes home to relax with his X-Box. Give the starving dog just a little bit of food, and it won't see you as food.
Slashdot Mirror
Hear, hear. I owned and operated a retail store with my wife for a period of time. Do-it-yourselfer that I am, I decided to run the gauntlet of figuring our taxes for the business. In the end, I succeeded --- but it was a nightmare.
Tax policies aside, it's just a rule of law thing. the law says pay the tax, so you pay the tax -- and if you don't like it, you get off your ass and work to change it.
Well, let's go down this path the whole way, shall we? If I decide to sell my Playstation on ebay, then I should be able to deduct its cost --- just like any other business does. If I do this from my home, then my home is used for business purposes, and I should be able to deduct a portion of my rent, utilities, and phone service. Hell, I'll even deduct my computer, printer, and DSL service --- since it's used for business. And when I drive to the Post Office to mail the package, I can deduct for my transportation. I should also list any furniture used so that I can depreciate it. Better fill out the self-employment tax forms, and get a state sales tax ID number while we're at it.
Ridiculous.
As for the topic...as long as our tax code doesn't get fixed this is entirely correct of them to do.
Then every person who sells on ebay should be entitled to deduct the cost of the item sold, just like any other business. If I buy something for $50, then turn around and sell it for $75, I should be taxed on $25 income, not $125 (having at some point being taxed on the $50 I earned to pay for it). Furthermore, if I buy something for $100 and sell it for $5, I should be able to write it off as a loss, right? Paperwork reduction my ass.
I'm surprised the IRS doesn't come around to pick the peanuts out of my feces so they can get their cut.
I've got karma to burn. The parent isn't trolling --- but telling it like it is. Government at all levels throws tax dollars away, then comes back to the public for more. Why don't they just get it over with and take it all.
Sure, you fail your report -- but in the bigger picture, you were failed to be educated. And that's the point.
In my experience, most tend to graduate without an education regardless of whether they read fiction, used computers, accessed Wikipedia, or whatever.
The teacher's job is to babysit the kids
There. Fixed that for ya.
In original or extra crispy, only from KFT.
I still don't understand why anyone would want to watch a movie on their computer. Tinny little satellite speakers with a 17-20" monitor vs. Full blown 150W 7.1 surround sound and 50" widescreen tv. Hmmm. Decisions, decisions.
The Constitution is the highest law in the US, above even federal.
Not for long. GATS, MAI, and agreements of that ilk will ultimately spell the end of any kind of national sovereignty. Kiss your rights and the Constitution goodbye. But hey, at least you can enjoy the latest Madonna CD while your flesh rots away from the toxic chemical moat surrounding your trailer home.
The WTO exists precisely for the purpose of arbitrating disputes of this sort.
That's complete and total bullshit. The WTO exists precisely for the purpose of exploiting 99% of the world's population for the benefit of the other 1%. What's your salary? I'm guessing if you have faith in the WTO, it isn't chicken feed.
The group commentary on Re-Animator with Jeffrey Combs, and co. is pretty funny.
Wal*Mart does not have a line of DVD's. They retail DVD's manufactured by studios. Other retailers also have bargin bins. They are the same DVD's currently being sold in Blockbuster and Hollywood Video.
A prime example.. Ice Age or Ever After.. New $5.99. or Used at Blockbuster.. $12.95 & 14.95 respectively. (or 2 for $20.00) I got Ice Age and Ever After at the grocery store new. I got Open Season and Flushed Away used at 2 for $20. When the product is exactly the same, the low price is not and indicator of low quality.
I understand all that. Nevertheless, a great many DVD's have poor quality transfers. That's a fact. So, when I pay $9.99 for one of them, I'm not getting a good deal. That would be the equivalent of purchasing a $4.99 LP that was scratched all to hell. Many films are being remastered and re-released, at a higher price than they were originally released. Some films had sorry transfers. Some were widescreen, but not anamorphic. Compare the two releases of The Great Escape --- Cheapo non-anamorphic version vs. double cost anamorphic re-release (with extras disc).
Anyway, to make a long story short, I don't think DVD's are necessarily a terrific value when compared to CD's. Some are (James Bond Ultimate Edition comes to mind). But the movie studios need to get on the ball and have some uniform standards for releasing a film onto DVD --- anamorphic with a new hi def transfer is preferable.
The Dark Side of the Moon that you linked to appears to be an import (higher price). The Beatles white album is a little steep, but it is a double album.
I do purchase CD's (though not as often as I used to some years ago). But, I don't balk at their prices. Hell, I just paid $45 for a used copy of the rare and oop SWANS White Light From the Mouth of Infinity (a terrific album, by the way) and I consider it money well spent. I don't mind paying for quality music and film. But, I'm going to start shying away from the $9.99 Wal-Mart DVD's.
It's also laden with high prices. The most expensive conventional DVD's (with few exceptions) are priced in the $18-$22 range. The average price of DVD's I pick up are under $12 each.
A good many of those have poor transfers also. In fact, after recently purchasing a hi-def television, I've begun to notice drastic differences in picture quality between different dvd's. The tendency seems to be $10 for crappy transfers, $15-$20 for hi-def remasters. Of course, nearly any DVD from Criterion will be around $30. So, the price isn't that big of an issue for me.
Or you could use Timothy Leary's SHe and Hir, if so inclined.
It's been many, many years since I've purchased a new 45 or cassingle --- didn't those run about $1 or $2 each?
All together now:
America, FUCK YEAH!
Coming again, to save the mother fucking day yeah...
If the shoe fits...
Let me give you an example: It has long been known that the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter is between 3.1415 and 3.1416. Yet, the biblical value is 3. I put the question to a student of mine -- do you believe the mathematicians and the evidence of your own eyes? Or do you believe GOD? The sheeple responded, under her breath, "god."
I rest my case.
Parasitic underclass. What a laugh! The parasites are the corporations that wreck the environment and usurp the power of the people by bribing government officials, and the banks that steal from the poor to give to the rich. But keep on believing in your little fantasy.
Great philosophy --- that completely ignores reality. Reality is that when more people do without, crime soars. So, you can spend your high salary on 10ft high electric fences and security cameras with mounted machine guns to protect your "earned" wealth from the masses of the great unwashed.
That being said, people make WAY too much fuss over how "bad" the education system is in the US.
... more bad decisions. You can't bootstrap yourself from an illiterate, innumerate dunce to a Bill Gates or Einstein without a proper support network. Some are capable of doing more with less, but you can't just throw a computer or a book at a child, say "Teach thyself!" and expect good results.
I'm in a position to criticize this education system, having spent 12 years attempting to teach mathematics (including remedial mathematics) to its graduates. I've spoken with the students and their previous instructors, and determined that their public school teachers don't understand the material they "teach". My colleagues who teach history, art, biology, political science, and English say the students do little better in those areas. So yeah, the schools suck --- except when it comes to sports, of course.
You want to accuse "Joe-6-pack" of being stupid then go right ahead, but it's a result of his own choices. Anybody who wants to learn in an American school can still do fairly well.
Here's the rub --- in order to make an informed, rational, intelligent choice you have to be educated. It's a vicious circle: bad decisions lead to
What next? If a person can't keep from being killed, he shouldn't be alive in the first place? What's with this blaming the victim? How about we get some decent security as part of the e-mail infrastructure? How about we ramp up prosecution of these thieves?
I'll tell you a little story. Once I was operating a cash register, and got conned by a change-raising artist. How humiliating. I guess I shouldn't handle cash.
Where is he going to learn it?
If we consider the shabby level of education received by Joe-6-pack in the American school system, it's doubtful that the poor bastard is familiar with the most basic methods of research. If it ain't on television, he probably hasn't got a clue about it.
Over the decades our socio-economic system has moved in a direction that requires people to be increasingly dependent upon that system for nearly everything --- food, information, health care, appliance and automobile maintenance, etc. How many working stiffs have the time and skill to grow their own produce, medicate themselves, repair their electronic/mechanical equipment, do research on the web or (heaven forbid) a poorly stocked local library? And now you ask them to be technology experts? Sheesh!
Ahhh, back in the day, when I was knee-high to a grasshopper, pa used to cut the skin off my arse with an electric knife for the smallest infraction. They just don't discipline these kids nowadays.
I started paying my use taxes a few years ago. On my state income tax form there was a check box for those who didn't keep good records of their out-of-state purchases. I'd Check it, add some miniscule percent of my income for use tax (about $20) and breathe a sigh of relief knowing that I could survive an audit. Pretty cheap protection money.
What happened to these children of "The greatest generation"?
I'll tell you what happened: They got swept up in the American Dream of owning 2 houses, 2 cars, a plasma television, dvd's, ad infinitum. Work, work, work. Spend, spend, spend. Who has time for politics when there is so much work to be done and so much shopping to do?
Our puppet masters have learned from the mistakes of former puppet masters --- there will be no revolt of the citizenry in this country. Even the poorest soul who works at McDonalds goes home to relax with his X-Box. Give the starving dog just a little bit of food, and it won't see you as food.