Wednesday, December 7, 2011

WHAT’S THE BUZZ? TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’ – WEDNESDAY EDITION

+ Check out the December issue of LOIS.

+ And check out my “slide show” on “10 Tax Deductions to Squeeze In Before 2012” at MAINSTREET.COM.

+ Dianne Besunder of the IRS echoes the advice I am frequently giving when she answers the question “I've Changed My Name.  Now What?” in her IRS TAX TIPS column at the BED-STY PATCH.

+ Kay Bell discusses a timely tax issue in “Holiday Gift from an Employer: Taxable Benefit or Tax-Free Gift?” at DON’T MESS WITH TAXES.

+ And did you catch Kay’s latest tax carnival – “Tax Carnival #93: Happy Taxmas 2011”?  I just made it in time to be included.

A heads up to tax bloggers – Kay tells us “The 94th Tax Carnival will be here on Jan. 2 to help you nurse New Year's celebration hangovers by getting a head start on the 2012 filing season.”

+ Dr Jean Murray says that, “Probably the most-commented-on article I've ever written is the one about cutting employees pay.”  She goes on to revisit the subject in “Employers Can't Cut Pay Without Employee Consent” at ABOUT.COM:US BUSINESS LAW/TAXES.

+ I seem to recall mentioning recently that Tronald Dump had been quiet lately (and thanking God for the blessing).  I had not heard that the self-absorbed fool was planning to “host” a Republican debate. 

I enjoyed reading “Karl Rove to RNC Chair: Stop The Donald’s Debate” at the WASHINGTON POST.

The article reported –

Karl Rove blasted Donald Trump this weekend, saying his upcoming Newsmax debate host gig is a big ‘ego trip’ for the real-estate mogul and reality-show host, and that the Republican National Committee should discourage the 2012 GOP candidates from attending.”

It is hard for me to believe that I would ever agree with Karl Rove!  It appears that recognition of Trump’s idiocy and ginormous ego transcends political philosophies and is truly bi-partisan.

Reading the reaction of some of the candidates to the event, and its host, quoted in the article I was pleased to see them correctly agreeing on something, and actually make sense on an issue.

Speaking of the Donald being a “reality show host” – it seems to me that the Republican debates have become a kind of weekly reality show.

+ David Weigel has more on the subject in “It Will Shock You to Learn That Donald Trump Is Selling a New Book” at his SLATE.COM blog.

The only thing that would shock me about the Dumpster is hearing that he actually did something that was not totally self-serving.

+ Good luck to Russ Fox of TAXABLE TALK, who explains in “When Silver is Better than Gold” that he is moving from expensive California to more business-friendly and less taxing Nevada, joining many others in giving up the 10% state income tax of CA.

One reason for the move –

I’ve sold my house in Irvine, and am in the process of purchasing a home in the Las Vegas area. I will be in a much friendlier business environment, with a lower cost of living. The home I’m purchasing is nearly double the size of my current home and costs almost 50% less than what I sold my current home for.”

I, too, have been thinking about leaving my highly-taxed home state of New Jersey and moving to Pike County in Pennsylvania.  I plan to investigate the move more seriously after the end of the upcoming 2012 tax filing season.  It should not affect my business – as at least 75% of my clients mail their tax “stuff” to me.

Russ, best wishes for success in your new location!

THE FINAL WORD:

I have accepted the death of the “variety” tv genre, despite, or perhaps as a result of, occasional pathetic bottom of the barrel attempts at revival by lesbian comics/talk show hosts (past and present). 

What passes for variety today are clones and adaptations of British talent competitions, which, let’s be honest, are all to some degree based on the reality tv concept of humiliation (at least half of those who tune in to DWTS do so hoping to see one of the celebrities – the contestants rarely come close to being described as “stars” – fall flat on their arse).

The only place to find real variety tv today is on PBS, usually in the form of reruns or compilations.  I enjoy the weekly rebroadcasts of THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW on WLIW and NJTV, and wish that more classic variety shows would be rerun on public tv.

As the holiday season is now with us I truly miss the annual variety specials of Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Perry Como, Andy Williams and the like, and also miss the days when true variety shows filled the airwaves.  I hear Michael Buble has one coming up soon – so maybe there is hope.

TTFN

3 comments:

Tom said...

About your comments on "variety" shows - I grew up with those you mentioned plus the others like Red Skelton, Carol Burnett and even Dean Martin show was a favorite. I see it as the passing of an era and also the decline of pride, class, dignity and respect in people and country in general.

I watch alot of 40's and 50's movies (Bogart & Bacall,(I even have a autograph picture of Bacall from the 50's) Hepburn & Tracy, John Payne, etc. etc.) and am always in wonderment over the difference between them and todays flicks - the dress, the talk, the gentle swagger and ladies were ladies not tramps. Just sad to see it all happen...

Here's looking at you kid..

Robert D Flach said...

Tom-

AMEN!

TWTP

mp4 to avi said...

Well...The info given here deserves being thought over. I also wonder what's happening))) Anyway thanks a lot for the post and for the links inserted.