New Rant(s)

O.K. I'm still stewing over the Paypal issue. However, time moves on and I don't feel as inclined to vent. I'm glad some authors have decided to pursue the avenue of Censorship and even hire counsel to represent them. I still don't understand why the main stream media has not gotten into the act yet. Waiting for BBC or MSNBC or for that matter MSN to run some print articles about it. (Yes, I'm a news junkie and my RSS feed has a plethora of news on it)

My NEW rant is actually a long request for people to boycot H&R Block. My husband and I had one of the worst experiences ever at H&R Block the other night. Our saga starts with being insulted by the tax preparer. She insulted my organizational skills. I have always kept every receipt for an entire year. Then after taxes I throw out what the preparer deems unuseful. (Sorry environment, I actually burn it) I meticulously organize it so that when I'm asked questions by the preparer, I can find everything within a few seconds. This has helped immensly in the past, especially, if we itemize. She spent less than 1/2 an hour with us. She treated me like I was an idiot, and I guess I am for subjecting myself to H&R Block in the first place. She then decided she needed to spend some time looking over our information and would call me to set up a time to sign. I get this call the NEXT day. Your taxes are done, that will be 250$. My husband and I were like WTF. So we went back to the office to pick them up. Then the Preparer on duty tells me. We can not give you an itemized list of your bill. WTF you charged me $250 I'd like to know why. So here is the List H&R Block refused to give me untill I became an unruly client.

$67 base federal form
$21 W2 Calculation of wages
$7 Educator expense Deduction
$12 Interest and Dividends Review
$53 SCH C Profit and Loss of Bus.
$27 8880 Credit for Retirement Cont
$5 Married Filing Joint
$44 PA 40 Tax Return
$5 PA Sch C
$14 PA Sch UE Bus/Ed/Depr
= a Load of Bull SHit

I can understand some of the expenses, but she didn't calculate anything. The computer did. She even complained because I work so many jobs, when all she had to do was type in the amounts my employers provided. I have a business, but I have a computer program that figures everything out before hand all she had to do was again enter the figures. My husband said that he will definitely do them next year. At the rate we were charged he could work 12 hours just on our taxes and we would save money.
So the moral of this story do your taxes yourself. Even if H&R block has a pretty sign and good advertising they are still a business in the habit of thinking they can screw with the little people. And we as Americans wonder why we have so many businesses in trouble. Chalk another one up to corporate greed. If they had charged me half of that amount I probably wouldn't have batted an eye. Sometimes greed does not pay.

I applogize to any one who may work for H&R Block. Maybe all offices are NOT the same. My experience may be a fluke. However, I really don't think so.

Agree to Disagree

My husband and I had a long discussion over this yesterday. The Government/History side of me is appalled that censorship still exists in 2012. However, he pointed out that PayPal is a company that can say who and when they do business. I argued that you can't prevent people of color from sitting at lunch counter even if you are a privately held business, by that statement Paypal can't say who and what transactions they are willing to handle. So now, not only is it censorship, it's also descrimination. He is still siding with Paypal.

Like I said I hope some big authors get involved and take this to court. I would love to see if a court of law would uphold this stance Paypal has taken.

Still stewing over PayPal Erotica Censorship

I've read some of the blog posts now by authors like Selena Kitt. It seems that a lot of Indie authors are being hit pretty hard by the new regulations.

I would like to point out as most witch hunts go, they start small and increase until even those who feel safe are included. (This is the history teacher in me appearing.)

I would like to point out that some pretty famous IN-PRINT. NON Indie authors could be adversly affected by these decisions.

Laurell K Hamilton as I mentioned before talks in her books about "Mind Rape" by Mommie Dearest. Her main character ANITA has even had sex with were animals in animal form.

Beatrice Small a staple from the 80's had several rape scenes written into her books. Some of them were graphic. I remember reading one where it was gang rape.

Even Johanna Lindsey has had at least one book where rape entered into the equation, Silver Angel. While the character ultimately falls in love with her captor she doesn't want the sex at first.

When they are done hunting out and eradicating the Indie authors, I can assure you they will graduate to the more traditional in-print authors.

Even in Salem, eventually they started accusing people of high standing. Think about it...

FYI-PayPal is Delusional

A very famous author named Laurel K Hamilton has included rape and beastiality in her works for years. Millions have read her and purchased her books online. I have even used paypal to do it. Go ebay. The fact that they think they can regulatethis is delusional.

Smashwords and Paypal- Erotica Dispute

I am deeply saddened by Smashwords and Paypal. Two companies I have previously had a lot a lot of business dealings.

First, I am saddened that Smashwords gave in to the demands of PayPal and recatagorized Beastiality, Rape and Incest Erotica. I do not publish these forms of Erotica, but obviously people wouldn't write it if people weren't interested in buying it. To CENSOR an author's work because PayPal has said they can't transact those sales is clearly CENSORSHIP.

1. In protest I say every author who publishes this type of work should make them FREE on Smashwords. Therefore, PayPal will have nothing to transact.

2. Send an Email to PayPal and let them know you don't support their forced CENSORSHIP of Smashwords. Please, If you feel the need CALL PayPal and Complain: 1-888-221-1161 inside the USA, 1-402-935-2050 outside the USA.

3. I hope some group of author's sues the pants off of PayPal. Loss of Royalties...

Secondly, I am saddened by PayPal's thoughts that they can deny the rights of FREE PRESS guaranted in the Bill of Rights. See the above solutions to the problem I've posted above.