#except for tax it should basically be free!!!!

[ladyelainehilfur]

Praying for Ticketmaster and Live Nation's downfall ✨

[eddiediaaz]

hi guys, i am kind of ashamed and embarrassed to have to do this, but i figured it can't hurt to ask. basically i am really struggling right now (i know a lot of us are). i need financial help, so i set up a ko-fi page ☕

any kind of help would be so appreciated and i am so grateful for anyone taking the time to read this little post.

long story short: because of situations completely out of my control, i lost my job in vfx after almost 8 years and i am now forced to switch careers. i'm going back to school and can't find a part time job even tho i have been working non stop for 15 years. financial aid will only cover my rent, so i absolutely need to work 20 to 30 hours a week to cover the rest of my living expenses, but it's really hard to find a job. i am also currently over 10k cad in debt from my film school loans and credit cards.

signal boost would be appreciated, if you can 💕

my situation in more details under the cut for those who are curious

i was working in the vfx industry as a 2D compositor since 2016 (i have worked on over 40 films and tv shows), but in december of 2023 i lost my job due to the hollywood strikes (as expected, and as it should—i fully support the strikes). this was supposed to be temporary for a couple months where i could get unemployment benefits (only 45% of my usual salary though). unfortunately, on may 31st 2024, my government announced that they are significantly cutting the funding & tax credits for the vfx industry where i live. what does this mean? mass lay offs. thousands of canadians and other people in the world working in the industry are losing their career, including me. there will only be about 20% vfx jobs left where i live by 2025. vfx shops and production houses have already started to close doors here. i'm still mourning this career i have been working in for 8 years and loved, even tho it's been difficult and demanding at times (lots of overtime), but there are just no jobs right now (unless you are a senior vfx artist with decades of experience) and the future will only get more bleak. i could move abroad and follow the industry that is already moving somewhere else, but i don't want to do that on my own (i am already super lonely as it is!!) and i can't afford it.

my unemployment benefits will run out by the last week of september. in 4 weeks. i've been sending resumes everywhere, both online and in person, but i am just not getting anything in return. even tho i have over 15 years of experience working in various jobs and i have never been fired from anywhere. even tho my resume and cover letters are solid because they have been approved my professional counselors (a free service for people under 35 where i live). so much for they're hiring everywhere...

since my vfx compositing skills are very niche and not really applicable to much else, i decided to go back to school, taking college classes in the admin and excecutive assistant fields, since it's something that i think would be good for me and there are lots of jobs for that here. i will be getting some financial aid, but it's nowhere near enough to survive. it will only cover my rent, and that's because my rent is super cheap for my city. my college classes start on september 30 and i am excited for it, but also very stressed because i still don't have a part time job.

i've been living on my own with a small salary for over 10 years now, but it truly is the first time that i'm struggling this hard. i honestly don't have anything worth selling except some taylor swift perfumes, which i sold this week. i also have over 6k of credit debt and another 4.5k of school loans left to pay. at the bare minimum i will need about $1.000 CAD/month to cover my other bills and expenses after rent, hence why the need for a job ASAP. i am desperate and my mental health has been a huge mess. this is why i decided to open my ko-fi accounts. not that i'm expecting much, but anything can help, i think.

i don't have much to offer in exchange, except gifs? i'm wondering if (cheap, low price) gif commissions are a thing? i have no idea know, but i set up a poll on my ko-fi page to see if anyone would be interested.

thank you for reading if you've made it here, it's appreciated 💖

[emmkitt]

stop calling mephone4 a child.

my credentials(/silly): mephone4’s biggest fan + someone who sees mephone as representative of myself. i am also an autistic adult. (relevant)

i went on an autistic tirade rambling about this in a discord server but i wanted to compile my reasoning and stuff here into a tumblr post because this is very important to me.

alright. lets start with the most commonly used argument.

calling mephone a child is ableist.

now i certainly agree that some children CAN act the way mephone does. however, i think it’s harmful when your ONLY argument as to why he is a child is ‘because he cant spell’ or ‘because he creates fantasy worlds in his brain as a means of escapism.’

I think the issue is, we are reducing these very real symptoms of mental disorders to ‘oh he’s just acting childish,’ instead of understanding them for what they are. autism and dyslexia are not cured the second you turn 18. it doesn’t work that way. giving in to the stereotype that only children can act this way… i dunno man. it really rubs me the wrong way.

i think it’d be better to view him as an adult with these symptoms because, well, VERY rarely do we ever get representation of an adult with mental disorders in media. at least not in a way that’s not villainizing them or mocking/infantilizing them. (sidebar, mephone IS NOT THE VILLAIN. he did bad things, yes, and should be held accountable for it, but he is NOT. THE VILLAIN. he is an abuse victim, and his way of acting is actually very good representation of the way abuse victims may go on to mimic actions of their abuser.) cobs (mephone’s abuser btw) LITERALLY infantilizes mephone IN CANON. IN THE SHOW. WHY ARE YOU LISTENING TO COBS. WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE COBS.

bro didnt go to school

i didnt know how to title this section. basically, people reducing him to a child because he doesn’t know adult things are MISSING THE POINT.

HE WAS RAISED BY COBS.

do you think cobs had ANY interest in teaching him ANYTHING about the real world? about how to be an adult? about how to ride a bike or pay taxes? NO. dude popped into existence knowing nothing except what Cobs WANTED him to know. he was meant to just work for Cobs and do tasks all the time and that was IT. OF COURSE his knowledge is going to be limited to what Cobs taught him. that DOES NOT make someone a child. GO REWATCH THE SHOWWWW.

suspend your disbelief for once in your life oh my god

i dont understand how people are able to suspend disbelief for LITERALLY EVERYTHING ELSE in fiction. such as murder/death, supernatural creatures, the universe itself as a whole, etc. but when it comes to age, the real world standards MUST be applied, no exception. Like since Mephone was canonically created 14 years ago in-universe that means he is 14 years old. we are completely ignoring the fact he is a fictional talking sentient phone robot for a minute.

and adding in the ‘he acts like a child’ argument for a second… season 1. what 1 year old do you know that can walk and talk and create an entire game show?? he has practically acted the EXACT SAME WAY his entire existence, therefore that argument falls completely flat.

it would be DIFFERENT if in-universe they had established rules, where this age means this and that age means that, but the ii universe DOES NOT HAVE THAT. meaning people are free to interpret age however they want. it would ALSO be different if mephone was canonically stated to be a child (we’re getting to that) OR portrayed to be childcoded. which…. he isn’t.

okay so by these rules all of the contestants are younger than mephone.

the agreement amongst child mephone believers seems to be ‘creation date = birth date = real age’. so bot is like 3 years old. the unvitationals are like 2. all the contestants are somewhere between like 4-14. but wait- some season 1 contestants ACT older or younger than the others? no. no theyre ALL 13-14 only. no exceptions. every newbie in season 3 is like 4-5. every newbie in season 2 is like 10. makes perfect sense.

do you understand how ridiculous that is. WE CANNOT , i repeat, CANNOT APPLY REAL WORLD STANDARDS TO A FICTIONAL UNIVERSE. oh my god. they are holograms. they are robots. they are in a weird plane floating in the vastness of space that has a picnic table that can generate food, and the ability to revive dead people, and ghosts and talking corn and. and all of THAT is fine. but god forbid someone interpret the talking phone as an adult. I DONT GET IT.

b-b-but cobs called mephone a child…

once again, common arguement. i strike thee down with a ‘MANIPULATION TACTIC.’ i feel like this has been covered enough and better in other mephone rambles so im not gonna get into it.

personal section

this is more of a personal experiences and opinions thing. less based on fact. agree or disagree idc this is just my experience.

once again, like i stated in the beginning, i see myself in mephone. a lot. I am an adult. i have autism. i have the tendency to act ‘childish’ sometimes due to my condition. im bad at being an adult. i struggle with tasks that are probably easy for other adults. i’m not a child. it’s very disheartening- i WANT to be viewed as an independent functioning adult, despite my condition, but when even a FICTIONAL PHONE who acts just like i do gets reduced to ‘child’ because he acts similarly to someone who’s mentally ill and has been abused. it HURTS MAN. he’s just trying his best:[

anyways conclusion

idc. you can headcanon whatever you want cause technically nothing is confirmed, but this is more food for thought for the people immediately jumping on the ‘child mephone’ bandwagon.

unless someone is canonically stated to be a child or is very heavily child coded, i don’t think its wrong for people to interpret them as an adult.

if sometime in the future mephone is canonically confirmed to be a child like. in universe. ill probably be disappointed.

i am a firm believer in age doesnt work the same way in ii as it does in our universe. theyre all fictional creatures. they were not created by conventional means. you dont have to apply our world’s standards to it.

anyways uhh. ramble over lol

[themirokai]

now I wanna know- why isn't drinking water free in the US?

Hi there friend! Thanks very much for taking the bait from this post. Buckle up, this is a long one.

If you want to put out a cistern and collect rainwater and use that, congratulations! Your water is free! Plus the cost of maintaining your cistern and keeping it clean. If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere with a high enough water table to have a well, then your water is also free + the cost of the well and well maintenance.

But if you want water to come out of your tap on demand and you can’t or don’t want to maintain a cistern and you can’t or don’t want to have a well… you need public water!

How do we get public water? Well, a government entity (usually. there are some private utilities, but that’s a different post. I have strong feelings) has rights to take water out of a river or a lake, or they have a reservoir, or they have access to an aquifer. Then they have to transport the water out of the source. This generally requires aqueducts or massive pipes, which are expensive and need to be maintained, which is also expensive. The pipe leading out of one of my utility’s reservoirs is 12 feet in diameter.

Does the water go directly from the source to your home? Nope! It gets piped to a water filtration plant! The process of modern water filtration is complicated but it involves both physical and chemical treatment to make sure the water isn’t carrying any parasites, harmful bacteria, or pollutants and it has the right pH. Not only are these filtration plants extremely expensive to build and maintain but the process of operating them is extremely expensive, both in terms of hiring skilled staff and having appropriate materials for the filters and chemical treatment.

After the treated water (called “finished water” in the biz) is ready it does get piped to your house.

If you use public water, do you know where your local water filtration plant is? No? That probably means it’s not in your immediate neighborhood, which probably means it’s several miles or more away. To get to your house, the water needs to travel through an extensive pipe network. These pipes are smaller but they have to remain pressurized so that no contaminants can get into the water on its way to your house. But pipes break! Especially if you live somewhere with a freeze/thaw cycle. Maintaining this pipe network is, you guessed it, expensive! It requires materials and extremely skilled workers who perform in very very difficult conditions. Plus lots of engineering to keep the whole system pressurized even when one part of it breaks. Oh, and you know what lots of pipes were made out of in the early 20th century? Lead! So all around the country utilities need to make extensive and costly infrastructure upgrades because now we know lead pipes are really freaking bad.

Okay, so you get the basic picture. And I haven’t even gotten into Safe Drinking Water Act compliance, but most of that happens at the filtration plant. Oo! Or desalinization because some utilities pull their water from the sea and need to take the salt out. I know basically nothing about this except that it is likely complicated and expensive to do at scale.

This is essentially why I get frustrated by people who argue “why should we pay for something that falls out of the sky?” Because finished water doesn’t fall from the sky and it sure as hell doesn’t fall from the sky into your faucet. (Side note: as a public utility official I have been screamed at by the “it falls from the sky” people. A thing I like about the private sector is that people scream at me a lot less.)

Now, there is a very strong argument to be made that because water is necessary for human life, it should be provided by the government for free to everyone. And just like the costs of roads or public education, this should be part of the public budget and paid for by taxes and no one should have a water bill. I don’t disagree with this. I’m sure that’s how it’s done in some countries.

I don’t have a well-researched answer on the history of water utilities but I do have some facts and some (very) educated conjectures. Water rights in the US are complicated (another separate post!) but they’re based on private ownership. Ever since white people came to this country people have been claiming ownership over water and charging each other money for taking water out of rivers or lakes or the ground. You can measure how much of it someone uses and charge them for it. Water is treated like a commodity because unlike other public goods, it *can* be treated like a commodity and then, you know, capitalism. Again, I’m not saying that’s right.

But as a society, if we believe that no one should have a water bill, then we need to figure out how to pay for all the very expensive steps in the process I outlined at the top. Could that just be taxes? Sure, if you have a system that supports taxes at that level. Do I believe that public funding of water infrastructure would be a fuckton better than a lot of things we use taxes for now? Absolutely! But that requires massive institutional change and this isn’t generally an issue that people know enough about to demand change.

If you read this far, congratulations! You now know more stuff about drinking water!

[chongoblog]

thoughts on libertarians?

Hope you weren't expecting a simple answer to this one lol

So libertarians. I used to consider myself a libertarian back in high school if only because I didn't like the two big parties (still don't, so some things don't change) and thought a third party was best, and I very much liked the idea of "Hey! Limit government intervention on your private life". I was especially taken by the motto of "Your Liberty To Swing Your Fist Ends Just Where My Nose Begins". If you're unfamiliar with the expression, it basically means "you should be free to do what you want so long as you aren't bringing harm to others". And I basically had that as my bottom line for a very long time, and to this day, still have it as one of my core ideals.

The issue with today's libertarians is that they have no idea what a nose is and just wants to swing fists.

A good example of this is their stance on the war on drugs vs their stance on mask mandates/vaccines. The War On Drugs is absolutely a sign of the government using its power to bring harm to people unjustly (especially minorities), and they oppose the war on drugs rightly so. The issue is that they believe that being told to wear a mask is infringing on their very freedom even when it's during a pandemic that is highly asymptomatic and is spreading through the air while killing a large number of people.

But the biggest difference of opinion I have with libertarians is their stance on regulating businesses. Because a person is a person whose primary goal is to live their life, but a business? A business's bottom line is to create profit. Without regulations, they will do whatever they can, regardless of whose nose is in the way, to make that profit. You'll see that a lot of the people who think that businesses should be unregulated are really just people who don't understand why those regulations are there in the first place.

The most extreme types of libertarians (the "ALL TAXATION IS THEFT" types and the AnCaps) have points that sound like they make sense if you just really don't like paying taxes, but if you put more than seven seconds of thought into it, you'd see that it would quickly turn into the authoritarian state that they fear, except instead of it being led by elected officials, it's led by Amazon. And with elected officials, you at least have a chance of it not being incentivized by profit.

The one point of agreement I have with libertarians is that so long as a person is not hurting others, then they should have the freedom to live the life they choose to live (but depending on their stance on trans rights, we might oppose that in many ways as well).

So bottom line: Libertarians can appear based if you sum up their ideology into five words, but ideologies shouldn't be defined in five words because shits way more complicated than that.

[a-noone]

I frequently think about an AU where Ferengi are not a culture that never outgrew capitalism. They just managed to make it work. Like, really, really work.

There's a minimum and maximum wage for every profession. Working for free is illegal for both the employer and the employee. Every business and every product is highly regulated in terms of both price and quality standards.

Nothing is free (except for every citizen's first bank account) and there are no safety nets, but every ten year old has both school and a state-arranged paid apprenticeship. By the time a Ferengi finishes schooling at 20, they have a nest egg, and are on track to have a career. Every graduate can afford a basic standard of living.

"Theft of labor" is an extremely serious crime. People working for free drives wages down, meaning less disposable income, and less potential for profit. Hell no!

Moogie isn't naked and enslaved inside the home. She does housework and childcare. Moogie gets a paycheck.

It isn't, "you force your females to wear clothing!" It's, "you don't even pay your OWN wife to watch your OWN children! ..... diss-GUSTING!"

As the spiritual goals of the society include prosperity for all, and putting every citizen to their best and highest use, the idea that considerations other than your talents and ingenuity should dictate your fate seems simply irrational.

During the occupation of Bajor, the Ferengi, who run most of the quadrant's hospitality industry, institute extra taxes, fees, and embargoes against Cardassia, and Guls in particular. When the occupation is over, labor officers from Ferenginar cut people who did unpaid labor a check.

It's not a hand-out, or charity. That would be despicable. No, it's just back wages that they took out of Cardassia's hide.

A popular children's show on Ferenginar is "Bogie's Warehouse." In this show, a cartoon business person (Bogie) running a discount warehouse that sells everything, faces weekly challenges in making profit.

One week, wheelchair users can't get in to make purchases, and Bogie has to make the warehouse accessible to sell them things and get their money. Another week, visitors from another world who are allergic to snuff beetles are visiting, but the employees still want to take their snuff breaks! Bogie has to think up a clever solution to accommodate both the workers and the customers.

Does this society still have problems? OH Yes. But it's more nuanced and explores the potentials and failures of capitalism in a more nuanced way.

[pure-garbage]

Brutal Unsolicited Truths. Meddling Of A Nosy Swordsman

"You'll never be decent if you don't do it every day."

"Huh?"

Lana sat up and squinted at Zoro, obscured except for the outline of his imposing silhouette. Perspective placed the blazing midday sun perfectly at his back from her angle, but she could feel his disapproval even without being able to make out his expression.

"This little training routine of yours. If you're not consistent, you may as well not do anything at all."

"Really? I thought anything was better than nothing," Lana huffed. She went back to her self-prescribed sit-ups while her crewmate stood over her with crossed arms and stolid features.

"You're not wrong, but your resolve is lacking," he persisted.

Lana was too out of breath to respond.

"What's your goal?" he pressed.

"My goal?"

She groaned and settled against the deck to catch her breath while she contemplated her answer.

"Nothing special, I'd just like to get stronger," she managed.

"Too broad."

"Excuse me?"

"There's no such thing as progress without consistency. And you'll never achieve consistency with lax discipline. Discipline is driven by resolve, which is fed by desire. You need to want the thing you're striving for more than your body wants to avoid the pain it takes to attain it."

"I didn't know you were a guru too," Lana grumbled. "I guess that all makes sense. So I need a goal or I'll stay weak, that's basically what you're trying to tell me?"

"Basically."

"Ok. A goal. I can come up with a goal."

Lana went back to her sit-ups and Zoro meandered off to leave her in peace.

'I can't say it doesn't make sense,' Lana pondered as she went through her routine. 'Luffy and Zoro both have really clear goals that guide everything they do. Impossible goals... but then, that might be the reason they're both so impossibly strong. So... what's my goal?'

Lana hadn't meditated much since Alabasta. In the brutal desert, it had become ritual, a nightly habit as the trek taxed her body and the lack of resources tested her spirit. The Avariya Lana who emerged from the trials of Alabasta certainly wasn't the same one who'd entered the desert with her band of new friends.

Now, she settled back into the familiar pose behind Nami's tangerine grove.

'What do I want anyway?'

Searching the place in her heart where desire should have lived, Lana found a conspicuous void. She swallowed hard, knowing exactly why she didn't have any clearly defined wants. She'd spent her childhood behind sets of literal locked doors and the only thing she wanted then was to be free. She'd hoped to run away with someone who claimed to care about her, but that hadn't worked out. Not by a long shot.

Thinking about that day made her start trembling.

'I'm definitely not ready to deal with that. Not today.'

She moved on hastily. The five years that followed were more of the same. There wasn't a thing in the world Lana wanted but to make her escape. The desire for freedom she allowed to consume her was so primal, so vast, so basic an essentiality that it left no space for other hopes to blossom.

'Is there nothing in the world I want at all?' she wondered. 'Everyone wants something. Even I have to want something. But... what?'

The answer eluded her, fluttering through her empty heart like a blank scrap of paper as she chased it, ever a step behind.

'I won't stop meditating until I make up my mind,' she decided, stubbornness stepping in to bolster her determination. 'Zoro's wrong. I have resolve too. I'll prove it.'

_______________

In the weeks that followed, Lana stopped skipping days. The regimen of her training easily became clockwork and after only a week, a break in routine began to seem unimaginable to the lockbreaker.

The change in attitude didn't go unnoticed by the swordsman who'd inspired it.

"You never told me what your goal is."

Lana had to do a double-take. Zoro was relaxing against the mast, swords at his side as always. When she'd passed him before, his eyes had been shut and she'd assumed he was napping.

'Right. He told me that's how he prefers to meditate.'

"I didn't have one when you asked me," Lana shrugged.

"You do now."

"Yeah."

"So?"

He waited expectantly. The desire Lana had chosen to drive her felt too personal to share, but once again, she found herself tangled in a web of nebulous indebtedness to Zoro.

"I still just want to get stronger," she offered. A half-truth.

"You're telling me this new resolve of yours is still resting on something so vapid?" Zoro scoffed. He clearly knew better.

'He told me his ambition without any hesitation. And I never would have taken the time to focus my desire into an actual goal without his meddling.'

"I want to get strong enough," Lana clarified with a sigh of defeat, "That no one will ever be able to take my freedom away from me again."

"Hm. The way Corrin did."

"Exactly."

Zoro seemed satisfied. He closed his eyes again and settled back against the mast.

________________________________________

<== Previous Chapter

Next Chapter ==>

== First Chapter ==

[soullust]

starlie headcanons??? 😳😳😳

jareth, you don't even KNOW–

i think it should be established that charlie fell first, and meeks fell so so much harder.

steven is slowly losing brain functions like two months after realizing he has a crush, while charlie is chilling (he's been in love for 3 years but he's not gonna do anything about it bc he's convinced steven is out of his league) and ambiguously flirting him (oh, the simple joys of life, confusing your crush about your feelings <3)

not to say that charlie isn't down bad btw, he's just better at coping most of the time

charlie unashamedly favours meeks in everything and he's SO ANNOYING about it

like (i already said this somewhere btw) whenever charlie drives he makes an argument that the driver has the complete authority over the radio, UNLESS it's meeks sitting in the passengers seat, then he lets him pick the music every single time.

charlie is a very hands-on person, and he WILL manhandle the shit out of steven whenever it's convenient to him like the bastard he is

meeks is fine with that btw, he'll just be chatting with sb and charlie comes up behind him, wordlessly grab his arm and move him like a foot to the left and bc he was blocking him, and meeks will barely blink, like "yeah ig that just happened.. anyways!"

also charlie is just about strong enough to lift up steven, and he abuses this ability whenever he can

ADHD!Charlie Dalton x Autism+ADD!Steven Meeks are basically canon to me

meeks absolutely forgets to eat some days, especially during finals and such. charlie can tell whenever that happens, so he'll sneak him food from the kitchen/make him something light just so he doesn't pass out

in a similar sense charlie does not remember he's supposed to drink water, like ever, so meeks has a habit of always having an extra water bottle for him.

their petnames for each other are kinda all over the place

meeks gets easily embarrassed by petnames so he doesn't really use them, while Charlie Extra Dramatic Dalton–

charlie: love, baby, my heart, Stevie (condescending like 50% of the time, the other 50% he's fully genuine) steven: bastard (affectionate) & Charles (derogatory) meeks mostly just calls charlie 'my boyfriend <3'

they almost never flirt in english, at least in public, charlie uses spanish, and meeks mostly hebrew or chinese

also meeks likes to make comments about charlie in latin (bc charlie doesn't really know it besides basics they learned at welton), even in public and cameron has tried to kill him so many times bc 'i don't need to know that, you pervert!'

steven is a chronic people pleaser, charlie is a chronic people annoyer.

charlie proposed on their first real date for the free cake. he did not tell meeks he was going to do that beforehand.

… meeks said yes anyways.

but i don't actually see them getting married, except maybe for tax benefits after 7 years of dating. and they would frequently forget that they're married

there is absolutely no way they get together normally, first they're in a on-again-off-again situationship for like a year bc they both refuse to admit their feelings

also it's meeks that finally confesses (after ignoring three full confessions from charlie, bc they were either so dramatic he thought charlie was joking, or so casual that he didn't even realize what happened)

[violexides]

switching blogs for this but i was bitching about the betrayal of realizing ex-friends are hardcore Zionists while simultaneously self-identifying as a 'leftist' and how that scalds as an Arab leftist lol (vs someone who seems to think that being neurodivergent and like, wanting gay marriage makes them the leftist of all time). anyway back to scheduled programming

something i think about heavily whenever i find myself trying to sympathize across lines (a la "no revolution exists without the masses" talk that leaves you straddling between recognizing that workers on the ground should unionize regardless of geopolitics but also seeing that there are hard lines that delineate a leftist from a fed) is like... when we say free Palestine is our red line we literally mean that as clearly as possible.

b/c if folks have sat around the last yr and never got radicalized to realize what "israel" is doing, they never possessed an actual understanding of what "america" did to Indigenous nations. their keyboard shortcuts turning australia into Aotearoa are for naught because they don't really know what that means. they never understood that the united states of "america" ruined Iraq. if they are backing "israel" they probably can name five African countries total and they think that Whatever Someone Did To Make Africa Like That is bad, but they don't know the names of any substantial political figures in Africa and they don't know that Africa had any leftist political movements and they don't know anything about African culture except their general perception that it's probably homophobic and backwards down there. they'll reblog that one post about how people blaming Appalachians during any natural disaster bc they voted red is bad (which is a good take to be clear) and then immediately talk about how they see the MENA region as a desert wasteland where a Bad Muslim will shoot you on sight because you have a mullet. if you don't realize what "israel" is doing you will literally never actually learn about China or North Korea like you're still stuck on the ABCs because it literally could not be more clear that "israel" is committing genocide and is bloodthirsty to massacre people in all Arab countries. but they are still stuck on their ABCs, mare, c'mon, they haven't even found out Arab people are people yet!

And i realize that's harsh and also maybe counterproductive because, the point can be made that Zionists are smart. or some of them are. some Zionists do know and care about these things! but my point is that a Zionist who knows who Lumumba is doesn't care. a Zionist who has cross posted about Land Back on their instagram story doesn't actually want Indigenous people to get their land back, they just kind of want to stay in the limbo where nothing of the status quo changes. Zionists know enough to know that the US should be funding public education and disaster relief and universal basic income but they want billions to support "israel" and Ukraine because they read about the Monroe doctrine when they were a gifted kid and school and think "america" isn't doing enough to protect folks over seas.

and all of this relates back to being a leftist (Marxist or anarchist or some other niche and esoteric sect, I don't care) because the tax dollars spent on bombing children were taken from the working class masses of the country who are getting evicted into the streets because nobody told them they had a hearing and then getting thrown in jail because their tents looked like The Big Bad Encampments and they were dark and dirty and gave the cops a mean look. The same cops were trained with the same procedures as the people bombing children oversees, and they're talking about a union that they've got like it matters. my university won't do shit to inform students about the food pantry and will fight back against contraceptives on campus but they'll wine and dine Lockheed Martin with the money they pried out of the proletariat. The colonists of "america" enslaved Black people from Africa and the Europeans tortured the Congolese and named a whole country after the materials they wanted to extract out of it and destabilized Rwanda for decades and decades to come and that's just the tip of the ice berg and all of it, at its core, involves labor and control.

and all of this is maybe just my rage for the genre of white folk who are disabled/queer/neurodivergent/some kind of legitimate issue that they use as their card of being The Most Oppressed Ever, who are Zionists and after october 7th scrubbed their entire online life clear of any acknowledgement that Arab or Muslim people exist outside of backing "israel". people who circle jerk in their own misery and could never get out onto the streets to do something about it because the big scary Black/Brown people and their inaccessibility in talking bad about genocide supporters keeps them shivering in their blankets made by a worker somewhere in a country they couldn't even find on a map. None of them will ever know what it was like inside a Palestine encampment, knowing that there was collaboration and food and love and protection. Their leftism mirrors the vague talking points Harris used before she finally begrudged into giving a party platform that just shows how Democrats aren't really on the left anymore - but sorry I forgot talking bad about Harris makes me a fake leftist that's my bad guys i love #women and #abortion and #genocide. I forgot that I never had the heartbreaking difficult liferuining experience of having Thanksgiving dinner with my white conservative grandfather ! mostly because my grandfather was thrown into prison in Iraq and then died a few years after his release for reasons i blame the prison for. And my other grandfather might die because of "israel". but i'm sure it's been a really difficult year for the white people out there fs lol

This isn't much of an intellectual rant but it just drives me crazy, actually being out in my community and talking to people and then seeing the folks on here I used to look up to when i was like a literal child on the internet as like Cool Leftists stumble around trying to defend "israel" as it massacres children. i believe in the core of my soul that in order to have an actual revolution we need to unite the masses of the working class and in that sense i do hope that i see some of these people evil as they might be on the streets. But I also hope that they spend the rest of their lives in the state they must be in now: lonely and scared. because they never knew what community meant. they never knew what freedom meant. and i hope that someday they figure it out, just for the sake of people as a whole, and never, ever, ever forgive themselves. and that's the kindest way i'll end this.

[janedoewrites]

Did you self-publish? If yes, what was it like? Any advise for writers looking to publish?

I did self-publish, yes.

How I Did It

It was easier than I thought it'd be, at least, the way I approached it. Caveat that I went through KDP (i.e. Amazon) for a number of reasons that basically came down to a) ease of publishing b) availability of hard copies c) the shipping of hard copies on a global scale (not all countries are available but it's a decent amount) d) it's a place people often go to for books period e) the cost of publishing (the way it works is that print is done "on-demand" it's slower but I don't have to pay out of pocket for X print copies that I then have to sell to make the money back). f) fairly good royalties g) the general terms and conditions and 'ownership' of my material.

There are downsides in that it's through Amazon, whom nobody likes, and that there's return shenanigans in that if I get money from a purchase and if someone chooses to then return the book then that money gets taken away from me personally. (This has gotten better, recently, with ebook purchases as now if a reader reads past a certain percentage they're considered as having 'bought' it where before a lot of people treated it like a library and didn't realize it was the author they were fucking over and not Amazon who makes sure they're not the ones taking the cut).

And look, to those who want to give me flack, we live in a society and people buy books on Amazon. Them's the breaks.

There are other ways to self-publish and platforms you can pay to be a part of where they'll work to not only get you listed on Amazon but bookstores such as Barnes and Noble but it's a little more complicated/does cost some amount to do.

What Was it Like

It's a fairly simple process through KDP at least. What you do is set up an account with tax information/agree to terms of service/so on and so forth. You can then manage your books through a profile and the manuscripts you can write in pre-provided document templates that have the print structure for whatever size book you want to write (e.g. 6"x9").

When you're finished and have your page count in the formatted text, you go and see what size covers are required for hard copies (if you're interested) and can either use stock images to generate covers or else cover images that you own (e.g. you do it yourself or commission it as a book cover by an artist). For e-books they give specifications on the quality your cover should be for the best resolution/results.

You then submit your manuscript/cover art for copyright review, get an ISBN (KDP provides this for free for hard copies if you use them), and decide on digital rights management, promotion options, and pricing structure (where you're told up front the cost of printing/the amount you get after KDP's cut of the royalties).

It sits in reviews for up to 72 hours and provided all goes well you're then live, you get an author page and links to your works, and you can distribute how you want/tell the world to buy your book.

In other words, it was stupid easy.

Should You Self-Publish

There are pros and cons to self-publishing vs. publishing in general.

One great pro is nobody tells you what to do and so long as you follow terms of service (which hopefully you do as it's things like: don't write about the glorification of violence, glorification of sexual violence, so on and so forth) you can publish what you like without having to necessarily be 'marketable'.

Remember that published books are intended to sell and they generally either target extremely niche markets in a very deep way or else try to cast a very wide net with a book everyone can enjoy. One thing you'll see a lot of if you go the publishing route is "I as an agent enjoy unique stories. Now, tell me at least five books that are exactly like yours that were published in the last five years." There are exceptions, but it's generally not a field that likes risk or shaking the boat. They want to be able to sell books.

Another great pro is you're depending only on yourself. You can publish the book as soon as you're finished editing without having to convince someone else it's great stuff.

And of course, there's the pro that you don't have to get an agent or publisher to say yes. The way it typically works is if you want the big or prestigious publishers, you have to have an agent and that agent usually has to have some in roads with that publisher. Which means you have to submit a few pages of a manuscript/a summary and other things to them and hope they get back to you on that. This can be very time consuming (as they generally allow a window of 4-6 weeks) and annoying.

The cons is that you have to market yourself and you don't have the leg up that publishing would otherwise get you (where you are associated with whatever books they already have published just by being published by them, they may or may not run marketing campaigns and advertising for your material, and they can get your books distributed on a much wider scale). What this means is that if you don't have a large-ish platform already and care about sales/intend to make a living on this then you're going to have a very rough time getting a foot up.

The other part of this is that obviously you don't get a forward/amount of money before any books are sold as you otherwise might with a publishing agency. You only get the royalties you earn through sales.

Any Advice?

The self-publishing bit is easy enough that the hardest part is the writing and the editing. Obviously, I haven't gotten far in at this point, and I'm also not all that concerned about sales (I have no intentions of quitting my day job and becoming an auteur any time soon) so I'm perhaps not the person to ask at this point in time.

If you go Amazon worth thinking about is if you want to go the Kindle Unlimited route or not. I haven't as of yet, because I'm not feeling the burn for promotion.

What it is for those not familiar is that Amazon will market your book much more internally (e.g. that stuff that pops up on your kindle when you turn it on), run sales and promotions on it, but your ebook version can be read for free/lent to others for free with you getting a small amount of money depending how far readers make it into the book. The idea being that as you reach a much larger audience, you get more money than you otherwise would have. It's a good way to market if you have no platform/following already and a good way to proliferate the book but you lose out on people actually buying it.

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

Skeletons with a S/O who is basically like a jester, very jokey, happy go lucky, and a bit of a bastard.

Undertale Sans - You two are pranking each other in turns and trying to be the biggest bitch to each other possible. Sans always had to play nice with Papyrus because he explodes easily and he can't stand the screaming, but right now he's catching on twenty years of horrible jokes he never dared to do to his brother. Papyrus is having a mental breakdown over you two.

Undertale Papyrus - You are trying to test his limits. But what you didn't know is that Papyrus has 20 years of experience with stupid pranks and half of them fall flat because he calls you out before you can do anything. You're so frustrated and he is so proud of himself. Sans can't believe it the first time Papyrus comes to him to actually ask him to explain him his best pranks so he can ruin his S/O's mood.

Underswap Sans - PLEASE GIVE HIM A BREAK. He loves jokes and puns too, but this is too much, he can't follow you omg. Everytime he enters a room, he needs to inspect EVERYTHING as he lives in fear of you making fun of him again. He's begging you, give him one day. Only one day free of your pranks.

Underswap Papyrus - You're bullying him. Honey just wants cuddles and love and you keep tricking him in believing you will cuddle him before tricking him atrocely and make him regret his decision of hugging you. Why. Blue calls this his karma for the 20 years he made his own life a living hell. Well, until he sat on a woopee cushion.

Underfell Sans - You two managed to infiltrate a school one day, broke all the toilets, put woopee cushions on every bench and chair, and then you drank vodka while witnessing the chaos. You will never grow tired of this. Police officers call you the "woopee cushions psychopath gang" and they are trying to find you, without success so far, except for that day when they found their car filled with woopee cushions.

Underfell Papyrus - Pranking him, he can still manage, but this is too far. Poor Doomfanger looks like a rainbow as you dyed her entire fur as a vengeance for all the times she made your life hell. Doomfanger is crying in agony on the floor at the feet of her dad, begging for help. You didn't realise Edge cared that much about the damn cat until he caught you in one of his trap in the garden and let you hang upside down for a whole day, laughing at your face like the sassy man he is every time he walked in front of you. You kinda desserved it honestly.

Horrortale Sans - You know that sloth in Zootopia? The one that laughs in slow motion after a joke. That's kinda Oak. He finds the jokes funny, but only after a very long awkward silence, the time the joke gets to his very slow brain. You think that's even more hilarious this way. He's a good public for almost anything, as long as it's not hurtful to his brother or the animals of the farm.

Horrortale Papyrus - You almost shit yourself when Willow pinned you against the wall and said with a very creepy voice he would love to cook human today, before laughing like a madman at your fear saying that you should have seen your face. Since that day, you are very careful with pranks around Willow. He's a sweetheart but never forget he can crush your skull with one hand if he really wants it.

Swapfell Sans - He gives you a deadpan face every time, not amused. That's your personal challenge. Caught him off guard. But it's still a work in progress so far. He's a very difficult public and he's insensitive to taxing humor. You need to be very subtile to just get one smile. But you are determined to find a weakness. Keep searching.

Swapfell Papyrus - You lost the count of the times you two got in trouble because of stupid pranks you set to random people. You are encouraging each other to go farther and farther, except not everyone is really receptive to your type of humor. Nox gave you two two warnings, then he let you in jail for two weeks so you both learn your lesson. That didn't work. You did it again as soon as you got out.

Fellswap Gold Sans - King of pokerface. You can try but you'll never have a reaction from him even if you're trying really hard. However, prank his brother and he's going to show you his kind of humor by pinning you against a wall, dark sockets, threatening you to lose your hand if you're doing this ever again, and you're kinda so traumatised you never do it ever again.

Fellswap Gold Papyrus - He laughs at you at every joke, then there's an awkward silence. Then he looks at you. And then he tells you he didn't get it. And that kills you even more every time.

[seven-oomen]

To be clear, I am anti-late stage capitalism, but for a mostly free market.

Things that shouldn't be a free market and should be paid for/ controlled by the state/government/or collectively owned by the people:

Hospitals & Health insurance

Public transport

Roads

Libraries

National Parks

Utility companies (Electricity/Water/Gas, etc)

Network companies (Cellphone, cable, and internet)

Banks (To an extent, they too should be capped on the amount of profits they can make)

Post offices

Police

Fire & Rescue

Coastguard / Military

Mental health facilities

Drug companies (as in pharmaceuticals)

Large supermarket chains (At the very least they should be capped/ monitored on the amount of profits they can achieve. So that consumers pay a fair price, and farmers receive a fair wage.)

Social Housing (This should be 60% of the market, ideally. At least a majority.)

Funeral homes (At least a majority of the market, everyone deserves to die in dignity).

Basically, things that either society really needs or people themselves really need in order to survive and thrive.

I also believe in a basic income system where every citizen is paid a living wage from 18 or up (Exceptions can be made for those escaping abuse situations) until the day they die. And that citizens can then work to earn more and contribute to society and gain secondary benefits/extra pension/etc.

Next to that there should be a free market to strive for innovation and competition.

I genuinely believe we can have this both ways. Tax the richest the hardest. Bring down the billionaires.

[thenewwei]

Here are some thoughts on Germany/Italy/Austria and my European trip generally:

In general, I had a great time. Everyone I met was friendly, and I did make new friendships. Hopefully they’ll last.

Here are some questions and answers, from good to not so good:

Do you like Europeans?

Of course, I love everybody! Whether they love me back or not, depends.

Do Americans travel in Europe?

Yeah, they do. I met quite a few Americans on my travels in Europe, and most accents I heard were American.

Is the system better here?

I would say in general, it is. Food and general costs are pretty much the same as in the US, gas is a little higher (I actually thought it was significantly lower until I realized it was in liters!), rent is usually lower than NYC but like everywhere it depends where you are.

But your food costs are in-built, there’s no extra sales tax or tips. Universal health care, longer vacations and not paying for an active military helps a lot. I doubt there are too many law suits in Europe either. It was ethnically diverse everywhere I went, even in smaller cities I could get Thai, Vietnamese food, whatever. Nowhere is the quality as good as NYC, but they have it.

Train strikes are common, there was another one in Germany on this trip and it cost me an extra night of rent and I had to change my plans. Public transportation is easy to navigate, though it’s generally more expensive than NYC. Can’t say anything about tolls, parking etc.

And despite staying in plenty of “poor” neighborhoods, I never really felt unsafe, except for once in Turin, and I just avoided that area.

The one major positive we have is texting. Texting is expensive in Europe, and almost everyone here uses WhatsApp (ironically, an American company). Almost everyone texts in America if you have a smartphone, it’s usually included.

Do Europeans know anything about Americans, and what are misperceptions?

Their knowledge is nearly totally based on anti-American propaganda and movies/Netlix shows (almost all of which are set amongst wealthy Californians). They know basics, usually negative, but rarely specifics.

The first question I was asked by multiple Europeans (and an Australian) when I mentioned I was from NYC was the “homeless” problem based on the belief that homeless shelters are either expensive or non-existent. Homeless shelters are free in NYC, last I checked, though you do need to create a plan with a case worker to ultimately get out of one. We also have Section 8 housing, rent control, Mitchell-Lama apartments, a rent moratorium during the pandemic and a million other programs to assist with admittedly crazy housing costs.

Yes, we have had a significant homeless problem since the pandemic, but that was mainly due to closed mental hospitals during the De Blasio admin—it wasn’t a significant issue in the 20-25 years before the pandemic, though we did always have some homeless people, including entire families and children—I mean it’s a city of 8-10 million people, some people will always fall through the cracks.

Granted, the average NYer doesn’t know anything about these issues either, but it’s significant that almost every person, mostly educated young people, mentioned this issue to me as soon as I said I was from NYC. Also, I saw plenty of homeless people in European cities, especially Salzburg, even as it was claimed that wasn’t an issue here.

The real issue in NYC now is crime, gang shootings, crazy people pushing people in front of train tracks and punching people in the face, and house fires, but no one mentioned those to me. Also not significant issues before the pandemic, though they’ve always been there to an extent.

The other constantly mentioned issue is the lack of universal health care. True, the system is horrible on multiple levels and ideally should be made universal and reformed, but I have comprehensive coverage through my employer, and most people do. Poor people have Medicaid, seniors have Medicare, the disabled have Social Security disability. A terrible, greed-based system for sure that could put you in the hole if you have to individually buy coverage, but it’s also not like no one has coverage.

The border/migrant crisis—complex for sure, but their general perception of an American is a tall muscular white guy with an AK-47 shooting migrants at the border, and that’s not exactly true. But then, most Americans don’t know anything about the complexities of our immigration system, whether legal or otherwise.

Gun/school shootings. Of course true and horrible, though there was a shooting in Belgrade, Serbia, while I was there, and there have been shootings in Germany and Norway, I think. There are also riots all the time in France. Also almost all shootings in NYC occur using illegal guns. But yeah, there’s no other country on Earth where mass shootings happen regularly, yet we’re politically powerless to stop it (assault weapons, etc.).

Americans pay low taxes. Scandinavians always mention their 32% tax rate that pays for everything. I pay nearly 50% in NYC and I don’t even make that much. Or get that much. But most of my salary is paid through taxes, so I’m not complaining. But tax rates depend on where you are in the USA. Sales taxes are added everywhere and property taxes are a killer too.

Our tax dollars also help defend Europe’s security, and nearly all of Germany’s security. Things are easier when you don’t have to pay for bombs.

Almost no one knows that the USA is one of the most ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse nations on Earth, a nation of immigrants, and the most charitable people too, by far. In NYC, more than 800 languages are spoken, and we have tons of social programs. Apparently, Americans are Bible-toting idiots who can only speak English, and badly. Plus we hate immigrants.

Everyone hates America, but no has any particularly logical or fact-based reason for it.

Do Europeans love India and Indians?

Yes, they do. The trend of wanting me to identify with India over America continued on this trip.

Are Europeans socialists? Are Europeans nationalists?

I noted on my last trip in 2015 that nearly all Europeans I met worked in marketing of some type (among Germans there were also engineers and academics/potential academics). This time, I mostly met people in various teaching-based professions, or at least people who are in and out of it.

What they do constantly market are their countries. Their number one goal is to sell their country to you so you will hopefully move there. I mean I don’t know many Americans who are constantly pitching America. Maybe because we’re constantly told by our media how horrible our country is, but more likely it’s because we’re a country that values individualism over patriotism.

European women are almost universally like this, men are definitely more critical. One German waiter in Augsburg told me he thought Germany was “hopeless” because Germans aren’t welcoming. He contrasted this with Ireland, where he apparently visited, and where they will welcome you into their homes and give you tea. He was happy because I was the first person to speak English to him in weeks. I certainly do not think Germany is hopeless, but it’s another example of how European men tend to be more negative and realistic about their countries, and less wedded to them, culturally and otherwise.

Germans will ghost you

Yes, it’s not just an American phenomenon. I was ghosted by a couple of women who I’ve corresponded with for years and thought were my friends/acquaintances who would at least meet me or show me around their respective cities while I was in town. Nothing romantic or anything. I think ghosting is disrespectful and dishonorable, but I’m pretty old school, and it is what it is, moving on. But I wasted a couple of days this way when I could have done other things or gone to other places. Whatever.

Will you be back?

Probably not so soon, though I do love both Berlin and Milan. I would definitely go back to both locations, and I do want to explore more of northern Italy specifically, esp. Bologna and cities around it, and the beach towns around Genoa. I realize I definitely prefer the urban though. I had an allergic reaction in Italy and a cold in Germany. Next year, probably back to the Greek Islands and Turkey/Istanbul.

[shawnjacksonsbs]

Mothers. Just one reason I needed to . . .change. 5-13-23

"Mother is the name for God in the lips and hearts of all children." - Eric Draven, foremost

I, we, live in a 1st world country not set up for everyone to succeed without conformity. It's just that simple.

For a country that brags so much about freedoms but man I can't count the number of laws, "licenses and permits required", taxes, etc, etc that we have to follow and pay to make it even a little bit. That doesn't sound super free to me, but. . .

Once I reached a level of life and decided to stop fighting the system so hard. I started conceding in certain areas, and it brought me . . . peace.

Mix in my work ethic, which is basically, "wanting to make my own way in the world with little to no assistance."

Granted, I didn't build my own house like Charles Ingalls, but I do believe in a good day's work and why. Sweat and pride go a long way.

That perspective has helped me in the limited conformity necessary to make it here.

It also allows me to not only be at peace, but it grants me certain other joys, like the money and time to put together well thought out gifts for . . .well, for anyone I want to give to really.

That extra little bit of joy in novelty gifts, cards, and writings, as it were.

My point is that regardless of what everyone may think or feel, we put together something really cool for the Mothers this Mothers Day.

(It's obviously still too early to share.) And maybe too much of a build-up, but it was only an option to begin with because the peace allotted me by my bit of conformity.

There are still pieces of the me inside that can't stand certain laws or ideologies so wildly shared by many in our culture. And the limits put on a free society for the gain of a few, but picking battles has helped realize that the joy and happiness I've found can be shared with whoever I choose if they're willing to accept it.

Tomorrow is Mothers Day.

So Happy Mothers Day to all of you in that role.

I hope you are where you need to be in life and that you have found that way for you to be with joy, and at peace, in a life that doesn't always agree with what we feel that should be.

To the specific moms about my life, remember that I love you all more than you know and that each of you mean something beyond words to me. You all have a place in my heart where you will stay for as long as it beats.

Please continue to be kind to others until it's absolutely time not to be kind. Which should be the exception and rare at best.

Also, sharing your love and your laughter with the world around you does more for you, and for the others, than you might think.

Until next week;

"Love allows you to be tough and tender.

. . .

A mother did not indulge but loved unconditionally in the deepest possible of ways." - Maya Angelou

[atlanticcanada]

Murphy’s Logic: The carbon tax should be fairer

Benjamin Franklin said nothing is certain except death and taxes.

We can’t do much about the first but the second is a different matter. In a free society, through government, we have at least some say over what is taxed and at what rate.

The principal purpose of taxation is to raise money to pay for the provision of government services. But it’s also used as a blunt instrument to shape or modify behaviour.

Consistent tax increases helped curtail smoking by forcing people to quit for financial reasons. The same technique is now being employed to curb the consumption of carbon fuels.

Government claims many people will be effectively rebated the carbon taxes they pay -- but where’s the deterrent if there’s no penalty?

One way to make a carbon tax more effective and fairer is to target voluntary consumption. Until electric cars become the norm, and oil and coal are replaced as power sources, most people have no choice but to use carbon fuel for basic transportation and heating.

A choice to waste fuel is another matter.

Let’s start at the drive-through. The convenience of staying in the car, needlessly burning gas or diesel instead of walking inside for a coffee or burger, should come with a non-refundable cost: 10 or 15 per cent seems right. That’s 25 or 30 cents on a typical drive-through coffee. Double that for a burger. And while we’re at it, let’s charge a deposit on disposable cups and containers, with a refund for people who voluntarily pick them up from the side of the road.

The best part is the only people who pay, are those who choose to.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/5MY7Kqd

[softwarediscountusa]

TurboTax Live Full Service vs. H&R Block

TurboTax vs. H&R Block is a big battle in the for-profit tax preparation field. Each has its distinct strengths and drawbacks, so it's worth investigating which option is best for you.

TurboTax vs. H&R Block: Which is Better?

The right tax software for you varies depending on your preferences. If you're looking for the most time-tested and simple do-it-yourself option -- and don't mind paying a little more -- TurboTax might be the right choice. However, tax filers who prefer less expensive software or personalized assistance should consider H&R Block.

Whichever option you choose, don't put it off; the longer you wait, the greater the chance for mistakes and stress.

About TurboTax

TurboTax offers plenty of tax preparation options, covering different filing situations and varying levels of tax expert support. This platform primarily has a do-it-yourself (DIY) route that asks straightforward questions to determine which tax forms you need and how to fill them out.

However, among DIY tax software, TurboTax is quite expensive and constantly tries to upsell products while you fill out paperwork. Other platforms are generally less expensive and some, like Cash App Tax, are free.

About H&R Block

H&R Block has do-it-yourself software and is known for its physical branches. It has thousands of offices across the U.S. so you can easily get started or upgrade for in-person assistance if needed.

TurboTax vs. H&R Block: Key Features

Both tax preparation giants offer online and downloadable software, a full-service option, expert human support, and several guarantees including accurate calculations, maximum refunds, and audit assistance. Both also have time-saving features that allow you to snap a photo of your W-2 instead of manually entering numbers line-by-line.

TurboTax Key Features

Simple questionnaire. TurboTax asks you a series of questions about your income and life events so you can fill out the correct tax form.

Donation calculator and tracker. You can enter your donations into TurboTax so you can figure out their value and record them during the year.

In-person option. If you want one-on-one help, you can find a “TurboTax Verified Pro” through the platform and meet with them in person. Availability and pricing may vary.

H&R Block Key Features

Transparent pricing. H&R Block has a no-surprise guarantee: If you pay more than the originally quoted price, you'll get a 20% discount on your next year's filing.

Personal assistance. With branches in every state, you can meet with a tax face-to-face.

Tax Review Double Check. You can have H&R Block look at your last three years of tax returns to confirm you haven't missed out on a big tax refund.

AI Tax Assist. H&R Block has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) to serve as a resource and it's included in all online versions at no additional cost.

TurboTax vs. H&R Block: Usability

Both companies give you the option to automatically fill in some of your information by uploading photos of your income tax forms. And, while Users can use a computer, both offer highly-rated mobile apps for iOS and Android to make their lives simpler.

Still, TurboTax shines with an easy-to-use platform. You'll get a series of jargon-free questions that make the process feel more like sitting down with a tax preparer.

H&R Block's setup isn't questionnaire-style. Instead, you'll get a series of forms to fill out. But, like TurboTax, the platform provides explanations and tips for a streamlined process.

TurboTax vs. H&R Block: Customer Service

It's natural to encounter questions when filing your taxes or helping someone else file taxes. Both platforms also offer expert assistance to help you navigate the process, although you'll likely have to pay more.

The exception is TurboTax Live Assisted Basic Edition, which features free live support for those filing simple returns. Plus, if you add the Live Assisted service (pricing for which starts at $99), you can get in touch via live chat, seven days a week.

With H&R Block, you'll have more options for personalized assistance due to a larger network of stores. Although hours vary, you can generally expect these retail locations to be open during regular business hours and possibly a little late for the convenience of tax filers after work. 

Neither company has a great Trustpilot rating; both earned 1.2 out of 5 stars.

H&R Block vs. TurboTax: Comparing Free Options

TurboTax's Deluxe option is a more comprehensive option for the average filer, but let's briefly consider the free options again.

Both H&R Block and TurboTax offer free options for filers with simple returns. You can often use those options if you don't own a home, you have no investment income other than ordinary dividends or interest and you don't have rental property or business expenses.

You can't use any of the forms if you itemize deductions. However, there are some deductions available with the free plans. Specifically, you can claim the EIC and the Additional Child Tax Credit. H&R Block also includes Schedules 1 through 6, unlike TurboTax.

So if your finances are simple, the biggest consideration is which forms you need to file, since H&R Block includes more forms and schedules with its free plan.

Which Online Tax Software is Right for You?

Start by thinking about what you want from tax prep software. If you're hoping for a jargon-free experience, TurboTax may be right for filers with a simple tax situation. If you're looking for personalized help or appreciate transparent pricing, H&R Block may be the right choice for you.

Of course, other tax services may be a good fit for you. Aside from the free government programs listed earlier, you can go for lower-cost software if you don't mind a clunky user interface and fewer support options.