Sean’s Rant

If movies were released online when they were released in theaters they would make a ton more money, because people want to see them at home, and they will watch a crappy free copy of it to do so. If the producers would make an HD compatible version of the movie, or even a standard version they would sell like hotcakes. The people that really didn’t want to pay still wouldn’t, and they would still get a crappy version. The people that just want to watch it right now and at home would be paying. Of course there would be some way of pirating this, but Netflix is already providing this service so obviously they have either figured it out or are willing to take the risk.

I don’t know if it is just me but OV guide’s Google search function wasn’t working earlier, and I am wondering if it is because google doesn’t approve. Maybe another case of Google afraid of being sued for what someone else is using their services for.

***Update***

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=272&objectid=10491443&ref=emailfriend

Although this idea does put you further into debt, in one sense, it does save you from higher interest rates and gives you tax benefits as well as lifetime benefits. Going back to school, for say a masters degree would help to alleviate credit card debt through the access to student loans, grants, and schlarships. Depending on where you go, if you go in state it can be pretty cheap. Any tuition is tax deductable and so is the interest on the student loans you would be paying on later. Also, any current student loans would be interest free deferred so this would delay the payment of these. The access to student loans from masters school would enable the debt relief candidate to pay off credit cards with the low interest student loan money, while increasing their tax advantages and getting them a higher education which in and of itself would probably net the individual higher earning capacity. Of course there would be more debt on the back end but it is low interest and not due to be paid until after the schooling is over, which could be 3 years. Even if this whole plan is just to save money on taxes and lower your interest rates it is worthwhile because ordinary credit card interest is not deductable.

Just like its citizens, the US government spends more than it makes. The tax refund that will be coming this spring is an “advance” of the 2008 tax credit we will recieve. So basically the government is putting this burden on the 2008 tax revenue, or in other words, the next president. This is typical of a nation in debt and it doesn’t convey a good message to the already struggling country. Of course no one will say no to getting a $600 check in the mail. But it doesn’t mean that they can afford to say no either. There is something seriously wrong with our domestic policy and our economy and pushing ourselves further into debt will not solve it. Warren Buffet recently wrote an article about the trade deficit and how this will continue to worsen our economy because we are giving away our money.

The way the tax code is written is supposed to cater to a certain class of people, either the poor or the family, or those with children. It is nicer to the very poor or the middle class. If you are found somewhere in between there, you’re probably getting screwed. So in the tax code being descriptive it becomes prescriptive. In this way - if you live how the tax code wants you to, it is cheaper and your life becomes easier as far as paying taxes go. The tax code tells you: Either be poor and have kids, or make just enough money to stay under the limits of the following deductions and credits: Have as many kids as you possibly can and send them to daycare and even adopt while you’re at it. Own a home with a loan on it and have a lot of medical expenses. Go to school forever and take out as much in loans while you are there. Give away as much as you can to charity - but keep track. Have a massive catastrophe happen to you also. Contribute to a retirement plan. Make your house more energy efficient and drive a hybrid. But just make sure you don’t make too much money. Because all of this starts to fade away if you do.