Category

Business

Category

Farmers and agricultural enthusiasts understand the importance of proper storage facilities on their properties. Farm sheds play a crucial role in protecting equipment, livestock, and crops from the elements, theft, and other potential hazards. If you’re in the market for farm sheds, this article will serve as a helpful guide to assist you in making an informed decision.

The Versatility of Farm Sheds

Farm sheds, also known as agricultural sheds or barns, are versatile structures designed to cater to a wide range of farming needs.

They come in various shapes and sizes, making them suitable for different applications, including:

  1. Equipment Storage: Farm sheds provide shelter for tractors, plows, and other farming machinery, protecting them from rain, sun, and snow, which can extend their lifespan.
  2. Livestock Housing: These structures can be converted into livestock shelters or barns, ensuring the well-being of your animals by providing a safe and comfortable environment.
  3. Crop Storage: For farmers with substantial yields, farm sheds offer ample space to store harvested crops, protecting them from pests and adverse weather conditions.
  4. Workshop and Maintenance Space: Many farm sheds are equipped with ample space for workshops and maintenance tasks, making it convenient to repair and maintain your farming equipment.
  5. Additional Space: Some farmers choose to use farm sheds as additional storage space for hay, straw, or other agricultural materials.

Factors to Consider When Buying Farm Sheds

Before investing in a farm shed, there are several essential factors to consider to ensure you make the right choice:

  1. Purpose: Determine the primary purpose of your farm shed. Is it for equipment storage, livestock housing, or crop storage? Your needs will influence the design, size, and features of the shed.
  2. Size: Assess the amount of space you require. Ensure the shed is large enough to accommodate your current needs and any potential future expansions.
  3. Material: Farm sheds are typically constructed from materials such as steel, wood, or metal. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages, so choose one that suits your budget and preferences.
  4. Location: Consider where you want to place your farm shed. Accessibility, drainage, and proximity to other structures are crucial factors to ensure the shed’s functionality.
  5. Permits and Regulations: Check with your local authorities regarding any permits or regulations required for building a farm shed on your property. Compliance with zoning laws is essential.
  6. Budget: Establish a budget for your farm shed project, including not just the purchase price but also installation and any additional features or accessories.
  7. Customisation: Determine whether you need any specific features, such as insulation, ventilation, or windows. Customisation can enhance the shed’s functionality and comfort.

Finding Farm Sheds for Sale

Once you’ve identified your needs and preferences, it’s time to start searching for farm sheds for sale. Here are some options to consider:

  1. Local Dealers: Visit local agricultural equipment dealers or suppliers who often have a variety of farm sheds available for sale. They can provide valuable insights and recommendations based on your needs.
  2. Online Marketplaces: Explore online platforms and websites that specialise in agricultural equipment and structures. You can find a wide range of options and compare prices easily.
  3. Custom Builders: If you have specific requirements that cannot be met by pre-built sheds, consider working with a custom shed builder. They can create a tailored solution to meet your needs.
  4. Auctions and Classifieds: Keep an eye on local auctions, classified ads, and agricultural trade publications, where you might find used farm sheds at competitive prices.

Conclusion

Farm sheds are indispensable assets for any farmer or agricultural enthusiast. They offer protection and convenience, enhancing the efficiency and longevity of your farming operations. When searching for farm sheds for sale, remember to consider your specific needs, budget, and local regulations. By carefully evaluating these factors, you’ll be well-prepared to make a wise investment in the right farm shed for your property. Whether it’s for equipment storage, livestock housing, or crop protection, a well-chosen farm shed can significantly improve your farming experience.

[ad_1]

Elon Musk’s recent decision to enact major price cuts for Tesla vehicles has reportedly angered customers who paid significantly more for the same models before the discounts took effect.

Tesla slashed prices for some of its car models by up to 20% in mid-January as it looks to stave off increased competition in the electric vehicle sector and boost sagging demand. The discounts also increased the number of buyers who are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit.

The sharp price cuts meant Tesla owners who bought their cars just weeks earlier likely paid thousands of dollars more than those who waited until January.

Vikas Khanna, a healthcare executive who bought a Tesla Model Y SUV in late December, told the Wall Street Journal that he missed out on about $5,000 in savings. Khanna, a longtime Tesla fan who bought two vehicles in the past, paid about $65,000 for his Model Y.

“It just reminded me and solidified why Tesla, as an organization, is one that I can no longer trust,” Khanna told the outlet.


Tesla
Tesla has also faced backlash from vehicle owners in China.
Getty Images

Khanna added that car pricing should be treated differently than other products that occasionally receive price cuts.

“You don’t take out a loan for an iPhone,” he added.

Another Tesla customer near Atlanta, Kapil Sharma, said he was denied a refund when he approached the company after buying a Model Y just two weeks before the discounts were implemented.

“We do not have a return policy and we do not price match or price adjust completed orders,” the company told him, according to texts reviewed by the Journal.


Tesla
Tesla reported record profit in the fourth quarter.
Getty Images

Elsewhere, a petition started by Tesla-focused YouTuber Dennis Wang, which asks the company to offer free services to people who bought its vehicles last year ahead of the discounts, has garnered more than 6,000 signatures.

Tesla’s price cuts prompted similar outrage in China, where owners demanded refunds and staged a protest outside the company’s Shanghai facility earlier this month.

Owners have also grumbled about a decline in the value of used Tesla vehicles, prices of which plunged 17% from a peak of $67,297 in July to $55,754 in November, according to a recent Reuters report. Other used cars declined 4% over the same period.


Tesla
Tesla cut prices of some models by up to 20% in January.
Getty Images

Musk addressed Tesla’s pricing strategy during the company’s earnings call last week, revealing Tesla has generated its “strongest orders year-to-date than ever in our history” in January.

“Price really matters. I think there’s just a vast number of people that want to buy a Tesla car but can’t afford it,” Musk said. “These price changes really make a difference for the average consumer.”

Tesla shares have surged nearly 60% so far this year. Last quarter, the company reported a record profit of $3.7 billion.

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

The chief executive of Coty — the company that owns Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics as well as a 20% stake in her big sister Kim Kardashian’s KKW brand — blasted dictionary publishers for describing the word ‘beauty’ in ageist and sexist terms.

“She was a great beauty in her youth” is a phrase often used in dictionaries to illustrate the word, while “I was struck by her beauty” is another, CEO Sue Nabi griped in a Monday letter to publishers.

“Seen through the lens of today’s society and values, the definition of beauty hasn’t aged well. The implicit ageism and sexism in the examples were born in a different time,” according to the letter.

The letter is addressed to “major English dictionary houses” but doesn’t name any specific publishers. The letter also doesn’t propose any specific alternative definitions for beauty, instead asking for a “review” and “update” of the definition “to be more modern and inclusive, reflecting today’s society and values.”

Sue Y Nabi speaks at BoF VOICES 2022 at Soho Farmhouse on December 01, 2022 in Chipping Norton, England.
Sue Y Nabi speaks at BoF VOICES 2022 at Soho Farmhouse on December 01, 2022 in Chipping Norton, England.
Nabi blasted dictionary publishers for allegedly describing the word ‘beauty’ in ageist and sexist terms.
Nabi blasted dictionary publishers for allegedly describing the word ‘beauty’ in ageist and sexist terms.


Advertisement

Coty, a $8.3 billion French-American company, also owns CoverGirl and Clairol, also launched a Change.org petition on Monday, calling for a makeover to the publishers’ definitions. As of early Monday, it had logged 239 signatures.

“Of course, not all people are impacted by, or feel excluded by these definitions,” the letter adds. “But if, by changing the definition, more people feel included — feel beautiful — there’s a ripple effect that touches us all.”

The letter is part of a broader marketing campaign – #UndefineBeauty — recently launched by Coty. Nabi’s letter is co-signed by the company’s board and senior management, calling on the publishers to review “the outdated nature of their definitions.”

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

After visiting Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters for 48 hours, “The Rubin Report” host called the situation inside the tech giant a “flaming dumpster rolling down the street.”

Dave Rubin joined “Fox & Friends” Monday to detail his recent visit to Elon Musk’s office where the “Chief Twit” and engineers showed the commentator exactly how the platform had shadowbanned certain users and content.

Rubin claimed he was working “behind the scenes” with Twitter support in investigating why, as of late, his audience engagement “seems to completely disappear.” Then, last Tuesday, he got a phone call requesting his in-person presence.

“I jumped on a plane, sat in the back row, middle seat, did not recline, made it to San Francisco basically a little bit after midnight, and there was Elon meeting with a ton of people,” Rubin said. “There were all sorts of engineers still up after midnight.”

The first night, Rubin chatted with Musk briefly about the censorship concerns around the political commentator’s Twitter account.


Twitter headquarters in San Francisco
Elon Musk has brought in creative minds and engineers from Tesla and SpaceX to try and fix what appears to be “a big job.”
AP

“He said, ‘Look, I’ve had a very long day. If you need me to stay right now, I’ll stay. We can work this through tonight. Otherwise, let’s do it tomorrow,’” Rubin recalled. “And I thought that in and of itself, I mean, here’s the world’s richest guy who’s busting his butt, willing to stay.”

Deciding to meet again and regroup the following day, Rubin claimed that’s when he learned how Twitter was allegedly built to “suppress certain voices and elevate others.”

“As he described it, it’s a fractal Rube Goldberg machine. If you remember the opening scene in Pee-Wee Herman, these crazy machines where, in essence, the more that they fix things, the more that things break,” Rubin said. “He also described it as a giant Jenga, and you’re pulling out one thing and you’re just hoping it doesn’t all collapse.”

The host confirmed that Musk has brought in creative minds and engineers from Tesla and SpaceX to try and fix what appears to be “a big job.”

“He does realize the gravity of the situation because without Twitter, our ability to communicate in this 2023 world, whether we like it or not, would be hampered severely,” Rubin said.

Rubin also warned that the fairly new CEO is still investigating current employees “that are perhaps doing bad things.”

“The way code works, as he described to me, I know not all your viewers are coders, nor am I, but you’re basically looking at a tiramisu layer cake. And as you fix one layer, and then you realize how many other problems are under it and you may have screwed something up,” Rubin explained.


Elon Musk
The fairly new CEO is still investigating current employees “that are perhaps doing bad things.”
REUTERS

“So there’s a coordinated effort on part of the government and Big Tech, and then there’s an uncoordinated, just sort of activists who are working at these companies layer,” he continued. “And that’s why this is so messy.”

Musk has also recently held bipartisan meetings with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in an effort to ensure that the social media platform is “fair” to both sides.

The Twitter head’s call for fairness on the platform between political parties comes after the Twitter Files showed that the FBI routinely contacted the social media platform to notify them of accounts that “may” constitute violations of the company’s terms of service.

FOX Business’ Adam Sabes contributed to this report.

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

Broadway’s “Wicked” isn’t quite “popular” with one working graphic designer at the moment.

Artist Adam Ellis claimed Sunday on Instagram that the smash Broadway musical “Wicked” asked him to create a custom piece of art for their “Year of the Fan” campaign to help celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary.

According to a screenshot shared by Ellis, the show — which is currently the second-largest-grossing show on Broadway — offered to compensate him with a pair of tickets to the show as well as credits across their social media.

As of Monday, tickets to the show start at nearly $110. Ellis allegedly declined the offer saying that he would not work for free and that he would send them his current rate if they were still interested.

“Not Wicked the Musical offering me $100 theater tickets in exchange for custom artwork when they’re the second highest grossing Broadway show of all time,” Ellis, 37, posted to his 1.7 million followers on Instagram. “Brands need to realize that creatives don’t make art for fun, it’s our livelihood.”


According to artist Adam Ellis, the show -- which is currently the second-largest-grossing show on Broadway -- offered to compensate him with a pair of tickets to the show as well as credits across their social media.
According to artist Adam Ellis, the show — which is currently the second-largest-grossing show on Broadway — offered to compensate him with a pair of tickets to the show as well as credits across their social media.
Instagram/adamtots

“I can’t pay rent with theater tickets. My intention isn’t to shame some social media manager who’s just doing their job,” continued Ellis, “but I know that when I decline a campaign that doesn’t pay, they just move down their list of artists until they find someone new enough or desperate enough to make art for the ‘exposure.’ ”

“I know they have the cash to pay me and any other artist they want to work with, if they valued us. Do better. Pay us.”

The Post reached out to “Wicked” reps and Ellis for comment.

“Wicked” tells the story of both Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and how they were both friends before the events of “The Wizard of Oz.”


"Not Wicked the Musical offering me $100 theater tickets in exchange for custom artwork when they're the second highest grossing Broadway show of all time," posted Ellis on Instagram. "Brands need to realize that creatives don’t make art for fun, it’s our livelihood."
“Not Wicked the Musical offering me $100 theater tickets in exchange for custom artwork when they’re the second highest grossing Broadway show of all time,” posted Ellis on Instagram. “Brands need to realize that creatives don’t make art for fun, it’s our livelihood.”
Instagram/adamtots

The show gained international fame after opening on Broadway in 2003 and winning several Tony Awards including Best Actress for Idina Menzel.

“Wicked” is also set to be adapted into a two-part movie starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Oscar nominee Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum.


"Wicked" tells the story of both Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, and The Wicked Witch of the West and how they were both friends before the events of "The Wizard of Oz."
“Wicked” tells the story of both Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and how they were both friends before the events of “The Wizard of Oz.”

Several artists also slammed the production.

“Broadway producers are SERIOUSLY cheap, and loooooove love love to exploit labor as much as possible,” slammed one user. “Broadway Costume Makers are making $18-$20 per hour, and are NON UNION labor, making every costume you see on broadway.”

“I’m a working professional illustrator and I support you 1000% for putting this out there,” chided a second person. “It happens all too often and I worry that AI will be where they go to next for free work. I swear, being an artist is a never-ending battle to fight for the most basic things and to keep afloat.”

“Defying poverty,” snarked a third person.


"I can’t pay rent with theater tickets. My intention isn’t to shame some social media manager who’s just doing their job," continued Ellis. "but I know that when I decline a campaign that doesn’t pay, they just move down their list of artists until they find someone new enough or desperate enough to make art for the “exposure.”
“I can’t pay rent with theater tickets. My intention isn’t to shame some social media manager who’s just doing their job,” continued Ellis, “but I know that when I decline a campaign that doesn’t pay, they just move down their list of artists until they find someone new enough or desperate enough to make art for the ‘exposure.’ ”
Instagram/adamtots

“Did … did they really end it with ‘oh and also we’ll offer to credit you for your work to top our deal off’ as if credit should be common sense anyways,” a fourth person commented.

Other users said that the offer wasn’t as bad as it could be.

“That’s actually a generous offer compared to some emails I get,” said one artist.

“This actually seems like a good deal coz it’s not working for free,” said another. “It’s working for literally hundred-dollar tickets- I don’t see the issue.”

“Wicked” is currently playing at the Gershwin Theatre in New York.

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

“The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg and other panelists expressed outrage and called for police reform on Monday in response to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis.

The talk show hosts discussed the horrific camera footage showing Nichols, who was black, being beaten by five black police officers – Tadarrius Bean, 24, Demetrius Haley, 30, Emmitt Martin III, 30, Desmond Mills Jr., 32, and Justin Smith, 28.

“When will the brutality finally lead to some police reform from the ground up? Clearly it doesn’t matter if it’s a white policeman or black policeman. It is the problem with the policing itself,” Goldberg said at the start of the episode.

“Seems things don’t make sense to people unless it’s somebody they can feel or they can recognize,” Goldberg continued. “Do we need to see white people also get beaten before anybody will do anything? I’m not suggesting that, so don’t write us and tell me what a racist I am. I’m just asking, is that what people have to see in order to wake up and realize this affects us all?”


Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg said “policing itself” is the problem.
ABC

The footage released last Friday showed the events that transpired during the Jan. 7 traffic stop that led to Nichols’ death. The video showed officers pepper-spraying and beating Nichols, who was black, with their fists and batons. In the video, Nichols can be heard crying for his mother.

The five officers who were arrested were charged with second-degree murder and other offenses.

At least two of the five officers were part of an “elite” SCORPION task force tasked with combating major felonies in high-crime neighborhoods. The Memphis Police Department is disbanding the unit.


Tyre Nichol
Tyre Nichols seen in the hospital following the brutal beating.
Family of Tyre Nichols

Tyre Nichols bodycam footage
The bodycam footage was released last Friday.
City of Memphis

A sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, who is white, was placed on administration leave following the incident.  

Co-host Sonny Hostin said she had yet to watch the video, adding she feared it showed her “worst nightmare.”


Memphis cops
Five Memphis police officers were charged over Tyre Nichols’ death.
AP

Ana Navarro
Ana Navarro said the Memphis cops involved in the beating death were “blue before they were black.”
ABC

“We got a lot of energy about gas prices, and debt and inflation. I would like to see that same energy directed towards police reform because we are also paying for police brutality out of our tax dollars,” Hostin said.

Ana Navarro also weighed in with a scathing rebuke of the officers.

“What we saw, in this case, is that good cops come in any gender, any class, any color. And bad cops can be any gender, any color, and these cops were blue before they were Black,” Navarro said. “These cops were part of the SCORPION Unit. It could not have been more aptly named because they were filled with poison and hatred and the desire to kill.”

Mediaite earlier reported on the segment.

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates continued to downplay his relationship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, claiming for the “100th time” they were merely dinner pals. 

Australia’s “ABC 7.30” host Sarah Ferguson noted during an interview with Gates on Monday “one of the issues that dogged” his relationship to ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, was his ties to Epstein.

Ferguson asked, “Do you regret the relationship that you maintained with him against Melinda’s advice and wishes?” 

Gates told Ferguson she was going “way back in time” before shrugging and answering the question.

“I will say for the over a 100th time, yeah, I shouldn’t have had dinners with him,” Gates said. 

The “ABC 7.30” host wasn’t finished, informing Gates that “Epstein had a way of sexually compromising” people. 

“Is that what Melinda was warning you about?” Ferguson asked.


Bill and Melinda Gates in 2019
Bill and Melinda Gates in 2019.
AP

“No, I mean, no, I had dinner with him and that’s all,” Gates said. 

Ferguson pressed, asking if Gates regrets the relationship. 

“That I had dinner with him,” Gates said, further implying the relationship was simply dinner. 

Gates then rejected the notion that Gates’ foundation and Epstein were connected.  

“There never was any relationship of any kind,” he said. 

In 2021, Gates was confronted by PBS NewsHour anchor Judy Woodruff about the same topic and the billionaire gave similar answers. 

Woodruff began the exchange by confronting Gates about the “number of meetings” he had with the shady billionaire, who at the time was already found guilty of soliciting prostitution from minors. 

“What did you know about him when you were meeting with him, as you said yourself, in the hopes of raising money?” Woodruff asked. 

“You know, I had dinners with him. I regret doing that,” Gates responded. “He had relationships with people he said, you know, would give to global health, which is an interest I have. You know, not nearly enough philanthropy goes in that direction.”

“Those meetings were a mistake. They didn’t result in what he purported and I cut them off. You know, that goes back a long time ago now, so there’s nothing new on that,” Gates added. 


Bill Gates
Bill Gates rejected the notion that his foundation and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein were connected.
REUTERS

Jeffrey Epstein
Gates previously said he had met with Epstein, above, in the hopes that the financier would donate toward Gates’ “goal of raising money for global health” in a 2021 interview with NBC News.

REUTERS

Woodruff continued grilling the Big Tech giant, asking him what he did when he “found out about his background.”

“You know, I’ve said I regretted having those dinners,” Gates told Woodruff. “And there’s nothing – absolutely nothing new on that.”

Gates previously said he had met with Epstein in the hopes that the financier would donate toward Gates’ “goal of raising money for global health” in a 2021 interview with NBC News. 

“I didn’t realize that the meeting with him almost downplayed the incredibly awful things he did,” Gates said. “I’ve learned more about that over time, but I add that to the list of big mistakes.”

His former wife has said she made it “clear” to the Microsoft honcho that she “did not like that he’d had meetings with Jeffrey Epstein.” She said she also met with the multi-millionaire once, but regretted it.

“I wanted to see who this man was, and I regretted it from the second I stepped in the door,” she told CBS in 2021. “He was abhorrent. He was evil personified. I had nightmares about it afterwards. My heart breaks for these young women.”

Epstein died at age 66 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He was found hanged to death inside a Manhattan federal jail cell on August 10, 2019. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to soliciting a prostitute who was a minor. 

Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn and Stephanie Pagones contributed to this report. 

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

Infamous Fyre Festival fraudster Billy McFarland thinks an hour of his valuable time is worth nearly $2,000.

The convicted con man, who had nothing but time on his hands while spending four years in prison for bilking investors out of $26 million, recently launched a new scheme that offers advice to tech entrepreneurs for a mere $1,800.

The consulting fee is one of the services provided by PYRT (pronounced “pirate”), McFarland’s new venture that smacks of his notorious music festival fiasco in the Bahamas.

The company promises to deliver a virtual reality-powered experience where users can beam themselves onto a tropical island from the comfort of their homes and control what happens there, McFarland claims.

A link from the bare-bones PYRT site to the business communication platform Calendly shows McFarland’s hourly consulting fee of $1,800, designed to help tech companies expand their reach on social media platforms.

McFarland posted a TikTok video explaining the company’s vision, but social media users weren’t convinced — ridiculing him for wearing socks, sweat pants, and a T-shirt while holding a water bottle.

One wrote sarcastically: “Absolutely no way this could go wrong, Billy.”


McFarland was released from a Brooklyn halfway house last fall.
McFarland was released from a Brooklyn halfway house last fall.
AP

Another TikTok user who apparently anticipates the venture turning into another scandal wrote: “Can’t wait for the Netflix show.”

“Come on, this just can’t be for real,” another TikTok user commented, noting that McFarland was “being straight out of prison and on to the next hustle.”

The idea is for users sitting at home on their couches to digitally attend exclusive parties with celebrities and influencers in an “immersive” environment that makes them think they’re on a remote, tropical island.

 “They could, like, buy the talent a drink and then have some drink service bringing [the same kind of drink] to them at the same time the talent gets it,” McFarland told The Post last week.

“So, if you’re 18 years old and you’re on your computer in the middle of America, now you can actually come [to this party] and not only watch what’s happening, but take part in changing it,” McFarland said.

@pyrtbilly

For all of those that either love to hate or genuinely support me… THIS is what I’ve been working on. THIS is what will clear the air. THIS IS PYRT @PYRT 🏴‍☠️ 🏴‍☠️

♬ Super Gremlin – Kodak Black

“It kind of gives you access to this really cool land and group of people.”

The Post has sought comment from McFarland.

Ironically enough, the venture includes bringing users on trips to a remote tropical island together with internet content creators and social media influencers.

“PYRT is not an event, it’s not a festival, and it’s definitely not a metaverse,” McFarland said in the TikTok video.

He said it was a technology that he had been “working on for the past couple of years” called “VID/R” — or virtual immersive decentralized reality.

McFarland, 31, said VID/R “brings together and connects people from around the world both virtually and physically.”


McFarland is now offering his services to startups seeking help in marketing their companies.
McFarland is now offering his services to startups seeking help in marketing their companies.

“Then, once they’re together, it allows people to affect real world change,” McFarland said in the TikTok video.

McFarland said that PYRT would be “partnering with a small remote destination where we will host a handful of artists, content creators, entrepreneurs,” and prospective job applicants who eventually get hired to work for the company.

The plan is to gather people on the island and then “launch a virtual replica” of the same location so that “anybody from around the world can not only watch what’s happening live but they can actually come together with their friends to affect and even own their real world adventures.”

McFarland recorded the video while standing in front of a map of the Exumas — the Bahamian archipelago where the Fyre Festival debacle took place in the spring of 2017.


McFarland will forever be linked to the disastrous Fyre Festival of spring 2017.
McFarland will forever be linked to the disastrous Fyre Festival of spring 2017.
Lee/Prahl/ Splash News

Bahamian officials were quoted by NBC News as saying that McFarland, who is considered a “fugitive” by officials in Nassau, isn’t welcome on the island and that they would prevent any McFarland-linked venture from obtaining permits there.

“The Government of The Bahamas will not endorse or approve any event in The Bahamas associated with him,” the Bahamian Ministry of Tourism said.

In his TikTok video, McFarland expressed a preference for the Exumas to serve as the backdrop of his latest venture, though he added he would be open to working with other destinations as well.

McFarland told NBC News last week that he believes everyone involved with Fyre Festival will get their money back. Then he could foresee future collaboration with the Exumas.


Billed as a luxury music festival that was promoted by celebrities and social media influencers, the Fyre Festival was a disaster in which fans who paid thousands of dollars were offered meager accommodations.
Billed as a luxury music festival that was promoted by celebrities and social media influencers, the Fyre Festival was a disaster in which fans who paid thousands of dollars were offered meager accommodations.
AP

“I think that once everybody is paid back, I’d love to have a conversation to see if that relationship can get repaired,” he said.

McFarland was released from a Brooklyn halfway house in September after serving more than four years in federal prison.

He pleaded guilty to scamming investors out of some $26 million after they bought into his vision of a luxury music festival in the Bahamas that was promoted by celebrities and social media influencers including Ja Rule, Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Hailey Baldwin and Emily Ratajkowski.

Fans paid $12,000 per ticket only to discover that the Exuma resort was instead a dilapidated collection of tents and mattresses that were turned inside out by a massive storm.


McFarland has insisted that his new venture is nothing like Fyre Festival.
McFarland has insisted that his new venture is nothing like Fyre Festival.
ZUMAPRESS.com

Attendees, who had been promised lavish accommodations and luxury meals, instead posted images of plain cheese sandwiches in a box.

The disastrous event was the subject of widely viewed documentaries that streamed on Hulu and Netflix.

Additional Reporting by Joshua Rhett Miller

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

New Internal Revenue Services rules could cause a sizable increase in audits and taxes on Americans, especially those using transaction services like Venmo and PayPal for fantasy sports, according to tax experts.

CPA and Tax expert attorney Bruce Willey told Fox News Digital that the new changes constituted one of the largest “cash grabs” by the IRS in recent memory and were likely to hit taxpayers “like a truck.”

“Most Americans are about to get run over, and they have no idea. If they’re not prepared for it, things could get pretty ugly for people,” he said.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 amended a code section that decreased the minimum threshold for reporting on third-party settlement organizations (TPSOs) from $20,000 and 200 or more transactions to any transaction of $600 or more.

The code change, approved by Democrats and signed by President Biden in March 2021, will require TPSOs like Venmo, PayPal, Etsy, AirBnB and more to send 1099-k forms to the IRS and users if their transactions exceed the amount. If a sports betting application like FanDuel or DraftKings uses these payment systems, you will face taxes there, though sports betting is already included under the current tax code. 


FanDuel and DraftKings
If a sports betting application like FanDuel or DraftKings uses these payment systems, you will face taxes there.
Bloomberg via Getty Images

“It’s this huge fishing net that’s just going to sweep up a vast amount of people in America,” Willey said.

The code change will likely burden those engaged in sports fantasy leagues and sellers of professional sports tickets with additional obligations come tax season.

BakerHostetler Nationwide Tax Chair Jeff Paravano described a situation in which an individual sells preseason games at a loss but still gets a 1099 for gross proceeds. IRS oversight will not consider what they paid for those tickets or their losses on games and will have to provide further details,

The taxpayer may or may not have taxable income because of that reporting but could get a form for even selling one ticket, depending on the sale amount.

“Somebody that engages in a lot of fantasy sports. You can only deduct the losses to the extent of your winnings. So, you better be keeping receipts of your losses. That’s going to be a deduction for you on the money you received,” Paravano, a former Senior Adviser to the Assistant Treasury Secretary for Tax Policy, said.

Paravano said the changes were also likely to impact fantasy sports leagues with money wagers conducted by coworkers, friends and family members. He suggested the 1099 would be doled out for the gross amount and would not include the wager. Tax penalties are likely for the persons that held onto the money, who will receive a 1099 alongside the third-party payer used by the group.

“The fear is that the 1099 will be sent out for things that are not taxable income and the IRS doesn’t have the capability to easily figure that out,” he said.

Both tax experts suggested that the code changes could result in more audits and taxes for Americans or, at the very least, an increase in correspondence with the IRS.

Government leaders have repeatedly pushed back on the idea that the IRS changes would negatively impact any Americans making under $400,000.

“Legislators are being disingenuous,” Willey said. “This is one of those things where they say one thing while they are taking your campaign donation and then they turn around and go to Washington and do something completely different.”


IRS headquarters
Tax experts suggested that the code changes could result in more audits and taxes for Americans or, at the very least, an increase in correspondence with the IRS.
AFP via Getty Images

“The reality of it is they said nobody making under $400,000 a year was going to have an increased chance of audit or pay more on taxes. That’s a flat lie. That’s not accurate. They’re lying to you,” he added.

National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins projected last week that the number of 1099s being filed would double once the code change goes into effect.

The Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the new provision will raise 8.1 billion in revenue over a 10-year budget window.

Calling it a “stealth tax increase,” Willey said it is a “fantasy world” to think that the move will not increase audits and taxes.


Venmo app
If a transaction provider like Venmo or PayPal is being used and the amount compounds to over $600 within a year, a 1099 will likely follow.

AP

“If it didn’t increase anybody’s taxes and didn’t increase their chances of an audit, then what are the 87,000 new employees going to do, where’s’ the 9.1 billion that the estimated it’s going to recover—where’d that number come from? It’s going to affect the fabric of American life,” he said.

Outside of fantasy sports, Willey and Paravano also asserted that the IRS changes would impact Americans in various other ways.

For example, sending money to a kid in college can be considered a gift under the current US tax code unless it exceeds $17,000. However, both parents and the student will still receive a 1099 to ask for proof.

“The horror is that a parent who pays rent to a college student every month, guess what, they may get a 1099,” Pavalano said.

The code changes will also cover transactions on Facebook marketplace, lending money to a friend, reimbursing a roommate for rent, paying a colleague for going out to dinner, repaying a bar tab, a mother sending a child gas and raising money to get a coach a gift.

If a transaction provider like Venmo or PayPal is being used and the amount compounds to over $600 within a year, a 1099 will likely follow.

Interestingly, taxpayers will not get a 1099 if they use Zelle because of the technical definitions of third-party settlement organizations. Generally, a check is the safest option to avoid triggering a 1099.


The new system is expected to increase the paperwork and cause more instances of mismatch between the IRS and the taxpayer.
The new system is expected to increase the paperwork and cause more instances of mismatch between the IRS and the taxpayer.
Getty Images/iStockphoto

The IRS’ current information return volume is 4 billion annually, with 99% filed electronically. They just rolled out a 1099 electronic information return portal.

The new system is expected to increase the paperwork and cause more instances of mismatch between the IRS and the taxpayer.

“In a vacuum, one of those transactions doesn’t seem bad, but if we’ve got 4 billion information returns now, and we think that might double, there’s just going to be a lot of compliance burdens,” Paravano said.

“The thing that comes up in my mind is the image of the dog catching bus. You caught the bus, what do you do with it. You’ve got all this information out, and you’ve got all the reporting. What will the IRS do with it,” he added.

There is support in the House and Senate from both parties to raise the threshold to $5,000.

Republicans, according to Paravano, would prefer to go back to the previous threshold of 20,000 and 200 transactions, but it will be challenging to put old rules back in place given the concern around spending.

Willey described the situation as an “enforcement nightmare” for the IRS and a nightmare for the taxpayer.

“You should be calling your legislature and complaining if they voted for this bill to all ends,” he added.

A 2022 IRS tax audit data study found that a taxpayer in the lowest income bracket is five times more likely to face an audit than a member of the highest income bracket.

“The IRS correspondence audit process is structured to expend the least amount of resources to conduct the largest number of examinations – resulting in the lowest level of customer service to taxpayers having the greatest need for assistance,” taxpayer advocate Collins said of the report during an annual report to Congress.

The IRS in December said that it is the new tax reporting requirement by one year and would likely impact tax filings occurring in early 2024.

The IRS said the change was intended to home in on Americans evading taxes by not reporting their full gross income. However, critics have labeled it as government overreach likely to hurt middle-class Americans and small businesses.  

[ad_2]

Source link

[ad_1]

Ford is cutting prices on its Mustang Mach-E electric SUV by as much as $6,000 just weeks after market leader Tesla took similar steps.

The Detroit automaker is increasing production of the Mach-E this year and said it is taking advantage of streamlined costs to reduce prices across the board, it said Monday.

The cut comes just over two weeks after Elon Musk’s Tesla dropped prices 6% to nearly 20% in the United States on most of its models in an effort to bolster demand and raise market share.

Ford’s maneuver will almost certainly force other automakers to trim prices as well, touching off a bit of a price war for electric vehicles, said Jeff Schuster, president of global forecasting for LMC Automotive, a Detroit-area consulting firm.

“To remain price competitive to consumers, it’s going to require a response from anyone who wants to play in this area,” he said.


Ford Mustang Mach-E
Ford said the price cuts are part of its plan to keep the Mustang Mach-E competitive in a fast-changing market.
REUTERS

However, Schuster says he doesn’t see an all-out price war that brings prices down even more. Automakers will try to protect profit margins on EVs as their share of the US market keeps growing, he said.

Although Ford didn’t mention Tesla in its statement, the Dearborn, Mich., company said the price cuts are part of Ford’s plan to keep the SUV competitive in a fast-changing market.

“We are not going to cede ground to anyone,” said Marin Gjaja, Chief Customer Officer of Ford Model e, the company’s electric vehicle unit.

The price of a base rear-wheel-drive standard range Mach-E will drop $900, from $46,895 to $45,995. The top-end GT extended range will fall $5,900, from $69,895 to $63,995. The prices don’t include shipping, government fees or taxes.

On Jan. 13, Tesla slashed prices dramatically on several versions of its electric vehicles, making some of its models eligible for a new federal tax credit that could help spur buyer interest.

The company dropped prices nearly 20% in the United States on some versions of the Model Y SUV, its top seller. That cut will make more versions of the Model Y eligible for a $7,500 electric-vehicle tax credit, which will be available through March. Tesla also reduced the base price of the Model 3, its least expensive model, by about 6%.

The cuts were in response to slowing demand and Tesla’s sagging stock price.

Ford said customers who ordered Mach Es and are awaiting delivery will automatically get the lower prices. The company will reach out directly to those who already have their vehicles with a sale date after Jan. 1.

[ad_2]

Source link