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Adding an Internet sales tax in an election year - you must be kidding
Congress, which is trying to find money by looking under the sofa cushions, has resurrected a plan to require Internet shoppers to pay state and local sales taxes.The bill, dubbed the Main Street Fairness Act, was explained thoroughly earlier this month by Walletpop Blogger Josh Smith. In short, the measure was introduced by Rep. Bill Delahunt, a Taxachusetts Democrat, who argues that it is unfair to local businesses that online businesses escape paying sales tax.
The history of the battle over taxes goes back to a court ruling in 1992 when the Supreme Court confirmed that it was indeed too onerous and costly for businesses to calculate state ad local taxes because they vary so much from state to state.
Money Diet, Week 31: Sampling the pizza diet
Much as I love the idea of the pizza diet, I don't see it taking off.As you may have heard -- it's received quite a bit of press over the past several months -- Matt McClellan, a St. Petersburg, Fla., pizzeria owner, has been championing what he calls the "pizza diet." He says that he's lost 24 pounds and five inches by going with this dietary plan. So naturally, one of my editors, fully aware that I've been dieting this year and occasionally writing about it, suggested I give it a try.
I did.
It didn't go so well.
eBay account-closed lesson: Don't share
If you're having a problem with a business, Consumer Ally can help. Write us at HelpMe@WalletPop.com.Q. I've been an eBay seller for over 12 years with a 100% feedback rating in 400 feedbacks. Last fall, my brother, who has also bought and sold from eBay over the years, asked if he could purchase a guitar though my account because he was having issues with his. I didn't think twice. The problem, though, is that he apparently owed eBay money and never paid so they closed his account. I didn't know that at the time, and when I purchased the guitar through my eBay account, I used his PayPal account to pay for it. Once they saw that his PayPal account was used on my eBay account, they suspended my account.
More California cities taxing cell phones, Internet
Taxes on wireless services -- cell phones, Internet access and text messaging -- are coming more in vogue, especially in California, where 22 cities have extended their public utilities taxes to such communications in recent years. The latest to give it a try is Pleasant Hill, a San Francisco Bay Area city that will ask voters in November to expand its "utility users tax."Phone bills are long enough already, with all of the taxes added by various agencies which can drive cell phone users to a simpler phone plan -- a prepaid cell phone where taxes usually aren't added.
"If it doesn't move, somebody somewhere is going to try to tax it," said Eli Lehrer, who runs the finance project at the Heartland Institute, a national think tank that focuses on the states.
Four job hunting tips from executive transition coach Gordon Curtis
With thousands of Americans vying for every job opening, it's hard to get noticed, let alone land an interview. Gordon Curtis -- an executive transition coach and author of Well Connected: An Unconventional Approach to Building Genuine, Effective Business Relationships -- says that if you approach the right person the right way, you'll increase your odds of getting in the door. Here are his four tips:Fine-tune your search
Sending out resumes to job listings and building up your network at websites like LinkedIn and Plaxo can be helpful. However, increase your chances of success even more by being more focused with your search. Break down your main objective into micro objectives. This in turn can help you form a plan of attack.
For example, you want to work for a start-up. Well, what does that mean? Dig a little deeper and maybe you'll realize your ambition is to work for one that is in between seed and B-round funding. You may also only be interested in a specific sector and geographical location like the East Coast.
Alfalfa sprout recall issued due to Listeria
Specialty Farms is recalling several lines of alfalfa sprout products because they could be contaminated with the dangerous organism Listeria, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said.This is the second round of recalls of sprouts from Specialty Farms in a week. Last week, the Bridgeport, Conn.-based grower issued a warning involving products with "Best by" dates prior to July 27. The latest announcement includes dates of Aug. 1 and Aug. 3.
The sprouts were sold at supermarkets throughout the Northeast including Stop & Shop and Price Chopper. Stop & Shop sold the sprouts under the Natures Promise brand. The FDA said the sprouts were distributed to New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and Pennsylvania.
The latest banking scams to hit the U.S.
Con artists scamming people out of their money certainly isn't new -- but crooks are constantly coming up with new ways to separate customers from their cash, especially in the banking arena.Lately, we've noticed some new scams -- and a few tried-and-true methods -- cropping up in cities across the nation. To help you protect yourself and your money from these scams, take a look at the following list of five common bank scams.
Automated voice messages. While we all know not to provide our Social Security or debit card number to a person over the phone who asks for it, I admit I'd have been thrown for a loop if the following had happened to me, since an automated voice mail sounds so, well, official.
In June, in Honesdale, Penn., numerous Wayne Bank customers received a recorded phone call that said, "Your Wayne Bank debit card has been locked." The customer was then instructed to "press one" to reactive their account. Then they were asked to punch in their debit card number.
But it was all a scam. (A similar incident recently happened in Madison, Wis.) Crooks are taking advantage of the climate of fear we live in, a climate that's developed due to the increase in scams. In Brookville, Ohio., for instance, Brookville National Bank customers received automated phone calls warning them of a security breach. Oh, yikes, that sounds bad. So what should the customer do? Naturally, to reactivate their account, they should type in their account information.
It bears repeating: Never give any number, punched in or otherwise, to someone over the phone. If you get one of these automated calls, hang up, call you bank and ask your customer service representative if the calls are legit. Chances are they are not. But find out from your bank.
IRS reveals millionaires claiming unemployment benefits
For most taxpayers, 2008 wasn't a year to remember. As a whole, incomes and profits tumbled while foreclosures and job losses soared. We saw the anecdotal evidence in the headlines and photos splashed across the media. (Meanwhile, unscrupulous Wall Street types took greed and avarice to a whole new level.) Hard data from the IRS backs up what we knew to be the case: The recession hit the country hard. But the numbers also tell a shocking, much lesser-known story: Quite a few millionaires were claiming unemployment benefits, too. So while millions of Americans with struggled to keep their homes and feed their kids, a few thousand millionaires, though in not nearly as bad shape, were on the dole, too.
Giving some super-rich folks the benefit of the doubt, if you will, it appears some of them didn't have such a spectacular 2008. Seventeen of those 13,480 taxpayers who reported income of more than $10 million found themselves standing in the unemployment lines alongside nearly 9.5 million other Americans in 2008. Unemployment benefits for those taxpayers averaged $5,765. The number claiming unemployment benefits increased to nearly 3,000 for those taxpayers who reported overall income of more than $1 million.
Of course, unemployment benefits were up across the board -- nearly 25% -- at all income levels. The super poor to the super rich reported a collective total of $43.7 billion in unemployment benefits.
Free downloads: Tiesto, Guster and the Toadies, plus streams of Jamie Lidell, Stevie Ray Vaughan
Ten free and legal downloads or streams sure to strike the ear of the cash-strapped college student.1. Dimitri From Paris: "The Love I Lost (Remix)"
The famed French DJ/producer turns in a reworking of the golden Philly Soul oldie "The Love I Lost," originally cut by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. But the real star appeal on this danced-up dusty is the late great Teddy Pendergrass, whose lead vocals are even more plentiful and powerful in this face-lifted format.
2. Jamie Lidell: Interface Session
Considering he's constantly blurring the lines between soul, funk, electronica and alternative pop, Jamie Lidell (pictured) is fairly unpredictable, but at least he's consistent when it comes to interpreting each style with authenticity. During this live Interface performance, fans can watch the enigmatic Englishman beatbox his way through a blistering set, enhanced by a trio of improvisational backers.
3. Guster: "Bad, Bad World"
Following the novelty single "Fa Fa," college rockers Guster toured with pretty much every major player in that scene, including Dave Matthews Band, Phish and Barenaked Ladies. Anyone who's taken the time to see the Boston foursome on its own can attest to an increased attention to careful song craftsmanship laced with subtle satire, which continues on this preview of the group's sixth studio CD "Easy Wonderful" (out Oct. 5).
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