#or the small businesses whose owners are retiring

[nocsa]

Getting older is just noticing the amount of tax evasion happening all around you and just going, ehhhhh, they can have a little tax evasion. As a treat

[glisten-inthedark]

I was wondering why do you like Tom Cruise? It's hard for me considering he is with Scientology and I can't get past that. You don't have to answer but I'm open to new perspectives on this

This has been sitting on my ask box for a few days and I was struggling with how to answer properly.

The thing is that I don't particularly like injustice, and I genuinely feel he's one of the most misunderstood people I've come across.

He's incredibly hard working, for one. Do you know what takes to still do what he does at his age? He doesn't have to, he most definitely doesn't need to do his own stunts, he could've been retired and living on a island somewhere but he isn't. He works relentlessly because he loves what he does, he doesn't freaking need the money, he does because he cares about the industry, he does it because he loves it.

All you hear about him are lovely stories about someone that hasn't allowed fame to get over his head. He treats everyone with dignity, every single person on his crew. Hell, during covid when everyone was judging him for screaming when everyone was doing pretty much the same thing because people's lives were at stake, he made sure every. Single. Person got payed even though they weren't working. He and his crew made sure of that.

Not only that, but during the strikes he didn't talk about only how it would affect the industry, he talked about people whose lives depended on the industry. He talked about small business owners, about movie owners and how much money they'd loose.

If people took the time to actually listen his friends, his costars and everyone that has actually met him they'd see how he's a good person. He cares so much about everyone that works with him, he makes sure they're comfortable at every single take, ensures that they don't feel pressured into doing their own stunts, he isn't controlling because he's an ass, it's because he doesn't want anyone to get hurt on his watch.

Good people don't tell you they're good, they don't have to.

As for scientology, they day people actually take the time to figure out how the cult works, how he got in and why it's actually dangerous for him to get out, we can talk. I refuse to talk to people that call him a terrible person when they seem to be under the impression he founded the thing with Miscaviege.

I'm not saying he's perfect, no one is. All I saying is that he has shown were his beliefs lie when he gave back two perfectly good Golden Globes due to the allegations of the time, all I'm saying is that we'd never have known the production aka him, kept on paying the entire crew for months if Chris didn't mention.

There are numerous people that have met Tom that talked about how kind he is (I've known people that met him and that talked about he treats everyone with so much decency and kindness regardless of their wealth or status), everyone that knows him personally has only the best things to say about him

I already talked about the scientology situation, my feelings about that are very much clear. Just because people don't want to acknowledge the fact he's as much of a victim of it as anyone else doesn't mean I'm going to, doesn't mean I'm just going to throw my degree away and treat him like he's Miscaviege when I understand far too well how cults work and how they operate and if anyone has a problem with that, gi right ahead and block me for all I care.

I take actions over words any day, this isn't just about what people say about him, it's about what we saw him do for others. The fact he doesn't feel need to flaunt every good thing he's done (hence why he seemed hesitant to state he paid for his sister's education) tells me he doesn't care that people think he's evil incarnated, he only cares about what people that actually know him think of him and that's more than we can say about most celebrities that are constantly virtue signaling everyday.

When people show me who they are, I believe them.

[monsoon-of-art]

SO! Awhile ago I sent an ask about how I shoved your OCs into a Café AU and with the latest few post you've been putting up, the AU has expanded.

Dragonfly is the tired barista inherited the Dragonfly Café and its trade secrets from her now retired abroad father, they talk through facetime. She also goes to college where she dorms with Michelle, Fabi and Taylor. She also over charges or short changes rude customers.

Clay is the café cleaner who fills in as a barista when Dragonfly has classes. Dragonfly let's him live in the flat above the café for free since she's already paid for her dorm room and never leaves the café premise other than to take the trash out.

Hayday is the annoying customer who always seems to order complex drinks at inconvenient times, tries making small talk with Dragonfly when she's clearly busy and never tips, the only reason why he's not banned is because Dragonfly can't really afford to ban anyone. He's several part time jobs and sometimes moonlights as a coffee boy for Ant Queen, the local sleazy motels owner, and eventualy Snake Eyes. He totally didn't develop a crush on Dragonfly after she gave him a free cup of coffee and slice of carrot cake after seeing him nearly collapse at the counter on a slow day. He dropped out of college to take care of his mum when she fell ill, is in both medical and educational debt.

Snake Eyes is a sleazy businessman whose been trying to buy the café out ever since Dragonflys father first built it and is now trying to either buy out the property from Dragonfly fairly or bankrupt it until she's forced to sell. He wants to demolish the building and the surrounding area to build something like a mall or apartment complex.

Nighthawk runs a crêpe stand outside of the café and tries to, unsuccessfully, poach customers. He swore revenge on the Dragonfly Café since he blame it for the cause of his parents diner going out of business.

Damselfly is the part time barista that Dragonfly hired to help Clay while she's in class after finding out that he was struggling. She hardly helps Clay in favour of being on her phone and is actually wealthy influencer online but doesn't tell anyone offline so they give her praise for being a 'struggling student working hard to pay off her loans'. She regularly post pictures of Dragonflys and Clays fancy coffee art designs and claims them as her own and keeps tips she receives instead of putting them in the shared tip jar.

Lovebug is the repeat customer who brings a new girl he catfished to the café atleast twice a month. He eventually develops a crush on Dragonfly because she comped his bill after a particular bad date which he believed meant she was into him, he also gets annoyed that she isn't dating him despite never asking her out and rarely talking to her outside of ordering drinks.

The Ice Cream Man is exactly the same as in canon, eldritch 'Wife' and all, no one knows what his deal is but he comes around on the 13th of every month no matter the weather, there could be a Magnitude 10 earthquake, a Category 9 tornado and a literal biblical downpour going on at the same time and he'll still be happily walking down the street with his 'Wife'. Everyone stays out of his way, once Nighthawk begrudgingly spent a day hiding in the Dragonfly Café just because he forgot what the date was when he set up his crêpe stand.

Drosera is the florist who owns the flower shop on the opposite side of the street to the café. She doesn't eat people since she isn't a plant but she'll do anything to ensure her shop stays afloat and is welling to go to some serious extremes in a calm methodical manner to do so.

Detective Victor is a small time detective whose spends his down time trying to slowly untangle the mystery of why businesses in the area around the Dragonfly Café keeps failing. He regularly comes to the café on his lunch breaks and is a good tipper.

Reporter Louise is a small time reporter for the local news agency who once had a bad experience in the café and took it personally. She takes every opportunity to rag on the small café and the only reason why she doesn't get reprimanded for it is because the her personal vendetta with the café is the most amusing thing her news agency has published in years.

Hope you enjoyed and keep uploading more work, you're giving me some serious brainrot with your OCs and I love it!

op I dont have much to add here but I love this a lot

[waheelawhisperer]

Make your own skinline theme what would be the theme and cost and who are the operators in the line.

Idols specifically to torment Dreamer

I thought about a lot of horny options (because of course I did), but ultimately I settled on old-timey Western skins - the Columbian Pioneer line. Rhodes Island made the mistake of letting Nian direct another set of movies, but at least they got Ling and Pozzy to edit the script this time.

I kind of ran away with this and it got really long, so just pick 5-6 for the actual skin line or assume they're released in sets.

Protagonists:

Sheriff Nearl headlines the skin line, complete with cowboy hat and enormous fake mustache

Deputy Gavial helps Nearl bring in lawbreakers.

Blemishine is the protagonist, a young gun whose journey we follow over the course of the film series.

Whislash is her mentor, the retired gunslinger that passes on her tips and tricks to both Margaret and Maria. Can frequently be found drunk at the bar in the town saloon.

Allies:

Gladiia, Horn, and Bagpipe are Columbian military officers assigned to occupy the territory and keep the peace and provide manpower to the protagonists when necessary.

Mountain is a wealthy rancher with political connections back in more settled areas who comes into frequent conflict with SilverAsh over the latter's efforts to expand his influence. Saria is his bodyguard. Croissant and Exusiai are his ranch hands.

Swire is the daughter of a Senator and Mountain's childhood friend. She's the one he sends a telegram to when SilverAsh is causing too much trouble. Swire insisted that her character be married to Ch'en's before she would participate/help bankroll the film.

Ch'en wanted nothing to do with this nonsense, but was eventually bullied/cajoled into taking her (relatively small) part. Nearly throttled all three of Swire, Closure, and Nian when they tried to shoehorn her into a shower scene.

Tomimi barged into one of the planning meetings and demanded a part that let her be close to Gavial, so Nian made her the town barber and Gavial's wife. Tomimi initially demanded at least one explicit and fully method-acted sex scene between her and Gavial per movie, but casting director Shining managed to negotiate her down to making out with tongue.

Penance plays the Hanging Judge. She keeps correcting Nian's ideas about how the legal system works.

Antagonists:

SilverAsh is the wealthy railroad baron from back East, and the backer of the various troublemakers Nearl/Gavial/Blemishine have to contend with early on. He's the ultimate antagonist.

Degenbrecher is his personal gun-for-hire, the fastest gun in the west, who Margaret faces down in a climactic shootout at the end of the series. For added bonus points, she's the one that retired Whislash.

Matterhorn and Courier are more of SilverAsh's hired gunslingers.

Chongyue plays the corrupt territorial governor in SilverAsh's pocket. He asked if he could have a part to help Nian out. Closure agreed on the condition that he get at least one shirtless scene to drive sales.

Hoshiguma is the leader of the legendary Oni Gang, a group of outlaws that also includes "Deadeye" Schwarz, Specter "The Shark" Laurentina, Lappland "The Executioner" Saluzzo, and Indra "El Tigre" Jackson. All five of them are having the time of their lives hamming it up as villains.

Passenger is an arms dealer who hired a group of mercenaries to start skirmishes on the frontier to drum up business. W is the leader of those mercenaries. The heroes have to hunt them down before they manage to start a full-fledged war.

Townsfolk:

Mlynar once served in the army, retired, and now owns and runs the town's general store. He disapproves of his nieces' decision to become gunfighters and voices that opinion frequently.

Kal'tsit is the owner of the town saloon and the madam of the attached brothel. She frequently has to be reminded to deliver her lines as written and not... expand upon them.

Blaze is the saloon's bartender/bouncer. She was not permitted access to real alcohol during filming.

Skadi plays a dancer/singer at the saloon. She took the part to get the Doctor's attention and then immediately regretted it when she saw the dress that Nian and Closure expected her to wear. Forceful negotiation from both her and Gladiia convinced the costume department to provide her with clothing that is unlikely to cause a wardrobe malfunction during filming.

Elysium plays the classic hooker with a heart of gold and has to be frequently reminded that ratings agencies do not consider full frontal male nudity acceptable for the films' intended audience.

Franka plays another one of the brothel's working ladies and keeps asking the costuming department if she can show more cleavage.

Liskarm is a Pinkerton detective who swings by town to spend her wages on Franka with considerable regularity.

Saileach is the local schoolmarm. The kids at Rhodes Island play her students.

Eunectes serves as the local blacksmith. There may or may not be a budding romance between her and Blemishine.

Executor plays the town preacher and takes his assigned role very seriously.

[randomite]

People on Tumblr are always hyping these news articles about some rich wanker out there, buying up single family homes.

It sucks. Rich wankers are terrible yadda-yadda. Not the point of this conversation. (Burn them)

The thing is that you have some of the worst ideas on how to fix the housing crisis!

Simply because most people aren't super educated on why the housing market is this way.

Ironically, and this might tick a lot of you off. One of the causes of the housing crisis is likely you, or your co-workers, parents, siblings ect...ect.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/credit-loans-mortgages/090116/what-do-pension-funds-typically-invest.asp

Are you saving money! (I am!)

Do you have a 401K/Pension/Superannuation? (I Do)

Are you invested in a Real Estate Investment Trust?!

Probably.

Most funds have a little bit of REIT in them. The S&P500 is 2.8% REIT,

These mega trusts own vast amounts of American housing.

https://www.reit.com/research/nareit-research/170-million-americans-own-reit-stocks

Yay. Look at this happy graphic that came from a site really stocked about the great returns on real estate investment.

Now. It should be clear REIT actually own a very small portion of American housing, around 1%. Individual owners make up a far larger portion of the housing market.

REIT live in the happy red space.

The problem with REIT is that they are often terrible.

They are bastions of widespread community gentrification. Sweeping into minority communities like Herongate in Canada and bulldozing the lot. All to make way for shinny condos they can turn a profit on.

https://acorncanada.org/news/leveller-rein-reits-tenants-demand-action-against-real-estate-investment-trusts/

REITs have been accused of slumlord like behaviour. Letting houses decay with mold and refusing repair ect. Ect.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/tenants-lose-as-landlord-transglobe-racks-up-charges-1.1246084

https://doctorow.medium.com/wall-streets-landlord-business-is-turning-every-rental-into-a-slum-b15b81f18612

Essentially my point is....

You could be invested in the very Real Estate Investment Trust that acts as your landlord. You could be invested in the source of your own suffering and gentrification.

The pension investment in REITs for domestic housing is growing. It is too profitable. It is an easy source of growth.

If you are in a bad situation, you should want your pension invested in an REIT. It will help grow your savings (whatever they be). But, that very same REIT might own your home and be the very evil trying to wring cash out of you.

This isn't a call to action. This is more an observation about the neoliberal shit oroborus we are stuck in. You can choose not to invest in REITs, or try and find a good one.

But in doing so, you are worsening the housing crisis. REITs are sophisticated. They use rent increase software and have quantitative analysis of the market used to drive prices up.

If the housing market ever tanks, a good portion of your savings might tank with it.

Now. You might have no savings. You might not have elderly relying on social security. You might be fine.

But. Society is run by trashfire electoralism. If people don't see their investments going up they freak out and vote for the other party.

The pension investment into real estate, allowed in 2001 (thanks Bush), has created people whose retirements and future are dependent on housing prices always going up. Around 51% of Americans are invested in REITs. It is essentially a nightmare that will never be fixed unless people who are smarter than anyone on Tumblr actually put an effort in.

Thanks for reading my depressing rant.

(Also. Sorry if you are in Canada. It is bad in AUS but it seems like REITs can steal newborns over there. Like some articles are like wtf.)

https://www.reit.com/news/blog/market-commentary/reit-allocations-pension-funds-increase

https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/us-pension-funds-up-real-estate-exposure-to-offset-rising-risks-71610560

https://www.benefitsandpensionsmonitor.com/investments/alternative-investments/real-estate-has-become-a-cornerstone-asset-class-for-pension-fund-investors/383790

[chrisodonline]

The other day, I was being ridiculous (no surprises there) and telling Apryl that I wanted to see Chris O’D and Paget Brewster do something together and even pitched a show about 2 widowers who meet at crossword puzzle convention and stumble into solving murders. I was joking around about seeing it on Paramount+, so, of course, my brain kept going and came up with possible LA spinoffs. You’re welcome -- or I’m so sorry. There’s no telling which it should be:

Kilbride and Kilbride: Kilbride thinks he’s retired, but then he and his son set up a private investigation business in San Diego.

Assault and Batter:  Nina Barnes a.k.a. Cake Boss Lady balances her day job keeping up a bakery and teaching classes, supplying arms, and helping government agencies with intel. But things get complicated for Cake Boss Lady when she’s asked to become the primary supplier to an international syndicate the feds are trying to take down. Their weapons guy uses her cake decorating classes as a cover to retrieve the goods, but Nina finds herself starting to fall for him. Will she have to pick a side -- or can she have her cake and eat it, too? (The movie version of this would be called Disarmed.)

In from the Cold: Arkady Kolcheck goes Hollywood! When a TV show about Russia during the Cold War is looking for a consultant to help them make things “authentic,” some back channels lead them to Arkady. Arkady thinks he’s the perfect person to help since he’s KGBeen there and done that. After everyone goes through enough legal forms to build a small shelter with, Arkady is hired -- with a federal agent assigned, as their punishment for a recent botched op, to make sure he doesn’t reveal any intel that might hurt the US. Arkady has no issues adjusting to the Hollywood life, but can Hollywood adjust to Arkady?

PSYOP: When the navy needs to conduct a PSYOP, a less common approach for them, they ask Dr. Nate Getz to help plan and prep the team. Nate is surprised by the assignment until he meets the team: a rag-tag bunch of misfits with rogue tendencies and an allergy to authority. While Nate is initially thinking, “Oh no. Not again,” he starts to realize he might be able to help this team in more ways than one. Will this team accept that kind of help, though? (Even though they definitely need it.)

Colonel of Truth: Raymond Hanna’s doctor suggests he start journaling to better cope with his memory loss. Unfortunately for his son Sam, Raymond decides to do something a little different: he’s discovered social media, and he’s not turning back. Raymond is brutally blunt and straightforward with any and all opinions he has on everything: from news stories to movies to women he flirts with at the Senior Center. Sam sees some improvement in Raymond’s overall mood, and his father even seems sharper. However, Sam knows there’s a risk his father could say something he’s not supposed to at any time. Can Sam keep his father at least somewhat reigned in?

(The next one is an inside joke that just keeps going.)

Good Queen Bess Goes West: When Good Queen Bess’s owner inherits a house in a sleepy little town whose main attraction is an Old West themed park, Good Queen Bess goes along for the ride. All is not as it appears, though, and strange things keep happening. People disappear. Items go missing. Rumors that the place is haunted keep swirling. Lucky for the town, Good Queen Bess is on the case, and she is one bad mother clucker. Good Queen Bess soon assembles her team of Bock-aroos to get all Scooby Doo on this joint. Can they find the culprits and bring them to justice, or will they find out the place is truly haunted?

[beardedmrbean]

When conservative activists set aflame boxes of Bud Light and urged a boycott in response to an endorsement from a trans influencer last spring, they sent sales of the beer plummeting in a rare success in the long history of consumer movements.

Even more improbably, the backlash continues to hammer Bud Light and strain independent local wholesalers more than a year later, according to third-party sales data shared with ABC News as well as interviews with six Anheuser-Busch wholesalers.

Most of the wholesalers, small- and medium-sized businesses that draw a significant portion of their revenue from Bud Light, said they remain weakened by the decline in sales and uncertain about when, if ever, the brand will fully recover.

The owner of an Anheuser-Busch wholesaler in the Northeast, whose child is trans, told ABC News they have taken a 30% pay cut to make up for the losses and are considering retirement.

MORE: Colorado GOP rebuked by Republicans, Democrats after calling for burning Pride flags

“It was really hurtful personally,” the owner said. “I’m trying to understand what my kid is going through and then this happens.”

“It’s still very upsetting,” the owner added, noting the company’s Bud Light sales declined by 50% in the immediate aftermath of the boycott. “It’s very difficult to come in every day and look at those sales numbers, knowing I have a responsibility for everyone here.”

Another executive at a wholesaler in the Mid-Atlantic said they have spent sleepless nights devising ways to shed costs without laying off employees; and a top official at a distributor in the Southeast said they expect sales of Bud Light will remain down for at least two more years.

Still, the wholesalers added, harassment of employees and drinkers has faded, indicating the boycott fervor has died down and the brand reputation of Bud Light has begun to mend. Many of the wholesalers said sales had improved lately and Bud Light remains their top-selling beer.

The wholesalers requested anonymity because they didn't want to be publicly identified speaking about the financial consequences of the boycott. In all, roughly 500 independent distributors sell Anheuser-Busch products nationwide.

In response to ABC News' request for comment, a spokesperson at Anheuser-Busch touted the success of Bud Light and the company's relationship with wholesalers.

“Bud Light continues to be the number one selling beer brand in the country because for decades it has been synonymous with programs and activations that consumers love, including partnerships with the NFL, NHL, UFC, and College Football," the spokesperson said.

"As we have for nearly a century, we continue to work side-by-side with our 350+ wholesaler partners to drive growth for our collective business and provide best-in-class service to our consumers and retailers across the country," the spokesperson added.

Sales of Bud Light declined by roughly 25% over the weeks following a product endorsement from Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender influencer, which sparked backlash among many conservatives last April, according to data from Bump Williams Consulting and Nielsen NIQ obtained by ABC News.

In a video posted on Instagram, Mulvaney held a specially designed can of Bud Light featuring an illustration of her. The can, Mulvaney said, included a message congratulating her on "365 days of womanhood."

Until April of this year, sales of the beer stayed stuck at the same level while the boycott persisted, Dave Williams, the president of Bump Williams Consulting, told ABC News.

“Sales cratered and sat there. They didn’t get any worse but they sure as heck didn’t get any better,” Williams said. “I don’t think there are a lot of examples where the king of the castle, someone in such prominence, took such a public and drastic hit in beer.”

In recent months, sales have shown signs of improvement but remain well below pre-boycott levels, Williams added, noting that some customers appear to have returned to the brand as the social stigma has waned while others remain steadfast in their opposition.

“The goal is to retain the consumers they have and hopefully try to win some back.”

An executive at a wholesaler in the Southeast said Bud Light sales plummeted by at least 20% in the aftermath of the boycott and remained at that level for the rest of 2023. The blow to the balance sheet hurt company morale and raised questions about the firm’s future, the executive said.

“We’ve got employees who expected a career helping to build this brand and this business,” the executive added. “To have that undone was a bit of a shock, to say the least.”

In recent months, hostility toward the brand has faded, sales have stabilized and morale has improved, the executive added, acknowledging that sales still stand well below pre-boycott levels.

“Once a consumer drops off a product -- where there is a readily available and similarly priced substitute -- a habit has formed and it’s difficult to shake that habit,” the executive said. “We have to give them a reason to come back.”

Williams said Bud Light has returned to its spot as the top-selling U.S. beer by volume, even if revenue has lagged. Meanwhile, other Anheuser-Busch beer brands are performing better than they did before the boycott.

Some wholesalers expressed optimism about Bud Light's outlook and praised Anheuser-Busch for providing financial support in response to the sales slump. They also downplayed the boycott's impact, attributing much of the sales decline to a wider shift away from beer to other alcoholic drinks.

“The beer industry -- no matter what product you’re selling -- is down in sales,” Tom Davis, director of operations at Maryland-based Katcef Brothers, Inc., an Anheuser-Busch wholesaler, told ABC News. “That has a bigger impact on beer sales than anything.”

An Anheuser-Busch spokesperson shared a statement from a wholesaler with ABC News.

"Anheuser-Busch recognizes the vital role their wholesaler partners play in the business, and last year they stepped in to provide critical resources to ensure we were positioned to continue serving our consumers and communities across the country," Sarah Matesich Schwab, President of Ohio-based Matesich Distributing, said in the statement.

"There’s lots of positive momentum in the system, and we are focused on strengthening our partnership so that we can continue to grow and succeed together," Matesich Schwab added.

The enduring impact of the Bud Light boycott defies a decadeslong history of largely ineffective consumer boycotts, Maurice Schweitzer, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business who studies consumer movements, told ABC News.

The continued struggle of Bud Light owes to the easy availability of similar products as well as the highly polarized political environment nationwide, Schweitzer said.

“Given the history of boycotts and its history of ineffectiveness, it is really surprising that this one has had the staying power that it has,” Schweitzer told ABC News.

“In this moment, we’re so politicized,” Schweitzer added. “The weather is political, the employment rate is political and now beer is political.”

[plainlo-inthemorning]

Jeb Tyler: Motion Approved

Warnings: Smut. Pairing: Jeb Magruder (Gaslit) x John Tyler (Tell Me Your Secrets). M/M. IYKYK. Words: 4k

A drabble I wrote in June of last year (!), peak Jeb Tyler era, then forgot. Rediscovered it today and though it’s somewhat incomplete, I thought I’d rather let it live than sit on the dusty folder shelf.

.

.

.

.

Two hours and 13 insufferable minutes.

That’s how long the meeting at the tiny, local community centre has dragged out, inexplicably, when Jeb slowly reaches for JT’s thigh under the table.

Half because he cannot stand being this close to his lover for this long without any physical contact (especially after the morning they had).

Half because he may collapse from excruciating boredom face first onto the plastic tabletop if he doesn’t do something drastic to jolt his senses awake. 

He never was very good at staying focused in meetings longer than thirty minutes, not here nor anywhere else. A shortcoming that didn’t exactly serve him well in his previous life.

Now, the other man stiffens in his seat as Jeb lightly touches him with the back of his hand, a single finger tapping teasingly at the sculpted muscles under JT’s khakis.

They involuntarily flex.

At the other side of the table, Mrs. Collins (whose young son has been parked in a corner, the poor child) is still making her passionate case for why they simply must put up more official signs around the neighbourhood reminding dog owners to keep “their mutts” from doing their dirty business on the (hers) manicured front lawns so that people (she) won’t have to worry about unwelcome “surprises” while trimming their (her) rose bushes.

It’s a minute and a half proposal that has somehow turned into a long-winded, indignant speech about the individual’s right and private ownership. Her cheeks have reddened with fiery fervour, her peroxide perm bouncing when she looks from one attendee to the next. 

And this on top of the similarly arousing speeches on recycling and speed bumps that went before it, delivered with just as much Shakespearean zest by Mrs. Spangler and Mrs. Altmann, respectively. 

No doubt this is the highlight of the month for all of them.

Mrs. Collins in particular ought to have become a politician, Jeb thinks, and looks down to hide his snicker, not for the first time. 

Then again, no one’s stopping her, least of all him and JT who, after just six months of small-town living, are still making every effort to be on their best, most disarmingly charming neighbourly behaviour when around the middle-aged-to-retired matrons who basically run the town like a mafia during the day.

The key to enjoying a peaceful existence is to get on their good side, to never give cause for suspicion or complaints, and Jeb and JT want to fit in.

Have to fit in if this new domestic life of theirs is to stand a chance.

If not, the road it is.

Again.

Or perhaps another country, even.

Jeb, for one, is not particularly nostalgic for the days of being fucked on worn-out motel mattresses with squeaky springs.

Crucially, acceptance from the knitting mafia equals acceptance from their spouses.

Spouses who, save for one or two, did not immediately warm to the two handsome bachelors sharing a house out of “convenience”.

But so far so good:

After moving in on a scorching hot Thursday in June, it hadn’t taken the unfailingly polite, striking gentlemen long to woo the top dogs (or should one say…? No. One shouldn’t) of the neighbourhood. Without any of them recognizing Jeb, thankfully (still, he’s going to keep the beard and slightly longer hair a little longer. JT approves).

And so here they are, patient participants in monthly meetings with their fellow caring citizens that very rarely include other men save for when an unlucky husband is dragged in to throw his “masculine authority” behind a squabble important solely to the matrons.

As much as they can, Jeb and JT smoothly avoid taking sides, and instead listen and nod and frown in great concern over the lack of bins on the corner of Keannely St. and Ellis Ave., and are thus adored by all, being fed home-baked goods and cooed over as they in return provide the eye-candy and compliments and cheeky winks that turn the women to mush.

To have two such capable, good-looking men take the matters of this little town seriously, and who want to do good for the community. Every little hungry housewife’s pride and joy.

But sometimes the clothes do not make the men…

When Jeb starts mapping little circles on JT’s thigh, well-hidden under the table, he spies out the corner of his eye how JT’s jaw tightens. 

He’s still looking straight ahead at Mrs. Collins, and Jeb knows it’s so stupid - really, really stupid - to risk drawing unwanted attention to the actual nature of his and JT’s closeness, but he cannot help himself.

Between the two, it’s rare that he’s in control, and touching JT under the table suddenly feels thrillingly rebellious. Usually, it’s JT who makes Jeb squirm in public by sneakily teasing parts that should not be teased, or worse.

Like that time in the changing rooms at the department store when …

Despite his initial protests back then, Jeb feels his cock growing hard just at the memory of JT slipping past the curtain into the small booth, as Jeb was buttoning up another pair of Levi’s (he had never owned a pair before. The fabric felt weird and youthful and like it may turn him into another man entirely). 

Jeb, fretful, already imagining that every store assistant will have seen JT enter: “Um, can you.. can you wait outside? Please?” 

JT, features completely neutral as he kneels in front of Jeb, and proceeds to unbutton the new jeans: “No.”

Jeb, panicked at the risk of exposure yet dizzy with pleasure, trying not to moan while JT gives him the (then) blowjob of his life. Fisting at JT’s short, silver-streaked hair.

JT, dark eyes locked on Jeb’s blue ones, managing to smirk even with Jeb’s cock in his mouth. “Good boy,” is what they’re saying, his wolf eyes. 

They had left the store with an unaffected air, shopping bags swinging by their sides (at the last minute, JT had picked out yet another one of his beloved short-sleeved check shirts). 

No, that is a half lie. 

JT had seemed unaffected by their dangerous little tryst. 

Jeb had been sweating profusely from both anxiety and the heat of his climax in the other man’s relentless mouth. 

Still, lust begets lust. 

And so, on the drive back to the hotel, Jeb had found himself in the passenger seat wanting more, wanting to be touched without fear of being caught until he had said as much to JT who had, without a word, made a sharp turn onto a deserted country road, parked the car, walked around to the passenger side, opened the door and basically ripped Jeb out by the collar of his trench coat.

Afterwards, while Jeb was doing up his pants and stuffing in his shirt, JT had perched himself on the hood, a cigarette balancing languidly between his long fingers.

“John?”.

“Yes?”,

“Get off my Oldsmobile”.

JT had not attempted to conceal his grin. The day was too good, the sun on them too warm.

“I think you’re the one who just got off on your Oldsmobile”.

He winked. 

A most delectable monster, alright. 

Somewhere halfway through reminiscing, Jeb’s hand seems to have found JT’s crotch on its own accord, and now JT shifts uneasily on his chair, trying to shake Jeb off. 

The latter merely leans forward a bit, pretending to look through some documents in front of him, while his hand under the table rubs over JT’s cock that is - of course - already responding to the ministrations. 

JT clears his throat and tries to cross his legs, but there’s no room, and the feeling of Jeb’s palm now cupping his hardening length is making his own hands clammy. 

He’s good at remaining calm under ‘duress’, and even better at never unwillingly advertising to the world what he’s feeling, be it physical pain, anger, or fear. Unlike certain blue-eyed individuals who cry at the push of a button. Not to mention the opening of one.

Even so, Jeb’s hands on him is making JT feel slightly out of control. It’s uncanny, frankly, the hold the former President’s man has on him. 

In more ways than one.

He wants to grab hold of Jeb’s wrist, force him down on the floor, yank his head back by that delicious, thick, dark hair, and watch him open his mouth in obedience, like JT has taught him.

But of course, JT cannot do that. 

All he can do is try to sit still as the blood slowly leaves his brain in anticipation of a release he will not get.

Oh, Jeb is going to get it as soon as they get home.

JT suppresses a wince. Now that’s a line of thought most unhelpful at containing the situation at hand. 

In Jeb’s hand.

And Jeb is enjoying himself. 

What a weird little power rush it is to make JT ache in this of all places.

Yes, there will no doubt be punishment later, but watching the corner of JT’s eye start to twitch with desperation as Mrs. Collins drones on, and the rest of the attendees are seemingly either half asleep or lost to their knitting, is making Jeb giddy.

He presses his palm firmly down on JT’s cock, then squeezes it gently, and JT gasps so sharply he has to fake a coughing fit. 

When Mrs. Spangler quickly pours him another glass of lemonade and hands it over from the other side of the table, and JT thanks her in a strained voice while still being worked under the table, a giggle escapes Jeb which he then has to pass off as a cough.

“Oh my, I hope you boys aren’t coming down with anything.” Mrs. Spangler leans across the table, not exactly elegantly, to pat Jeb’s arm. Only the tips of her red nails reach his white shirt sleeve. 

He’s her favourite. She’ll take any excuse to touch him, and Jeb loves how it makes JT roll his eyes. 

Right now, though, there will be no eye rolls. JT is clearly making an effort to not move a single muscle on his face.

We’ll see about that.

Jeb squeezes his partner’s cock harder. 

JT’s mouth falls slightly open. He has stopped blinking.

Satisfying. And enough. 

After all, JT’s light khakis won’t conceal a multitude of sins, as Jeb’s dark jeans would have been able to. 

Jeb removes his hand, and JT lets out an inaudible sigh of relief. 

The meeting goes on for another ten minutes, in which JT betrays no emotion, but Jeb knows he’s secretly seething. 

And turned on. 

It’s never spoken out loud, but in the rare instances where the power dynamic is flipped on its head - such as when Jeb has to lead the small talk on ‘official business’ with the likes of realtors or financial advisors - excitement and pride swells in JT in a cocktail of emotions commonly resolving in an animalistic need to tear Jeb’s clothes off at the earliest convenience if not sooner. 

Often sooner.

Still, Jeb has never advanced on him in this way. The audacity.

Someone keeping tap might find it quite fair, but JT is not one for playing fair, and so obstinate behaviour will be dealt with.

The hairs at the back of Jeb’s neck are already standing up when they rise from the meeting (JT without any difficulty, thank god), and he feels the air beginning to cackle with electricity between their bodies before they have even said their final goodbyes and good evenings to the matrons, who once again express their delight in the men’s “commitment” to making the town a wholesome little haven, far from the grime and the sleaze and the moral depravities of the big cities. 

“See you at church on Sunday!” trills Mrs. Altmann after them (having told them of the arrival of a new, young pastor approximately 43 times by now. “Let’s see how quickly we can make the good Father question his faith, huh?”, JT had whispered conspiratorially to Jeb when they were first informed, and Jeb had known exactly what he meant. And felt jealous. Even if JT was only joking). 

Now, JT puts the Oldsmobile in reverse, a little too roughly than warranted, and Mrs. Collins drags her chronically sullen, curly-haired son off with one hand while waving gayly with the other. 

Then they’re on the road, and none of them are speaking, and Jeb knows that something is definitely coming. 

They pull up into the driveway of their house. Their house. Sometimes Jeb still cannot believe it, while to JT, who has never before lived in a house he wasn’t afraid to come home to, number 13 Branca St. is even more. 

So much more. Something to be fiercely guarded.

Both men get out of the car, and Jeb, whose heart is beating out of his chest in anticipation of whatever lurid repercussions JT is going to concoct, is somewhat surprised and maybe a little disappointed when the man doesn’t jump him the second they enter the hallway. 

Nor does JT berate Jeb, or scowl in the menacing way he does when he’s about to explode. 

No, JT simply removes his red windbreaker and kicks off his boots, placing them nicely on the mat next to the front door (he is very strict about upkeeping a No Shoes policy in the home) and disappears without a word down the hall and into the bedroom.

Jeb can hear him turning on the light in the walk-in-closet.

“John?” 

After removing his own shoes and jacket, Jeb follows. Surely it cannot be that JT is actually sulking?

Up until now, Jeb has only ever known JT to properly sulk when he loses at a board game, or when Jeb is displaying what JT perceives as a lack of respect for the presentability of their home - i.e. Jeb being a little too careless with where he tosses his still-wet towels and used socks.

Jeb enjoys neatness as much as the next suburban male, sure. 

JT, however, is obsessed with it, scolding Jeb if he leaves an empty soda can out on the kitchen counter until the next day, or if he forgets a candy wrapper on the bedside stand. 

Jeb pushed back in the beginning, good-humouredly, but quickly sensed something else lurking underneath JT’s incessant need for keeping a clean house when a strange, shrill tone would sneak into his voice as he waved empty packs of crisps accusingly in Jeb’s face, perhaps hinting at yet another ghost from his past. 

JT’s past. 

JT’s past is a nightmarish void Jeb is rarely comfortable peeking into. But he’s even more uncomfortable with the thought that JT may turn around one day and decide to take another look himself. 

“John, what are you doing in there?”

No reply.

Jeb stands a little awkwardly in the door to the bedroom, while JT rummages around for something on one of the top shelves of the walk-in-closet (one of the first things they re-did when they moved in). 

The muscles of his broad back are visible under the brown checks as he moves, and Jeb wants to go to him and wrap his arms around his waist, and kiss his neck, and have JT punish him for behaving badly at the meeting, but he’s very unsure of JT’s mood.

Whenever JT turns truly unreadable, Jeb’s insecurities flair like a chilly mist rolling in from the sea. 

He’ll get on his knees and take his punishment. He’ll take the petty arguments, and the sulking, and the infuriating way in which JT will in one minute mock Jeb’s love of The Beach Boys, then in the next whisper every word of God Only Knows into his ear as he fucks him against the kitchen counter.

But the silence makes Jeb antsy.

However, just as he’s about to say something again, JT turns around. He’s holding a cardboard box that Jeb doesn’t remember having seen before, but which JT obviously must have kept somewhere in the closet.

“What’s…”

“Get on the bed.”

JT’s voice is calm. Even. But his stare? His stare is wicked. 

Jeb shivers with bubbling excitement. Of course, JT wasn’t just going to give him the cold shoulder. 

Still, given JT’s unpredictability, the box worries him a bit. 

“Jeb…Bed. Now.”

JT is waiting, and so Jeb goes to sit on the edge of the large bed, straightening his back as the mattress dips under him, and trying to muster as much cool as he can with JT’s eyes burning into him. 

The bedroom is one of two in the house, of course. The guest room is always ready to be presented as JT’s, should a neighbour drop by and ask for a tour.

“On your back.” 

JT is motioning for Jeb to move up the bed, and he does as he’s told. But when he reaches up to remove his tie, JT holds up a hand. 

“Leave it. Arms above your head.”

Ah.

Jeb knows what that means, and sure enough, as he brings up his arms, JT puts down the box on the mattress, then opens the bottom drawer in the dresser next to the bed. 

The rattle of the metal buckles on the leather cuffs is a familiar sound that makes Jeb’s cock throb and his ass clench. 

JT means business tonight. 

The last time they came out, Jeb could hardly walk the next day.

Despite the usual preparations, he had been almost as sore as the time they fucked in the walk-in closet on the day the realtor had shown them the house. Of course, that time there had not even been any oils, no nothing. 

Just too much fire and frustration and pent-up tension to not do it anyway. 

Since then, JT has always carried a small bottle in the inner pocket of his jacket. Not just in case, but for the many, many cases that came after. 

In theory, Jeb finds the concept of carrying something like that around downright perverse and is terrified on a daily basis that it will suddenly fall from JT’s pocket and onto the floor or the street for all to see (JT rolls his eyes at this, too). 

In reality, he’s thankful for it, as he remains pathetically unable to stop JT from making him half mad with need where and whenever JT feels like it. 

Now, JT gets on the bed too and straddles Jeb’s waist, leaning over his torso to clasp the cuffs around his wrists, and fasten them to the bedpost. 

Then he sits back on his heels and surveys his bound prey with a smirk that makes Jeb involuntarily bite his bottom lip.

“Oh, don’t look so worried, now.” JT smiles and cocks his head to the side. A hungry smile. “Don’t I always make you feel good, Jeb?” 

A rhetorical question for the present day. As for those first few, chaotic weeks all that time ago…? 

They don’t go there. 

JT’s long fingers slowly pull Jeb’s shirt free of his pants, revealing a toned midriff (he’s not wearing an undershirt today. Scandalous). The first buttons of the shirt are opened, but JT leaves it at that, instead pushing the garment up so Jeb’s chest is revealed.

Next, JT moves back a bit, and unbuckles Jeb’s belt, then his fly. The jeans are pulled down only enough to reveal Jeb’s boxers. 

It seems JT wants him half clothed for whatever session he has planned. The wolf licks his shapely lips as he looks from Jeb’s face down his chest and to his already hard cock pressing against the thin fabric, and Jeb swallows, digging his fingernails into his palms. 

His eyelids are already fluttering rapidly, as they do when he gets flustered, and JT’s smile widens as he leans forward once more, this time to place a closed fist on the mattress on either side of Jeb’s head. 

JT lowers himself down on strong arms till his face is hovering inches above Jeb’s, and the latter automatically cranes his neck up to meet his lover’s mouth.

But JT doesn’t bite this time.

“Now…my little politician who has, apparently, completely forgotten how to act in public.” His voice is slow and husky. A shiver runs through Jeb from the base of his skull to his toes. 

“Since you have a new affinity for teasing, I thought I’d indulge you…”

“What are you…?” 

Jeb doesn’t get a full sentence out before JT suddenly dips his face to play-bite at the left side of his throat, worrying his teeth over the sensitive skin, and making Jeb gasp with surprise and pleasure. 

Whispered words: “You’re about to find out.” 

Then JT is pushing himself off Jeb again, leaving entirely too much cool air and empty space behind. But before Nixon’s disgraced campaign manager can mourn his lover’s absence, JT positions himself on his knees between Jeb’s legs, pushing them wide apart, and grabbing the cardboard box that has been sitting on the mattress next to their bodies. 

JT discards the lid, and then he’s holding a thing Jeb immediately recognizes, although he has never seen one in real life. Only in one of those basement movies, that he once went to after not having had sex with his wife for eight months, and desperate for…something.

The dildo is large, roughly the same size as JT’s own cock, by the look of it from Jeb’s vantage point, and perfectly smooth. 

No life-like veins or curves. A streamlined model in a dusty purple (it must have been the only color, or JT would never have chosen it). 

With a cord attached. 

Why is there a cord attached? 

When JT puts down the box, Jeb sees why. 

As JT is holding the dildo in his left hand, thumb rubbing idly up and down the polished form, in his right hand, at the end of the cord, there seems to be a…remote. 

Oh, god.

Electricity? Is that even safe? 

Jeb fidgets, but with JT between his legs, and his arms bound above his head, he cannot move far. 

“John, is that…is that an approved, um, electric appliance? I really don’t think it’s advisable to, um, to…”

JT interrupts him. 

“Quiet. How amusing that you’d think you have any say in this.”

He flips a tiny button on the small, black remote. The dildo starts vibrating in his other hand with a low humming sound that reminds Jeb a little too much of a dentist’s drill.

“You’re going to lie there, Jeb, and don’t speak, and take what’s coming, until you’ve learned your lesson.”

JT is already enjoying himself immensely.  

“But John, really, I just…” Jeb’s voice has gone up to a pitch some might qualify as whining (many have), and JT’s eyes dance with delight at the sound. 

“I said no speaking, Jeb. Not until I allow it. If you cannot follow that simple instruction…” JT glances at the dresser.

The leather cuffs are not the only piece of ‘equipment’ stored in the drawer, Jeb knows. And so he holds in his protests and only squirms when JT proceeds to use the tip of the vibrating dildo to draw slow eights from Jeb’s stomach and up his chest, as if JT were a tattoo artist mapping out a design.

It tickles horribly, and Jeb can’t keep from thrashing on the mattress when JT, wearing an evil little smirk, drags the dildo down Jeb’s ribs on his right side. 

He’s got goosebumps all over, and wherever the dildo touches his skin, the vibrations send little, not entirely unpleasant waves of sparks through his nervous system (and it is, truly, a very nervous system).

As JT moves back up to circle the areola, Jeb throws his head back and closes his eyes, trying not to moan too loudly as it’s exactly what JT wants.

But when the tip of the dildo makes light contact with his already hardened nipple, the vibrating sensation is too much and a much too lustful gasp leaves his lips as his eyes fly open again - just in time to see JT regard him with a look that tells him he’ll most likely be screaming into a pillowcase before this ‘session’ is over.

JT presses the length of the dildo flat against Jeb’s right nipple, and he keeps it there as he puts down the remote control and instead places his other hand over Jeb’s cock that is now straining to escape the waistband of his boxers. 

Jeb tries to thrust his pelvis upwards into JT’s hand, hungry for friction, but JT shakes his head. “No, you don’t”. He removes his hand. Then the dildo from Jeb’s chest. 

JT turns it off and the bedroom suddenly seems ominously quiet without the electrical hum.

He bares his canines.

“I think we ought to flip you over after all, hmm?”

Jeb swallows. Again.

That was quick.

His hands are untied. He is flipped on his stomach. His pants and boxers are pulled down.

Jeb wants to tell John to just take it all off, that it feels humiliating to be half-clothed like this, but he also knows it’s part of the game. 

JT could easily remove his clothes. But where’s the fun in that when he can have Jeb sweating through a nice white shirt?

“Now, Jeb … can you say please?”

…

“...Well?”

“... please”.

“Please what?”

“...please punish me”. 

“Good boy”.

The humming resumes. 

.

.

.

.

Thank you for reading!

Masterlist

[acquaintedwithrask]

Hi! I saw you saying youre a teacher on a random post. Would love to know what made ya choose tha profession and what in your opinion are the basic bare minimum necessities one has to possess in order to consider that profession for their daily bread.

Whew these are great questions but I could talk about this subject for hours 😅 apologies in advance for this novel.

So, my parents were both teachers. And many of my extended family members-- on both sides of my family. A few of my cousins and their spouses chose teaching as we grew up, too. It felt natural to choose teaching. I've seen what this profession was, growing up through the 90's and early 00's, and I started my teaching career in 2010 when I graduated college. All this to say that the profession has changed a LOT, and so the answers to those questions are dramatically different now than then.

There's still the grand reasons for teaching: getting to help kids, getting to be part of their development into a good person, righting the wrongs of your childhood/school days in some small way. There's also the more practical reasons: it's a salaried career with built in retirement and benefits. (These used to be much stronger; I cannot afford the house my parents raised me in on 2 teacher salaries). Also, no 2 days of teaching are the same. There are logistical challenges to puzzle out. It's a lot of people management and planning ahead. It's getting to have a lot of social interaction and relationships, not just with kids but other adults.

Nowadays, if I'm being honest, idk why anyone would become a teacher. I know every old person says this, but the kids really are different now. Yeah, you've always had rough ones, but now teachers are getting assaulted, cussed at, and just completely disrespected, on a daily or near daily basis, and there's little to no consequences. We have more kids with trauma than school resources can help-- schools have always been underfunded but now its even worse-- and many many parents don't respect teachers and/or don't have any idea how to parent their kids, and/or don't have the time, money, or energy to do so. The failings of capitalism are the most apparent in our public school system, and that's by design. Public school is being eroded so business owners can edge in on it and make their own schools. Unions are at a fraction of their prior strength. I won't be surprised if in another decade we have mostly privately owned schools, and public schools are only the kids whose parents are too poor to get them into those, and kids who's behavior got them removed from those schools, with poorly trained teachers and no money.

All that to say, I've looked at other career paths, but I'm 12 years in to this profession and, despite all odds, I still like it. I'm damn good at it. More than ever kids need someone to give at least half a shit. The pandemic seriously aged (traumatized) me and I learned I can't put as much of my heart into things, but I get by right now. It's a lot better when you've got some established relationships. And there's the financial stability to consider.

As far as the traits you need to be a teacher, number one is patience. You just cannot take anything personally. You must experience ego death. You must be able to stay calm. Number two is empathy and being able to see things from another POV and respecting that viewpoint even if you don't agree. I could go on for ages because teachers do basically a thousand different things in a day; you have to be organized enough to plan and coordinate people, you have to be good at communicating especially via text, you need tech literacy skills.

Teaching is a vital and exciting and exhausting and rewarding job. We need good teachers, desperately, but we won't get nearly enough of them with how things are going. This is my perennial plea to anyone reading to pay attention to your local city council and school board elections. Find out who the teacher union endorses. Always vote yes on school levies. If you have kids, reach out to the teacher to ask how you can help. ❤️

[novumtimes]

Junior Bridgeman Reportedly Buys 15% Stake In Milwaukee Bucks

by Daniel Johnson September 15, 2024 The former Milwaukee Bucks player is set to purchase 15% of the team. In a full circle moment, former Milwaukee Bucks swingman Junior Bridgeman is reportedly close to purchasing a 15% stake in the franchise he played for during much of his NBA career.  According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, the 70-year-old Bridgeman, whose number two jersey was retired by the Bucks, will be receiving a preferred limited-partner discount, which entitles him to a 15% stake in the organization.  According to CNBC, Bridgeman currently owns Jet and Ebony magazines. The deal indicates that the Milwaukee Bucks, a small market NBA franchise, are worth $4 billion. According to their sources, the NBA was expected to notify owners of the sale in a memo on Sept.12.  Bridgeman has created a net worth of over $600 million mostly through his success with various businesses including fast-food restaurants and operating a Coca-Cola bottling distributor. Neither the Milwaukee Bucks nor Bridgeman himself offered any comment on the sale to CNBC. Although the team finished third in the Eastern Conference last season, the team operated at a loss because it had to dip into the luxury tax and pay $52 million. According to Sports Illustrated, that figure is the fourth highest luxury tax payment in the NBA. The Bucks are expected to face similar luxury tax challenges in the 2024-2025 NBA season, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton earning $48 million, $45 million, and $31 million respectively. The team’s last ownership change occurred in April 2023 when Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam purchased a 25% stake from former co-owner Marc Lasry. At that time, before the NBA’s new TV deal, the Bucks were valued at $3.2 billion. RELATED CONTENT: You May Not Know Who Junior Bridgeman Is, But This Former NBA Player Is Worth $600M Source link via The Novum Times

[jcmarchi]

Reimagining the Middle Class in the Age of AI

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/reimagining-the-middle-class-in-the-age-of-ai/

Reimagining the Middle Class in the Age of AI

Imagine a typical evening at home where your family is gathered around the dinner table while a smart home system optimizes the lighting and temperature to save energy. Autonomous vehicles deliver packages outside, and your child uses an AI-powered educational tool for their homework. These scenarios are not from a science fiction novel but reflect the near future. Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into our daily lives, reshaping various sectors and offering new possibilities.

As AI advances, it holds the potential to redefine and rejuvenate the middle class. This shift brings exciting opportunities for innovation and growth but also significant challenges that we must understand to ensure a stable and prosperous future for the middle class.

Historical Context

The middle class has long been a key economic stability and social progress driver. During the Industrial Revolution, new technologies created many jobs in manufacturing and services, leading to a new class of skilled workers and small business owners. This was the birth of the middle class as we know it today. The economic boom following World War II further expanded this group driven by increased industrial production, higher wages, and better access to education and homeownership​​.

However, the late 20th century brought significant changes. Globalization led to outsourcing many manufacturing jobs, while technological advancements began to automate routine tasks. The new service-oriented economy created some new middle-class jobs but also caused job polarization, with a growing gap between high-skill, high-pay jobs and low-skill, low-pay jobs, leaving the middle class squeezed​.

The Current State of the Middle Class

Today, the middle class faces many economic challenges, such as wage stagnation, job insecurity, and the loss of middle-class jobs due to automation and globalization. The Pew Research Center reports that the share of adults living in middle-income households has dropped from 61% in 1971 to about 51% in 2023.

In the U.S., manufacturing employment reached 19.5 million jobs in 1979 but fell to about 12.8 million by 2019, a loss of nearly 7 million jobs due to globalization and automation. For instance, the median income of middle-class households in the U.S. rose from about $66,400 in 1970 to $106,100 in 2022, a 60% increase after adjusting for inflation. However, this growth has not kept pace with upper-income households, whose median income grew by 78% in the same period. This larger increase for upper-income households means the economic gap between the middle and upper classes has widened.

AI: A Double-Edged Sword

AI is often described as a double-edged sword because it has the potential to both disrupt and enhance the middle class. On one hand, AI threatens to automate routine tasks, leading to job displacement in various industries. For example, in retail, self-checkout systems and automated inventory management can reduce the need for cashiers and stock clerks. In transportation, autonomous vehicles could replace truck drivers and delivery personnel.

A report by McKinsey Global Institute suggests that up to 30% of the global workforce could be displaced by automation by 2030. Industries such as manufacturing, retail, and administrative services are particularly vulnerable.

On the other hand, AI is creating many new job opportunities, especially in areas like data analysis, machine learning, and cybersecurity. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for data scientists are expected to grow by 35% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for other jobs. This means there will be about 17,700 new data scientist job openings yearly over the next decade, mainly because workers are moving to different jobs or retiring.

Moreover, AI can significantly boost productivity and efficiency, freeing workers to focus on more valuable tasks requiring creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. In healthcare, AI-powered tools help doctors diagnose diseases more accurately and quickly, improving patient outcomes and making healthcare delivery more efficient. Additionally, AI democratizes expertise by making advanced tools and knowledge more accessible, lowering the barriers to entry for many professions.

The New Middle Class: Characteristics and Adaptations

Several key characteristics and adaptations emerge as we reimagine the middle class in the age of AI. First and foremost is the emphasis on skills and education. STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education is increasingly important, as is soft skills such as creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. Lifelong learning becomes essential, as workers must continuously update their skills to keep pace with technological advancements.

For instance, IBM’s New Collar initiative focuses on roles that do not necessarily require a traditional four-year degree but do require specialized skills and training. This approach highlights the importance of vocational training and continuous skill development in maintaining a competitive workforce.

The work environment is also evolving. The rise of remote work and the gig economy requires middle-class workers to be more flexible and adaptable. Traditional 9-to-5 jobs with long-term security are giving way to freelance and contract work, which offer both opportunities and challenges regarding economic stability and benefits.

Platforms like Upwork and Fiverr have enabled millions of people to work as freelancers, providing services ranging from graphic design to software development. This shift allows workers more control over their schedules and work-life balance but also requires them to manage their own benefits and financial planning.

Economic stability is a critical concern for the middle class, especially as traditional benefits like pensions and healthcare are no longer guaranteed. With changes in job security and the nature of employment, the middle class must adapt to a new opportunity.

This shift requires new approaches to financial planning and protection. For instance, the rise of individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and health savings accounts (HSAs) reflects the growing need for individuals to take greater responsibility for managing their financial future. These tools are becoming essential as people explore this evolving economic environment, emphasizing the importance of proactive financial management.

Policy and Societal Implications

Government policies and societal initiatives are important in supporting the middle class during this transition. Governments can implement policies to support retraining and education, ensuring that workers have the skills needed for the jobs of the future.

Several countries have already implemented successful policies and initiatives. For instance, Denmark’s flexicurity model combines labor market flexibility with social security, helping workers transition between jobs more easily. This model includes active labor market policies, such as training and education programs, to support workers in acquiring new skills.

Corporate responsibility is also vital. Companies must invest in employee upskilling and reskilling, ensuring their workforce is prepared for the AI-driven future. For example, AT&T’s Future Ready initiative aims to retrain employees for new technology and digital services roles, investing $1 billion in education and training programs.

Envisioning the Future

Looking ahead, the future of the middle class in the age of AI holds both promise and uncertainty. Technological trends suggest that AI will continue to advance, creating new sectors and job opportunities. Industries such as healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability will likely see significant growth driven by AI innovations.

Potential future scenarios range from optimistic to pessimistic. In an optimistic scenario, AI leads to greater productivity, economic growth, and improved quality of life. AI-powered tools enable doctors to diagnose diseases more accurately, teachers to provide personalized education, and engineers to develop sustainable technologies.

In a pessimistic scenario, if AI development continues unregulated, it could worsen economic inequality and cause significant job losses. Many routine tasks might be automated, leading to widespread unemployment and financial instability. With proper measures, like retraining programs and policies to support displaced workers, many people could easily find new jobs in an AI-driven economy, making the economic divide between those who benefit from AI and those who don’t even wider.

The Bottom Line

The rise of AI offers significant opportunities and serious challenges for the middle class. While AI can generate new job opportunities and boost productivity, it also risks increasing economic inequality and job displacement. Adapting to this new reality requires a strong focus on education, continuous skill development, and proactive financial planning.

Effective government policies and corporate initiatives are essential to support this transition. The future of the middle class in the age of AI is uncertain, but with resilience and adaptability, it can navigate these changes to achieve a stable and prosperous future.

[constructionaccounting]

574: What Every Contractor Needs To Know About Successful Construction Companies

This Podcast Is Episode 574, And It's About What Every Contractor Needs To Know About Successful Construction Companies

  Small construction businesses have several characteristics that distinguish them from larger firms. These characteristics include having a limited workforce, smaller revenue streams, and a more localized focus. 

They are often run by the owners themselves or a small team of employees. They tend to have a more personal approach to their work, as they are usually more involved in every aspect of the project. Due to their size, they are often more flexible and able to adapt to market or project scope changes. However, they may also face challenges such as limited resource access, difficulty securing financing, and increased competition from larger firms.

Over the years, we have had many successful construction clients. The seasoned ones have become lifelong friends and are now retired, living according to their terms. And several are still working according to their schedule with quality, high-paying clients.

Is it still possible to succeed in this industry, given the state of the economy? Regardless of government or environment, what I find common among them are these characteristics:

1. Owners leading by example

The construction company owner or project manager leads by example. They are usually the first to arrive and the last to leave. The owner knows everyone by name, and their presence is unmistakable. They show a strong commitment, setting the standard where they work. This commitment should be easy to understand. After all, if they don't work hard in their own company, how can they expect anyone else to take their business seriously?

2. Simple business structure

They operate a simple and open business structure, encouraging easy access to the owner for every employee. They value the contribution of each employee, many of whom are allowed to influence aspects of the construction business that would ordinarily be denied to them in a large hierarchical company

3. Communication among employees

Staff receive information as soon as the owner does. Goals, problems, and concerns are discussed openly. Feedback on issues is encouraged, and staff are asked to contribute their ideas for improving and overcoming difficulties. It is often this aspect of open communication that staff appreciate the most; it is unique to small construction businesses, whether you have only one or two staff.

4. The crew is carefully chosen

Staff is recruited very carefully because the contractor owner(s) recognize that they are the lifeblood of any small business. Staff are hired because their knowledge, skills, and abilities will benefit the organization rather than because of friendships or family relations. They are carefully chosen, nurtured, and trained to help the crew members and the organization from the relationship.

5. Staff commitment and loyalty

All staff are very committed and loyal. Good performance is rewarded with praise, extra responsibility, and money—poor performance is not. Poor workers are consistently removed as they upset the rest of the team. Organizations whose staff show optimum commitment and loyalty have a source of competitive advantage that is hard to copy or beat.

6. A unique service (or product delivery that goes with the service)

Most successful construction businesses have unique products or services, such as designs, products, systems, or some other aspect that sets them apart. This uniqueness is an essential source of competitive advantage and one that many companies work hard to sustain, adapting and innovating their products or services as their competition catches up with them.

7. A specific customer focus

Successful small businesses specifically focus on their customers and clients and are geared to supplying them with exactly what they want. This focus means adopting a market-led approach, with the owners and their managers consistently looking for ways to solve their client's problems and improve their products to match their client's requirements.

8. Prompt follow-up

On occasions when an inquiry or complaint is received, successful construction company owners actively follow up and solve them as quickly as possible. The results are promptly reported back to the client or customer, and in the case of complaints, measures are put in place to reduce the likelihood of similar issues reoccurring. Successful small businesses view complaints and problems as opportunities for growth and improvement.

They work with a construction accountant

They hire the best people to do their job in-house or outsourced. There are several valuable lessons that construction business owners can learn from accountants, and the successful ones know and appreciate the value they bring to their business. 

Construction accountants are experts in financial management in their industry. They can help trade business owners understand their company's financial health, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to increase profitability. 

Additionally, construction accountants are skilled at analyzing data and making informed decisions based on that data. They help construction business owners track their progress toward goals, identify trends and patterns in their financial data, and make data-driven decisions to benefit their businesses. 

Since delegating their financials to us, our clients have told us that they have more time to focus on what they're good at and love to do. We help them stay compliant with tax laws and regulations, which is one of the common causes of a business's owner stress come tax time. By working with us, you can ensure you meet your tax obligations and avoid costly penalties. You can also gain valuable insights and support that will help you grow and succeed in the long run.

Final thoughts

Embodying these traits and improving your practice are essential to succeeding in your construction business. A solid plan that clearly understands your target market and competitive advantages and a detailed financial system are also necessary. Focus on building meaningful relationships with clients and suppliers, providing high-quality work, and staying up-to-date with industry trends and technology. 

Additionally, it is crucial to have a skilled and reliable team in place and continuously invest in their professional development. You can build a successful and profitable construction contracting business with dedication, hard work, and a strategic approach. And, of course, a construction business accountant who will guide you along the way.

PS 

We offer free resources to help you save time and money that you can download and print now. 

About The Author:

Sharie DeHart, QPA, co-founded Business Consulting And Accounting in Lynnwood, Washington. She is the leading expert in managing outsourced construction bookkeeping and accounting services companies and cash management accounting for small construction companies across the USA. She encourages Contractors and Construction Company Owners to stay current on their tax obligations. She offers insights on managing the remaining cash flow to operate and grow their construction company sales and profits so they can put more money in the bank. Call 1-800-361-1770 or sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com

    Check out this episode about Contractors Marketing - Accounting - Production (M.A.P.)!

[meanwhileinstasiville]

Read this book in the talent library forever ago

Columbia professor now, I guess. They couldn't figure out how to classify him from the segregation by race that the Chicago gangs use and that part, I thought, was really interesting. He's from Madras.

So he got to hear about "loaner girlfriends" that gang members use to spy on enemy gangs, from a member leader of the Black Kings. He got to hear about cars with no papers because black people get redlined out of those, too. Driving things they can't afford borrowed from people who can.

He got to hear about "she stuck the knife into his stomach over and over while he slept" so he woke up and had a friend take him to the hospital. A stark difference between the latino gangs and the black ones. Neither really claimed him or rejected him because they didn't know what to make of him as an ethnic Indian where there weren't any.

So they treat him somewhere between a non combatant advisor and a dumb journalist between the gangs. The drive-by terrorism turned out to be different from the murder rates. Around the turn of the century (cannot to this day believe I'm saying this), I got on at a grocery store off I-5 in my hometown, and back then the place might as well have been fort knox; we're a secured border crossing with California "the golden gate to the golden state" as the mob of the 1920s called it during prohibition. We *had gangs* and had drug problems, armed highschool kids outnumbered unarmed ones back in the 1980s. But *their parents* out parents I guess you'd say, were all doctors or lawyers, city council people, business owners, big fish corporate types retired to small ponds and such.

(We were so called little Chicago in the 1920s)

So we get "retirees" from there, gangs and otherwise predominantly white but not always and near homogenized back in the 80s. They're not tough, the gang members from Ashland. They *did* have parents that fought it wars and stuff, owning a block because "they stepped on it", having all the connections one would expect of those kinds of lives. They're not college educated and their wives are models and they own businesses that they don't really run in the traditional sense, because they don't know how.

The kids they knew from their own kids in school formed up into these pools around tourist targeting businesses overlapping with the drug trade.

The *parents though* are the real thing or were before they retired. Affluent though they may have been, these kids go off to cut their teeth on sex work or violence or drug peddling like they went to a boarding school; coming home worthy of their parents who have *defined* their cushy lives on the absence of what they were doing. Fortified against it with homogenized white affluence. These are, in a word, the people *running* the activity in Chicago, "phoning it in" they like to call it.

A house costs *millions* of dollars, it's Timbuktu by any city like Chicago's estimate, there are no amenities, full of deadheads who never left the sixties and drug tourists from liberal enclaves from California. So their past shouldn't even want to come here let alone live long enough to turn up here anyway.

When you administrate endemic poverty in a metropolitan area segregated by race, this is the kind of a place you turn up and/or retire to.

"Can't take the jungle out of the tiger" right?

As such, the decades piled on and the *kids had kids* whose *grandparents* were now "somebodies", so *real* gang bangers started to show up from the biggest and most dangerous gangs here, to see and check in on how "the bosses were living" because social media is twenty years old. We get foreigners from Asia and and India, Latin America, Africa, people who live in a house for a few days per year.

There's a dollar general store down the interstate across from where a Walmart supercenter sat since the 90s, "where even Walmart won't go" was their Tennessee tagline. That giant building sat empty for a *very long time* implying cartel or mob juice and on a level completely out of profile for the region. Talent had an estimated population of like 2000 when it went in, the Walmart. So now, ms13 has come in since a series of downturns to represent a whole organization of chickens coming home to roost.

And thinking this was some kind of fortress or something because redlining had created an appearance of impregnability from minorites. So affluent kids could go off and make street names for themselves and return to safety without giving that a second thought.

We *had* harmless homeless around Ashland like out of work actors and people cut loose by san francisco and such. Now we have the illusion that a transnational drug production hub is not down the road, not urbanized and not racially integrated, some ten or fifteen miles from our city center.

Dad had the courtesy (and insight) to move out where they didn't have so much as volunteers; biker land of sorts where people regularly *resolve disputes by shooting into each other's houses* from within their own homes. After my parents divorced. "You bring it with you" whatever you really are "because it always comes through". So and, after you get on somewhere *people like you are going to show up* whether they're soldiers, thugs, amish people, mobsters whatever.

They call it "the game" alternately "being about that life" in the writing there, but Chicago was *doing good* when he wrote his study. Ashland feels it here, after crashes, where they're not.

Japan takes over the world made them seem really driven and overpowered. They're outnumbered by China, outproduced by Americans, outfought by everybody with an army. It looks that way in the 1980s though; like they were running the world. Chicago. Is a borough of New York. It might have eight to ten million in the Illinois metropolitan area. Chicago university. It's pretty well landlocked. It's the same as Japan. You guys aren't leaving North America and progress is a highly educated people *who aren't gang members* and who don't live in the United States.

It's your time to shine, between about 1870s to 1930s Chicago. Citizens were as bad as the worst excesses of any gang today. Have a nice day.

[rockislandadultreads]

Libby Spotlight: Urban Fiction eBooks

A Gangster's Girl by Chunichi

Meet Ceazia, a very attractive, very good girl who has just left the safety of her parents' home and entered into the world of bad boys and fast money. Ceazia thinks the world belongs to her when she meets Vegas, one of the Tidewater, Virginia area's most notorious drug dealers. Even though a relationship with Vegas goes against everything her parents taught her, she still can't resist his bad-boy persona. He's fine, sexy, and ready to give her anything her heart desires - just what the doctor ordered for a broke, wannabe diva. This might just end up being the biggest mistake of her life.

Notorious by Kiki Swinson

When things get too hot in Miami, criminal lawyer Yoshi figures she'll be safe if she goes home to Norfolk, Virginia, for a little while. But the streets there are just as mean, and a sistah needs to keep her head to avoid getting popped by a drive-by. And when Yoshi witnesses the brutal murder of a snitch by a ruthless drug dealer, she knows she'll be the next one in the gangsta's sights. Out of time and abandoned by everyone but her cousin Carmen, Yoshi's goin' to have to learn to fight back if she wants to live another day.

The Cartel 1 by Ashley & JaQuavis

The port of Miami brings in millions of dollars worth of cocaine every year, and The Cartel controls eighty percent of it. The Diamond family is a force to be reckoned with, but all hell breaks loose when they lose their leader. The most ruthless gangster Miami has ever seen, Carter Diamond leaves behind a wife, twin sons, a daughter, and a secret. The secret is his illegitimate son, Carter Jones. When Young Carter learns of his father's death, he comes to town and is introduced to the legacy of The Cartel.

Miamor is a woman who uses her beauty to enhance her skill as a contract killer. She is the leader of The Murder Mamas. When her crew is hired to take down The Cartel, they get caught slipping, and Miamor loses her sister in the process. She is determined to get revenge from The Cartel. Unknowingly, she meets the son of Carter Diamond, and he immediately catches her heart. She is sleeping with the enemy, and when she finds out, she is torn between love and revenge. Young Carter and Miamor lead two different lifestyles. They are on opposing teams, and when their worlds collide, the truth will be unveiled in an unpredictable ending.

This is the first volume of "The Cartel" series.

The Family Business by Carl Weber & Eric Pete

L.C. Duncan, patriarch of the family, is at the age when he's starting to think about retirement in sunny Florida. But the recession is taking a bite out of the business and, worrying more, he has to decide which of his children should take over. When his workaholic son Orlando gets the nod, Orlando's siblings - including the favorite son Vegas, conniving daughter London, glamorous party girl Paris and flamboyant nightclub owner Rio - are up in arms. But so are the Zunigas, a rival family whose fragile business alliance with the Duncans may explode at any moment.

When Vegas suddenly breaks away from the family, London's lawyer husband, Harris, makes a play for the company and all hell breaks loose. Selling cars, it turns out, is only a small part of the Duncans' family business. Each member of the family has a secret expertise to reveal. And now, under siege from the Mafia, Mexican drug cartels and the Zunigas, the Duncans will have to stick together - or die separately!

This is the first volume of the "Family Business" series.

[nuadox]

What is a virtual power plant? An energy expert explains

- By Daniel Cohan , Rice University , The Conversation -

After nearly two decades of stagnation, U.S. electricity demand is surging, driven by growing numbers of electric cars, data centers and air conditioners in a warming climate.

But traditional power plants that generate electricity from coal, natural gas or nuclear energy are retiring faster than new ones are being built in this country. Most new supply is coming from wind and solar farms, whose output varies with the weather.

That’s left power companies seeking new ways to balance supply and demand. One option they’re turning to is virtual power plants.

These aren’t massive facilities generating electricity at a single site. Rather, they are aggregations of electricity producers, consumers and storers – collectively known as distributed energy resources – that grid managers can call on as needed.

Some of these sources, such as batteries, may deliver stored electric power. Others may be big electricity consumers, such as factories, whose owners have agreed to cut back their power use when demand is high, freeing up energy for other customers. Virtual power sources typically are quicker to site and build, and can be cleaner and cheaper to operate, than new power plants.

Virtual power plants are more resilient against service outages than large, centralized generating stations because they distribute energy resources across large areas.

A growing resource

Virtual power plants aren’t new. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that there are already 30 to 60 gigawatts of them in operation today. A gigawatt is 1 billion watts – roughly the output of 2.5 million solar photovoltaic panels or one large nuclear reactor.

Most of these virtual power plants are industrial customers that have agreed to reduce demand when conditions are tight. But as growing numbers of homes and small businesses add rooftop solar panels, batteries and electric cars, these energy customers can become not only consumers but also suppliers of power to the grid.

For example, homeowners can charge up their batteries with rooftop solar when it’s sunny, and discharge power back to the grid in the evening when demand is high and prices sometimes spike.

As smart thermostats and water heaters, rooftop solar panels and batteries enable more customers to participate in them, DOE estimates that virtual power plants could triple in scale by 2030. That could cover roughly half of the new capacity that the U.S. will need to cover growing demand and replace retiring older power plants. This growth would help to limit the cost of building new wind and solar farms and gas plants.

And because virtual power plants are located where electricity is consumed, they’ll ease the burden on aging transmission systems that have struggled to add new lines.

New roles for power customers

Virtual power plants scramble the roles of electricity producers and consumers. Traditional power plants generate electricity at central locations and transmit it along power lines to consumers. For the grid to function, supply and demand must be precisely balanced at all times.

Customer demand is typically assumed to be a given that fluctuates with the weather but follows a fairly predictable pattern over the course of a day. To satisfy it, grid operators dispatch a mix of baseload sources that operate continuously, such as coal and nuclear plants, and more flexible sources such as gas and hydropower that can modulate their output quickly as needed.

Output from wind and solar farms rises and falls during the day, so other sources must operate more flexibly to keep supply and demand balanced. Still, the basic idea is that massive facilities produce power for millions of passive consumers.

Virtual power plants upend this model by embracing the fact that consumers can control their electricity demand. Industrial consumers have long found ways to flex their operations, limiting demand when power supplies are tight in return for incentives or discounted rates.

Now, thermostats and water heaters that communicate with the grid can let households modulate their demand too. For example, smart electric water heaters can heat water mostly when power is abundant and cheap, and limit demand when power is scarce.

In Vermont, Green Mountain Power is offering its customers incentives to install batteries that will provide power back to the grid when it’s needed most. In Texas, where I live, deadly blackouts in 2021 highlighted the importance of bolstering our isolated power grid. Now, utilities here are using Tesla Powerwalls to help turn homes into virtual power sources. South Australia aims to connect 50,000 homes with solar and batteries to build that country’s largest virtual power plant.

Virtual power, real challenges

Virtual power plants aren’t a panacea. Many customers are reluctant to give up even temporary control of their thermostats, or have a delay when charging their electric car. Some consumers are also concerned about the security and privacy of smart meters. It remains to be seen how many customers will sign up for these emerging programs and how effectively their operators will modulate supply and demand.

There also are challenges at the business end. It’s a lot harder to manage millions of consumers than dozens of power plants. Virtual power plant operators can overcome that challenge by rewarding customers for allowing them to flex their supply and demand in a coordinated fashion.

As electricity demand rises to meet the needs of growing economies and replace fossil fuel-burning cars and furnaces, and reliance on renewable resources increases, grid managers will need all the flexibility they can get to balance the variable output of wind and solar generation. Virtual power plants could help reshape electric power into an industry that’s more nimble, efficient and responsive to changing conditions and customers’ needs.

Daniel Cohan, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

--

Read Also

Australia: Farmers are famously self-reliant. Why not use farm dams as mini-hydro plants?

[digipreeth]

Ten Ideas to Reduce Business Taxes

Ten Ideas to Reduce Business Taxes

Tax reductions might be quite advantageous for you as a small business owner. Careful planning will enable you to reduce your taxable income. Here are 10 ideas that will help you reduce your business taxes.

A challenging undertaking for a corporation or small business is submitting business taxes. Nobody enjoys contributing their hard-earned money to the government. But income tax is a harsh truth that business owners must also accept. Even if you are unable to escape this responsibility, there may be ways to lessen your tax liabilities.

Here are some ideas on how to lower your business's taxes.

Hire a family member

Hiring a family member is one of the best ways to save on business taxes.

Another way small business owners might reduce their taxes is by hiring partners. These taxes can be omitted from taxable revenue since the corporation is in charge of paying them, which decreases the total expenditure of the business.

If you want to learn more about these taxes and financial management, we suggest you check into comprehensive education at HINDUSTAN ONLINE CODE. With their Masters in Finance degree, you might try to have a thorough comprehension of this subject.

A deposit account for retirement

There are a number of retirement plan choices with the biggest benefits when it comes to saving for retirement. They also offer a number of tax benefits that might be quite advantageous. A wide range of retirement plan options that can be very helpful for small business taxation is available on the IRS website.

The purchase of utilities

If you're an entrepreneur who uses your phone and automobile for legitimate business purposes, you can designate these charges as utilities or business expenditures. These expenses might consist of ongoing fees, one-time fees, or upfront payments. This is one of the best tax tips since it might help your small business pay less in taxes by categorizing these expenses as business expenses.

Hotel and Travel expenses

Business-related responsibilities typically require entrepreneurs to travel between regions. One tip for reducing small business taxes is to always pay for such expenses out of the company's account rather than your personal one.

For instance, your company account indicates that you spent around Rs. 5 lakhs on this charge if your yearly salary is Rs. 20 lakhs. The travel expenses in this situation may be deductible as business expenses for tax purposes. You would only be responsible for paying tax on the remaining 15 lakh rupees in this scenario.

Health Insurance Cost

Tax deductions for medical insurance premiums under Rs. 25, 000 are available to business owners. According to Section 80D of the Indian Income Tax Act, this insurance might be for the dependent parents, spouses, or kids of the entrepreneur. However, business owners whose firms are their second employment and whose employer already covers their medical insurance expenses won't be affected by this tax advice.

Don't forget to look for the suitable Masters in Finance online program, HINDUSTAN ONLINE - CODE. They might provide excellent solutions for managing the finances of your business and substantially assist you in comprehending these taxes.

Spend your money on Marketing.

In this age of digitalization, you must give up outdated outbound marketing techniques and transition to digital and inbound marketing for your services and products. This has two benefits.

First of all, inbound marketing will increase your company's growth and reach. Second, they offer tax assistance because all of your marketing expenses are tax deductible. Therefore, you could also be able to save money in this area. Put any extra money you have at the end of the year on marketing and advertising to save on taxes.

Avoid paying in Cash for anything.

If your cash transaction, as per your records, is more than Rs. 20,000 a day for a single individual, your transaction would be void, according to the Indian Income Tax Office.

This nullification will result in you paying more taxes for your small business than you otherwise would have. Any transaction that costs more than Rs. 20,000 should ideally be done through a bank. As a consequence, rather than paying more tax than necessary and adding to your financial burden, you will instead pay the same amount as you would have otherwise.

Depreciation

Increasing depreciation above and beyond what has previously been accounted for might reduce corporate taxes. This is so that if an entrepreneur installs new machinery during the year, they can benefit from the 20% higher depreciation provision of Section 35AD. Another idea to lessen the burden of taxes is this.

Consider the scenario where you buy new equipment and take the regular 25% depreciation deduction but forget to take the additional 20% deduction. Because the increased depreciation may only be claimed in the first year, the 20% tax increase in this example led to more taxes being paid and represented a missed opportunity. Therefore, keep this advice in mind while configuring new equipment.

Lending

Donating money to a worthwhile charity is a great tax-saving tip as well. This is special advice since it enables you to carry out noble activities while still lowering your tax obligation. Giving, however, only allows you to lower your tax liability when you are funding IRS-approved nonprofits. You are entitled to a 100% tax deduction if your donation goes to one of the following: registered charities, political parties, or the PM Relief Fund.

Loan interest on mortgages

One of the finest tax tips is that you may deduct the interest you pay on your house loan from your income tax if your business is linked to your PAN card.

Section 80C permits an annual tax deduction of up to Rs. 1.5 lakhs by including the interest on any house loans. This information ought to convince you to get a mortgage to build or buy a house since it will reduce your tax responsibilities.

The Final Verdict

There are a number of ways to reduce business taxes, provided that you make sound arrangements. Your taxable income may be reduced, which might be advantageous if you operate a small business.