Business & Technology

As technology progresses, locals are starting to wave goodbye to televisions, and are welcoming the new trend – watching movies and shows online. Websites like hulu.com, dailymotion.com, and sidereel.com offer streaming videos of television shows and movies from basic networks such as ABC and NBC. Although they don’t offer shows and movies from premium channels like HBO, they do have fewer commercials, a greater variety, and longer availability. “Watching shows and movies online is so much more convenient than on TV,” said Elvera Bader, 20. “You can access these programs at any time of day and night, unlike cable which is very time-oriented.” Bader also says that most of the shows and movies that are offered online either have fewer commercials or are entirely commercial-free, and the quality of the video is usually just as good as on television. “I can watch what I want, when I want to,” she…

2009 is quickly coming to a close, and your window for some 2009 tax savings is closing with it. If you really want to save a few tax dollars, here are some year-end thoughts: Win with your Losses Do you have stock gains? Give appreciated stocks (and other investments) to someone with significant capital losses. A family member, or other, could give their individual stock or mutual funds or other investments that have appreciated in value. When sold, the new owner will have a gain on that sale, but can now offset that gain with their losses, thus eliminating any capital gains tax. Taxpayers can give up to $13,000 per year per person tax-free as part of the annual gift-tax exclusion. (If you have losses, you may be able to use someone else’s gain.)