Nikon Rumors Forum

where there’s smoke there’s forum fire

1. 

   NikoDoby
   

   The Terminator
   Joined: May '09
   Posts: 6,598

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   I know, I know such horrible news. Who are we going to look up to if Ken shuts down?! No more left-handed Nikon prototype pictures, no more reviews of non-existing camera gear, and worst of all...no more Chuck Norris jokes!!! :^(

   A new tax law in California is closer to becoming law and if it passes then that state will collect taxes from companies who do online business through internet affiliate programs. To avoid paying tax most online retailers like Amazon, BHphoto, Adorama, will no longer pay websites to be affiliates in the state of California.

   So Ken will no longer have an income to support his growing family! I know, I know so sad huh. He'll probably have to sell his Leica M9 just to put food on the table! So horrible! And OMG what about his D40? He'll have to sell that too!

   OK OK let's keep this discussion civil and just talk about the ramification this new tax law could have on those of you who live in California. Let's NOT make this into an ugly Ken is awesome versus Ken is stupid back and forth.

   Posted 3 years ago #
2. 

   PB PM
   

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   Awww poor Ken, so sad. In some ways it is, there is some good information on the site about older lenses.

   Posted 3 years ago #
3. 

   [NR] admin
   

   [NR] admin
   Joined: Mar '09
   Posts: 547

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   I would not worry so much - he will just have to open a company (or even a PO box) in another state or the Cayman Islands and everything will be fine again.

   Posted 3 years ago #
4. 

   NikoDoby
   

   The Terminator
   Joined: May '09
   Posts: 6,598

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   LOL. I guess that's your plan to fight the tax if it comes to NR's home state, right admin? Oh I forgot the Nikonrumor servers are based in Switzerland!

   Posted 3 years ago #
5. 

   [NR] admin
   

   [NR] admin
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   The big difference is that I have a "regular" job and do not rely on income from my blogs to pay my bills :) so NikonRumors is safe! If I have to drop all affiliates today, I will not shut down his blog (plus for me the affiliate income is not that great as it could be for KR).

   Posted 3 years ago #
6. 

   Regulator75
   

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   Joined: Aug '09
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   People still visit his site?

   Posted 3 years ago #
7. 

   shivaswrath
   

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   Joined: Mar '09
   Posts: 841

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   lolz . . .no true loss, NR Admin sates my NAS and ByTHOM for reviews. . .

   Posted 3 years ago #
8. 

   NikoDoby
   

   The Terminator
   Joined: May '09
   Posts: 6,598

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   admin said:
   The big difference is that I have a "regular" job and do not rely on income from my blogs to pay my bills :)

   Wow, how many Polish Pimps do we have in this forum?! ;^)

   Regulator75 said:
   People still visit his site?

   The man makes six figures from his website! That's based just on internet traffic to his site!

   Posted 3 years ago #
9. 

   warprints
   

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   Alas, poor Ken, we knew him well.

   Posted 3 years ago #
10. 

    Willis
    

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    I do have to say that it is truly bad legislation.

    Putting together a system in which some e-tailers have to pay income tax and others do not is patently unfair. The system is broken right now, and if the bill passes, it will get even worse in California.

    Posted 3 years ago #
11. 

    ted2001
    

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    I signed the petition against the tax law changes, would disadvantage anyone blogging from California. If they want tax revenue, they need to find better ways of getting it.

    Posted 3 years ago #
12. 

    PB PM
    

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    California needs to tax those greedy movie stars more, that should get them more cash than from a few bloggers.

    Posted 3 years ago #
13. 

    mb
    

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    His poor wife would probably have to sell this humble 521 horsepower minivan! How on earth she will bring all the groceries needed by this growing family?
    

    Posted 3 years ago #
14. 

    ted2001
    

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    Whether Ken shuts his website is secondary. This tax change will hurt many others you might not want to ridicule.

    Posted 3 years ago #
15. 

    QuadraPixel
    

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    PB PM said:
    California needs to tax those greedy movie stars more, that should get them more cash than from a few bloggers.

    They don't need to tax the movie stars, they need to tax the "Church" of Scientology! That would solve all their tax problems ;)

    Posted 3 years ago #
16. 

    Meinrad
    

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    Joined: Nov '09
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    I know it is popular to dump on Ken Rockwell. But:
    1. The legislation is bad.
    2. His Nikkor lens compatibility chart is really really useful.
    3. His D700 short guide was the last straw I needed to convert to Nikon.

    The man can't be all bad. . . ;-))

    Posted 3 years ago #
17. 

    adamz
    

    The Predator
    Joined: Mar '09
    Posts: 3,461

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    KR - who's that ?

    Posted 3 years ago #
18. 

    Graphicnatured
    

    senior member
    Joined: Jan '10
    Posts: 89

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    I don't have a problem with KR, and I hope he doesn't have to shut down his site. To lose your income when you have a family is a nightmare for a human being and a dad, which in the end is all Ken is.

    That being said, as a guy who lives in California, I'm sick and tired of this state screwing over it's people because the guys at the top are bumbling idiots. Our state pays so much to nowhere worthwhile then taxes the crap out of us to make up for it. We're the highest taxed state in the US and our state needs more money from us? Where is it all going? Automobile and property tax, income tax, sales tax, tax to wipe your "A." It's absolutely ridiculous and it's unfortunate that it's inevitable this new bill will pass.

    I won't spend a dime on anything expensive here in Cali if I can find it on Amazon. Why should I give morons a huge chunk of cash so they can take trips or re-furnish their office? I'll have to send money to my dad who lives in Oregon If I want something off Amazon.

    Posted 3 years ago #
19. 

    ted2001
    

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    California is a net exporter of tax money to the rest of the US. Some states like Wyoming and the Dakotas get much more Federal money than they are taxed. It helps to have disproportionate representation (the Senate). On the other hand, I'd rather live in California than any other state.

    Posted 3 years ago #
20. 

    NSXType-R
    

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    What's wrong with NY? :D

    Posted 3 years ago #
21. 

    poster
    

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    Ahh, poor Ken. RIP

    He died doing what he loved.

    Posted 3 years ago #
22. 

    anjz
    

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    I disagree with some of the stuff that he says. But, his site is still one of the three that I check before I make any camera or lens purchases. Hope he doesn't lose his business.

    Posted 3 years ago #
23. 

    AaronFoto
    

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    Maybe it's time for an overhaul of the whole sales tax regime. It's ridiculous. Our sales and use tax laws are all from the time of mail order catalogs and haven't been updated since Al Gore invented the internet. The states obviously can't figure it out on their own because they all keep trying to screw each other. How about the federal government step in at some point.

    It also looks like it's time for Ken to find a new resident state. Amazon refuses to have California nexus, maybe Ken should follow suit.

    Posted 3 years ago #
24. 

    ted2001
    

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    Leaving your state isn't really an option for a lot of people, particularly for working couples. It will be unfortunate if tax policy has unintended consequences that hurt average citizens, I don't even want to lose Ken.

    Posted 3 years ago #
25. 

    AaronFoto
    

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    ted2001 said:
    Leaving your state isn't really an option for a lot of people, particularly for working couples. It will be unfortunate if tax policy has unintended consequences that hurt average citizens, I don't even want to lose Ken.

    That's the point exactly. He won't be working if he stays in California. So actually staying in California would not be an option.

    However, I do think he is making it sound worse than it really is. I don't think anything will be happening that soon. Look at Amazon's New York case. But as a state tax specialist at a large CPA firm, I can tell you that both this CA bill and the New York case are HUGE. Eventually, the Supreme court is going to take one of these economic nexus sales/use tax cases and sort it all out.

    Posted 3 years ago #

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