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Learning To Live with Less

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

One of the things that is happening is that we are in a period of deflation internationally.  At this point in time, in history, most nations are fighting problems with too many people out of work, in debt and with too much “stuff”.  Warehouses in China aren’t the only places that are filled with “stuff”. There has been a tremendous amount of over-production and we are in the process of destroying assets.

The problem is that people need to still work as we go through the period of deflation that is trying to happen.  Banks, businesses and companies are trying to make money and the secret, in my opinion, is to let deflation happen and rebuild slowly as things settle down. 

Regardless of the debt that people and nations have, it is all a relative value.  Does it matter to you if your share of the Federal debt is $300,000 or $300 if you are out of work and hungry?  That’s right, it doesn’t make a bit of difference, does it?  The number one thing that has to happen is to create more jobs.

It is happening and slowly but we have to get our values readjusted along with this to be comfortable with living with less.  Sales of my book on Practical Money Making are up because people are looking for suggestions on living on what they have.  People are saving more and we need to return to more of a community mindset where we are concerned for what is happening locally with our neighbors and what is going on around us.  Sure, it is great to be concerned with what is going on internationally but as local infrastructures break down (and that includes the people in the communities who need work), we need to channel our attention and energies to helping people around us.

This isn’t touchy feely talk.  It is a practical consideration.  I want my neighbors to be working, well fed and healthy.  There will be less chance that they will try and break into other houses, commit crimes etc if they aren’t getting their basic needs met.  The same holds true for my neighbors in regards with me.

People are realizing that they can get by with less stuff and are going to greater lengths to get things “eee”ed. By “eee”ed I mean as in “free”.  One of the things I am looking into is time banks.  I will let you know as I go forward my thoughts and experiences with them.  That may be a great way to get services especially for people who are out of work, disabled or just need somebody from the community to help them out!  The American spirit is one of helping one another out.  My direction these days to get the focus back on the people local to us.

As a quick note, tax season is coming up in a few months and if you need any advice or suggestions please drop me a line.  Thanks for reading my posts and keeping me popular!

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

Learning To Live with Less

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Care and Feeding of your Curio & Relic Firearms

Friday, August 13th, 2010

I get a lot of e-mails asking me about cleaning firearms. In fact, I think that is a sub-culture among people who collect things of any kind.  Part of the enjoyment of being obsessive and compulsive is spending an inordinate amount of time cleaning and displaying whatever it is you are collecting.  Whether it is a firearm, comic book, rare plate, automobile – you add your own choice here – people who collect tend be slavishly dedicated to keeping their love clean.

Personally in the case of firearms, I don’t collect anything that I couldn’t shoot.  It is the same thing when I collected and sold comic books.  The first and foremost idea in my mind is not to put the article up on a stand and worship it but what joy can I get out of using it?  Ah, that means in my case I don’t collect priceless objects d’art that can’t be manhandled or fired, right?  In my case, right.

If you have the money, time and inclination to go ahead and preserve something in museum-like quality, please do.  I for one, don’t have the space, time or money for it.  So to get back to firearm cleanliness.

I always start my cleaning of any firearm from the inside out.  The reason is pretty straightforward.  The firing mechanisms need to be free from powder, collective shmotz and dirt and the parts of the mechanisms that need to be lubricated have to be cleaned.  I work my way going out and take it from there.

On regular firearms I try to keep the weapon as clean as I possibly can.  On the Curio & Relic, not so much because I am concerned about ruining what is left of any original finish, markings, design, etc.  Soap and water and proper drying does wonders a lot better than cleaning compounds with acetone and stuff like that.

If you look at hardcore collectors, the exterior of the firearm is very much important in the determining the value of the item.  This is true in anything that you collect.  How many times have you seen people with baseball cards, comic books, (you fill in the blank) scream when their favorite item gets a fold, tear or scrape?

If that is the case, you shouldn’t bother shooting the weapon and leave it in the box, untouched with the certificate of authenticity.  My one question is – is there a market fifty years from now for a rare, limited edition piece that perhaps fewer and fewer people are interested in?   For a true, scarce item like a limited edition 1800s Colt, sure.  You have a museum piece and if it were up to me, I would sell it or donate it now and get the taxcredit and whatever I can to make a profitable deal.  You may want to leave it to heirs but how many of them will pass it on and what happens three generations down the line?  The way people are in need of cash the first thing I hear from a lot of people is “Ohhh, I bet that is worth a lot of money.” 

For people who collect, there are some things more important than money and sometimes that isn’t passed along or acquired in later generations.

Got way off the topic of cleaning here, didn’t I?

Thanks for continuing to support my log book on Curio & Relics.  If you are getting (or already have) a Federal Firearms Curio & Relics FFL 03 license this bound book is for you.  Hundreds of people have said it is a great bargain and besides being made in America, will have the added benefit of having part of all proceeds from the sales going to find a cure for Rett Syndrome.  Rett affects a girl born every 15 minutes.  Boys born with the Rett gene generally die at birth.

Be well gang!

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

Care and Feeding of your Curio & Relic Firearms

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Localizing Economies

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Have you noticed that wherever you live, if you have cash, you can get anything you want shipped to you from all over the world? This is the miracle of a global economy and now, part of the curse. Because of over-production, hoarding and people being out of work, there is a glut of manufactured goods like automobiles, dishwashers, big screen monitors, you name it- there is a lot of it. The problem? People can’t afford it. Folks are hanging onto their money because they are scared that things are going from bad to worse.

It sure seems that way at times and with total dependence on long supply lines, “just in time shipping” and warehouses with goods half a planet away, people everywhere – especially in the United States – need to start developing their own economies by starting businesses. I applaud the Administration’s work with the infrastructure construction. Bridges and highway building cannot easily be outsourced and cannot be bootlegged as a download. It creates work and the workers will spend their money here in the US locally. We need more jobs and we need to have all of us write our leaders and tell them to change tax laws to make them favorable for business. We need more government programs where actual development and construction gets money pumped here at the grass roots where we need it.

On a lighter note, please check out my book on “Practical Gaming” available on Amazon. One of my readers actually took my advice on his $200 No Limit Poker play (as well as info he said he gleaned from my other books) and made a nice $1500 profit at a $200 NL table. Great work, Casey.  My books are written and published here in the United States.  Part of all my book proceeds go to Rett Syndrome Research.  Thanks again for being here and be healthy, safe, happy and wise.  May your prosperity increase as well.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

Localizing Economies

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Kim and Browning Dual 308 Machine Gun

Monday, July 5th, 2010

I went to the Turner’s Sportsman Show they had recently (first weekend in June if memory serves) and while checking out the different vendors there was a guy who offered up a chance to shoot a Dual Browning 308 machine gun for something like 20 bucks for 20 bullets (or was it ten?).  It was pricey -- $40 -- but I figured how often will I get a chance to shoot a Dual 308 gun.  I also didn’t realize how portly I was and if nothing else it was money well spent to get me exercising more to drop the bullet gut.  In California you aren’t allowed to have a full auto machine gun as a Curio & Relic and in fact you have to be very careful of the laws in whatever state that you live in.  The machine gun is lousy for varmint hunting though it may be great for your neighborhood watch meetings  :) .   At the price point for that particular gun I think they are in the tens to twenties of thousands and you are better off making car or mortgage payments with the money :) .  Stay healthy, happy, try to get wealthy and be safe, gang!

July 05 2010

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

Kim and Browning Dual 308 Machine Gun -- A Tough Way To Shoot Varmints

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Greenblatt Business Expense and Mileage Log Book Now Out

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Here is a sweet bargain in tracking business expenses, mileage and planning your monthly business budget for income tax purposes. The Greenblatt Business Expense and Mileage Log Book allows for up to 18 months of entries to help you document and track your self-employment business expenses for income tax puposes. The book also has entries for logging quarterly estimated income tax payments for the Fed estimated taxes and up to 3 States estimated tax payments. No other book or log on the market has anything like it.

The book is broken into 18 sections where you first can log your budget planning versus your actual expenses, your business mileage, your medical and charitable miles and has room for extra notes. You enter the months and years so stock up on several copies. If you have ever been audited by the IRS or respective state taxing authorities you already know that you need to have great documentation.

This log can help you as well as remind you to track your receipts. The cost of this book may also qualify as a business expense for your self-employed business. Just keep this log book in your car, shoulder bag, knapsack, iPad case, or anywhere where you need to easily track your business expenses.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt has been successfully helping people prepare taxes for over eight years and is also the author of several best sellers including “Bad Tax Idea, Good Tax Idea”. Part of all sales from all of his books go to researching a cure for Rett Syndrome. A girl is born with Rett Syndrome once every fifteen minutes. Boys born with the Rett gene usually die at birth.

Greenblatt Business Expense and Mileage Log Book

Publisher: Kim Greenblatt

Imprint: Kim Greenblatt

ISBN/SKU: 1606220055 ISBN

Complete: 978-1-60622-005-4

Book Type: B&W 8.25 x 11 in or 280 x 210 mm Perfect Bound on White

Page Count: 88

Market Pricing United States 9.99 USD

The GREENBLATT BUSINESS EXPENSE AND MILEAGE LOG BOOK published by Kim Greenblatt is out now. . The price is a very reasonable $9.99 plus shipping and handling. California residents will have to pay sales tax. You can order the book in the United States of America here.  It also is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and the usual Internet and brick and mortar places.

After all, how can you resist a cute picture of Angel, our purebred Labrador Retriever?  Stay healthy and happy gang.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

Greenblatt Business Expense and Mileage Log Book Now Out

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FFL 03 Curio and Relic Book Video Now Online

Monday, May 10th, 2010

Hi gang.   Based on popular demand, I changed the format for the Curio & Relic Book FFL 03 Bound Book.  Here is a video for it (and yes, it is a quick and dirty video so I don’t need to be told that it sucks, thank you).  It now has a total column look to it as in the sample pages that are part of the Curio & Relic examples.  There were concerns about the book and you can see for yourself now that the book has columns.  It still has room for over 400 entries and yes, if you have more than 400 firearms, please buy another book, would you?  Part of the proceeds from all my sales go to researching a cure for Rett Syndrome.  Rett affects a girl born every fifteen minutes.  Boys born with the Rett gene generally die at birth.  Also where do you live that you can store safely over 400 hundred guns? Please think about opening a museum and charging admission at that point. Thanks and as I point out in the book in the opening, remember that you have friends and family that love you so once in awhile get away from the hobby and say hi to them.  Addictive personalities?  What addictive personalities?   Be safe and happy collecting!

I will get around to doing one showing actual firearms one of these days when I get more free time (ha ha). In case I haven’t overstated it enough, make sure that you are always in a clear and sane frame of mind whenever you are handling firearms. Please respect all firearms and always always treat them as if they were loaded. Stay healthy as well, gang.

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

FFL 03 Curio and Relic Book Video Now Online Here

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Tax Planning for 2010 With Debt Issues

Monday, April 19th, 2010

One of the biggest things I saw this year was forgiven debt.  The debt that some of my clients had was 1099-A and 1099-C debt which came from the short sale of a house or simply getting foreclosed on.

This is a huge sticker shock for a lot of people and you can save yourself a lot of wholesale aggrevation by anticipating that you will get the forms if you are short selling your home or if you have lost it due to non-payment.

The bank treats it as a forgiven debt and shows that you have, on paper at least, received income in the form of “free money” or debt reduction.

What happens is that you are forgiven some or all of your debt but the bank or creditor issues you a 1099-A or 1099-C that shows you how much debt was forgiven and the value of the propery.  If this is going to happen to you during 2010, please make sure that you complete a bankruptcy or insolvency worksheet.  You need to be able to show what your net worth was just before the bankruptcy or loss of the house and the purpose for it is so that when you try to complete Form 982 (Reduction of Tax Attributes Due to Discharge of Indebtedness (and Section 1082 Basis Adjustment)).  You might be able get waived the taxes you will be charged on your forgiven debt that way.

If you have any tax questions.  Drop me a line.

April 19 2010

Tax Planning for 2010 With Debt Issues

Be safe and sane people.

Sincerely,

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

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Services We Can’t Live Without

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

Today there was an article on the web on how manufacturing will probably not come back to the US and for that I have to say – nonsense. Companies can compete and manufacture here, they just have to have domestic markets to sell the goods to locally. We can’t do much until we get back to full employment and from the looks of things that may be several years away. In the meantime, if you are looking for “must have” services that will be needed you may want to check these services out as possible careers. Bear in mind that the economy has hit them too so expect cuts in these professions as well.

Medical Field – I think too many people are jumping into this already. I see so many people going into nursing and I predict a glut of nurses in five to ten years. People will keep getting sick and they will need places to get better. They will also need people to care for them.

Security – People will need police or security to keep them and their neighborhoods safe. Already gated communities have their own security forces though they stop short at carrying automatic weapons. Generally speaking, guards don’t make a lot of money.

Fire protection services – working in Fire Departments or anything to protect yourself from fires or deal with them looks to be a continuously growing business. It may be my imagination but I think with recent dry seasons in California and other places nationwide there is a need for firemen (budgets permitting) and fire prevention services.

Sanitation – People will be needing to have their garbage taken from them.  Literally.  Unless you are living in a farm and heavy into composting, worm farming and using things that can easily be broken down, you need somebody to haul your mess away from you.  The garbage business may be a dirty gig but it will continue to be around for a very long time.

Thanks for making my Curio & Relics book number #26 in the Firearms section, gang. Keep telling people about the book.

Be safe, healthy, wealthy and wise.

Mar 16 2010

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

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Manufacturing Is Needed In US Now

Monday, March 8th, 2010

I have been screaming to anybody who would listen for the last few years that we need to get manufacturing going in the US again.  Even if it is using computers, robots and minimal human intervention, we need to restore our manufacturing base here in the US. 

Granted, there are some businesses with heavy machinery and some aircraft that are made here but those tend to be few and they don’t employ as many people as we need to get working again.

People, you need to get your Congressional leaders going to start opening up funds to create work locally in the cities and states here in the country.  Unemployment is going to run out for people sooner and later and rather than the slow death of people running out of work and money, how about we start turning the beast that is our economy around now and start getting people employed.

More incentives for US citizens need to be employed and work that is in-shore and not off-shored.  Don’t get me wrong, I think internationally but for the long term survival of our nation we need to rebuild nationally.

Tax time is here and the season is over in about five or so weeks.  If there is anything you need worked on, I am still taking clients.

If you are interested in starting a manufacturing company, please drop me a line and let’s talk.

Thanks for your continued support for my Curio & Relics book.  It is going well and for all of you who are interested in more firearm books, please drop me a line because I am taking requests from my readers (since they are ultimately my audience and critics) of what you want me to publish next.

Be safe, sane and have a great time everybody.

Mar 08 2010

Kim Greenblatt

Manufacturing Is Needed In US Now

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Packing Pistols, Shotguns and National Parks

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

Packing Pistols, Shotguns and National Parks

Here is a great Washington’s Birthday entry for you, gang.

A couple of people asked me to comment about my thoughts on the new law that is allowing guns in National Parks from a practical point of view (probably because I have a line of practical books and a book out on Curio & Relics FFL bound books).

Taking the emotional out of the decision and looking at it from the practical and profitable angle, here is a brief anecdote and my thoughts on the matter.

Back in 1979 when I first wanted to go camping up in Northern California a co-worker (a Hindi lady, not for any discrimination designation but for clarification as to the surprise on my end at her question) asked me, “Kim, do you have a gun?  You shouldn’t go camping without a gun.”

The lady was a small, attractive girl who stated that she carryed a .38 when she went camping and her husband had one as well.  I don’t remember her name or where she might be but the images and question still sticks with me.

Back then, people were taking firearms to National Parks with or without permission of the Federal or State government.  I suspect what was true then has been true for the whole 90 some years that the park service has not allowed firearms in their parks.  One did not hear in the news of dozens slain in national park gun fights or drive-bys.

People who have no respect for the law will carry firearms whether they are allowed to or not.  My own take is that the Federal law regarding National Parks is now aligned with the state laws.  I don’t see a mass of shootings in national parks or an increase in drunken or drug related self blasting because for the most part, the people who are licensed to carry firearms who will now be allowed to carry them will still have the same mindset they did before entering the national park.

I think park animal poaching has been going on regardless if firearms are allowed or not and the solution in my mind from a business sense is to allow national park rangers who want to be trained to carry firearms.  That would eliminate the problems with rangers being in the statistical data (from what I have been told) as the law enforcement group to most likely get shot.

People who are saying that they are scared now of going into parks should stop and think practically that people were already carrying guns, drugs, booze and all sorts of contraband and quasi-legal goodies into parks and there hasn’t always been a ranger nearby to help.  The key words that come to mind are deterrent and compliance with local laws.

If people are in compliance with local laws regarding purchasing firearms, have had training, I feel more comfortable knowing that there are other people in the parks who are armed who can come to my aid if things go nuts.  What can go nuts?  It isn’t uncommon for people to grow marijuana in hidden parts of fields, parks, etc and they tend to be possesive of their product.   As shocking as it may sound, people may be hiding out from the authorities in national parks.

It comes to mind that a lot of the people doing illegal things in national parks who were carrying firearms illegally may think about moving on if they think that campers coming in might have more firepower than they have or have more armed people in their family outing.  Again, these are just hypotheticals.

I would think that any threat from terrorists, from within or without, would tend not to originate from parks in the future knowing that there are people who aren’t afraid of protecting themselves while they are vacationing.

Are parks still going to be a place to relax?  Absolutely.

Will some people still get involved with shooting accidents?  Absolutely but I don’t think it will be any more than statistically happen today.

If there is an issue, I respectfully submit that we issue forest rangers shotguns and beef up the ranger force in states where the expectation that there will be more crime.  It will be a win-win situation because more rangers would be more employed people and visitors to Yellowstone could feel safer that there were more rangers around.

In the meantime, I suspect this will simmer down to a non-event and people need to focus on more important concerns, like getting a manufacturing base going back in America and getting us back to full employment.

Be happy, healthy, wealthy, safe and wise.

Feb 22 2010

Kim Isaac Greenblatt

Packing Pistols, Shotguns and National Parks

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