Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Big Audio Dynamite: Bringing Dance Music to the White Kids


Big Audio Dynamite (BAD) was a band formed from the slowly drifting ashes of The Clash. The Clash would last a little longer, but would never be the same. Co-founder Mick Jones had just been kicked out for wanting to move the punk pioneers in new directions and into new sounds. Less than a year later, Jones quickly regrouped with BAD. BAD was confrontational like The Clash, but in a different way—exploring new directions like melding dance with rock and liberally sampling sounds and movie clips as part of the band’s palette.

My introduction to BAD came in the mid-80s one day at a high school lip sync competition one lunch in the school gym. This was a largely white high school, filled with surfer boys and new wave girls. Four of the whitest, most popular kids did a lip synch to BAD, two in full Al Jolsonesque blackface to represent the band’s black members. This interesting new sound struck some sort of chord with me.

BAD put out several albums, and went through some line-up, sound, and even name changes. They had their share of hits, but eventually faded away when hip-hop, dance and rave sounds started to become more mainstream. Though not many realized it at the time, bands like the Gorrilaz are the babies of BAD. The same can be said for bands like Rage Against the Machine, and unfortunately, Limp Bizkit, as well as the myriad of others blending rock, rap, hip hop, samples, and even DJs. Jones joined the Gorrilaz recently, and this experience had to have made him wonder about getting the old BAD back together, with all original members.
These mash up bands are original enough, but they wouldn’t exist without the influence of BAD. Aerosmith, Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys get a lot of credit for bringing hip hop to the white kids and making it safe, but I think many more white kids besides me heard samples and hip-hop beats blended with rock for the first time in that sweaty Southern California gym.

To quite a bit of interest, BAD announced earlier this year that they would re-form with original members, play a string of UK and US dates, and top it off with an appearance at Coachella. Coachella is not only one of the biggest music fests in the world, but pretty much kicks off the now huge US Summer Festival circuit, and is known for reuniting nostalgic acts from the past and throwing them on a stage across from today’s hippest bands.

It’s certainly no mark to have “co-founder of The Clash” on your rock resume. They’re one of the most influential bands of all time. But Jones was moving in a different direction than his partner Joe Strummer. The Clash had experimented with many different musical styles before, ska, reggae, dub, and toasting, but Jones wanted to keep it going, even on early demos of the “Combat Rock” album, the one that broke The Clash mainstream in the US. Songs like “(This is) Radio Clash” started setting the tone for the birth of BAD, arguably.

After the success of the mini-tours and Coachella shows, BAD announced more US and UK dates this summer, and a performance at Lollapalooza. They are also working on comprehensive re-issues of the early BAD albums, fleshed out with unreleased material. The band is even planning on returning to the studio to record a new album.
The influence of BAD is appreciated much more in retrospect than it was at the time. BAD was much different from The Clash. Strummer and Jones did get back together to work on the BAD sophomore effort “No. 10 Upping St.” but sadly, never again as The Clash. They were pioneers least of all in the use of sampling, beating even many hip-hop artists that would become known for sampling to the punch.

But here’s to the return of BAD, appreciation of their legacy, and hopefully more kids of all colors appreciating this band as much more than a mere throwback nostalgia act.

My Favorite Concert Shirts and the Ones That Got Away


My first concert t-shirt was Duran Duran, at the San Diego Sports Arena July 1987. I had to have a shirt. I couldn’t get the main shirt, I bought that one for my date, for $25. I got the $15 bargain shirt. My first concert t-shirt. Set the bar for years to come. I went to a show, I had to have the shirt.

Over the years I amassed quite a collection of concert shirts, at quite an expense. I then gave then away in one fell swoop to a pair of identical twin teens who probably hadn’t heard of half the bands. I was wearing concert t-shirts before they were even born!

 For years my uniform was jeans or Doc Marten shoes, and a carefully selected concert t-shirt appropriate to the audience of the day. There were many times when I was the guy at the show in the band of the night’s shirt, which many consider a concert faux pas.

I actually only had two Duran Duran shirts. I’ve seen them five times altogether. These shirts were like badges of courage. They were my favorite band, and to be honest, not too many guys are huge Duran Duran fans. I got a lot of grief for wearing those shirts. The best was a very colorful one, with the band name on the front, words “Abstract, Idealist, Romantic” on the back.

 I probably had the most Depeche Mode shirts. I’ve seen them ten times. I believe one of my Depeche Mode t-shirts has the distinction of being my most worn t-shirt. It was from their “101” Pasadena Rose Bowl show, June 18th, 1988—my 18th birthday. By the time I got rid of it, it had been worn down to a sheer nearly see through level. The graphics on the shirt practically faded I wore that shirt so much.

 As the 80s moved into the 90s, my tastes changed a bit. I became quite a fan of the Southern California punk band Social Distortion. I’ve seen them live at least 25 times, and at one time had several shirts, and even a hat. My very favorite Social D shirt was form their “Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell” tour. I eventually upgraded to a Social Distortion Dickie’s jacket, which I still have and wear to this day.

 In the mid 90s I got quite involved with the San Diego music scene which Spin magazine touted as the “next Seattle” after Seattle had supposedly given the word grunge with bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. I supported my favorite San Diego bands like Rocket From the Crypt and Lucy’s Fur Coat with shirts as well. Both shirts were pretty simple with the band’s logo. For some odd reason one day I decided to paint wearing my Rocket From the Crypt shirt.

 Among my collection were some controversial shirts as well. These pieces took some extra careful consideration to wear, as they would often elicit comments, questions, and glares. My Dead Kennedys t-shirt used to turn a lot of heads. It simply featured the large “DK” logo on the front. My Public Image Limited shirt got many looks, but mostly because it was fluorescent orange and green. My Bad Religion shirt with the x-ed out cross on the front made many uncomfortable. I had a Social Distortion shirt featuring a burlesque dancer, a drug user and a cross burning that elicited at work complaints. Interestingly enough, a Rock the Vote “Censorship is Unamerican” shirt elicited regular questions as it depicted a black man with a white hand over his mouth.

 There were shirts I wanted but never did get. I saw the Ramones twice, but failed to get a shirt with their epic logo emblazoned on the front. I saw AC/DC one time, but didn’t get a shirt. I’ve seen Iron Maiden twice, and didn’t get a shirt. I’ve also always wanted a Clash shirt, and a Judas Priest shirt, even though I haven’t seen either band live.

 There are, of course, the shirts that got away and still haunt me. I’ve always wanted a shirt from Duran Duran’s 1984 tour. I saw U2 twice on the “Zoo TV” tour, and LOVED the main Zoo TV shirt, but didn’t get it. On the “Music for the Masses” tour, Depeche Mode had an amazing shirt with a huge orange megaphone that I failed to acquire. Lucy’s Fur Coat sold a shirt with Lucille Ball in a fur coat on the front, that got pulled after a cease and desist letter from Desilu. I never got one, but really wanted one. I’ve always wanted a shirt from The Cult’s “Electric” tour.

 I know some of my old shirts are still out there. Hopefully they’ve found good homes. Probably in the closets of some nostalgic 40 something year old men like me. I can only home that at least one of my shirts was the “one that got away” for some music fan out there somewhere.

 What are some of your favorite concert shirts, and what are some of the ones that got away?

Is 2011 the Year of the Tech IPO?


I've never owned any stock in a company. Not sure why. Maybe it's because the concept seemed related to companies I didn't feel I had a "connection" with. Well, I'm connected with the Internet and social media. More and more Internet technology and social media companies seem to be gearing up to go public. These are tools I work with, sites I use every day, and companies I support. How can I not get on the boat when companies like Pandora, LinkedIn, Skype, Groupon, and even Facebook seem to be gearing up to let the public get a piece of the action?

Pandora recently filed for an IPO. I've been a Pandora subscriber for years. Pandora is an online streaming radio service that is tailored to the music you like. You can enter an artist name, or song name, and the Pandora site will set up a radio station based on similar artists and songs. You can listen anywhere you have access to the site. Pandora boast nearly 80 million registered users like myself, with the average user listening to more than 10 hours of streaming music a month. Pandora is working to expand its reach into car radio, and Internet ready TV. Surely a company that is growing and worth a look.

LinkedIn is basically a professional social media site. A Facebook for professionals, where they can connect and interact with each other and companies. I am a big fan of LinkedIn and think networkers, companies, and job searchers underutilize it. LinkedIn is on its way to an IPO, and it looks to be a big one. LinkedIn has over 90 million registered users, 65 million unique visitors in Q3 2010, and had $161.4 million in revenue in Q3 of 2010. Another Internet tech company continuing to grow, especially as members and companies alike realize its potential to connect and engage in mutually beneficial relationships.

Skype, the premier Internet based calling services, filed for an IPO in 2010, but it's been on hold for some time. For 2010, Skype has 663 million users worldwide, and reported 2010 revenue of $860 million. Last September, eBay sold 65% of Skype to private investors which valued the company at more than $2 billion. Skype is still the powerhouse in Internet calling, but there are competitors nipping at its heels, most notably Google Voice. Skype certainly has the established track record, advantage, and current market share coming out of the gate.

Online discount powerhouse Groupon is also gearing up for an IPO this year. Groupon offers localized discounts of up to 90% from local businesses like restaurants and salons. Groupon leads the market, but LivingSocial http://livingsocial.com is a close competitor. Groupon has been valued at as much as $25 billion, and has been growing steadily, moving into hundreds of new cities and doubling its subscriber base this year alone.

There is little doubt that the Internet tech IPO everyone is waiting for is Facebook. The rumor it that Facebook is looking to make its IPO in May 2012. When this news hit the streets, Facebook was valued at an estimated $50 billion. Facebook started the ball rolling early, raising $500 million from Goldman Sachs, and Digital Sky Technologies. Experts believe Goldman Sachs is helping Facebook circumvent the system so it doesn't have to report earnings or raise money via an IPO. The thinking is that when Facebook is required to officially release its financial information to the public, it will also decide to become a public company at the same time. Perhaps this will ratchet up investor interest and increase the stock value?

Whether you're an investor or not, this is certainly an interesting time for tech stocks. Many questions remain, like what is the REAL value of some of these companies? Most of these Internet tech companies get their profit from online ad revenue, and many think their value is inflated. Some don't even technically generate any money at all at this point! We'll see as each makes their IPO on the near future!

Are you in? If so, for which of the companies?

Brother Can You Spare a Dime? The Emergence of Peer-to-Peer Lending

When we need to borrow money, we go to the bank, family, or a friend. However, there’s a new trend in lending that’s emerging lending.” These are transactions that occur between people without the involvement of a traditional financial institution.  There are many sites now helping facilitate these types of financial transactions.

With peer-to-peer lending sites, both the borrower and the lender post their terms, with each trying to get the best deal they can find. Borrowers and lenders choose their own terms and interest rates. These sites not only broker transactions between strangers, but terms can be established between friends and family members as well. Common advantages cited include low and fixed rates, no hidden fees, simple processes, and quick turnarounds. Investors can earn 10% in annualized returns on peer-to-peer loans. The sites generally charge a 1% service fee subtracted from loan interest.

LendingClub promises investors better returns, and borrowers better rates. Investors at LendingClub have earned average returns of 9.65% as of April 2011, according to the site. Borrowers are told they can borrow from 6.78% APR. LendingClub statistics list over $250 million in loans since 2007, with over $20 million paid to investors.

Kiva seems to offer a more simple approach. Empower people around the world with as little as $25. Kiva is a non-profit organization striving to connect people through lending to help alleviate poverty. Since 2005 Kiva has worked with over 571,000 lenders, $250 million in loans, with a 98% repayment rate.

Zopa is UK based, and Zopa is run by a team drawing experience from industries including Financial Services, and backed by the firms who also invested in companies such as eBay, Betfair and Lovefilm. Zopa has been around since 2005, and voted “Best Personal Loan Provider for Service” at the 2010 Moneywise awards.

GreenNote bills itself as the “higher education donor network.” GreenNote helps students achieve their higher education dreams by using social networks without utilizing traditional lending methods. Students connect with their social network--friends, family, friends of family, community leaders and others - to ask for financial support.

Prosper works on an auction system where borrowers post a listing and wait for bids. If their bid is met in the time frame, they get their loan. If not, the loan goes back in the bidding pool.

This new trend in peer to peer lending tells us primarily that there are alternatives to the traditional banking system. The interest rates on loans through these sites are not as competitive as bank rates, but they are still lower than credit card rates.

If you’re thinking of trying to get a loan using one of these sites, as always, do your research. The models are similar, but you still should find the site that best fits your needs. Don’t be greedy. Be realistic in what you’re asking for, or what you’re willing to help fund. Ask for help if you need it. Prosper.com has an online community available for discussion.

Most experts advise that if you choose to invest in these sites, diversify to lessen your risk. Make small investments, and spread your money out. Remember that you’re relying on the site to gather and provide accurate information on the borrowers and to contact them if there’s an issue. This follow through doesn’t always happen.

Borrowers should be clear as to what they need. Remember that you’re potentially applying for a high risk loan outside of banks and other investors. High interest can equate to high late payments. Also, make sure you know what you’re getting into. Research the site, and read the fine print.

Many of us are fed up with the banks and credit cards. Perhaps next time you’re looking for a loan, you should consider online peer to peer lending.

Online Tax Preparation Services


Each year, more and more tax preparation options become available. You can now even do your taxes via your smartphone, with the Snaptax app from TurboTax.  The IRS has its ownonline tax preparation program, calledE-File. Most of the major tax preparation services also offer online alternatives to filing your taxes, and integrate with E-file. Let’s take a look at some of the options.

 TurboTax claims you’ll “get your biggest tax refund, guaranteed!” TurboTax offers a number of products at different price levels, from the Free Edition for 1040EZ and simple tax returns all the way up to the Business Edition for Corporations, Partnerships and LLCs, for $149.95. Most of the programs offer step-by-step guidance and TurboTax Total Assurance, which promises the maximum refund, 100% accurate calculations, and free audit support. TurboTax’s most popular program seems to be the Deluxe package, recommended for returning customers, and imports your previous year’s return. Deluxe preparers are asked some simple questions online, and are matched with eligible deductions. All plans also include free E-file with the IRS.
eTax.com, offers a quick return, simple process, maximum refund guarantee, free customer support, affordability, and safety and security. eTax claims you can submit your return in three easy steps. A wizard guides you through some simple question to calculate your refund. Then, you file your return via E-file or mail. Finally, you receive your refund in as little as 8 days. eTax also offers multiple packages, depending on your filing status, ranging from single or married taxpayers with or without dependents, single or married taxpayers with deductions and credits, to advanced returns including investments, AMT and small businesses and schedule C filers.

H&R Block offers multiple packages and tiers as well. The Free Edition allows you to E-file your federal return for free, with a fee to file your state return. The Basic plan includes an import of your previous year’s return, step-by-step guidance, and a double check for errors. The Deluxe Plan is recommended for returning users, and includes the import of your W-2, 1099, and previous year’s return, and matches for deductions. The final package is for the self-employed, and features schedule C guidance, tax law and planning resources, tax calculators and rental income assistance. All programs include free federal E-file, and an extra charge to file state.

Tax Slayer touts itself as “America’s Best Value in Tax Software,” and based on the prices, this seems to be the case. Tax Slayer is very straightforward with three plans: Free, Classic, and Premium. They also offer a special Military Free edition. The Free edition is intended for 1040 EZ users, includes a deduction finder, refund calculator, and email support. The Classic Edition includes all major forms and schedules, a deduction finder, and an import of the previous year’s return. The Premium Edition is billed as the “most popular and versatile,” includes all the features of the Classic Plan, live phone support, prior year comparisons, and audit assistance.

Any of these online tax options can help save some time, stress, and mistakes with your tax return. Shop around and do some research as prices vary, but you’ll find these services will make the process go much smoother, and help you get your refund much faster. Unless you owe, that is!


Filing Your Taxes Online Via E-file

Technology makes everything easier, including the annual pain of filing your taxes. There still will be people who will rush to get that return postmarked by midnight by the tax deadline (April 18th this year, by the way), and there still will be lines of people at the post office dropping their returns in the late night drop boxes. You can save a lot of time and hassle by filing your return online via IRS e-file.

The IRS website is quite comprehensive and helpful with information on your taxes. You can find all the information and forms you need there, quickly and easily, including all the information on filing online directly with the IRS.

Two out of three taxpayers now use the IRS e-file system. Under the freefile option, you have a couple of choices, depending on your income. If your income is under $58,000 you can use Free File, where 20 tax software companies make their products available for free via the IRS website.

Regardless of income, anyone can use IRS online fillable forms, the electronic versions of the traditional IRS paper forms.

You can also do your taxes yourself using e-file with commercial tax software. With this option, you purchase tax prep software, prepare your own return, and submit simply by pressing “Send.” The IRS recommends that you shop around, as prices vary.

You can also work with a tax professional to help prepare and e-file your return. Most tax professionals are already using e-file, as are all the major commercial tax preparation firms. You’ll get your return faster, and have more options if you owe. The IRS has a list of authorized e-file providers for individuals.

Tax professionals accepted into the e-file program are called “Authorized IRS e-file providers.” Your tax professional will work with you to prepare your return, and file your return electronically with the IRS. Your return and related information are sent via secure channels, not via email. Before submitting your return, you’ll sign it via a PIN, or by signing the U.S. Individual Income Tax Transmittal for an IRS e-file Return (Form 8453).

Once the IRS receives your electronically submitted return, it is checked by computer for errors or missing information. If your return cannot be processed, it is sent back to the authorized sender for clarification or missing information. Once clarification is provided, your tax pro will resubmit your return. When your return is complete and accepted, the IRS sends acknowledgement to the submitter stating that the return has been accepted for processing. This is your proof that you have filed your return.

If you are due a refund, you can expect to see it usually within 3 weeks of the filing date, faster if you choose a Direct Deposit option. If you owe additional taxes, it’s your responsibility to send the payment by the tax deadline (usually April 15th, but April 18th for 2011). Payments can be made 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are electronic payment options, you can authorize an electronic funds withdrawal, or use a credit card to make your payment.

The IRS does not charge a fee to e-file, but your tax professional might. Some tax professionals will e-file a return you’ve prepared yourself for a fee, and others offer e-file submission as part of their tax preparation services.

Most tax professionals now offer e-file. You can visit the IRS website and search by zip code to find authorized e-file providers near you. You can also find authorized e-file providers online, or in your phone book.

E-file helps make your tax filing a little less painless, and more efficient. If you have a refund coming your way, you’ll often get it faster than if you filed via traditional methods. If you owe, there are also a number of options available to you. If you have any questions, visit the IRS website, or talk to a local tax professional.

What To Do If You Can’t Pay Your Taxes


The saying goes that two things are certain—death and taxes. But what if you can’t afford to pay your tax bill? This scenario is more common than you might think, and you definitely have options. I was there myself several years back. It took some time and some extra money, but I eventually got back on track with the IRS.

Don’t try to hide from the IRS or your looming tax bill. Send your return in on time as you normally would. If you don’t pay your tax owed, the IRS will send you a letter asking for the tax due, plus interest. The penalty is 5% of the tax not paid by the due date for each month that your return is late, also counted toward partial months. The maximum penalty is usually 35%, but if your return is more than 60 days late, the minimum penalty is $100 or the balance of the tax due on your return, whichever is smaller.

Of course the best option to avoid penalties and interest is to try and pay your tax bill. Maybe you can borrow the money from a relative or friend. If you’re a homeowner you could borrow against the equity in your home to cover your tax bill. In an interesting twist, the interest on the home equity loan could be deductible on the following year’s return.

You can request up to 120 days to pay in full. There’s no fee for this arrangement, but interest will continue to accrue until the liability is paid in full.

I chose to contact the IRS directly. My friendly IRS operator recommended an installment plan for me. Of course I still owed the full amount of the tax, I just had to break it up over time. You’ll start with either and Installment Agreement Request (Form 9465), or Payroll Deduction Agreement Form 2159. You can also request a direct debit Installment Agreement, Form 433-D.

Form 9465 is the primary installment agreement form you’ll be concerned with, and it’s easy to complete. You’ll provide your name, address, Social Security number, the name of your bank and your employer. You’ll put how much you owe and how much you want to pay each month.

The fee for installment agreements is $105.00, and the fee for direct debit agreements, is $52.00.

If your installment agreement is approved, you’ll have a number of options available to make your payments:

Direct Debit from your bank account
Payroll Deduction from your employer
Payment via check or money order
Payment by Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS)
Payment by credit card via phone or Internet
Payment by Online Payment Agreement (OPA)

The IRS suggests you pay as much as you can as part of your installment agreement. You also need to let them know what day of the month you will be making the payment each month, the 1st through the 28th.
The IRS offers a number of incentives to encourage you to use direct debit or payroll agreements, since they definitely get their money each month that way. Advantages to going this route include the reduced user fee of $52, no monthly check to mail, postage savings, no check processing charges, no problem remembering to make the monthly payment and having to face subsequent penalties.

Another option is referred to as an offer in compromise. You still pay the IRS, but the IRS agrees to let you pay less than the total amount due if they agree to the compromise. In the past, the IRS would consider an offer in compromise if your liability for the taxes owed was in question, or if they weren’t sure they could collect the taxes. Now, the IRS approves offers in compromise based simply on economic hardship.
To apply for an offer in compromise, you’ll have to complete the offer in compromise application, Form 656. The filing fee is $150. Keep in mind this program is intended for taxpayers with extreme circumstances. As part of the offer, you can offer to make a lump sum, cash payment or fixed payments over a period of time.

So, if you can’t pay your taxes, there are still options available. Just remember to know all of your options, do your research, be honest, and don’t hide from the IRS. They’ll track you down!

The Case for Quentin "Inglorious Basterds"

I am a fan of Quentin Tarantino. I have been since I first saw the trailer for “Reservoir Dogs,” and read an article on him in “Premiere” magazine years ago, touting him as the next hot thing. I’ve followed his career closely since. I even loved “Jackie Brown!” “Pulp Fiction” WAS my favorite movie for a long time.

But now, I’m making the case for “Inglourious Basterds” as Tarantino’s masterpiece. Yes, even better than “Pulp Fiction.” “Pulp Fiction” was epic. It exploded Tarantino into the mainstream, got him an Academy Award, for best screenplay. With “Pulp Fiction” however, he hadn’t yet hit his stride as a director and all around filmmaker yet. He was still in progress. “Pulp Fiction” was an indie film, shakily directed by a man still honing his vision.

“Kill Bill” as a whole was my next favorite Tarantino film, stealing the crown from “Pulp Fiction.” I thought it was his most cohesive film, well written, well acted, well paced, and finally well directed. It literally vibrated off the screen. It was a revenge story, a kung fu story, a spaghetti western, a Japanese manga cartoon, but ultimately a journey and a love story. It’s really a shame to look at it in two parts; it needs to be one whole bloody affair. And it is bloody.

But for me, “Inglourious Basterds” is the masterpiece. Tarantino hit his stride and is firing on all cylinders as a writer, director, and visionary. A World War II buddy movie that’s also a spaghetti western about revenge. The screenplay took nearly ten years to complete, and during the time he was writing it, Tarantino worked on “Kill Bill” and “Death Proof,” his half of “Grindhouse.”

Tarantino includes Hitler, Goebbels and Goering as characters in the film, and rewrites the end of WWII. The revenge element has to do with a girl named Shosanna, whose family is killed by Colonel Hans Landa, the “Jew Hunter.” She hides as a cinema owner in France, plotting her revenge. She not only gets a chance to get back at the Colonel who killed her family, she gets revenge on the German leaders who have chosen her theater to screen a propaganda film. The “Basterds” are a group of American soldiers tasked with not just killing Germans, but scalping and branding them with swastikas. When word gets out that the German top brass will all be in one small French theater on the same night, the Basterds are assigned to take out said Germans.

The film opens with a sweeping scene set in a farmhouse with an interview between Colonel Landa, in an Oscar winning performance by Christopher Waltz, and a small dairy farm owner. Waltz is truly chilling in this scene, which most likely was the only scene needed to determine the Oscar win. Landa calmly converses with the dairy owner, even asking for 2 glasses of milk. The tension builds as Landa finally get the farm owner to confess that he is hiding Jews underneath the floorboards. This is Tarantino’s best written two guys sitting down scene since a scene in “True Romance,” which featured an “I know I’m going to die” talk between a Mafioso played by Christopher Walken, and a father hiding his son on the run with mob drug money played by Dennis Hopper.

There is a card-playing scene in a tavern that drips with tension, despite running a bit long. Two of the Basterds and a British spy are dressed in German uniforms. They  engage in a friendly drinking game with some real Germans, and the Brit agent’s faux accent gives him away. Firefight ensues, almost everyone dies. Eli Roth gives an underrated performance as the “Bear Jew,” known for his violent efficiency in killing enemies with a baseball bat. Interestingly, Roth also directed the film within the film the Germans are all there to see, “Nation’s Pride.”

For me, one of the most brilliant scenes in the film shows Shosanna getting ready to exact her revenge on her sworn enemies gathered downstairs in her theater. She knows she probably won’t come out alive. The scene fades in with Shosanna dressed in a stunning red dress staring out a window at red nazi banners adorned on the buildings around her theater. She contemplates her fate, while drinking very red wine, applying very red lipstick, with very red nail polish. Red, the color of revenge. All set to David Bowie’s “Cat People (Putting Out Fire.” A fitting subtle but not so subtle music video.

Brad Pitt brings a certain Southern Charm to his character of Aldo Raine, leader of the Basterds, but I was a little disappointed in his portrayal. He’s definitely overshadowed by many of the other actors in the film, even some with minor roles.

No doubt, every Tarantino film is a tour de force. But for me, “Inglourious Basterds” is head and shoulders above the other films, even if the head is missing a scalp. I have a feeling Tarantino is going to keep coming up with bigger and better films, and I’ll have another favorite movie within the next couple of years.

Financial Tips For 2011


It doesn’t have to be a New Year’s resolution to resolve to improve your finances. It’s never too late to try and improve your financial well-being. The keys are knowledge and planning. Evaluate where you are, and where you want to be. Then come up with a plan to get there, and figure out what you have to do to get there.

You don’t need an expert to get you started down the path to improving your finances. Just take some basic steps to get the ball rolling, and stick to your plan. After you know where you are and where you want to go, then you might consider consulting a professional financial planner to help you get there.

Plan ahead

Get started right away to plan for your future. Set short term, medium term, and long-term goals.

Figure out your worth

Create a list of everything you own, and deduct your debt from the total net value of your possessions. Also do the research to ensure that you are earning the salary you should be based on your skills, experience, job tasks, and the industry salary standard.

Spend less than you earn

When you know your net worth, work on spending less than you earn. Cost cutting here and there can yield surprising savings.

Make a budget

Set saving and spending goals with a budget and stick to it.

Eliminate debt

Borrow only what you need, and eliminate the debt you can. Credit card debt is your number one obstacle to meeting your financial goals. You end up paying more for things on credit than you would if you paid with cash.

Contribute to a retirement plan

If your employer has a 401(k) plan and you’re not contributing, you’re throwing money away, especially if your employer has a contribution-matching plan. The minimum you should contribute to your 401(k) is what your employer will match. If you don’t have access to a 401(k) or 403(b) plan, look into an IRA.

Build your savings
Be sure to always set something aside for savings. Strive to set aside 5%-10% of your salary before paying bills.

Build a portfolio

Build a diversified investment portfolio, based on professional advice. A diversified investment portfolio can decrease volatility and even out returns.

Review your insurance

It’s important to have the insurance you need, but maybe people also have too much insurance. Consult a professional to review your insurance coverage.

Create or update a will

If you have a will, take a look at it and update it. If you don’t have one, you need to create one, especially if you have dependents. You need to ensure that they are taken care of.

Keep accurate records

Keep all of your records organized and easy to access. You won’t be scrambling at tax time, and you’ll have valuable information that could save you some money.

A Peep at Exploitation Films Through “American Grindhouse”


Grindhouse theaters became popular in certain seedier areas of big cities in the 1970’s and became know for playing films non-stop. Most of the fare shown in these theaters, at the time at least, was frowned upon by the “mainstream.” The genre became known as “exploitation.” The idea was to use film to seize on an often-controversial idea and…exploit it to get people into the theater to see the movie.

Though these exploitation films were controversial, often low budget and poorly made, the genre is underappreciated in its scope and influence. Many of today’s prominent filmmakers started as movie fans watching these films, and the films made a lasting impression. In 2007, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez attempted to revive the grindhouse theater feel and exploitation elements in their film “Grindhouse.” Well, it was actually two horror films tied together with faux trailers for other movies that would fall under that label of exploitation.

Elijah Drenner’s 2010 documentary “American Grindhouse” is a reverent look at the genre, tracing it’s route all the way back to the days of the traveling carnival, and to the first images ever put on film by Thomas Edison himself. Exploitation films crossed into many genres, and this documentary examines them in chronological order.

There’s a lot to cover in a single documentary, but Drenner does a good job of giving an overview to the genre. Legitimacy is provided by having the presence of such filmmakers as Joe Dante, John Landis and others mixed in with commentary from well-known film experts and writers. The main flaw of the film is the absence of exploitation pioneer Roger Corman, as well as the absence of recent exploitation standard bearers like Tarantino and Rodriguez.

Among the earliest exploitation films examined are “Traffic in Souls,” and “Freaks.” “Traffic in Souls” dealt with white slavery at a time when things like this were not acknowledged. “Freaks” is still controversial to this day as it stars actual carnival performers at the time labeled as freaks of nature. This film basically ruined director Todd Browning’s career after he’d been previously lauded as a genius for his version of “Dracula” starring Bela Lugosi, just one-year prior.

“American Grindhouse” moves us through genres like the film noir crimes of the 40s, the teenage rebel movies of the 50s, the biker films of the 60s, the rise of the adult film in the 70s, and the blacksploitation films of the 60s and 70s.

Of course one man’s shock is another man’s bore. What was shocking in films like “Traffic in Souls” and “Freaks” is commonplace in film today, even on TV. These films have to be taken in the context of their times, and with a consideration of human nature. We loved to be shocked, surprised, scared, and see the envelope pushed. It’s just a matter of how much you can take.

There’s no doubt that as a society we’ve been desensitized to violence and shocking things in film and on TV. In the 70’s when the “Exorcist” came out in theaters, there are stories of people passing out or having to leave the theater. Similar stories came out during showings of Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” in 1994, where a hypodermic needle full of adrenaline is stabbed into a woman’s chest to revive here from a drug overdose.
Chances are there’s really no more true exploitation cinema. What can we see that’s shocking now that we don’t already see nightly on the news? We live in a society where everything is now instant and on-demand. If we want to find something we go to the Internet. If we want to see that controversial video, it’s probably on Youtube. Films franchises like the “Saw” franchise try to push the element and shock us with more gore, only to top themselves in the next sequel.

Exploitation is more mainstream now, and we get our exploitation with a wink and a nudge in homages like Tarantino and Rodriguez’s films, and their hundred of imitators that have crawled out of the woodworks.
What boundaries are left to push if the boundaries are gone? What’s more shocking then the 9/11 attacks, earthquakes and tsunamis in real life?

That said, there’s no doubt that the exploitation genre is one of the more influential genres in film, and needs to be studied and appreciated. It may take advantage of our base emotions, but that’s what art is all about: emotion. Exploitation films are also where a lot of today’s prominent actors and filmmakers for their starts.
“American Grindhouse” is a reverent, if not complete, overview of  exploitation cinema. It’s more of an excellent introduction lovingly presented. Nothing new will be revealed to those with a decent understanding of film, though some gaps might be filled in. Nonetheless it’s a fun ride worth taking.
Maybe you’ll get a couple of tips on films you should see!

New Limits For 2011


Roth/IRA



2011 Combined Traditional and Roth IRA Contribution Limits:


At the end of 2011, if you are under 50 years old, the maximum contribution that can be made to a traditional or Roth IRA is the smaller of $5,000 or the amount of your taxable compensation for 2011.

According to the IRS, this limit can be split between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA but the combined limit is $5,000.The maximum deductible contribution to a traditional IRA and the maximum contribution to a Roth IRA may be reduced depending on your modified adjusted gross income.

At the end of 2011if you are 50 or over, the maximum contribution that can be made to a traditional or Roth IRA is the smaller of $6,000 or the amount of your taxable compensation for 2011.

According to the IRS, this limit can be split between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA but the combined limit is $6,000. The maximum deductible contribution to a traditional IRA and the maximum contribution to a Roth IRA may be reduced depending on your modified adjusted gross income.

401 k

For 2011, the cost of living adjustment (COLA) remains the same as in 2010.

The maximum amount you can contribute to your 401 (k) stays at $16,500 for people aged 50 and younger with an additional catch-up contribution available that holds at $5,500. These same limits apply to other plans, such as 403(b) and the Thrift Savings Plan.

Matching contributions made by your employer are not included in these final 401k contribution limits. This applies even if you contribute the maximum every year. The matches are added despite the 401k limits.


HSAs

For 2011, HSA contribution levels remain the same as they were for 2010.
Individuals who maintain HSAs combined with a consumer driven high deductible plan (CDHP) may contribute a maximum of $3,050 for tax year, and families may contribute a maximum of $6,150.


An individual must have a plan deductible of at least $1,200.  Annual out of pocket expenses including deductibles, co-insurance, co-pays and other amounts may not exceed $5,959. Family coverage must have a deductible of at least $2,400 and maximum out of pocket costs cannot exceed $11,900.

Beginning in 2011 purchases of drugs will be limited to prescription medications. Tax free HSA money may no longer be used to purchase over-the-counter medications.


Also, use of HSA funds for non-qualifying expenses incurs a 20% penalty up from the 2010 10% penalty. In addition to the penalty for a non-qualified withdrawal, the funds must be reported as income and taxes must be paid on that income.


Deductions for miles


For 2011, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car. van, pickup, or panel truck are:


* 51 cents per mile for business miles driven
* 19 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
* 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations


You may not use the business standard mileage rate for a vehicle after using any depreciation method under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS) or after claiming a Section 179 deduction for that vehicle.


Also, the business standard mileage rate cannot be used for any vehicle used for hire or for more than four vehicles used simultaneously. You have the option of calculating the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.

Tax Changes for 2011


Here’s an overview of some of the top changes to consider when filing your 2010 return.

Deductions for Business and Medical Mileage


The deduction for operating your car for medical reasons is 7.5 cents less than last year, down to 16.5 cents a mile. Driving for charitable purposes is deductible at the same rates as last year, at 14 cents per mile.

Limits on Deductions for Property Damage or Loss Due to Theft


The loss amount must now exceed $100 for damaged or stolen property to be deductible, compared to $500 in 2009.

Taxes and Fees on New Motor Vehicle Purchases


If you bought a new car, light truck, motor home or motorcycle between February 17 and December 31 2009, you can deduct state, local, and excise taxes related to the purchase. If your state has no sales, you can deduct other taxes or fees generated from the purchase. This deduction is only good up to $49,500 of the purchase price. It is also phased out at certain levels of modified gross income, between $250,000 and $260,000 for joint filers and from $125,000 to $135,000 for other filers.

Deductions for Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance Premiums


LTC insurance policy owner scan deduct more of their premiums for 2010. Those aged 51-60 can claim up to $1,230 in LTC insurance premiums, and the deductions increase progressively up to $4,110 for those 71 and over.

Other Important Elements


q  Current tax rates are retained for 2011 and 2012, with top rate of 35% on ordinary income, and 15% on qualified dividends and long-term capital gains.
q  Employees and self-employed workers receive a reduction of two percentage points in Social Security payroll tax in 2011.
q  The AMT exemption is kept near current levels and allows personal credits to offset the AMT.
q  Tax credits for working families under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 are retained.
q  Businesses can write off 100% of equipment and machinery purchases placed after September 8, 2010 through December 31, 2011.
q  The estate tax is reinstated for 2011 and 2012.

All in all, there were more than 20 pieces of legislation enacted, with over 570 changes to the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS has issued over 400 regulations, press releases, notices, revenue procedures and other forms of guidance. For all the latest information, visit the “Tax Changes for Individuals” section of the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/content/0,,id=178012,00.html.

My Video Game Evolution


I was reminded this morning of the first video game I remember, Pong. Vanity Fair ran an excerpt from a new book coming out on the rise of Atari. I remember that first Atari well. It not only had Pong, but Soccer, and Tennis—which were basically…Pong with slight variations. Oh how the Atari brought the family together, hitting a little square back and forth. My mother marveled that it would help with my “hand/eye coordination.”

Our next system, the Atari 2600 was a definite step up. Cartridges this time, and in color with what seemed like awesome graphics! Oh the time we spent playing Bowling and Space Invaders as a family! At first the system was in the living room, and my play was limited to a half hour after school and some on the weekends. I remember when my Dad brought home the hot new game Missile Command! My favorite game on the Atari 2600 was Pitfall. I tried so hard to get to 20,000 points and be able to send in for the Pitfall Harry patch!

I amassed quite a collection of Nintendo games over a span of a few years, but the ones that stand out in my mind include Super Mario Bros, Castlevania, Metroid, Double Dragon, Legend of Zelda, and a strategy war game set in feudal Japan called Nobunaga’s Ambition. Nobunaga has the distinction of being the first video game I ever stayed up all night playing. Now these were the best graphics! Arcade quality!

Eventually, one of the guys I was in a band with bought this new system called the Playstation by Sony. We’d have band practice on Friday nights until about 10 PM. Then he and I would literally stay up all night playing NFL Gameday. I don’t think I ever beat him once, but I fell in love with the Playstation, and NFL Gameday. I had to have it. I bought a Playstation, and got NFL Gameday as soon as I could possibly afford it. All I played on my Playstation was NFL Gameday. When a new version came out, I had to have it, as it would have the updated rosters for the upcoming season.

Then along came the Playstation 2. Now, the PS2 was a video game system that made sense. It was like an investment. I didn’t have a DVD player, but the PS2 played DVDs! It was backwards compatible to all Playstation games, so I could play all my old NFL Gameday games on the new system. So I bit the bullet and…decided to invest in a PS2.

Now, I stuck with NFL Gameday on my PS2 for at least 3 years. Then I want over to a mutual friend’s house and played Madden. Yes, I’d heard about Madden, but I was skeptical. I was a Gameday guy. Well, one night of Madden and I was hooked. I picked up a copy of the latest Madden soon after, and bought the latest Madden every year up until recently. When you have kids, it’s tough to stay up all night playing videogames, but I assure you that Madden is the one game I’ve spent the most all-nighters playing. I’ve gone though whole seasons in a night!

Then along came the Wii. I admit I was a little turned off by commercials with the fakey bigheaded game characters. But the wireless controllers were interesting. I was actually my wife who convinced me we needed one, to give the family something new to do together. We initially all had a lot of fun playing the sports game that came with the system. We’ve also all spent a lot of time with Wii Fit Plus, and my son and I spend a lot of time playing Lego Star Wars. For some reason, Madden on the Wii doesn’t do it for me though! But the biggest use of our Wii is to stream Netflix.

With the smartphone revolution, video games have come full circle. The graphics on the smartphone games match the quality of nearly any of the TV based systems. Plus, they keep the kids busy! I must admit, I do play the occasional game of Chess on my phone, but it’s mostly the kids playing Angry Birds, Ant Smasher and Hungry Shark.

I do have to say though, the greatest app on my phone, game or not, is called Jedi Light Saber. You can choose your light saber hilt, color, and even your “Star Wars” theme song. When you move the phone back and forth, it makes the famous light saber sound. My son and I have light saber duels with my phone and my wife’s! I can’t imagine what cell phones will be like when my son is “ready” for one, or what video games will be like for that matter!

I Never Stalked a Band I Didn't Like


I've never been much of a celebrity stalker or groupie. I've met a few here and there, mostly by chance and have been pretty much low-key about it. I bumped into Halle Berry outside of a hotel in New York City. Maybe I just never had the opportunity. She was very pretty and nice, by the way.

Fandom is a largely thankless job. I've heard story after story of fans meeting famous musicians and being disappointed or even devastated. Obviously we've got this version in our heads of what our idols are like. If we meet them and they're not like we think, it's disappointing. I think this is the number one reason I so rarely band stalked. I didn't want to be disappointed if that singer just wanted to go to sleep, or that drummer just wanted to eat. I think they should consider that for the fan it's probably a once in a lifetime chance, and a little hassle is worth it for the lifestyle, but I'm not in their shoes.

One of my friends had an extra ticket a fairly exclusive Duran Duran concert recently in Los Angeles, and offered it to me. She also asked me if I was down for some late night stalking. Of course I was. Duran Duran has been one of my favorite bands since I was a teenager. The show was unbelievable.

So at the end of the show comes the wait. I'd heard about this before, since high school. Basically you wait outside the venue for the band to leave and hope for a photo or a signature. So out of a crowd of 1300 there where about 8 of us that hung out in the freezing cold, waiting for someone to come out.

There was another group as well, that my group was sure to stay separate from. I called them the "autograph hounds." These were four guys who all knew each other and were pros. They are the types that get things signed and then sell them on Ebay. Some celebrities don't like them, and many fans don't either. These guys knew everyone coming out of the venue, and there were some VIPs and celebrities I didn't recognize.

The first celebrity sighting was Samantha Ronson, best known as a celebrity DJ, and close friend of Lindsey Lohan. She's also the sister of Mark Ronson, DJ, musician, and producer of the latest Duran Duran album. He also sat in with the band on a couple of tracks. I thought about talking to her about meeting her brother, but she was on the phone, probably with Lindsey, and didn't seem too approachable.

I believe John Taylor, bass player for Duran Duran and fan favorite was the first to leave the after party. He's very tall and sticks out. I noticed him walking across the street to his SUV and driver, with the autograph hounds in tow. He was signing, but definitely walking at the same time. I was a little late and missed my opportunity. He'd gotten into the car. I could have lunged and been "that guy" but chose not to. He obviously wanted to go.

Disheartened, I went back across the street.

Soon after, Moby came out. He's a well-known musician and DJ. He was very nice to the autograph hounds and stopped and talked and signed. I ran up and stuck my hand out and told him I was a fan and it was nice to meet him. He seemed surprised there wasn't more. We looked at each other for a moment, smiled, and then he moved on.

Next out the door, and quickly, was the rare and elusive Marilyn Manson. It would have been interesting to meet him, but he was too quick to bolt, chased by the  autograph hounds that literally had to run to keep up with him.

At this point we moved our position, and for me, the coup of the night occurred. Mark Ronson came out of the side door carrying his guitars. My friend asked if he would pose for a couple of pictures and he said he would after he loaded his stuff. So he stopped and took a few pictures with me and signed my poster. He was very gracious and patient and dapper. I babbled, "thank you for what you've done for Duran Duran," as he's truly helped revitalize their career, and "you're obviously a fan." He said he was, and thanked me.

We could have waited longer and maybe gotten a Duran signature, but it was late, cold, and wet. I'd seen one of my favorite bands closer than ever before, and closer than I'd probably see them again. I lucked out on a ticket, front of the line, and front of the stage. I also got one of the signatures and a meeting I was hoping for. I was happy.

Perhaps if I'd waited just a little longer…

Top Retirement Mistakes

With the economic downturn of the last few years, traditional ideas on retirement have gone out the door. We no longer live in a world where we work for one company for 30 years and comfortably lapse into retirement. It’s just not that easy anymore. We’re living longer, medical costs are higher, and guaranteed retirement income has lowered. There’s too little money for the numbers of people that need it.

There is always time to recover. You can always get back on track, but let’s discuss some of the top retirement mistakes.

Retiring Too Early

In general, many people want to retire early, but few are prepared to do so. Our retirement system is set with an age of 65. You’re certainly allowed to retire early, but you need to keep in mind you may face reduced retirement income as well as significant tax penalties.

You’ll receive full Social Security benefits at the age of 65, but reduced benefits if you retire prior to the age of  65. If you do decide to pull your social security earlier, an option would be to leave your 401(k) investments to keep generating that tax-free income for a few more years. If you take from that 401(k) early, the IRS could take an additional 10% in early withdrawal penalties.


Also, keep your health care insurance costs in mind. If you retire prior to 65, there will be a gap between when your employer’s coverage ends, and Medicare begins. Private health insurance is of course available, but at a considerable fee.

Underestimating Needs

The general rule of thumb for retirement income is that your income during retirement should be 70% of your working income. Retirement usually means more expenses like travel and vacations, and leisure activities like golf. Don’t forget kids getting married, college fees for children and grandchildren, maybe even fees for your parents’ medical care.

In general, many people want to retire early, but few are prepared to do so. Our retirement system is set with an age of 65. You’re certainly allowed to retire early, but you need to keep in mind you may face reduced retirement income as well as significant tax penalties.

You’ll receive full Social Security benefits at the age of 65, but reduced benefits if you retire prior to the age of  65. If you do decide to pull your social security earlier, an option would be to leave your 401(k) investments to keep generating that tax-free income for a few more years. If you take from that 401(k) early, the IRS could take an additional 10% in early withdrawal penalties.

Also, keep your health care insurance costs in mind. If you retire prior to 65, there will be a gap between when your employer’s coverage ends, and Medicare begins. Private health insurance is of course available, but at a considerable fee.

Try to project as accurately as you can what you think you’ll need, and keep in mind that your needs may change, and unforeseen needs may arise.


Not Accounting for Taxes

Don’t forget that the money you’ve been putting into those IRAs, 401(k) plans, and 403(b) plans is not helping you avoid taxes. It’s merely helping you defer these taxes to a later date. You’ll pay those taxes whenever it is you withdraw the money.

If Social Security will be your only retirement income, there will be no tax on your benefits. Most of us aren’t retiring on Social Security alone, so half of that Social Security income is added into other retirement income to figure taxability.

Confusing Returns

Always remember that the average returns an investment earns are not the same as the returns it earns every year. Your goal should be to align your year-by-year returns to the average return you are hoping to achieve. A diversified portfolio is a good strategy as differed investments react differently to thing like interest rate changes, currency variation, investment phases, and so on.


Not Considering Inflation

The cost of everything keeps going up. You’re going to need more money for everything you buy today when you buy the same things when you’re retired. Your assets have to grow faster than inflation, and faster than you are spending them. A good strategy here is to try to control spending early in retirement, especially in that first year.


Remember, your retirement is in your hands. The earlier you start, the better. Those who save and invest along the way will have more assets than those who rely on pensions and Social Security income alone. Just remember to try and avoid the above-mentioned pitfalls along the way.

Tax Tips For Parents




We’re all busy during tax season, but when you’re a parent, you’ve got other things to worry about. Mainly your kids, AND your taxes.

Let’s take a look at some important things parents need to consider during tax season.

First, you need to make sure you’re not falling prey to some of the most common mistakes parents make in relation to taxes. There are tax mistakes everyone makes. Many forget to sign their returns, or forget to get their spouse to sign. Many filers forget to attach W-2 forms, or all of their W-2s. Many filers use insufficient postage, write their addresses sloppily on the envelope, or even mail their return late. Try to avoid these pitfalls by double checking everything,  using computer aides to help with tax prep, or even working with an experienced tax professional.

Don’t forget to make sure your dependents have social security numbers, even those newborns. It’s best to take care of this right away, so it’s a done deal come tax time. Be sure and check not only your dependent’s social security numbers on your forms, double check your own and your spouse’s as well.

Remember all year round to keep accurate records of childcare costs. If you’re a working parent and your children are under 13, there’s a good chance you’ll qualify for the child and dependent tax credit. To file for the tax credit, you’ll need your childcare provider’s tax ID or social security number.

Always remember to claim head of household status if you can. This is something that many single parents forget to claim, if they are eligible. Claiming head of household status allows you to claim dependents on your return.  Single parents are eligible for head of household status if they paid more than half of the cost of maintaining the household throughout the year, and lived with the dependents or children for more than half of that year.

Don’t forget to file for the child tax credit. It applies to children under 17 living with the parent claiming the credit for more than half of the year. This up to $1,000 credit phases out for higher earners, but many tax paying parents are eligible.

Make sure those teenagers with part-time jobs file their taxes. You could miss out on a valuable return, and you or your teenager could get some money back. To do that, they’ll need to file a return, just like their parents have to.

Try to take advantage of  tax advantage savings plans. College savings accounts offer some tax advantages you should be aware of. After tax money can grow tax-free as long as it is used to pay tuition fees. Many states allow deductions for contributions to college savings plans. You can also claim interest on your taxes if the college student is still a dependent. Also, don’t forget to take advantage of flexible spending, and 401K type accounts through your employer.


Keep these simple tips in mind for tax season. Consider taking advantage of the wide array of computerized tools available to help you with your taxes. You can even do simple returns using smart phones now! It’s also always a good idea to consider consulting a professional tax preparer during tax season.

Don’t Forget the Songs That Saved Your Life

Originally posted on the Tree.com Arts Channel

KISS. Paul Lynde Halloween special, 1976.

I was 6 years old. This band came out in makeup, loud, crazy, fire, and explosions. Blew me away. Never forgot it. I recently found the performance on Youtube. Cool to see again, but not as good as I remembered! Seeing this doesn't seem too big a deal now, but when I was 6 years old and saw it on “live” TV, it changed my life.

Music is an experience. For me it culminates in the life performance, but every aspect of music is an experience. But times have changed and that experience isn’t what it used to be. Some of us, myself included have forgotten that experience. Others never had the chance to have that experience.

The availability and ease of which music, information and performances are now conveniently available has spoiled us and made us lazy music lovers. The Internet has contributed to the deterioration of such aspects of the music experience like the vinyl experience, the journey to the record store, the band fan experience and the exclusivity of live performance.

Do you remember going to the record store and seeing that a favorite band had a new album out, or opening the music section and seeing that a band was coming to town, or trying to stay awake to see that late night TV performance, or pouring through the music magazines looking for news on a certain band?
I love vinyl. I still have boxes and boxes of records, and a turntable in my office. No, it’s not hooked up to my computer yet, but I’ve got the connections! I'm of the school that thinks vinyl sounds better. Technology has made me lazy. It's easier to press a button and scrollbar than dig out a record, put it on the table and drop a needle. I remember getting a record, opening it, pouring over the liner notes, the new photos, the production notes. Loving bands that put so much thought and effort into packaging the albums, building a brand with a consistent look and feel, and creating an experience. No listen of that album or examination of the artwork and the liner notes is the same as that first time.

We can Youtube any historical performance we want, or just see that TV appearance the next day. Gone are the nights of trying to stay up for the late show to catch and appearance or video. Someone will get it on Youtube quickly enough. I remember being a Duran Duran fan in the early 80s. Sure, their videos were on MTV, but to see other things, you had to hunt. We didn't have Top of the Pops, besides MTV we had to see bands on shows like Friday Night Videos, Nightflight, SNL, Richard Blade's video show, and other appearances. If you had a VCR you could tape it, but if you didn’t that was it! That singularity contributed to the magic.

If we need band news, we go to the website. We can even go to Facebook and Twitter now and interact with some of the musicians we love. I know months ahead now when a new album is coming out, still call it "album," and have HAD the "new" Duran Duran album for months. I remember pouring through “Rolling Stone” looking for the names of my favorite bands, and some tidbit of news. I also remember joining the band “fanclubs” where you’d send $10 to get a periodically bad photocopied and stapled magazine filled with news that was already out of date.

The convenience is fantastic, but the magic is gone!

Don’t get me wrong. I love all the technology and use it all. I have an extensive digital music collection. I have a full iPod. I don’t by CDs anymore, I download music. I  follow my favorite bands on their websites, and on Twitter and Facebook. I watch concerts, music videos and TV appearances on Youtube. What music fan wouldn’t take advantage of all these tools to enhance the music experience?

It’s sad that my young son and daughter one day probably won’t even know what a “vinyl record” is. One of my fondest memories of my Dad and I going to various record stores on the weekends before I could drive, and discovering new artists and finding imported treasures. He’d asked me about them and pretended to be interested as I babbled on about the latest new wave or alternative band.

I certainly love my iPod, iTunes, mp3s, but they’ve helped me grow lazy as a music fan. I no longer run out to the record store when things come out. I don't listen to as much new music. I no longer pour over album art and notes. I'm not as much of a completist as I once was. I no longer have to have every album, every song, and every version.

As one of my favorite songwriters, Morrissey of The Smiths sang, “don't forget the songs that made you cry, and the songs that saved your life…Yes, you're older now
And you're a clever swine, But they were the only ones who ever stood by you.”

How TurboTax is Using Social Media to Help You With Your Taxes


TurboTax is the top rated, top selling software designed to help with tax preparation, and one of the most visible and popular tax prep programs on the market. Intuit, who has been providing small business solutions for more than 25 years, created TurboTax.

Intuit is responsible for not only TurboTax, but also other well known financial tools like Quicken and QuickBooks. Intuit also offers various other support and services for consumers and business, perhaps most interestingly a thriving online community. Intuit has pioneered the use of social media in helping consumers and businesses with tax preparation.

About 6 years ago, Intuit began promoting a beta testing program on the TurboTax website. Nearly 2,000 customers responded with interest in providing feedback to help improve TurboTax but there was no formal beta testing plan in place. Intuit got the ball rolling to create an online community in an effort to engage these customers and get their input.

The TurboTax live community is nearly 4 years old, and basically connects customers with questions to the answers they need. The TurboTax community has helped nearly 4 million customers.

Other customers, in a peer-to-peer support role, provide answers. But Intuit is heavily involved as well. 85% of the people answering questions on the TurboTax community are Intuit employees ranging from vice presidents, to engineers and marketing employees.

The TurboTax community is also supported by a Twitter account, @TeamTurboTax. This account is run by an 80-person team internal to Intuit, helping customers get the answers they need as quickly as possible via direct engagement.

You can participate in the TurboTax community via Twitter, or via direct links from within the TurboTax products. There’s even an interactive list of the top questions.

To support the TurboTax community further, Intuit created the Inner Circle. The Inner Circle community features blogs, forums, an idea exchange, and polls and surveys. It’s free for users to sign up for access, and they receive front of the line support privileges in addition to access to the community tools. Inner Circle currently has about 25,000 members, and these members are responsible for nearly 35 product enhancements to the TurboTax product. So, Intuit is not only engaging its customers, it’s listening to them as well.


Intuit’s use of social media and online community has been groundbreaking in the financial software industry. Even outside of financial software, few companies seem to be engaging customers on the levels that Intuit is. Many companies are still jumping on the social media bandwagon and launching online communities, a wagon that Intuit has been on for years.

My Video Store is Gone, What Do I Do Now?

So a couple of weeks ago I hopped in the car and drove over to the video store to rent a movie. I pulled up and there were three giant construction site dumpsters in front of the local video store, and workers were carrying out the racks that the DVDs had been on. The store was a shell. It was gone. I don’t know what happened, but I do know we had to find a new place to rent videos.

We’re already set up with Netflix via the Wii, and have our On-Demand selections. But, the reality of not being able to go to the video store really hit home with me. My first cool teenage job was working in a video store at the height of the VHS craze. This was the ea if the neighborhood Mom and Pop, video store. Then the big chain video stores like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video came along and killed a lot of the smaller stores.

Netflix has been around for a few years and is a fantastic model. You sign up for an account, and you can get a certain amount of DVDs for as long as you want. No late fees! This alone may have been the biggest death knell for Blockbuster! More recently, Netflix added streaming options. You can watch movies on your computer, mobile device or through your TV using your Wii, Playstation 2, XBOX 360 or computer. Netflix is trying to move away from the DVD via the mail model that made them famous, and trying to go more and more streaming.

Visiting Redbox is kind of like going to the video store if your video was a red phone booth. You can reserve a movie via the Redbox website, choose a location for pickup, and then rent your DVD from one of the handy kiosks. Basically swipe a credit card, and enter your email address and you can grab your movie and go! Redbox is going to offer streaming services starting some time in 2011

Cable providers supply many movie options, depending on the package you have. There’s always some movie on TV somewhere. Premium cable channels like HBO, Showtime, and Starz all offer on demand selections a well. Gone are the days when you’re stuck with whatever movie is being shown in a certain time slot on a premium channel. You can now go to the on-demand premium channel and choose from just about any of the films, special programs or series that are running on that channel that particular month.

Most cable providers now off their own on-demand programming options as well. Most of the major networks and cable stations offer popular programs on-demand soon after their premieres, most often for free. You’ll also find a variety of newly released films and other titles for a fee.

Click on over to TV.com to…well, watch TV online. Here you can watch popular TV series, talk with fans, and get news on your favorite shows. You can watch shows and videos for free, but if you register, you participate in a points system. Activity on the site gains you points, and the more points you have, the more recognition you get in the TV.com community.

Hulu offers some of the top TV shows, movies and videos. With Hulu Plus, you can stream the site content on your TV, mobile device, or computer. Mobile phone support is continuing to evolve, with the iphone fully integrated, and Droid compatibility coming soon.

iTunes offers streaming content as well, including the most current releases available. Apple TV is a related service that offers HD movies, Netflix integration, MLB and MBA games, as well as iPhone, iPad, and iPod integration.

So there are many options out there, once your local video store goes away. You just need to find an option that works for you. Consider how you want to view the content. If you only want to view content on your TV, look into Netflix, Redbox and your cable providers. If you’re a little more flexible or specifically want to see movies and TV shows on your computer or mobile device, again look at Netflix, but also don’t forget TV.com, Hulu, iTunes and even Apple TV.

I’ll be streaming, but still looking for a nice neighborhood video store.