I think it should be percentage based, not fiscally based. That way it can adapt and grow with the times. I also think all income should be taxed, as it stands only certain types of income are taxed, and at different rates. Not surprisingly your W-2 taxes (taxes taken out of your paycheck) are one of the highest tax rates you can have on income. I also think tax breaks shouldn’t be a thing at all either. If the government wants to promote something they can offer a rebate so there’s a cap on how much they promote it, and it’s not an endless give away. Finally, expenses are the cost of doing business, and you shouldn’t be able to hide income because you paid money to make money.

The fact that I can buy a property, get a tax break because I’m paying interest on a mortgage, rent the property out for more than my mortgage, claim that as a business, then claim the mortgage as an expense for said business, and end up not paying any taxes on charging someone else to pay for my mortgage, is insane.

In my ideal world there would be no tax breaks period, you pay what is owed end of story. Anything below the median income (50%) isn’t taxed, anything above the median is taxed at 1.5% for each percentage point above the median. If you are in the top 10% and make more than 90% of the nation, you get taxed at 60% above the median and can take home 40% of that additional income after the median. In the USA this would be ($251,036-$80,610) x .4 + $80,610 or $148,780.4. If you are in the top 1% ($731,492) that would be a take home of $253,093.73. If you’re Elon Musk (est $400,000,000,000 last year alone) that would be “only” $100,000,000,000. Keep in mind in 2024 he didn’t pay any taxes, and in 2021, he was the highest tax paying individual in US history at $11 billion. Yes he would still be ultra rich, but there would be $300 billion going to taxes last year alone, or roughly 7.5% of all tax income.

This means rich people can still enjoy their money, while still paying their fair share, and if you’re just trying to get by, don’t worry about it, we got you.

It genuinely depends on what industry you are in. Every single job I’ve had has either been calling the companies in the area and letting them know I’m moving and want to have employment lined up before I move, or by calling a company and letting them know a shift in management has occurred and I’m looking to transition to a different company. The most I’ve had to do was email a resume, and if there’s an interview it’s a lunch interview that’s super casual.

Basically any trades based industry still operates that way, because most trades are still local businesses. When you get into the national or international businesses they streamline the humanity out of it.

I posted this a while ago, but my ex and I ended up on a 7 hour time difference and that level of LDR is really hard, so our final date was updating each other’s dating profiles. It was very amicable, simply recognizing that it was the situation not the person that caused us to not be together.

I’m about 6ish years away from retirement (the goal is Dec 31 2031). I’ve been doing a lot of work in stock markets as a result of preparing for it. The thing with the stock market is you only lose money when you sell. If a bubble pops, but you don’t sell and you keep it in there, you will eventually make your money back and recover. Diversifying your portfolio also helps, if the housing bubble pops, the entertainment sector will likely grow because people need escapism. The AI bubble is huge right now and when that pops it will be worse than the dot com bubble, even though that bubble popped, websites are still around and that industry is larger today than it has ever been. Like websites AI is here to stay, and will eventually become larger than it is right now. It’s just time, wait it out and it will normalize.

I had faked my way into learning how to do projection mapping for an arena tour, and was on my first concert tour.

I work in events, last act was on the stage, so I started breaking down the equipment at the control booth that the last act wasn’t using. Pretty standard affair.

Apparently because I could be seen by the audience it was disrespectful to the act on stage and I was fired. I have continued to break down equipment that isn’t being used in every job since, and no one has batted an eye. He was a dick employer so I guess that makes sense.

I work in an industry where reputation is everything so as much notice as possible is recommended, and it goes both ways. I’ve had companies give employees notice on when they would be let go, and this is in the USA. But in this industry it is known that contracts will be terminated both directions, and you will be working alongside the same people who terminated the contracts in the near future. So it is in everybody’s best interest to be above board and cordial about the whole thing, so you can negate hard feelings.

Totally, I use my phone to play music while in the shower. I also do a lot of work outside, work that doesn’t stop if it starts raining.

I played D&D.

Apparently I’m a satan worshiper now.

This is kind of niche, but I mix concerts for a living and newer consoles and shows are all scene based, every song has a scene, and most of the time every verse and chorus in the song has a sub scene. It is a breath of fresh air to be able to mix with no scenes and have to rely on pure skill and intuition. Those shows tend to have a better feel and be more energetic, albeit less polished. They are also more fun, and a little bit more stressful.

I’ve tried switching multiple times, but so many programs I use for work are not supported on Linux. I essentially was having to run 2 systems so I relented and tried to de-Microsoft windows.

Slide up down, flip a latch and it tilts, flip a different latch and it swings open.

When someone who is really exasperated exclaims “Jesus Christ!” I respond with, “yes my child?”

When someone says “this is really X” “You know what else is X? something about you, your mother, etc.

If I wasn’t locked into this contract with my house I would be applying for work programs in New Zealand on my way to citizenship. When Trump was elected, the first thought that went through my head was, I don’t like winter, so Canada and the Nordics are out. Europe is 0-2 for getting destroyed in World Wars and WW3 is heating up. Africa has its own problems right now, as does South America, and regardless of where you go in Asia it’s not looking good for WW3. So options were Central America or Oceania. I know passable amounts of Spanish, and lived in Central America for a while and I would definitely be OK going back. But if I’m going to move somewhere might as well be somewhere new.

The only RGB I run is for my keyboard and only because I sit in a dark room and everything is black, so it can be difficult to see where the keyboard is. Back when I ran a regular mouse I also had an RGB mouse for the same reason, but carpal tunnel forced a trackball so now the mouse never moves and it no longer needs RGB.

The only person I know who supports these actions is literally known around my neighborhood as crazy Mike, because he’s crazy. He also openly admits he’s hypocritical, as he will condemn an action democrats do, but praise the same actions if they’re done by republicans. He knows he’s hypocritical but doesn’t see anything wrong with it. Like I said he’s crazy.

Some games yea. Especially if it was an emotional experience. That’s my reflection time.

When I was in college and everyone was talking about where they grew up, and I realized I only remembered bits and pieces of growing up, and those were always when my parents weren’t around. Some online searching later and a talk with a therapist, and I don’t talk with my parents anymore. It’s better that way.

My employer pays for mine, so free.

Before that was $20/month for unlimited everything with tethering in the US.

I’m a sound engineer, I have to go to concerts, it’s kind of my job.