Measure 66 & 67

Measure 66 & 67

I simply can not imagine how raising the total annual corporate taxes on businesses in Oregon from $10/year to $150/year is going to lead to lost jobs. Only at the very, very, very bottom end of the spectrum is this going to cause problems for a business. And honestly, if they’re this close to the financial line anyways, they need to be out of business totally, or simply run better.

I can see where taxes on families that make more the $250,000 a year, or single people that make more then $125,000 a year might be more controversial. But I really can’t imagine why. My wife and I don’t even come near the $125,000 a year together, yet I’m willing to step up with higher taxes if need be. The additional taxes are negligible in the grand scheme of things.

What is REALLY ticking me off is the commercials on the radio right now, essentially blaming the current tax short fall on OVERSPENDING in the Oregon Congress. This is despite the fact that Congress was facing a Four billion dollar short fall, managed to pull that down to two billions, found eight hundred million in a rainy day fund and are only expecting to get another seven hundred to eight hundred million out of these taxes which STILL leaves them short.

But people don’t seem to realize that things are already cut hard. No matter what jobs are going to be lost, but not raising these taxes is going to mean more jobs are going to be cut at the level of Fire Departments, Police Departments, Civil Workers at the State and County levels. Oh and School Teachers, especially those at the Community College level.

So think about that before voting NO.

How To: Save Money on your next computer purchase

How To: Save Money on your next computer purchase

Us computer geeks always looking for ways to save money, especially since a recession is very likely. After all, upgrading to a bigger hard drive or more RAM is an expensive but sometimes very needed upgrade!

Luckily in the 21st century there are plenty of choices when it comes to buying computer hardware and accessories. Online services such as Newegg.com and BestBuy.com are good choice if you do not have a decent local store available. In addition to those though are literally hundreds of retailers who’ve taken advantage of the global economy potential in the Internet. Worse yet, they’re all having sales, rebates, and special offers on a daily basis.

Fear not though, there are plenty of online services to help you track down the best prices in hardware. Some of the best are:

  • http://www.techbargains.com
  • http://www.spoofee.com
  • http://www.hot-deals.org
  • In addition, many forums have good buy/sell/trade sections. These are especially good places to get really good deals, plus you’re usually able to post a want list to find the parts you need. Some good forums are:

  • http://www.arstechnica.com
  • http://www.hardocp.com
  • http://www.nekochan.net (good for obscure parts)
  • http://www.markeedragon.com(good for Game Consoles and gaming hardware)
  • Other resources such as Ebay and your local Craigslist are great choices. But remember, try to hit your local retailer first. Just because we live in a Global Economy, it’s not a reason to stop supporting your friends and neighbors.