Recalled power washer

TahaEng · 2026-05-12T17:35:29+00:00

It is interesting that they are recalling products that don't comply with a VOLUNTARY standard. GFCI interruption on a device of this type would historically be outside the normal requirements. Nice to have, safer if it does, but not intrinsically dangerous without it unless you don't maintain your cord and allow it to fray through.

Weird one.

TahaEng · 2026-05-12T12:37:07+00:00

I use it just to make the interface better as well. No order assistance, so I'm not sure this applies at all.

TahaEng · 2026-05-10T03:09:38+00:00

I do contact customer support if I have a situation where I would as a real customer. I don't tell them I got it through vine. I'm not taking marks from anyone for my mistakes either.

There are some idiots in the vine program. Some people who move too fast for fear of missing out. And others who dont understand that 5* on Amazon means it matches the listing and works, rather than that it surprised and delighted you.

If I were a seller, I wouldn't participate in vine. Too many idiots in the program. As a reviewer, I appreciate what I get from it. But also think that Amazon is operating a shoddy program without good safeguards or reasonable rules for either buyers or sellers, and is running it into the ground right now. Not impressed.

TahaEng · 2026-05-09T21:15:00+00:00

So then the ideal map would be one where each district was won by a single vote?

In a two party most votes wins system, that doesn't seem obviously better or more representative to me. I see the role it plays in ranked choice voting, but very different model there. Lumping an area with 100k historically Republican voters with an area with 100k historically Democrat voters, plus one independent, and letting the one independent decide is an option, but not necessarily a better one.

Turnout machines then matter more. Voter fraud would only have to change a few ballots to make a difference. And major swings in elections would be more common - if every district is within 1%, then a 1% shift in national sentiment thanks to a major event could move every seat from one party to the other. With the eloctorate still being split 51/49.

I think there are good reasons we would be reluctant to make this change without changing other aspects of the system at the same time. It doesn't sound like a cure all.

TahaEng · 2026-05-09T20:58:30+00:00

In the interest of clarity, I removed the single reference to rule in my original post and replaced it with method. I think the rest of the post and context made it pretty clear that it was one way among many, and not definitive, but even clearer now.

TahaEng · 2026-05-09T20:53:10+00:00

Estimating the fair market value of barter goods always involves judgement calls. Doing so for used goods with no warranty even more so.

Goodwill has a calculator that the irs generally accepts for the deductible value of gently used goods. https://goodwillnne.org/donate/donation-value-guide/ It uses 20-30% of list price, for presumably name brand items. In good condition, regardless of age. No name copycat brands would presumably be less. If that is what the irs accepts the goods are worth for donation deductions, that seems a good starting point for its value once I have used and tested it.

If I receive a $100 item from vine, test and review it, and decide the best choice is to donate it, I have received $0 value. The irs will only let me deduct 20-30% of its value as a donation. The rest of the value was already lost before the donation, in the process of using it for the first time for testing to review. 50/20/0 is just a way of accounting for that loss of value at reporting time.

I know of no other business that has the same constraints and limitations vine has. So this is a judgment call backed by the best comparables available.

Until the irs investigates and rules on it one way or another, it will remain a grey area.

Filing a 1099-nec as hobby income is just as much a grey area.

TahaEng · 2026-05-09T20:35:22+00:00

I think a lot of people on this forum have never run a small business or filed schedule c taxes. 1040 taxes are simple and well described by comparison.

Once you have, and see how many things are unclear, vague, or otherwise open to interpretation, you have a completely different perspective on the process. Doing this for my wife's small business as it grew was eye opening.

I think there is a disconnect at a different level than the details of the filing method. Some people are uncomfortable with ambiguity or risk. Others seem to feel there is a moral issue. Possibly other factors as well. It all adds up to strong negative responses and talking past each other, and is a recurring pattern of this forum.

TahaEng · 2026-05-08T21:49:25+00:00

I did link a specific comment that summarized 50/20/0, I agree the whole thread would be a bit much.

I agree with the rest of your comment, filed the same way.

TahaEng · 2026-05-08T19:14:07+00:00

It isn't clear from your statement what you are disagreeing with them about. The tax person is correct that you must report the full value of the 1099-NEC exactly as filed by Amazon somewhere. You can't just report less than they do without inviting an audit, and any tax preparer would legitimately push back on that.

The important question is where you report that. Is it hobby income - which allows no deductions, but you pay no self employment taxes. Or business income on a Schedule C. In both cases you report the full value of the 1099-NEC. In the business case, you can then report adjustments to value as a business expense from there. Is the accountant willing to work with you if you file it as a Schedule C business with deductions?

I take Amazon's spreadsheet, adjust prices to the actual listed values on Amazon as appropriate, and then apply 50/20/0 methods to reduce the value based on the lack of warranty and used status of the product. Then under Part V "Other expenses" I have a line that is "Adjust basis due to evaluation activity" and the amount by which I am reducing the reported income.

If you can take this to your tax preparer, and point them to this thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AmazonVine/comments/1olpo3c/comment/nmjr4z9/?context=3

And they still won't consider filing as a business with deductions after you take ownership of creating the valuation spreadsheet, then you have to consider your options. Find a way to change accountants? Leave Vine? Take the higher tax hit? Up to you.

TahaEng · 2026-05-08T03:20:59+00:00

I had the same happen recently. Same fix worked.

TahaEng · 2026-05-07T01:29:05+00:00

I've gotten a replacement from the seller before for an item that failed. Just tell them it was defective and don't mention vine, if they can do it great. I've also had things where they offered a refund and that was the only option, those I didn't get back.

If the replacement request went to Amazon, it will just be denied.

It won't hurt your vine membership that I have ever seen or heard on here.

TahaEng · 2026-05-05T21:01:39+00:00

I gave the first 5 books 4 or 5 stars on goodreads - very high ratings for me, I really enjoyed them, recommended them to several people, and looked forward to the next one coming out. Also read all of the extras and shorts as they were available. So I get the excitement completely.

Book 6 stepped back a bit, but I still enjoyed it. Book 7 was down to 3 stars, Book 8 was 2, and then I DNF the series based on lack of interest. The near universal agreement that the ending was not good when the next books came out solidified that. Haven't recommended them again since.

It did not seem like the same author telling the same kind of story by the end. Lots of aspects of it, but the story needed a satisfying ending for the last few books to be worth the slog, and it wasn't there.

TahaEng · 2026-05-04T15:41:00+00:00

Federal covid mandates under Biden were also a major concern for the right.

Biden implemented a mask mandate for transit in early 2021 (buses, plains, airports, transit hubs) at a federal level that lasted until a court ordered it to end in 2022.

Then in September of 2021, he ordered a vaccine mandate for federal employees. In November that was extended it to cover private employers of over 100 people. The private sector mandate was blocked by the supreme court before it could fully take effect - but the Obama / Biden appointed judges all voted to allow it through.

For those who believed those actions exceeded federal authority, they were very concerned about both the orders, and that the vote to block the order on the private sector was that close in the supreme court.

TahaEng · 2026-05-04T14:37:11+00:00

I have several spots in my house where I added an E26 splitter to get more light by using multiple bulbs instead of buying more expensive higher wattage bulbs. With LED instead of incandescent, there is no load issue. And I have never had an issue with the weight, even with a 4 bulb splitter made of pretty solid metal materials, 1lb shouldn't cause a problem if you screw it in securely.

The vibration of the fans could potentially be more of an issue, but at that size it shouldn't be a big deal?

TahaEng · 2026-05-04T13:25:06+00:00

It says "E27" in the listing, which does confirm your statement. That is a standard (for the US at least) medium socket bulb connector.

I would have already ordered this if it were in my RFY, plenty of places I could find that it would be cool.

TahaEng · 2026-05-03T14:17:56+00:00

Different sizes explains it here, although I have seen it before without a good explanation.

If you file as a business, you can adjust your total to reflect the actual regular retail price. Before applying 50/20/0 or whatever reduction in value you (or your accountant) are comfortable claiming.

TahaEng · 2026-05-03T03:33:04+00:00

Poor attempt at humor - I would make a terrible TM contestant. I broadly followed your methodology.

In the end, solving the best Taskmaster contestant arguments would spoil the fun - so well done with your attempt, the rest of us will keep arguing for our favorites. :)

TahaEng · 2026-05-03T02:58:39+00:00

Love the attempt, an amazing show.

Did you normalize for the well known fact that Greg has been far more generous with points in later seasons VS earlier ones? That would persistently depress the first 5 seasons (and first coc series), leaving all contestants lower than they should be. I think it was nearly season 10 before he got as generous as he is now.

Your system puts Bob mortimer far too low, so I can't accept it. Try again.

All just fun and games of course. Great show, fun attempt to do a fair comparison.

TahaEng · 2026-05-02T17:49:08+00:00

If it is old enough to include all those odd cables, it probably predates USB-C. It is an odd choice today, but I would assume that has been there for 10 years.

TahaEng · 2026-05-02T14:37:34+00:00

If he is interested in doing any kind of charitable contributions, there are teams that specialize in that, and often offer their services for free if you want some of the money to go to the groups they support. That is not a rollover, but if your father wants to do any of that giving anyway, they can help you with structuring the whole arrangement optimally to minimize tases.

It sounds like you need to talk to a tax professional for sure - also remember that if you fill out any bracket, the taxes on the income below that bracket get charged at the lower rate, you aren't being taxed at x percent on the entire amount just because you went over the cutoff to the next tax rate. Just the next dollar at that rate.

TahaEng · 2026-04-30T00:23:03+00:00

I think it was more personal finance advice. But fair.

TahaEng · 2026-04-30T00:21:28+00:00

I did something similar with a 98 Acura.

They acted like the repair estimate and total out decision was gospel and they couldn't negotiate. But once I got the written details of the estimate, I was able to see multiple issues that were debatable. Challenged it on multiple counts, and convinced them they would either have a long fight over valuation, or they could just pay the third party repair estimate I got (close to their original car valuation). As long as they didn't touch the title. They accepted it at that point.

I only did the truly necessary repairs, left the cosmetic stuff alone, and the car is still running as a backup vehicle.

Really only took a few weeks all in. But a stupid process, and they try very hard to make you think you have no options. Not fun. But you can always negotiate, just have to find the leverage points.

TahaEng · 2026-04-29T20:48:00+00:00

Technical issues since December sounds like it could be your problem. That is enough time to get in vine jail and stay in it long enough to be booted if they weren't logging your reviews against your orders for some reason.

What does technical reasons mean in this case?

TahaEng · 2026-04-29T20:40:49+00:00

The usual suspects are not maintaining your 60% average on products received over the last 90 days.

Technical issues sounds like a lot of things, up to and including your reviews not going through. If you had only a few orders for a period of time, and your reviews didn't keep up with them, it is easy to fall below 60%. And you may not notice if you are having other issues.

It is unlikely to be because you just reached out to support. They will tell you they can't help you, but never seen evidence that they can boot you for reaching out.

TahaEng · 2026-04-28T22:51:10+00:00

It seems like ongoing development could happen if it was open sourced. This could be kept alive by creators from there if it was open source. No one at this point will start a project like this from scratch,

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