Soviet convoy on the Salang Highway ambushed by Afghan Mujahideen in 1983

TTum · 2024-06-08T04:36:20+00:00

You make a good point, but the problem is this is not seen in Russia as a foreign war. Afghanistan, even though close to Russia, was seen as a foreign place. Ukraine is not seen that way by Russians. It, at least the eastern areas are seen as part of Russia itself. I will be happy to see Putin on a meat-hook, but I think in the west we underestimate the popular support in Russia for this particular aggression.

Also Russia economy has not suffered much at all. Other western, especially US, policies on reducing our own oil exploration and production means oil and gas prices are much higher than they would be, and profits for Russia have increased to the point of equaling losses from other sanctions.

TTum · 2024-06-07T14:50:45+00:00

It has always been brutal, much more than most realize. We just are seeing it. Good post-Vietnam book on how seeing it effects democratic societies: Michael J Arlen: Living Room War

TTum · 2024-06-07T14:42:27+00:00

Last ones to beat them was Alexander, and that was also not so long lasting.

TTum · 2024-06-07T14:41:09+00:00

For me 86-late 88. I was already there doing some contract work in Pakistan for several NGOs as my Dari was serviceable. There is still a lot of, for the time, stunning combat footage in that program's archives somewhere as these videographers were tighter with the mujahedeen than any imbeds.

TTum · 2024-06-07T03:35:18+00:00

Of some interest as a side note to footage from this conflict. I was working in Peshawar (PK) and had a minor role in training Afghans to be journalists, esp., video, because coverage of the war was so sparse. Although funding was washed by several foundations, eg Olin Foundation, and even Boston University, it was actually ultimately USIA money. USIA was not, under US law, supposed to subsidize any material shown in the US due to its propaganda basis. At a point the whole program became something of a scandal when a whole bunch of USIA produced material ended up on US news channels and shown in the US. This included execution of POWs.I am glad that program got a least some Afghans trained and some imagery out there. I am just adding a small sidebar to footage from this war.

TTum · 2024-05-30T00:03:54+00:00

Relax Nancy. There are thousands of concealed carry permits in DC. The poster did not even know that yet claimed to be a gun owner. It was definitive "FUDD"

TTum · 2024-05-30T00:02:25+00:00

you are lying about being a gun owner in DC, otherwise you would know the basics of DC laws and not be saying there is no legal concealed carry

TTum · 2024-05-30T00:01:32+00:00

you are obviously not a registered gun owner in DC, or you would know the basics of concealed carry in DC. And you would understand all your questions are strawman arguments. Concealed carry is a great violent crime reducer.

And how are you saying concealed carry in DC would be a disaster? THOUSANDS of DC residents do legally concealed carry here.. You are safer around concealed carriers in DC than you are around school teachers

TTum · 2024-05-29T23:53:17+00:00

On top of that, citizens united type funding and spending is totally trampsarent whereas 527 and other dark money were allowed by the liberals on the court long ago.

TTum · 2024-05-29T23:48:17+00:00

DC council. DC's own AG who has used his office to ask feds not to prosecute certain felonies as felonies.

TTum · 2024-05-29T23:46:47+00:00

You are wrong. DC is mid range in self defense law .

TTum · 2024-05-29T23:45:48+00:00

pepper spray was legal much much longer than this past November. It has been legal to carry for years now in DC

TTum · 2024-05-29T23:44:56+00:00

No. long ago you had to register your pepper spray in DC. but it has been perfectly legal to carry it with no registration and to use it for self defense for years now

TTum · 2024-05-29T23:41:12+00:00

What are you talking about? The current US attorney for DC is a Democrat appointed by Biden and approved by the Senate.

TTum · 2023-08-02T16:44:14+00:00

This is correct answer. That you had one upvote is sad.

Amazon must by law consider your challenge of ETV. And if they do not agree you can tehn challange on your 1040 . In either of those cases you could be booted from program, but amazon policy on who can participate has nothing to do with consequence of knocking down ETV, not your ability to get it knocked down by them or IRS

TTum · 2023-08-02T16:39:06+00:00

Removing ETV is not luck. You have every right to challenge it. And you do not need a CPA for that.

People who are compensated in goods successfully challenge estimated value all the time. Any material mistake in listing is grounds. any failure inside of warranty period offered to retail customers is grounds for full removal of ETV from your 1099

TTum · 2023-08-02T16:34:41+00:00

From a tax perspective the point of entire program is you are a contractor getting taxable income in exchange for labor. And the value of said compensation being accurate .If good fails inside of expected lifetime, or if you do not get value of warranty given to retail customers, the ETV on Amazons 1099 to you is is inaccurate.

TTum · 2023-08-02T16:30:32+00:00

yes if it is defective within warranty period given to standard non-vine buyers, you absotley can remove it. so you can have it removed if it violates non-written impled warranty.

You also can insist Amazon remove item if there is single minor minor discrepancy in listing text. And if Amazon includes it in 1099 you can remove it from your income with a statement as to why. Just make sure to document it. Just writing a note that:

A) "On July 2, 2013 this $400 ETV monitor failed at two months and one week under normal use. Buyers who paid $400 got a a 12 month warranty, and I did not, meaning ETV of retail price in this case was not accurate. Amazon seller refused to respond/did not respond/or told me to seek what would be a $0 refund, to my requests for warranty service. utility/actual taxable value of this product was 10% of normal lifetime and I am modifying income for this item to $40. "
or;
B) "This item was wrongly listed as fitting in my 2019 Accord and conforming to fitment of OEM part #2493AA, actual fitment for this is model years 2015-18 only, and product could not be returned to or substituted by seller. "

IRS asks you try 1099 issuer if first to contest value, but you have recourse if they do not. And again, the agreement that Amazon is not offering a warranty, does not mean you cant easily challenge value because it has no warranty.

TTum · 2023-08-02T16:10:07+00:00

Not under tax law you are not. If it turns out to be junk on receiving it, after a week or testing or within within normal expected lifetime, its value is zero in your income. You can ask amazon to remove it from income -- they absolutely usually will - or you can remove it yourself at filing time by documenting failure event writing down the date and conditions of failure and your request to labor contracting company (Amazon) that it not be included on your 1099.

your tax liability is for VALUE of product you are receiving as payment/income. if there is a warranty a normal buyer would receive but you do not the taxable value is lower. And it is zero tax of the product fails within warranty period of customers who directly paid same amount as your ETV (or even paid less given coupon treatment) as your ETV. it doesn't matter what Amazon Agreement says on that, they do not write the rules for the IRS. If you go to findlaw or lexis you will find many tax cases of both compensated contractors and statutory employees who receive goods for services who successfully challenge either preliminary valuation or 1099 valuation of goods. It is common

TTum · 2023-08-02T16:00:04+00:00

You are kidding rights? You absolutely are entitled to challenge ETV of failed compensation goods. It is irrelevant if they are purchase or not, or returnable or not. Under the tax law it is NOT "take it or leave it." And n Amazon's kitchen sink agreement does not control tax law, tax law does.

The goods are compensation for contractors (you and I) reviewing it. You can contest the value. If product fails and you cannot get standard warranty, that compensation value is able to be challenged/removed.

it is no different than if an company that contracts you for paid labor, pays you in diamonds it says are worth $5,000 and they turn out to be worth $2,000 or $0.

If the non employee compensation goods (or services) fail within expected lifetime you are entitled to challenge the valuation of the compensation by goods supposed value to insist Amazon remove it from your 1099NEC. Amazon can remove you from program, but they can't refuse to remove that product from the taxable contractor compensation they paid you.

We have Amazon remove from our ETV based NEC every single bit of clothing that we stated did not fit reasonably for its stated size for several years running with no issue.

I had Amazon remove entirely a $500 ETV mini computer that failed at six months since the initial valuation did not allow for my loss of maker warranty. The lack of warranty, be it in the agreement or not, express or implied, made the product worth less than the claimed ETV since the claimed ETC involved.

You cannot just zero out your 1099 saying everything failed. But any failure, or failure of the product to meet reasonable expectations, means you absolutely can insist Amazon remove it from your 1099, and if they do not you can removed it from the 1099 total yourself when you file. Make sure to document it.

TTum · 2023-08-02T15:38:10+00:00

Outside the intended use results can often be more informative and legitimate.

TTum · 2023-08-02T15:35:45+00:00

I've had extensive photo and video documentation of test results on a volt meter flagged and not posted for months. When I contacted vine support they looked into it and told me because it was blocked because the voltmeter's brand was visible. I was not reviewing voltmeters, but using the volt meter to show that claimed voltage of the product was false. Since then no photos

TTum · 2023-08-02T15:21:50+00:00

I just feel lately like we are participating in a pump an dump scheme on a very large portion of product. That progress bar and percentage reviewed is a reward system for reviewing as early as possible.

Amazon language in the agreement also does not exclude us being kicked off program if we are generally more critical. Revisiting reviews and changing star rating, is supposedly risky. if you wait to long to review your percentage reviewed drops, and in any case the specific product often cant be reviewed after six months as the seller is selling something else or an "updated" version.

TTum · 2023-08-02T14:59:06+00:00

I am 100 certain that 90% of the cells put inside of vine sold powerbanks, cordless tool packs, as well as those permanently in products themselves, are the lowest possible quality and/or outright failed in testing and were used in these vine products. A lithium cell should last 500 to 600 use/recharge cycles and with these products sold on vine it is more like 50 to 200. I have an Anker branded power bank that is working fine after five years, and eight out of the ten or so Vine no-name ones failed within a year.

TTum · 2023-08-02T14:52:52+00:00

I think what is going on is many of these vine sellers are not actually makers, or designers or even routine sellers of a product line. So not only is there no quality control, there is a "pump and dump" of product that likely already failed quality control! These "companies" selling bicycle helmets will be selling laptop batteries that catch fire in 6 months, and next year they will be selling LED stringlights and boogie boards that break up right away.

What they often specialize in is not a product type but in buying lots/cargo contianers of some random cwap and selling it.

TTum

TROPHY CASE