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I know this isn't exactly a "be pedantic about Breaking Bad" thread, but I've really needed to get this off my chest since burning through the whole series recently. So for anyone who is interested, here is how right and wrong Breaking Bad was about the IRS: -The audit scene was actually fairly accurate in both setting and how the agent reacts to Skyler's little story. For a business that size though, it probably would have taken place wherever the books and records were located, so maybe Ted's house. -I was floored that they actually got the Internal Revenue Code section right, section 61 does indeed define gross income and it was handled correctly...too bad they sort of ruined that accuracy by having Skyler ask Ted to fill out a check to the IRS. It should have been the US Treasury, but I can sort of let that slide since it's easier for the audience to understand that way. -Ted coming to Skyler with the subpoena (which looked accurate enough) likely would have actually been for a prior year, when Skyler was not actually working for him, though it could have easily been expanded to include the most recent filing as well. -They stated the taxes due were something near $600K, and then threw in some random number for penalties and interest bringing it shy of $700K by tens of thousands...no. Penalties alone for that amount of delinquent taxes would be over $120K. -Skyler is wrong to freak out about Ted paying the back taxes. If they reached an agreement he signed off on in the audit, the case is done. They can't reopen and reexamine it just because he doesn't pay. And since he owns the company it's likely they wouldn't ever touch Skyler. -And let's just say, worst case scenario, that Skyler is somehow dragged into it and comes under audit and they discover the money laundering for the car wash. That means the IRS will find out about the drug money and...ask for the self-employment taxes to be paid. Yeah, Walt wouldn't want to have to pay his taxes on the money, but the IRS can't go to the police with that information due to the Privacy Act (believe me, I have seen illegal marijuana businesses come under audit, they're just treated as regular businesses for the most part) Sorry about my off topic ramblings, it's just fascinating how close the show really got to nailing that (even though I doubt many people cared about that subplot). More on topic, this show is fantastic and surprised me many times as to how well it was all put together. I especially loved the last scene with Gretchen and Elliot. As soon as I saw the lasers hit them I figured it was just some guys with laser pointers...but Walt had hit a point where he was so deranged and unpredictable I would have also not been shocked if he had actually hired assassins to tail them. He really was like a living example of the Uncertainty Principle, where his actions were both manipulative lies and sinister truths until they were actually observed in full. dirksteadfast fucked around with this message at 16:45 on Jul 25, 2014 |
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Jul 25, 2014 09:00
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dirksteadfast posted:Sorry about my off topic ramblings, it's just fascinating how close the show really got to nailing that (even though I doubt many people cared about that subplot). More on topic, this show is fantastic and surprised me many times as to how well it was all put together. I especially loved the last scene with Gretchen and Elliot. As soon as I saw the lasers hit them I figured it was just some guys with laser pointers...but Walt had hit a point where he was so deranged and unpredictable I would have also not been shocked if he had actually hired assassins to tail them. He really was like a living example of the Uncertainty Principle, where his actions were both manipulative lies and sinister truths until they were actually observed in full. I like that reading of late Heisenberg, and thanks for the IRS info, but I'm really amused that you got really close to nailing it with your assessment... then loving nailed it. (edited) Die Sexmonster! fucked around with this message at 18:37 on Jul 25, 2014 |
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Jul 25, 2014 09:39
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quote:-And let's just say, worst case scenario, that Skyler is somehow dragged into it and comes under audit and they discover the money laundering for the car wash. That means the IRS will find out about the drug money and...ask for the self-employment taxes to be paid. Yeah, Walt wouldn't want to have to pay his taxes on the money, but the IRS can't go to the police with that information due to the Privacy Act (believe me, I have seen illegal marijuana businesses come under audit, they're just treated as regular businesses for the most part) This is fascinating. Mind expanding on it some more?
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Jul 25, 2014 17:21
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Shbobdb posted:This is fascinating. Mind expanding on it some more? Certainly. Essentially what it boils down to is the Privacy Act makes it so that all information on returns is kept as confidential, not only from the public but from other government organizations as well. The IRS deals with tax law and has no jurisdiction in criminal law (they even have their own internal police force for dealing with any verbal or physical threats against agents). Yes there are instances of people being jailed for tax evasion, but the IRS won't be able to turn someone in just because the business is illegal in nature (honestly not sure if the records could be seized by the FBI or the DEA with probable cause, but the IRS definitely wouldn't initiate it). There are even special rules regarding deductions for some illegal activities. For example, Walt would have been able to deduct for the equipment purchased for the meth lab, but would not be allowed a deduction for cost of goods sold (it's not allowed when the goods are illegal in nature). I think there are also special rules regarding which bribes can and cannot be deducted, but that's never come up so I've never had to deal with it. And yes, this stuff happens. The most extreme example I can think of is meeting an agent who allegedly audited a professional assassin (unfortunately that story ends there, there wasn't much information after that).
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Jul 25, 2014 18:16
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I always felt that Skyler was overreacting about her being potentially investigated due to Ted's shenanigans, and it's validated when Saul explains that he told her her plan was a bad idea, which obviously it was. Other than that, yeah the show in general is pretty freaking accurate while still being TV-appropriate, i.e. dumbed-down a bit for the audience.
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Jul 27, 2014 05:07
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Timeless Appeal posted:When you call the number, I'm pretty sure the person on the line is Bob/Saul/James pretending to be his own secretary. I drove past the sign monday and had to assure myself I wasn't going crazy and that really was Bob Odenkirk.
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Jul 27, 2014 06:23
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dirksteadfast posted:Certainly. Essentially what it boils down to is the Privacy Act makes it so that all information on returns is kept as confidential, not only from the public but from other government organizations as well. The IRS deals with tax law and has no jurisdiction in criminal law (they even have their own internal police force for dealing with any verbal or physical threats against agents). Yes there are instances of people being jailed for tax evasion, but the IRS won't be able to turn someone in just because the business is illegal in nature (honestly not sure if the records could be seized by the FBI or the DEA with probable cause, but the IRS definitely wouldn't initiate it). American tax law is hosed. 
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Jul 27, 2014 06:45
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Rewatch thoughts: considering how little I cared about Jane, her father has some drat good scenes, both before and after her death. Do we ever hear about him after the news report that he was "Rushed to the hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound"? I hope he made it and went on to find happiness  Poor loving guy.
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Aug 1, 2014 19:49
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Tender Bender posted:Rewatch thoughts: considering how little I cared about Jane, her father has some drat good scenes, both before and after her death. Do we ever hear about him after the news report that he was "Rushed to the hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound"? I hope he made it and went on to find happiness Pretty sure it's to suggest he dies. He's played by the actor who played Q in Star Trek TNG IIRC.
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Aug 1, 2014 21:19
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If I recall correctly from the podcasts, they really wanted to get Jane's father back on the show at some point, but they couldn't figure out a way to do it that made sense. But I haven't listened to the podcasts in ages, sadly, so I might be making this up  . I miss them.
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Aug 1, 2014 22:18
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I'm glad they didn't, to be honest. Him just being a horrible depressing symbol of the lives that Walt and co wrecks just by existing is a lot more interesting. He doesn't show up later for revenge, he doesn't go mad and start killing people, he just has his life wrecked and kills himself because of these people.
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Aug 2, 2014 00:18
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Pomp posted:American tax law is hosed. I would honestly be very surprised if something along those lines would be limited just to American tax law, if only because that would potentially be a ton of income lost on the part of the government.
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Aug 2, 2014 00:33
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ImpAtom posted:I'm glad they didn't, to be honest. Him just being a horrible depressing symbol of the lives that Walt and co wrecks just by existing is a lot more interesting. He doesn't show up later for revenge, he doesn't go mad and start killing people, he just has his life wrecked and kills himself because of these people. Should've brought him back as a random burnout buying meth in one of the montages
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Aug 2, 2014 00:39
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQscoVVvURk
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Aug 11, 2014 22:29
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I keep half-expecting AMC to pull the rug out from under us and say that there won't be a Saul spin-off after all. Even after seeing that teaser, I'm still kind of in disbelief.
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Aug 12, 2014 18:28
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I'm impressed by the quality of the makeup work -- of the entire cast, Odenkirk was easily the one who aged the worst over the, what, three or four years he was on the show.
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Aug 12, 2014 18:40
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Nah that's Jesse. When he was supposed to be season 1 Jesse in the last season it was very jarring.
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Aug 13, 2014 12:23
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dirksteadfast posted:IRS info Thanks for posting this, it was a very interesting read!
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Aug 21, 2014 21:05
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Perfidus posted:Nah that's Jesse. When he was supposed to be season 1 Jesse in the last season it was very jarring. I think that's more due to the fact that Season 1 Jesse is a totally different character from season 4 and 5 Jesse.
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Aug 25, 2014 02:31
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That's true too. But he very visibly did age.
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Aug 25, 2014 03:08
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I dunno how much of it was aging and how much was the shaved head but Jesse's jutting cheekbones/jaw were out of control in the later seasons. Skyler's plastic surgery between seasons 2 and 3 was definitely the most jarring character transformation though.
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Aug 25, 2014 15:52
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http://nationalreport.net/vince-gilligan-announces-breaking-bad-season-6/#sthash.rzsaaqI6.gbpl This is bullshit right? Please someone tell me how dumb I am for being worried about this.
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Aug 25, 2014 21:01
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yes, this seems like a legit news outlet
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Aug 25, 2014 21:05
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Tofu Injection posted:http://nationalreport.net/vince-gilligan-announces-breaking-bad-season-6/#sthash.rzsaaqI6.gbpl You're really dumb.
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Aug 25, 2014 21:10
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Sweet, thanks.
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Aug 25, 2014 21:21
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Tender Bender posted:I dunno how much of it was aging and how much was the shaved head but Jesse's jutting cheekbones/jaw were out of control in the later seasons. Probably the shaved head because his gigantic egghead was what really stood out most to me in later seasons.
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Aug 25, 2014 21:48
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The most jarring of the Aged Heads was Aaron Paul in the season 1 flashback in Ozymandias. Breaks my immersion every god drat watch.
grilldos fucked around with this message at 04:03 on Aug 26, 2014 |
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Aug 26, 2014 00:11
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I'm still in the process of marathonning this show. Aside from all the other shockingly good things I could say about it, I really really wish I could taste all those condiments the German guy was taste-testing. Franch dressing? Cajun kickass? Neo ketchup. I want them.
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Sep 18, 2014 07:33
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The final minutes of Metastasis are on right now. Its kind of unbelievable how shot for shot it is, except for completely in Spanish and lower production values.
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Sep 19, 2014 03:50
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prezbuluskey posted:The final minutes of Metastasis are on right now. Its kind of unbelievable how shot for shot it is, except for completely in Spanish and lower production values. I forgot that was a thing. Just looked up some of the more iconic scenes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbPMoNU9DeA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7KmqSxoBHg
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Sep 19, 2014 04:09
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CaptainHollywood posted:I forgot that was a thing. Just looked up some of the more iconic scenes "Nos una familia!"
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Sep 19, 2014 04:29
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Wait, the entire series of Metastasis aired already?  For some reason I figured it wasn't happening until much later.
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Sep 19, 2014 04:52
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I wanna see their Gus death.
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Sep 19, 2014 04:55
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How many episodes was Metastasis?
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Sep 19, 2014 04:59
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Is there a place with detailed comparisons between Breaking Bad and Metastasis?
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Sep 19, 2014 04:59
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Vegetable posted:Is there a place with detailed comparisons between Breaking Bad and Metastasis? Here is something similar http://www.avclub.com/article/univision-finished-its-version-breaking-bad-less-f-209353
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Sep 19, 2014 05:33
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Lycus posted:How many episodes was Metastasis? According to AV Club, the same number, it's just that telenovelas air daily instead of weekly. Speedball posted:I'm still in the process of marathonning this show. Aside from all the other shockingly good things I could say about it, I really really wish I could taste all those condiments the German guy was taste-testing. Franch dressing? Cajun kickass? Neo ketchup. I want them. Pretty sure Franch was just a 50-50 mix of French and ranch dressing, you could make it at home. And the ketchup was just regular ketchup.
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Sep 19, 2014 15:27
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Perfidus posted:I wanna see their Gus death. Here, but the youtube video cuts before the two-face cgi part. (another youtube video of poor quality shows that they went through the entire scene, and they made even more ridiculous) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrmbp2ulK7s I'd like to see Hank's encounter with the cousins, but apparently they skipped uploading a scene from that episode.
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Sep 19, 2014 16:44
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Can you link the poor quality one too?
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Sep 19, 2014 17:16
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Is there the scene where Walt runs the gangbanger down with his car?
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Sep 19, 2014 17:16
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