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the-original-b · 3 years

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Archangel: For the Good of the Public, Part 1

Format: Prose / Fiction, multi-entry

Part in Series: 1 of 3

Word Count: 3,400

Premise: She’s an assassin--one of the finest in the world--which gives her the right to ask for vast sums of money to do what she does so well. But every so often there comes a job she’s happy to do for free.

Warning(s): brief violence

[A/N: this was supposed to go up a L O T sooner, but life events made it difficult to actually get the story onto digital paper. I think I’ve adjusted though, so I should get these out fairly quickly, Lord willing. Hope you enjoy!]

Seza slid the key into the lock of her safehouse door, then twisted it open to let herself in. She crossed the threshold and nudged the door shut behind her with her heel before pausing at the framed photo hung by the door—in her lover’s embrace, sharing a kiss before the setting sun by the water, dated 2009.

She didn’t cry over him anymore but his absence in her life was still palpable, most notably when she was on assignment. She’d consider what he would do if he were in her position, and what guidance he would offer her. She still missed him; daily she would wonder what obscure corner of the world he was in, and on occasion she would wish she could go back two or three years to take back what she said to him the last time they spoke.

She turned away from the photo hanging on the wall and headed deeper in to the apartment to undress and prepare for bed.

Seza began the following morning with a dozen pull-ups, fifty push-ups, one hundred crunches, and a two-minute wall sit. She took five minutes to stretch before heading to her shower and preparing her breakfast.

On her way out of her building, her attention was taken by a flyer posted on the glass pane of the front door. She made her way outside to inspect the sheet of paper and immediately found it called for the return of a missing person.

She removed the flyer from the door to scrutinize it further—the missing person was a girl named Samantha Calloway, age 15, missing since last Friday. Brown hair, green eyes, five-foot-three, 110 pounds, last seen at the Walt Whitman Shopping Center in South Huntington. Seza studied the image on the poster, found the youth and innocence in the girl’s smile and eyes, and retrieved her cell phone from her coat pocket.

“Horace,” Seza said as soon the other person answered. She mimicked the accent of a native New Yorker. “It’s Shelli. I won’t be able to make it tonight, a family emergency just came up… I’ll let you know about the rest of the week. Thanks.” Seza ended the call and took the poster back inside the building to her apartment.

~~~~

Seza arrived at a luxurious home in Westchester later that afternoon. She parked her sedan at the foot of the driveway and made her way up to the house. She heard the German shepherd long before she rang the doorbell, and waited patiently for somebody to answer.

The woman that did cracked the door open and peeked through at her, her other hand on the dog’s collar. She looked as if she hadn’t slept in days.

“Mrs. Calloway?” Seza put forth. She spoke in her native accent.

“You have the wrong address,” the woman said.

“I don’t think I do,” Seza noted. “It may not be close to where Samantha was taken last Friday, but this is the residence of the people who own the Melville property to which the phone number on this flyer belongs,” she explained, holding up the sheet of paper she plucked from her apartment building door this morning. “And while I don’t yet understand how or why she was so far away from home when she was taken, that doesn’t make a difference at the end of the day.”

There was a moment of quiet before a third person joined them at the door. “Who are you?” he said. Like his wife, his exhaustion was visible.

“My name is Seza,” she replied. “As I was about to explain to your wife, I’m a tracker and private investigator. I’m here to help you find your daughter.”

Mr. Calloway shot his wife a look, then faced Seza again. “Come inside,” he said, motioning her in with a nod and opening the door wider for her.

Seza nodded respectfully and crossed the doorway, offering her hand to the dog to investigate. When he was satisfied, he pushed his snout between her thumb and fingers, and Seza responded by rubbing the back of his head, behind his ears.

“Ace doesn’t usually warm up to people that fast,” Mr. Calloway said. “And most visitors are intimidated by him.”

“I grew up with dogs,” Seza said, a smile tugging at her lip as Ace greeted her.

“Well, he seems to trust you. You’re alright, then. Can I offer you something? Tea, maybe?”

“I’d love that,” Seza said, smiling warmly at him. “Thank you.”

~~~~

“My sister is staying at the house in Melville,” Mrs. Calloway explained as her husband brought the tea to the table. He laid a saucer and demitasse in front of Seza before placing a setting in front of his wife and then himself. Seza thanked him with a nod and filled her cup three quarters of the way, then stirred in half a teaspoon of raw sugar. “We thought it best to let her finish high school with her friends from childhood.”

Seza took from her cup, savored it, and swallowed. “When did you last see her?”

“The weekend before last. She comes home Friday nights and leaves Sunday Afternoon.”

“That’s when we knew something was wrong,” Mr. Calloway added. “She didn’t come home last weekend.”

Seza nodded, the tea cup resting in both her hands. “Has she mentioned anything about your sister, Mrs. Calloway?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Relatives are most often the perpetrators of abductions. I have to know what the situation was like where she stayed.”

“No, no, she loves my sister!” Mrs. Calloway stammered. “There was nothing wrong between them..!”

“Are you saying our daughter was kidnapped?” Mr. Calloway said, fear and disbelief building in his voice.

“I’m afraid so, Mr. Calloway,” Seza confirmed.

“By who?” He shot a look over to his wife. “Who else knows we’re here?” he added, barely audibly. Who we are?”

Seza arched her brow. “Something I should know?”

Mrs. Calloway sighed. “Calloway isn’t our name,” she admitted. “We thought we’d be safe if we hid the family name and sent our daughter to school far from home.” She shrugged. “For all the good that did.”

“Have you shared this information with anybody else since moving here?”

“No,” she said. “Nobody but my sister knows who we are.”

“Our real name,” Mr. Calloway began, “is—”

“Not important to me,” Seza interposed. She thought to herself for a while, and took from her tea some more as she considered the new information. Whoever it was that took Samantha did so assuming she was just some average teenage girl, which further reinforced the idea that Mrs. Calloway’s sister wasn’t the one who did.

Then she recalled a conversation she overheard working behind the bar in Downtown Jersey City, about how a girl was just delivered from somewhere in central Long Island. It was about the time Samantha went missing, the day before the warehouse fire.

Seza had an idea who was responsible for Samantha’s disappearance. “The good news,” she began, “is that whoever has your daughter hasn’t figured out who she is. If they had, they would have made some kind of ultimatum by now. However,” she took a breath before continuing, wondering how to tell what she thinking to a distraught mother and father. “If the parties I suspect are in fact the ones responsible for your daughter’s abduction, then the bad news…” she paused. “The bad news is we may not have much time before traffickers try to make her disappear.”

Mrs. Calloway stifled a sob as she looked away from Seza, cupping her hands over her mouth as her eyes reddened and began to tear.

Mr. Calloway’s fists tightened as he let his head hang and shut his eyes tight. He opened them to see Ace looking up at him from his spot between his feet and Seza’s. “How much?”

“Days,” Seza suggested. “A week if we’re lucky.”

“How much do you want?” he clarified, looking back at her. “What will it cost for you to get her home before that happens?”

Seza blinked. “First I find your daughter,” she said. “It doesn’t matter to me who you are, I won’t accept a dime from you before I deliver her to you. We can have that discussion when we know she’s safe.” Seza stood up and reclaimed her coat from behind her chair. “Thank you for the tea.” Then she turned on her heel and headed for the exit.

~~~~

Seza parked her sedan on the shoulder of Pehle Avenue a quarter mile from the building when she arrived in Saddle Brook that evening. She stepped out of the car and scanned the road around her, then locked her car and rested her hands in her coat pockets as she proceeded toward the office.

She stepped right through the front doors when she arrived and scanned the ceilings for surveillance equipment. When she found none she stepped up to a directory a few yards from the entrance and, finding the name she was looking for, confirmed she was in the right place. She approached the front desk and got the attendant’s attention.

“Excuse me,” she said in her American accent. “I’d like to see Mr. Teller.”

The attendant looked up at her from behind his glasses.

“I don’t have an appointment,” she continued.

He took his glasses off. “What is this concerning?”

“I’d like a job.”

“Mr. Teller has another appointment in five,” the attendant said referring to his monitor. “Although…” he examined her face, her features, the form she took under her coat, and the way she filled her jeans. He was certain there would be a place for her someplace in the organization. “I’m sure he can take a moment to interview you.” He stood up from his desk and gestured toward the elevator. “But I can’t promise anything—he’s been in a, mood, these past few days.”

“I’ll make note of that,” Seza said. “Thank you.”

Seza let the attendant escort her to the elevator. He stepped in with her and hit the top floor button. They rode it together in silence.

The attendant held the door for her to step off the elevator first then followed her out when they arrived at the top floor. He led Seza to the conference room door, behind which she could already hear enraged shouting.

“Sorry in advance,” the attendant said. He turned the knob on the door downward and pushed it open to allow Seza to step through. He stepped inside after her and quietly closed the door behind him.

She took a few slow steps deeper into the room and took it in. In the room with them were five other men, against the far wall was a butler bar with a few half-finished bottles and dry glasses, and directly across from her was a desk and coat rack. The sixth man standing on the other side of the desk held a phone to his ear; she identified him immediately. Christopher Teller—local crime syndicate boss—was a large broad-shouldered fair-skinned man well over six feet tall who took the form of a power lifter under his well-tailored suit. His brown hair was buzzed a few millimeters from bald.

“It’s been a fucking week, you pillock!” He spoke with a Cockney accent to the person on the other end of the line. “Call me with something useful, or start writing your own epitaph..!” He slammed the receiver onto the cradle before the other person could respond. Then after muttering profanities he looked up at Seza. “The fuck do you want?”

Seza, briefly taken aback, reclaimed her posture and answered, “I’m here to apply for a job.” She maintained her false accent.

“Morrow Building on Park Avenue in Hoboken,” Teller shot back, finding his seat. “Ask for Geoff, he’ll evaluate you.” Even now his voice retained its rasp—an almost rage-filled growl. “Now sod off.”

Seza was aware of what was at the Morrow Building. Politely, she raised her hand to about shoulder-level. “You mistake me—I’m not looking to work at a club, I’d like to offer my services as security for you.”

“And I’d like to take piss off of the Empire one day.” He gestured one of the men in the room with them. “Get her out of here.”

Respectfully, audibly, the man approached Seza from her right side. “You heard the boss,” he said, resting his hand on her wrist to escort her out of the room.

In an instant Seza seized his wrist with her free to break his grip, then smashed the inside of his forearm with the outer edge of hers. Then she shot her left fist into his ribs and fired her right palm into his mouth and nose, breaking both jaws and throwing his head backward to land him on the floor unconscious.

Peripherally, she noted the desk attendant toward the back of the room start to reach for the holster on his waist; before he could even draw the gun she was on him. Seza fired an elbow into his ribs to stun him, then extended her reach around his chest as she straightened her posture so the inside of her right wrist was against his neck while her left hand took hold of his elbow. She placed the back of her knee against his and shot her leg backward as she threw her arm forward, simultaneously tripping and clotheslining him to throw him to the ground.

The moment his back hit the floor Seza was on top of him, her right knee sinking into his shoulder and her left foot on his wrist; she reached between her legs to un-holster his handgun, then raised it and pointed it at the other men in the room with them, as the attendant struggled beneath her. There they remained for seven seconds.

The tension was broken by a gravelly, masculine baritone through the intercom on Teller’s desk. “So should I let myself up?” it proposed, “or…?”

Teller looked down away from Seza at the intercom, then back to her while he depressed the talk button to answer the man on the other end. “I’ll send somebody down,” he said. He released the button and gestured one of the other men left standing in the room to head downstairs and collect their new visitor. “Well, Jane Wick, I had you figured all wrong,” he admitted. “And since one of my guys’ll have his jaw wired shut for the next two months I’ll need to replace him. You’re in,” he said as she lowered the gun. “At least until he can eat solid food again.”

“Thank you, Mr. Teller,” Seza said. She stood up to release the attendant beneath her, ejected the magazine from the handgun, cleared the chamber, turned it around and handed it back to him.

The attendant reluctantly took the gun back and returned it to its holster.

Their new guest arrived a few short moments after the transaction—a dark-haired fair skinned fellow with hazel eyes and a ten-day salt-and-pepper beard. He wore a pale gray overcoat and black quarter-zip sweater over dark slacks and Chelsea boots. He spread his arms and flashed a wry smile. “Christopher!” he cajoled, taking a few exaggerated steps toward the desk as he placed his hands back into his pockets. “It’s not like you to be late to your own meeting.”

“Personnel issues,” Teller commented, taking a seat behind the desk again.

“Is that right..?” The newcomer raised his brow and scanned the room for a quick head count. He spotted the man on the floor, the other man braced against the wall nursing his wrist, and Seza standing between them.

“Well, hello there,” he charmed. He took a few slow steps toward her as his lips cracked another mischievous grin. “I don’t recall seeing you here before.” They were barely a foot apart now.

“I just started,” Seza deadpanned. She didn’t take her eyes from his, despite his proximity.

“Did you..?” He briefly scanned her up and down. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your new hire, Chris?” he said loud enough for the other man to hear.

Teller quietly sighed and rolled his eyes. “Called her Jane Wick... she didn’t say anything.”

“Jane Wick,” the newcomer echoed. He noted the man on the floor leaking blood from his mouth and nostrils next to her and surmised that was her handiwork. He chuckled to himself at the origin of the nickname as he took a step back and offered her his hand. “Peter Cross,” he introduced himself. “Pleased to meet you. Remind me never to do to you whatever he did to deserve that.”

Seza shook his hand after a brief pause. “Shouldn’t be a problem, Peter Cross,” she said.

Cross kept her gaze a few more seconds before turning away back toward Teller. “How’ve you been, Chris?” he asked. He made his way to the butler bar on his way to the desk to pour a finger’s depth of scotch from the decanter into one of the glasses. “How’s business?”

Teller decided to ignore the fact that Cross made himself at home without permission and answered the question. “We’ve had some setbacks over the last few days.”

“So I’ve heard,” Cross noted as he made his way toward him. “A state senator raised some concerns about incriminating documents that may or may not have leaked.” He took a seat as he continued. “Not long after, he says it’s a false alarm and one of your warehouses catches fire.” He took from his glass and paused, savoring it. “I’d ask if you have any leads, but we’re both smart enough to put the picture together.”

“Yeah,” Teller said, the faintest snarl at the back of this throat. “We are.”

“Do you know why I had my friend trash the evidence on the good senator and torch your warehouse? Because I need you to understand the why, so we don’t have to have this conversation again in a week.”

There was only silence in the room for a while.

“Speak when you’re spoken to, Chris.”

Seza watched the two men interact—Cross lounging in the chair opposite Teller, Teller’s fingers steadily digging deeper into the backs of his hands. He wanted to reach across the table and strangle the man, it was obvious to her.

“Yeah,” Teller croaked with a slow nod.

“What we have only works if you play by the rules,” Cross continued. “And you have a nasty habit of shitting all over those rules. I can’t have that, so I had to take something from you as punishment... nothing important, not like that fancy club of yours in Hoboken. It could have been, but I know how you feel about the place…” He finished his scotch and placed the empty glass on the desk top. "So the next time you feel like going off the reservation, I want you to think about what could've happened the day your warehouse burned down. I want you to think about what happened... and I want you to think about what can still happen… are we clear?”

“Crystal.”

“Good..!” Cross flashed a smile and stood back up. “Now that that’s out of the way,” he extolled, “it’s time to go to work. Get your best coat on, shine your shoes, and try to look respectable. These Sen Guren boys are old school.” He strode back toward the exit.

“So I’ve heard,” Teller said. He stood to retrieve his coat from the rack in the corner of the room, then motioned Seza and three other men in the room to follow him.

She allowed herself to be escorted from the conference room into a garage and toward a late-model Escalade. One of Teller’s men entered through the driver-side door, and Teller himself sat up front next to him. Seza entered through the rear door and found herself between two of Teller’s men as the vehicle engine started.

Of course they wouldn’t trust her alone with any of them, she thought, not after what she did to the other two upstairs. Seza knew she would have to keep playing along if she was going to come any closer to finding Samantha Calloway, so she sat still and did her best to look relaxed among the others as they headed toward their destination.

(Masterlist | Part 2)

#fiction #original work #original content #original fiction #prose #short story #creative writing #drama #thriller #crime story

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fawnfreckles · 4 years

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ABORTION STATISTICS:

Based on available state-level data, approximately 883,000 abortions took place in the United States in 2019, up from 868,000 abortions in 2018.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, an estimated 862,320 abortions took place in the United States in 2017—down from 926,240 in 2014. Guttmacher's selected annual abortion estimates for the last 20+ years are listed below:

2017: 2014: 2011: 2008:

862,320 926,240 1,060,000

2005: 2002: 2000: 1996:

1,210,000 1,290,000 1,310,000

Based on available state-level data, approximately 890,000 abortions took place in the United States in 2016—down from approximately 913,000 abortions in 2015.

In 2017, approximately 18% of U.S. pregnancies (excluding spontaneous miscarriages) ended in abortion.1

According to the United Nations' 2013 report, only nine countries in the world have a higher reported abortion rate than the United States. They are: Bulgaria, Cuba, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Sweden, and Ukraine.*

*Though the UN lists China's official abortion rate at 19.2, China's actual abortion rate is likely much higher. According to China's 2010 census, there were approximately 310 million women of reproductive age in the country. An estimated 13-23 million abortions happen annually in China, resulting in an adjusted abortion rate of 41.9-74.2. The abortion rate is the number of abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44.

In 2017, the highest percentage of pregnancies were aborted in the District of Columbia (37%), New Jersey (32%), and New York (31%). The lowest percentage of pregnancies were aborted in Idaho (5%), South Dakota (4%), and Wyoming (2%). (AGI abortion data + CDC birth data).

In 2018, approximately 31% of all pregnancies in New York City (excluding spontaneous miscarriages) ended in abortion (CDC).

The annual number of legal induced abortions in the United States doubled between 1973 and 1979, and peaked in 1990 (CDC).

From 2009 to 2018, the total number of reported abortions decreased by 22%. The abortion ratio2—which measures abortions against live births—decreased by 16% (CDC).

More than 60 million legal abortions have occurred in the United States since 1973.

WHO HAS ABORTIONS?

In 2018, unmarried women accounted for 85% of all abortions (CDC).

Among married women, 4% of 2018 pregnancies (excluding spontaneous miscarriages) ended in abortion. Among unmarried women, 27% ended in abortion (CDC).

Women in their 20s accounted for the majority of abortions in 2018 and had the highest abortion rates (CDC).

Adolescents under 15 years obtained .2% of all 2018 abortions; women aged 15–19 years accounted for less than 10% (CDC).

Percentage of 2018 Reported Abortions by Age of Mother (CDC):

<15 years: 15–19 years: 20–24 years:

0.2% 8.8% 28.5%

30–34 years: 35–39 years: ≥40 years:

18.8% 10.7%. 3.5%

Women living with a partner to whom they are not married account for 25% of abortions but only about 10% of women in the population (NAF).

In 2018, women who had not aborted in the past accounted for 60% of all abortions; women with one or two prior abortions accounted for 34%, and women with three or more prior abortions accounted for 6% (CDC).

Among women who obtained abortions in 2018, 41% had no prior live births; 45% had one or two prior live births, and 14% had three or more prior live births (CDC).

Among white women, 10% of 2018 pregnancies (excluding spontaneous miscarriages) ended in abortion. Among black women, 25% ended in abortion (CDC).

Black women were more than 3.4 times more likely to have an abortion in 2018 than white women (CDC).

The abortion rate of non-metropolitan women is about half that of women who live in metropolitan counties (NAF).

The abortion rate of women with Medicaid coverage is three times as high as that of other women (NAF).

In 2014, 30% of aborting women identified themselves as Protestant and 24% identified themselves as Catholic (AGI).

WHY DO ABORTIONS OCCUR?

In 2004, the Guttmacher Institute anonymously surveyed 1,209 post-abortive women from nine different abortion clinics across the country. Of the women surveyed, 957 provided a main reason for having an abortion. This table lists each reason and the percentage of respondents who chose it.

HOW DOES ABORTION TAKE PLACE?

In 2017, medical abortions accounted for 39% of all abortions (AGI).

In 2018, 60% of reported abortions were accomplished by curettage (which includes dilatation and evacuation). Most curettage abortions are suction procedures (CDC).

Medical abortions made up approximately 40% of all abortions reported in 2018 (CDC).

Ninety-six per cent of the more than 140,000 second-trimester abortions that occur annually in the USA are accomplished by dilation and evacuation (D&E) (NAF).

WHO IS DOING THE ABORTIONS?

In 2017, abortions were performed in 1,587 different facilities, a 5% decline from 2014. (AGI).

In 2017, there were 808 abortion clinics in the United States, a 2% increase from 2014.

Between 2014 and 2017, the number of hospitals performing abortions declined by 19%, from 638 to 518 (AGI).

In 2017, 72% of U.S. abortion clinics performed abortion through 12 weeks’ gestation, 25% performed abortion through 20 weeks, and 10% performed abortion through 24 weeks (AGI).

In 2014, 4% of U.S. abortions occured in hospitals; 1% occured in physician's offices. The other 95% occured in freestanding abortion clinics—without any established doctor-patient relationship (AGI).

ABORTION FATALITY

In 2017, two women were reported to have died as a result of complications from induced abortion. Between 1973-2015, a reported 447 women died due to complications from legal abortion (CDC).

The number of deaths attributable to legal induced abortion was highest before the 1980s (CDC).

In 1972 (the year before abortion was federally legalized), a total of 24 women died from causes known to be associated with legal abortions, and 39 died as a result of known illegal abortions (CDC).

THE COST OF ABORTION

In 2014, the average cost of a nonhospital abortion with local anesthesia at 10 weeks of gestation was $508. The average cost of a medical abortion up to nine weeks of gestation was $535 (AGI).

ABORTION AND CONTRACEPTION

Induced abortions usually result from unintended pregnancies, which often occur despite the use of contraception (CDC).

In 2014, 51% of women having abortions used birth control during the month they became pregnant. (AGI).

9 in 10 women at risk of unintended pregnancy are using a birth control method (AGI).

Oral contraceptives, the most widely used reversible method of contraception, carry failure rates of 6 to 8% in actual practice (NAF).

ABORTION AND MINORS

40% of minors having an abortion report that neither of their parents knew about the abortion (AGI).

39 states currently enforce parental consent or notification laws for minors seeking an abortion: AL, AK, AR, AZ, CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WV, and WY. The Supreme Court ruled that minors must have the alternative of seeking a court order authorizing the procedure (AGI).

ABORTION AND PUBLIC FUNDS

The U.S. Congress has barred the use of federal Medicaid funds to pay for abortions, except when the woman's life would be endangered by a full-term pregnancy or in cases of rape or incest (AGI).

17 states (AK, AZ, CA, CT, HI, IL, MA, MD, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NY, OR, VT, WA and WV) use public funds to pay for abortions for some poor women. About 14% of all abortions in the United States are paid for with public funds—virtually all from the state (AGI).

In 2014, 88,466 abortions in California were paid for with public funds. Public funds paid for 45,722 abortions in New York (AGI).

#tw abortion #politics #discourse #I’ve been seeing a lot of anti-abortion discourse on my dash recently so I thought some research might be interesting #abortion #pro life #pro choice

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crestviewpas-blog · 2 years

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segenassefa · 4 years

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6: Brand Focus: Los Angeles Apparel

September – the season of changing leaves, pumpkin spice lattes (those are nasty but if I speak…), and – usually – back to school shopping.

However, now that life has transitioned online, there is no reason to wear anything that is uncomfortable or at least two sizes oversized on a day-to-day basis. But – and don’t fight me on this - there is nothing more satifying than new and quality loungewear.

This is where Los Angeles Apparel comes in.

The brand formerly known as American Apparel rebranded as Los Angeles Apparel – the same basics brand, full of heavyweight cotton, styles ranging from classic to contemporary, and a wide range of colours, everything from neutrals to neon colours.

After bankrupting twice, American Apparel was purchased by Canadian manufacturer, Gildan, in 2017. Gildan went on to rebrand and remove the more notable points of the company’s marketing strategy – namely, the borderline pornographic advertising and sinfully high price range (some AA products can now be purchased on websites such as Wordans and Amazon).

Founder and Montreal native Dov Charney (who has his own demons, including accusations of sexual harassment and mismanagement of funds when he ran American Apparel in 2014*) then decided to take his ideas elsewhere, introducing Los Angeles Apparel.

Now operating out of a south Los Angeles warehouse, LAA poses itself as an ethical, basics, brand, paying workers between $15-$20 USD, as well as overtime pay and benefits, and varies from other fashion retailers in the amount of transparency to behind the scenes of their warehouse and in the production process – many of the brand’s Instagram stories include shots of models, posing outside and throughout the warehouse, and well as videos of various garment and production workers at their daily dyeing, stitching, and cutting tasks. Another plus of this brand is the composition of the garments, specifically their sweatshirts and sweatpants, tops, and bodysuits. Most places do not manufacture goods with 100% cotton - traditional brands either use a 50/50 blend of cotton and polyester, or an 80/20 blend for goods in the heavyweight category. Using 100% cotton leads to a garment that looks even better with wear and tear, as well as prevents pilling, worn out elastic cuffs and hems, as well as less discolouration. Lastly, LAA is mostly devoid of branding – their clothing has no flashy logos or tags, no awkward stitching or excessive distressing, product styles, and unsavoury colour combinations – likely stemming from their roots as a wholesale blanks company. There is a bit of 90’s flavour to the styles shown on the website, included oversized sweats and t-shirts, lots and lots of pleats (pants, skirts, shorts, everything), as well as having more fresh-faced models, both men and women.

I’ve never personally been a huge American Apparel shopper – the original brand was not the most inclusive in terms of sizing as most of their items run on the smaller size (even to this day – their 2XL fits more like a very roomy XL) or were the dreaded “slim fit” (the ugliest cut of clothing to touch down on this face of the Earth, please don’t argue with me). However, since rebranding, Charney and the rest of the LAA team began to embrace more true-to-size and oversized fits. After rebuilding my wardrobe with quality basics, I can say about 80% of my wardrobe is from LAA – the pieces are good quality, minimal, and tasteful. Also, as a person who tries to be as ethical with my spending practices as possible and invest in quality clothing, I feel a bit better knowing the $40 t-shirt won’t be falling apart in the wash or after a few wears. For anyone who has considered dipping their toe into LAA or has been looking for other basics to add to their collection, here is a listed review of my favourite items from Los Angeles Apparel**.

HF09GD Unisex - Garment Dye 14oz. Heavy Fleece Hooded Pullover Sweatshirt

If I had the power to get rid of all of the hoodies in the world and replace them with only one, this would be it. This hoodie is thick as hell to the point where sometimes it feels like canvas, but not in an uncomfortable way. The colours are also super rich – my favourite one is Chocolate (one day we will talk about how brown is the supreme neutral for its ability to be and blend with both warm and cool tone colours, but I digress). Another interesting thing about these hoodies is that they don’t hold smell the way I’ve found polyester blends do and when washed, literally smell like an entirely new garment. This is also one of the products that I found is actually more of an oversized fit, and as with most cotton goods – stretch (but not unreasonably) with wear. It comes in a huge selection of colours as well and the sizing is fairly unisex, as both me and my boyfriend have worn this hoodie and have marveled at the quality. While it is an investment ($100 CAD per hoodie, about double that for the whole set), it is truly the hooded sweatshirt I’ve ever owned.

Size: XL, Colour: Chocolate, Price: $100 CAD

3380GD - Heavy 2x1 Rib Crop Tank

As our beautiful friend who was floating around Twitter not too long ago said, “Get into eeeeet!”. And she was absolutely right. This tank top is made for the people who want to get into the w*fe-beater/undershirt-as-a-shirt trend but don’t particularly enjoy the length or thinness of those traditional tops. This cropped tank is a racerback, but not to the point where it is completely unwearable without a bra, provided you have a convertible bra. This top is also 5% elastane as opposed to polyester (for those who are curious, elastane is a member of the Lycra and Spandex family, so the stretch in this top will also provide some shaping benefits). While it does only come in two colours for the time being, I’m one of those people who owns everything in my closet in both black and white, so this was perfect for me. Another thing to note, all my BBWs, this top does not roll up or require too much adjusting throughout the day, and sits just above the belly button for a cropped look without making you look like Roger the Alien (you know what I’m talking about….). This tank top is relatively affordable, considering the wearability, and the ribbing isn’t too noticeable so if you wanted a nice cropped but semi conservative top, this just might be it.

Size: L, Colour: Black, Price: $30 CAD

1215GD - Heavy Jersey Garment Dye Casual Pants

Ok, you know when you want to wear sweatpants, but you also realize that maybe the occasion is not appropriate, or you just need a little bit of pizzazz without all of the frump? This is these pants. When I first read the reviews, I was skeptical, but after realizing all I own are jeans and sweatpants, I copped a pair. I wore these in 75-degree weather, walked a good three or four miles, and was comfortable all day. Plus, unlike most traditional womenswear pants, these pockets are DEEP. Like Mariana Trench deep, which I love because one thing about me – I’m going to use a damn pocket. I would say to avoid these if you aren’t into the straight leg look because with a t-shirt, they do give very public-school art teacher vibes, but they also come in a huge range of colours. A lot of people complain about the elastic band for a lot of their products (too tight), but personally I prefer that – it provides a longer wear time before you have to wash (since it takes longer for the garment to stretch out) and keeps everything cute and covered. These pants are also a nice alternative to jeans, and even come in the couple shades of blue to mimic the idea of dark/light wash. The price is a little obscene for some casual pants, but I think you’re someone who usually wears pants from Urban Planet, H&M, or even Zara, these will be a nice upgrade, sure to last a very, very long time.

Size: L, Colour: Black, Price: $52 CAD

1406GD - Long Sleeve Garment Dye Mockneck T-Shirt

Another one of my favourite things about LAA is the fact that a lot of their products are unisex (while not explicitly labelled as such, you will see a lot of the same items in both the men and women tabs on their website). I love a good long sleeve shirt, but my proportions were never too forgiving to pull it off without looking like a 1960’s ghost, or like I had gotten dressed in the tent section of Home Depot. This top is more of a boxy fit, but the bottom is cropped enough to make it hit just above the thighs for a nice, slouchy look. The colours in these are also super nice, veering more towards neutrals and pastels. This shirt looks good with bike shorts and tucked into jeans, and (the best part) the white is not see-through at all, which was one of my biggest complaints when buying shirts from brands like Hanes, Gildan, Fruit of the Loom, and Keya. The neckline is a lot higher than most traditional crew necks, but I’m a fan. Plus, I feel like it looks a lot better when you layer jewelry over it. If you’re springing to get a basic colour, I’d say it’s totally worth it, at $41 a pop, considering that it’ll last damn near forever.

Size: XL, Colour: White, Price: $52 CAD

B128CF - Long Sleeve Crossfront Bodysuit

The bodysuit that started it all. Y’all. The number of compliments I get whenever I wear this top is insane, not to mention of all the bodysuits I have purchased from this brand, this one is the most flattering, the most versatile, and the most forgiving, in terms of sizing. The cross-front bodysuit is a happy medium for people who want to get into the criss-cross top look without the hassle of strings and shit like that. Not to mention, many bodysuits in this style tend to be ribbed – and not the good kind of ribbing either *retches*. I own this bodysuit in both a medium and a large, and my advice would be to size down, especially if you’re planning on wearing it without a bra (not much of a choice considering this bodysuit has a deep, deep, V neck) and will definitely add to the effortless look of the whole ensemble. This bodysuit can be dressed up and dressed down, but my favourite way to wear this is with some slouchy ass sweatpants, white sneakers (preferably a little beat up) and a small shoulder bag – ad square or transparent sunglasses for some big 90s energy, like you just left a Bikram yoga class or something. The colours on this could be better – aside from the white, black, and flesh toned colour, I really don’t see a purpose for the coral or blue shade, but I may be biased considering I do avoid bright colours like that. Now, it may seem a little overpriced for what it is, but I promise you – in my years of bodysuit research, the only brand that’s coming close to this, especially for larger chested laydeez, is Capezio, and that’s literally dancewear. Like, industrial ass dancewear. Regardless, this bodysuit is top 2 and it’s not 2.

Size: M, Colour: White, Price: $49 CAD

BD12 - Bull Denim Oversized Bag

If I had to give a name to my aesthetic – particularly when it comes to accessories – I’d say I’m somewhere in between “Bag Lady” by Erykah Badu and first year art student in the Midwest working part time at a dusty bookstore. This bag is more of the latter. For reference on size, it’s about as big, laid flat, as my large Telfar, but when on, doesn’t have the same structure, thus keeping it from looking like a burlap sack (or keeping you from looking like Santa on December 24th). The material is bull denim, which is similar in texture and style to regular denim, however, dyed to give it a rich and uniform colour. Also this bag comes in literally all of the ROYGBIV colours, plus black and white, and in a variety of styles and closures (they have one with a zipper for people who are diligent about things like that, as well as a more standard tote size and shape). This bag is perfect for literally everything – I like it when I go grocery shopping, or even getting from A to B when I have to carry a million things. Another bonus is the construction of the strap is thick without being comical, meaning that you won’t have those nasty lines in your shoulder after a long day, and you won’t have to worry about a strap busting and embarrazzzzing you (Nella Rose voice) when you’re out. In terms of pricing, you could get a little pleather number from H&M for the same price, but if you don’t take yourself seriously, then just say that (kidding!). as someone who loves the look of a good canvas tote, without wanting to look too much like a crunchy granola kinda person, this bag is lowkey one of my favourites (sorry, Mr. Clemens!).

Size: OS, Colour: Navy, Price: $58

Notes:

*= We do not condone predatory behaviour from anyone, but it is important to highlight that just because you love something doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Part of being a responsible consumer is also knowing about who you purchase from, not just what and how things are made. I am aware of this and am taking accountability for not knowing this information sooner.

**= All of these opinions are my own and not sponsored. Product codes will be listed in the title, and sizing, colour purchased, as well as CAD pricing will be listed at the end of each review.

#cms cashmoneysegs #blog post 5 #los angeles apparel #laa #aa #american apparel #brand

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eldibris-blog · 4 years

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judefan816-blog · 4 years

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securecheck360 · 5 years

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Top State and Local Tax Policies of 2020

To state that 2018 and 2019 were “big years” in state tax policy would be an incredible modest representation of the truth. With a significant upgrade of government individual and corporate annual expense frameworks in December 2017, trailed by the U.S. Supreme Court’s South Dakota v. Wayfair decision impacting inter-state sales tax collections the following June, states have spent the past two years reacting to major federal policy changes, in addition to enacting many of their state-specific reforms.

While many state responses to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and the Wayfair decision has already taken effect several additional policy changes, whether reactions to federal law or otherwise, are slated to take effect as we ring in the new year on January 1, 2020. Altogether, 34 states have major tax changes taking effect at the start of the new calendar year.

KEY FINDINGS

Ø Thirty-four states have major tax changes taking effect on 1st January 2020.

Ø Arkansas, Tennessee and Massachusetts will each see reductions in their individual income tax rates.

Ø Five states (Iowa, Kansas, Maine, North Carolina, and Ohio) will see notable changes to their individual income tax bases.

Ø Corporate income, capital stock, franchise, or similar taxes on businesses or financial institutions will decrease or be eliminated in six states (Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Mississippi) but will increase in two states (New Jersey and Washington).

Ø Oregon will implement a new Corporate Activity Tax (CAT), which is a modified gross receipts tax (GRT).

Ø Florida is the lone state with a general sales tax rate change (a reduction).

Ø Five states will see changes to their estate taxes. Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and New York will see increases in their estate tax exemptions (taxpayer-friendly provisions), while Hawaii’s estate tax will become more burdensome.

Ø Two states (Illinois and Louisiana) will implement new excise taxes on cannabis products.

Ø Three states (Maine, Nevada, and New Hampshire) will begin applying excise taxes to vapor products.

Ø Four states (Hawaii, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin) will begin requiring marketplace facilitators to collect sales taxes.

Ø Three states (Arizona, Georgia, and Washington) will modify the economic nexus threshold in their remote sales tax collection requirements.

Ø Two states (Hawaii and Pennsylvania) will begin using Wayfair-like standards to determine economic nexus for income tax purposes.

Ø Two states (Connecticut and Virginia) will see notable changes to their sales tax base. (Connecticut’s sales tax base will broaden to additional consumer goods and services, while Virginia’s base will become narrower).

Ø Six states (Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Tennessee) will see various changes to their corporate income tax base or appointment formulas.

Ø Various road user taxes and fees will change in Kansas and Nevada.

The Individual and Corporate Income Tax Rate Changes Effective January 1, 2020

State

Top Rate (2019)

Number of Brackets(2019)

Top Rate (2020)

Number of Brackets (2020)

Individual Income Tax

Arkansas

6% (middle-income earners); 6.9% (high-income earners)

6 (middle-income earners); 6 (high-income earners)

5.9% (middle-income earners); 6.6% (high-income earners)

6 )Middle-income earners);

4 (high-income earners)

Tennessee

2% (investment income only)

Single rate tax

1% (investment income only)

Single rate tax

Massachusetts

5.05%

Single-rate tax

5.00%

Single-rate tax

Corporate Income Tax

Florida

4.458%

Single-rate tax

4.458%

Single rate tax

Missouri

6.25%

Single rate tax

4.0%

Single rate tax

New Jersey

11.5% (including a 9% base rate and a 2.5% surcharge)

10.5% (including a 9 % base rate and a 1.5% surcharge)

Note: The corporate income and franchise tax rates in Florida were set to revert to the 2018 rate of 5.5%, but the legislation was enacted extending the 2019 rates to 2020 and 2021. Source: State statutes.

Arizona: Arizona adopted an Internal Revenue Code (IRC) conformity bill, House Bill 2757, in May 2019, which also included adjustments to the state’s Wayfair response. While several of this law’s provisions were retroactive and have already taken effect, a change in the safe harbor for small remote sellers will take effect on January 1, 2020. Specifically, the de minimis exemption for remote sellers will drop from $200,000 to $150,000. Remote sellers exceeding this amount in direct sales into Arizona for the current or previous calendar year are required to collect the transaction privilege tax (TPT), Arizona’s unique sales tax. This safe harbor is scheduled to drop even further, to $100,000, in 2021.

Arkansas: Arkansas recently enacted a series of tax reforms that will continue phasing in the new-year. Arkansas is unique among states in that it has three entirely different individual income tax rate schedules depending on total taxable income. As the taxpayer’s income rises, they not only face higher marginal rates but also shift into an entirely different rate schedule. In the new-year, Arkansas individual income tax rates schedule for high earners, which currently has six marginal income brackets, will be consolidated into four brackets, and the top marginal rate will drop from 6.9 to 6.6 percent. In 2021, this top rate will be reduced even further, to 5.9 percent. For those subject to the middle rate schedule, the top rate will decrease from 6.0 to 5.9 percent this January. On the corporate tax front, the net operating loss (NOL) carryforward period will increase from five to eight years in 2020 and to 10 years in 2021.

Arkansas Individual Income Tax Rates (2020)

Total Income Under $22,200

Total Income Between $22,200 and $79,300

Total Income Above $79,300

Income Bracket

Tax Rate

Income Bracket

Tax Rate

Income Bracket

Tax Rate

$0-$4,499

0.0%

$0-$4,499

0.75%

$0-$4,000

2.0%

$4,500-$8,899

2.0%

$4500-$8,899

2.50%

$4,001-$8,000

4.0%

$8,900-$13,399

3.0%

$8,900-$13,399

3.50%

$8,001- $79,300

5.9%

$13,400-$22,199

3.4%

$13,400-$22,199

4.50%

$79,301+

6.6%

$22,200-$37,199

5.00%

$37,200-$79,300

5.90

Note: The exact brackets will change slightly due to Arkansas’ policy inflation-adjusting its brackets annually.

Source: Act 182, Arkansas 2019.

Connecticut: Connecticut’s budget for fiscal years 2020-21, which Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed into law in June, includes several tax changes that will take effect on January 1st. One such change is that Connecticut will no longer levy a Business Entity Tax (BET). Previously, owners of S corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and partnerships paid this tax every other year in the amount of $250. Further, effective January 1st, additional select services will be included in Connecticut’s sales tax base, including parking garages, meters, and related parking services: interior design services; dry cleaning and laundry services (excluding coin-operated laundry services).

Florida: In March 2018, legislation was enacted in Florida to trigger corporate income and franchise tax rate reductions for the 2019 tax year if Florida 2019 tax collections exceeded adjusted forecasted collections by at least 7%. In June 2019, legislation was enacted to extend the trigger to also be available in tax years 2020 and 2021. As a result, in September, the Department of Revenue announced that the corporate income and franchise tax rates would indeed be reduced, from 5.5 to 4.458 percent, retroactive to January 1, 2019, and effective for tax years 2020 and 2021. Further reductions for 2020 and 2021 are possible depending on actual collections for those years. Moreover, effective 1st January, the commercial lease tax, a special sales tax remitted by commercial real estate owners but paid by their tenants, will drop from 5.7 to 5.5 percent.

Georgia: House Bill 182, signed into law in April 2019, reduced Georgia’s de Minimis exemption for small remote sellers from $250,000 to $100,000, effective 1st January 2020.

Hawaii: As of the first of the year, Hawaii will require marketplace facilitators to collect and remit its General Excise Tax (the state sales tax) when those marketplace facilitators have $100,000 or more in income sourced to Hawaii or at least 200 transactions in the state. Hawaii also becomes the first state to align its income tax economic standards with its Wayfair safe harbor. Senate Bill 495, enacted in July 2019, requires income tax filing for any individual, estate, or business with 200 or more transactions or more than $100,000 in sales into Hawaii. Also, Act 3, signed into law in April, created a new estate tax bracket, taxing estates valued above $10 million at a rate of 20 percent. This new rate applies to decedents dying in 2020.

Illinois: Illinois has several tax changes taking effect in January, including a marketplace facilitator sales tax collection law, a marijuana excise tax, a parking excise tax, and the phase-out of the franchise tax. As of the first of the year, marketplace facilitators will be required to collect Illinois sales tax when those facilitators have $100,000 or more in sales or at least 200 transactions in the state. Public Act 101-0027, signed into law in June, creates a legal market for recreational marijuana and imposes various excise taxes. These taxes include a 7 percent tax on wholesale sales made to dispensaries, as well as retail excise taxes of 10 percent, 20 percent, or 25 percent depending on tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content or product type. A local option tax of up to 3% will not take effect until July 2020. The new excise tax on parking services will be paid by drivers for the privilege of parking in a designated space, garage, or another area. The tax will be imposed at a rate of 6 percent of the purchase price for hourly, daily, or weekly parking spaces and 9 percent of the purchase price of parking on a monthly or annual basis. Finally, Illinois franchise tax, which has historically been imposed on C corporations doing business in Illinois, will be phased out between 2020 and 2023. In 2020, the first $30 in franchise tax liability will be exempted, and by 2024, no tax will be owed.

Indiana: Indiana’s financial institution’s tax rate will fall from 6.25 to 6.0 percent in 2020 under a phase-down that will reduce the rate to 4.9 percent by 2023. The state’s corporate income tax rates are on a similar phasedown schedule, but rates change each July, not in January.

Iowa: As of January 1st, Iowa will fully conform to federal expensing provisions under IRC section 179, while conforming to the federal repeal of the deferral of gain or loss for the like-kind exchange of property. Iowa will also begin conforming to the IRC on a rolling basis.

Kansas: In 2020, several Kansas individual income tax provisions will become more generous. Currently, Kansas offers five itemized deductions that are linked to the itemized deductions available under the federal code. While Kansas’ deduction for charitable contributions is already on par with the federal provision, other itemized deductions, including for qualified medical and dental expenses, real estate taxes, personal property taxes, and qualified residential interest and mortgage insurance premiums, were offered at a set percentage of the federal provisions. In 2020, these deductions will be offered at parity with federal provisions. Also, Kansas child and dependent care credit will be offered at 25% of the federal amount, up from 18.75 percent. Moreover, starting in January, hybrid and electric vehicles will be subject to annual license fees of $50 and $100, respectively.

Kentucky: House Bill 354, which was signed into law in March, specifies that certain businesses need not file a tangible personal property (TPP) tax return for TPP valued at $1,000 or less.

Louisiana: Act 247, signed into law in June, applies a 3 percent excise tax to the retail sale of cannabidiol (CBD) products.

Maine: As of January 1st, Maine’s earned income tax credit (EITC) will increase from 5 to 12 percent of the amount available under federal law, with a few additional modifications. On January 2nd rather than the 1st, Maine’s new vapor tax will take effect, levied at 43% of the whole price.

Maryland: Maryland is currently phasing in a new single sales factor apportionment formula for most corporate income. In 2020, the sales factor will be weighted more heavily than in 2019. The phase-in will be completed by the tax year 2022.

Massachusetts: Massachusetts single-rate individual income tax will decline from 5.05 to 5.0 percent, due to the state meeting revenue targets outlined in a tax trigger law that was passed in 2000. The state did, however, adopt a payroll tax, imposed in addition to the income tax, within the past year.

Michigan: In December, Michigan adopted a package of bills codifying preexisting remote sales tax collection regulations, including a de minimis exemption of $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions, as well as establishing sales tax collection requirements for marketplace facilitators. The marketplace facilitator law takes effect at the beginning of the year.

Minnesota: Legislation enacted in 2017 phased in an increase in the estate tax exemption, which will reach $3 million for 2020 and beyond.

Mississippi: Mississippi’s phase-down of its franchise tax, which began in 2018, will continue through 2028. In 2020, the rate will drop to 2.0 mills, down from 2.25 mills in 2019.

Missouri: Several of Missouri’s recent reforms will take effect on January 1st. Senate Bill 884, enacted in June 2018, reduces the corporate income tax rate from 6.25 to 4.0 percent starting in 2020. This change was partially paid for by requiring most corporations (except for specified industries) to use single sales factor appointment and market-based sourcing of service income, where, previously, they could select the more favorable of single sales factor or evenly weighted three-factor apportionment. Separately, Senate Bill 769, which was signed into law in July 2018, requires the franchise tax levied on financial institutions to be reduced by the same percentage as the corporate income tax. As a result, the franchise tax rate will be 4.48 percent instead of 7.0 percent moving forward.

Montana: Senate Bill 338, signed into law in May 2019, will increase Montana’s lodging sales tax from 3 to 4 percent on January 1st. This 4 percent lodging sales tax will be applied in addition to the existing 4 percent lodging facility use tax, bringing total lodging taxes to 8 percent.

Nevada: Senate Bill 48, signed into law in May 2019, authorizes counties to impose local diesel taxes of up to 5 cents per gallon, which may be levied starting on January 1st. In addition, a new fee for electric vehicle licenses will take effect, with an initial fee of $125 and a renewal fee of $80. Revenue will be dedicated to the State Highway Fund. Finally, Senate Bill 263, enacted in June 2019, imposes a 30 percent excise tax on the wholesale price of vapor products.

New Hampshire: In New Hampshire, vapor products will also be subject to excise taxes come January. “Closed cartridge” devices will be taxed at a rate of 30 cents per milliliter of liquid containing nicotine, and “open system” products will be taxed at 8 percent of the wholesale sales price of the container of liquid containing nicotine. Moreover, IRC conformity legislation enacted in September 2019 conforms to New Hampshire to the TCJA’s net interest limitation and includes 50 percent of global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) in the corporate tax base. House Bill 620, also adopted this past year, modifies the taxation of insurance premiums. Specifically, this legislation establishes a graduated fee schedule for insurance premium taxes (except for surplus lines policies, which will be taxed at a flat rate).

New Jersey: Assembly Bill 4202, enacted in July 2018, established an additional tax rate for taxpayers paying the Corporation Business Tax with taxable New Jersey net income above $1 million. This rate was set at 2.5 percent for 2018 and 2019 but partially sunset to 1.5 percent for 2020 and 2021, bringing the top rate from 11.5 to 10.5 percent, still higher than the 9 percent ordinary top marginal rate.

New Mexico: In April 2019, a large package of corporate tax changes (House Bill 6) was adopted. While different provisions carry different effective dates, as of January 1st, New Mexico will require mandatory worldwide combined reporting for unitary groups unless the group makes a water’s edge combined or consolidated group election under the federal code, in which case they can make such an election for New Mexico taxation purposes but must do so far at least seven years in a row.

New York: New York’s FY 2020 budget, signed into law in April 2019, includes an increase in the estate tax’s basic exclusion amount, raising it from $5.74 million to $5.85 million for 2020.

North Carolina: Senate Bill 557, enacted in November 2019, includes several tax changes. As of January 2020, the standard deduction will increase by 7.5 percent for all filing statuses, and market-based sourcing will be used to apportion income for purposes of calculating corporate income and franchise tax liability.

Ohio: Under its individual income tax system, Ohio applies different rates to business and non-business income. Currently, Ohio’s business income deduction (BID) allows pass-through business owners to deduct up to $250,000 in business income before applying the 3 percent tax rate such income. But under House Bill 166, Ohio’s biennial budget for FY’s 2020-21, attorneys and lobbyists will no longer be eligible for this favored treatment.

Oregon: House Bill 3427, signed into law in May 2019, created a new Corporate Activity Tax (CAT), making Oregon one of only two states (joining Delaware) to impose both corporate income tax and a gross receipts tax (GRT). Oregon’s CAT will apply to all business entities that have Oregon income above $1 million, and it will be imposed at a rate of 0.57 percent of Oregon’s gross receipts above $1 million, plus $250.

Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue issued a bulletin in September 2019 establishing the Commonwealth’s new post- Wayfair remote sales tax threshold as the economic nexus thresholds for corporate tax purposes as well. As a result, starting in 2020, Pennsylvania will require businesses to file a Pennsylvania Corporate Net Income Tax (CNIT) return if they have $500,000 in gross receipts sourced to Pennsylvania, even if the business has no physical presence in the state. Previously, Pennsylvania was one of the few states to limit its corporate tax to businesses that established physical presence.

Tennessee: Tennessee’s Hall Tax which applies to investment income but not to wage income, will continue to phase out, with the rate dropping from 2 to 1 percent for 2020. Starting in 2021, Tennessee will be among the states with no individual income tax. In addition, Senate Bill 2119, signed into law in May 2018, decouples from the net interest limitation under IRC section 163(j), effective in January.

Utah: Just this month, the Utah legislature adopted a comprehensive tax reforms package that the governor has said he will sign. While the law will not be formally enacted until mid-February, the income tax rate changes will be retroactive to January 1st, 2020. The state flat individual and corporate income tax rates will both be reduced from 4.95 to 4.66 percent, and in April, the sales tax base will be broadened to select new goods and services.

Vermont: In June 2019, House Bill 541 was enacted, which phases in an increase to Vermont’s estate tax exemption. For 2020, the exemption will increase to $4.25 million, up from $2.75 million in 2019.

Virginia: House Bill 2540 and Senate Bill 1715, signed into law in March 2019, modify the classification of feminine hygiene products and diapers such that they will be taxed at a reduced state sales tax rate of 1.5 percent instead of the general state sales tax rate of 4.3 percent (the 1 percent local option sales tax rate will also apply, bringing the total tax rate on such products to 2.5 percent). Until now, only unprepared foods have been subject to the preferential state sales tax rate.

Washington: Substitute House Bill 2167, signed into law in May 2019, imposes an additional 1.2 percent business and occupation (B&O) tax on financial institutions that are members of a consolidated group having at least $1 billion in annual net income. In addition, Senate Bill 5581, signed into law in March 2019, modifies the state economic nexus statute to drop the 200 transactions threshold. Moving forward, remote sellers will only be required to collect the state sales tax if they have over $100,000 in sales into Washington, instead of the lesser of $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions.

Wisconsin: 2019 Wisconsin Act 10, enacted in July 2019, will take effect on January 1st. This new law requires a marketplace facilitator to meet the state economic nexus threshold of over $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions into Wisconsin.

Conclusion: This year was a significant one for state tax policy, and the wide range of changes taking effect January 1st 2020, reflects the scope and intensity of that activity. With states continuing to grapple with the taxation of international income, collections obligations for remote sellers and marketplace facilitators, and the potential new tax regimes for marijuana, vapor products, and sports betting (no tax changes for the latter taking effect yet on January 1st , 2020).

#tax #taxnews #taxseason #securecheck360 #state

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blackkudos · 6 years

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Jacob Lawrence

Jacob Lawrence (Atlantic City, NJ September 7, 1917; Seattle June 9, 2000) was an African-American painter known for his portrayal of African-American life. But not only was he a painter, storyteller, and interpreter; he also was an educator. Lawrence referred to his style as "dynamic cubism," though by his own account the primary influence was not so much French art as the shapes and colors of Harlem. He brought the African-American experience to life using blacks and browns juxtaposed with vivid colors. He also taught, and spent 15 years as a professor at the University of Washington.

Lawrence is among the best-known 20th-century African-American painters. He was 23 years old when he gained national recognition with his 60-panel Migration Series,painted on cardboard. The series depicted the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North. A part of this series was featured in a 1941 issue of Fortune Magazine. The collection is now held by two museums. Lawrence's works are in the permanent collections of numerous museums, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, the Phillips Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and Reynolda House Museum of American Art. He is widely known for his modernist illustrations of everyday life as well as epic narratives of African American history and historical figures.

Life

Jacob Lawrence was born in 1917 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Jacobs's parents moved him and his siblings from the rural south to the north for a chance at a better life. They divorced in 1924, after which his mother put him and his two younger siblings into foster care in Philadelphia. When he was 13, he and his siblings moved to New York City, where he reconnected with his mother in Harlem and then she put him in and Lawrence was introduced to art shortly after that, when their mother enrolled him in after school classes at an arts and crafts settlement house in Harlem, called Utopia Children's Center, in an effort to keep him busy. The young Lawrence often drew patterns with crayons. In the beginning, he copied patterns of his mother's carpets; one of his art teachers noted great potential in Lawrence.

After dropping out of school at 16, Lawrence worked in a laundromat and a printing plant. He continued with art, attending classes at the Harlem Art Workshop, taught by the noted African-American artist Charles Alston. Alston urged him to attend the Harlem Community Art Center, led by the sculptor Augusta Savage. Savage secured Lawrence a scholarship to the American Artists School and a paid position with the Works Progress Administration, established during the Great Depression by the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Lawrence continued his studies as well, working with Alston and Henry Bannarn, another Harlem Renaissance artist, in the Alston-Bannarn workshop.

On July 24, 1941, Lawrence married the painter Gwendolyn Knight, also a student of Savage. They were married until his death in 2000.

In October 1943 (during the Second World War), Lawrence enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served with the first racially integrated crew on the USCGC Sea Cloud, under Carlton Skinner. He continued to paint and sketch while in the Coast Guard, documenting the experience of war around the world. He produced 48 paintings during this time, all of which have been lost. But after the war he created his famous War Series. Jacob Lawrence in 1941 ended up marrying Gwendolyn Knight. She supported his work and even helped him with captions for many of his series of paintings.

Back in New York, Lawrence continued to paint. He grew depressed, however, and in 1949, he checked himself into Hillside Hospital in Queens, where he stayed for 11 months. He painted as an inpatient. These works differed from his usual artworks because they displayed sadness and agony. Shortly after leaving Hillside, Lawrence turned to theater.

After many years in New York, in 1970 Lawrence and Knight moved to the Pacific Northwest, where he had been invited to be an art professor at the University of Washington. They settled in Seattle. Some of his works are displayed in the university's Meany Hall for the Performing Arts and in the Paul G. Allen Center for Computer Science & Engineering. Lawrence's painting, Theater, installed in the main lobby of Meany Hall, was commissioned by the University in 1985 for that space.

Education and Career

For Jacob Lawrence's education he took works Progress Administration art classes in New York (1934-1937) and he also studied at Harlem Art Workshop in New York in 1937. Harlem provided crucial training for the majority of black artists in the United States. Lawrence was one of the first artists trained in and by the African-American community in Harlem. Throughout his lengthy artistic career, Lawrence concentrated on exploring the history and struggles of African Americans. He often portrayed important periods in African-American history. The artist was 21 years old when his series of paintings of the Haitian general Toussaint L’Ouverture, who led the revolution of the slaves that eventually gained independence, was shown in an exhibit of African-American artists at the Baltimore Museum of Art. This impressive work was followed by a series of paintings of the lives of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, as well as a series of pieces about the abolitionist John Brown.

Lawrence was 23 when he completed the 60-panel set of narrative paintings entitled Migration of the Negro, now called the Migration Series. The series was a portrayal of the Great Migration, when hundreds of thousands of African Americans moved from the rural South to the North after World War I, and showed their adjusting to Northern cities. It was exhibited in New York at the Museum of Modern Art, and brought him national recognition. His early work involved general depictions of everyday life in Harlem and also a major series dedicated to Black History (1940-1941). In the 1940s Lawrence was given his first major solo exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and became the most celebrated African-American painter in the country. Jacobs was teaching at Black Mountain college after World War II, where he was influenced by the teaching of Josef Albers. This is when his form and design changed in his style of realism.

The "hard, bright, brittle" aspects of Harlem during the Great Depression inspired Lawrence as much as the colors, shapes and patterns inside the residents' homes. "Even in my mother's home," Lawrence told historian Paul Karlstrom, "people of my mother's generation would decorate their homes in all sorts of color... so you'd think in terms of Matisse." He used water-based media throughout his career. Lawrence started to gain some notice for his dramatic and lively portrayals of both contemporary scenes of African-American urban life as well as historical events, all of which he depicted in crisp shapes, bright, clear colors, dynamic patterns, and through revealing posture and gestures. However, his mother still hoped he would choose a career in the Civil Service.

Shortly after moving to Washington state, Lawrence did a series of five paintings on the westward journey of African-American pioneer, George Washington Bush. These paintings are now in the collection of the State of Washington History Museum.

Lawrence illustrated an adaptation of Aesop's Fables for the University of Washington Press in 1997.

Lawrence taught at several universities. He continued to paint until a few weeks before his death in June 2000 at the age of eighty-two. His last commissioned public work, the mosaic mural New York in Transit, was installed in October 2001 in the Times Square subway station in New York City.

Special Works Of Art

And the Migrants Kept Coming and In the North the Negro had Better Educational Facilities) series dedicated to black history.

The 41 pictures of the Touissant L’Ouverture series (1937-1938) are addressed to Haiti's struggle for independence in the 19th century.

Harriet Tubman (series), 1938–39

Frederick Douglass (series), 1939–40

The Migration Series was shown at New York’s Downtown Gallery in 1941. Lawrence became a nationally known figure virtually overnight because of this series.

John Brown (series), 1941–42

Recognition

As a result of his active social Realism it brought him recognition. He broke the "color barrier."

1941, he was the first African American artist to be represented in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

1970, the NAACP awarded him the Spingarn Medal for his outstanding achievements.

1971, he was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Associate member and became a full Academician in 1979.

1974, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York held a major retrospective of his work.

1983, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

1990, he received the U.S. National Medal of Arts.

1995, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

1996, the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University awarded him the Algur H. Meadows Award for Excellence.

1998, Washington State awarded him its highest honor, The Washington Medal of Merit.

His work is in the permanent collections of numerous museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, the Phillips Collection, the Brooklyn Museum, the National Gallery of Art and Reynolda House Museum of American Art. In May 2007, the White House Historical Association (via the White House Acquisition Trust) purchased Lawrence's The Builders (1947) for $2.5 million at auction. The painting hangs in the White House Green Room.

When Lawrence died on June 9, 2000, the New York Times described him as "One of America's leading modern figurative painters" and "among the most impassioned visual chroniclers of the African-American experience." His wife, artist Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence, died several years later in 2005. Jacob Lawrence made 319 artworks in his life. Before he died, he and his wife set up the Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation. It serves as the official Estates of both artists. It maintains a searchable archive of nearly 1,000 images of their work. The U.S. copyright representative for the Jacob and Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence Foundation is the Artists Rights Society. Major traveling exhibitions of his works have been presented in museums across the country.

Legacy

Jacob Lawrence retrospective exhibition, Over the Line: The Art and Life of Jacob Lawrence, February 6–May 4, 2003, Seattle Art Museum

The Seattle Art Museum offers the Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Fellowship, a $10,000 award to "individuals whose original work reflects the Lawrences' concern with artistic excellence, education, mentor ship and scholarship within the cultural contexts and value systems that informed their work and the work of other artists of color."

http://wikipedia.thetimetube.com/?q=Jacob+Lawrence&lang=en

#Jacob Lawrence

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latinegro · 6 years

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Trigger Warning

I really believe that you can tell all about a person from the way they drive. Actually, I think I know everything I need to know by simply seeing a person operate a vehicle. You have those people who drive safely because they are conscious of the fact that there are rules of the road. They are the people who are too timid to change lanes for fear that anything than bigger than a jeep is going to bear down on them. Then you have the cavalier motherfuckers who give no fucks about you on the road.

It's those cavalier people that I really cannot stand. They’re the ones that will zig-zag on the Saw Mill Parkway just to avoid any kind of traffic as if there are more than two lanes. They are the fuckers who will ride your ass no matter if you’re in the fast lane or slow lane just so you can get out of the way. I really hate those people.

Sometimes, just for giggles I will slow down and pin them between lanes especially if abuela in the green caddy next to me is going 15 miles an hour on Fort Washington. Then you see how fast motherfuckers want to get by you by swerving into oncoming traffic.

So there is no wonder that I’m fuming right now that this asshole just took my parking spot. You know how long it takes to find parking in Washington Heights? Granted I had to go to Nyack today for a cookout. I wanted to get back in time to find parking but it’s a Saturday and no one is trying to move. I found a spot right across the street from my building and as I’m about to make a U-turn, this prick comes from behind and makes a fast U-turn into my spot as I’m about to pull into it.

He’s fucking dead wrong and he knows it. I call him an asshole and he shrugs it off and smiles. I watch him as he gets out the car and closes the front door. I feel all this anger boiling over. It has been a bad fucking week. I’ve had to handle a bunch of babies at work that cannot take the fact I’m younger than them and giving them orders. My girlfriend, Monica, texted me last night that we have to talk and I already know what that means. My student loans are about to kick back in big time because all my forbearances are used up. I’m so fucked and right now, it would’ve been nice if I had just this one thing go right for me.

It takes me another 45 minutes to find parking. I got lucky by finding a spot along Broadway and Dongan Place. Normally I have a strategy for all this. Sometimes I will just circle a 10 block radius to see if anyone is leaving. They have to eventually, it’s a Saturday night. People will leave to go wherever they go or I have to simply wait at a fire hydrant for someone who doesn’t live in the neighborhood to leave and go back home. Which eventually does happen as some white lady and her black boyfriend pulls out of a spot that I immediately take.

I turn off the car and just stare at my phone. Monica apparently doesn’t believe it has taken me over an hour to find parking. I forget that she doesn’t live around here. She is perfectly fine in her Syracuse apartment where all it does there is fucking snow. This is what I get for having a long distance relationship. She never trusts me and I can’t stand it. I’m almost thirty years old and I think I deserve the benefit of the doubt. Monica thinks I have a crush on one of her chapter sisters, Yesenia, which is absurd.

I walk down Broadway texting Monica reassuring her that I am indeed walking home. I even send her a snap chat proving my exact location. Yeah, I’m not even sure why I’m with her. She’s this very hot Peruvian woman I met when I was up there for a Career Fair. I don’t go up there to hit on college girls but the business suit she had on made me think twice about what I majored in. Of course, we exchange glances and then she gives me her resume. Monica was never actually qualified for the job. I work for the bank that buys other banks, so there is no way we were going to be remotely interested in a pre-med major. But what I was interested in was those legs.

I look up from my phone and there’s that car in that parking spot that I wanted. It is still there. A dirty red Chevy Sonic that’s parked wrong with the back tire on the curb. I stop to look at the car. You can tell there is a film of greenish soot like this dude parked under a tree for a week. I can still feel my anger bubbling over. This is what I get for being cheap and opting out of the monthly parking fee that building offers.

I should keep walking right?

I realize I look crazy standing here so I pull out my wireless headphones and connect them to my phone. If anyone comes walking by, I can at least pretend that I’m on the phone. This is New York City, it isn’t uncommon to see people talk to themselves but people will stare unless they think you’re on the phone. Then pedestrians will completely ignore you. But, this doesn’t solve my issue of what to do.

Should I pee on this car? That’s totally classless but I really do have to take a leak. I can just light up asshole’s car really good because it could use some liquid. It hasn’t rained in about three weeks which means this car is gonna smell too. The only real issue it that I have a problem with public urination. Imagine me pissing out in the street when I hate to see other people do it.

I put my hand in my pocket and pull out my keys. I should key this motherfucker’s car. I know all this shit seems real petty right now, but I really need to release this anger that I have. I could draw on this dude’s car right now and not give a fuck about it. I look around to make sure no one sees me. I would have to make this real quick. I’m not only looking out for this asshole but I’m looking out for the police too. I really don’t want to give them a reason to shoot another black man. They just killed a guy in his car a few weeks ago for refusing to leave it. Fuck that.

Wait.

I’m classier than this. I have a corporate job. I work down by South Ferry. I make six figures and I live in the white part of Washington Heights. Why would I do this? More importantly, what would my dad do? Yup, he would walk away. My father was a disciplined Military man that took shit from nobody. God bless his soul. I tried my best to live up to the standards he instilled in me. I will just go upstairs and deal with my feelings.

I finally walk into my building and check the mail. Way too many bills but at least my new Playboy came in… you know, the magazine that doesn’t do nude pictures anymore. I may need to cancel my subscription to this crap. I walk into the elevator and push 6. I live on the top floor. This is not a penthouse apartment but it’s pretty decent for a two bedroom all to myself. I still hear the chimes coming from my phone. Monica is not giving this a rest. Ok, I will admit that I haven’t been the best boyfriend. That trip to Punta Cana was probably ill-advised but my buddy had his bachelor party there and what was I gonna do? Not go? Come on.

I get out of the elevator and I immediately get smacked with the aroma of arroz con gandules. Mrs Garcia must be at it again. That woman is the best cook in the building. I’m just fortunate that she offers her food since she knows I come home late from work every day. She doesn’t like the girlfriend because Monica doesn’t cook. Apparently, I remind her of her grandson.

I walk over to my apartment and let myself in. The lights are on in the living room but the rest of the apartment is dark with the exception for the bedroom. I can see a faint blue light coming from underneath the door. The television must be on. I put my keys on the hook by the door. I walk toward the living room as I kick off my shoes. I plop the mail on the couch.

I open the shades of the window and I can see the street below. I’m still looking at this asshole’s car. I was hoping that I would have distracted myself long enough that my aggravation would’ve passed. I text Monica again letting her know that I’m home and that after a shower I will call her. I toss my phone on the couch and unbutton my shirt. The one thing that I really enjoy about living alone is that I can do anything I want within these walls. If I want to walk around naked then I can do that.

I take off my pants and my shorts. The humidity in this city is crazy. I’m already sweating from that short walk from the car to the apartment. I walk to the over to the corner and pick up the one thing that is going to make me feel good, my Crosman Venom Nitro .22 Air Rifle. I open the window all the way before I take aim.

“Let me guess someone took your parking,” says a gentle and sweet voice. I wondered what took her so long to come out of the bedroom.

“I really did try to calm down,” I say as I take aim with the scope. I bought this thing at Walmart in New Jersey a few months ago. I use it for target practice to scare pigeons and cats. I’ve been getting really good at it. Every so often I may kill a bird or cat. Whatever.

I feel her naked breasts on my back as she places her chin on my left shoulder. “You’re determined to make me miss, huh?” I say as I smile and adjust my aim.

“You haven’t missed yet.”

I pull the trigger and the hear a faint shatter of his driver side windshield. I resume my aim again and fire. The rear driver windshield shatters. I look over to Yesenia and smile. She’s completely naked as she said she would be. I left her here this morning so I could go to Nyack. There was no way I was going to take her to that cookout so I decided to let her make herself at home.

“You’re right, I never seem to miss when you’re here.”

“I guess I should try harder”

Yesenia turns around and as I take aim once again. I try to concentrate as she presses her warm as against my hardening dick. Using a BB gun to shoot out windows of a car is hard enough, but to do while my dick is being stroked by such an incredible ass takes skill. I think she might just make me miss this time.

As she normally does, she relaxes me so much that I don’t want to pull the trigger. I want to put this rifle down and enjoy her talent. But no, I’m determined to shoot out the front windshield. She must sense how determined I am, because she turns around, looks at me and grabs it.

I remember that I met Yesenia on the same day I met Monica. She was also at the same career fair, however, she was qualified at so many things. I took her resume and she was hired by one of my colleagues. I didn’t realize they knew each other at the time.

Yesenia goes down on her knees and I recall her once telling me that she has no gag reflex. Once again she proves her case.

As I adjust my aim, which is now shaky, I see people walking by the passenger side of the car. They have no way of knowing what just happened to this asshole’s car. But their presence forces me to wait. I look down at Yesenia and she winks. Yup, she is making it harder to concentrate. I hear the phone on the couch vibrating. It must be Monica. She still doesn’t trust me.

I don’t blame her. I pull the trigger.

#smut

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