Well, that little article which in last Wednesday's Philly Citypaper regarding the alleged proposal by the city to TAX Philadelphia based bloggers if they happen to be making any money from their passionate wares.....has created a mini-media firestorm. Not mini like, Mini-Kiss, or mini like any chance of serious accolade ever being given to Justin Bieber, but mini in a regional journalistic controversial sense.
I was one of only two bloggers mentioned by name and URL in the article. I was/have been contacted by various Philadelphia based newspapers and radio stations. I'm giving an interview to an NPR program called The Takeaway tomorrow at 620 am. Someone said I was mentioned on The Drudge Report, right next to a report on Bikini Clad Tea Party girls planning to do a calendar(LOLOLOLOL..choke, spit).
I don't know what to make of it all. I'm not impressed, though because neither Lester Bangs, Howard Stern or even freakin' Kurt Loder has requested an interview and one of them's dead.
Listen, I don't make any money on this blog, but if I did it would either be spent on fine pale ales or a lifetime supply of Cookie Crisp...I'm not a hookers and blow sort of guy.
If the city wants to come after me, have at it, I have nothing but some pristine bagged and boarded comics and a signed copy of Tonight's the Night...and you'll have to fight me for those.... but, in reality, I'm just a writer who likes to go to shows and complain about everything, and have had to do so out of pocket...for the lifetime of this blog. I said I have made 11 dollars over the course of two years from my ads..that will get you lukewarm Bud Light at a Phillies game...What I didn't say, is that I don't even know how to GET that 11 dollars that I've made...it's out in the digital ether somewhere...
I chose to put up banner ads on the site to maybe, in a Dream Police-d world cover the cost of going to a few shows per, month. It has not worked out in my monetary favor.
But I'm still here, cranky as ever, selfishly reporting on what is wrong or right in rock and roll...and nobody has come for the 300 bucks that I don't have yet.
I'll be waiting.
As a fellow blogger (TechGeekandMore.com) all I can say "Really are they that desperate. If you need someone else who has only made about $9.75 cents on his blog (So you have me way beat) to go into battle with, I'm right there with you.
ReplyDeleteAlex
Head of TechGeekandMore
That is pretty classic. Man, they must be desperate for money in Philly.
ReplyDeleteAlex, lets form a union and collect union dues in the form of web traffic swapping from other bloggers...we'll be sailing on our yacht in no time.....seriously, though thanks for the support...
ReplyDeleteWAKE UP over there, Seano!
ReplyDeleteyou already pay TAXES on your blog if yo get any income. don't go "Shawn Fanning" and cry "freedom of speech" - u don't need to fall on any swords m8. If you receive ANY money via PAYPAL it is taxed. it you monev it to your bank - it is taxed. be SMART. just don't allow ur local politicians to politicise the (blogger) issue. its irrelevant. Everyone with a bank account is taxed cos their BANK is taxed.
Don't allow ur local government to TRIPLE tax u!
be SMART - American politicians are all crooks and they're quite lazy. don't give them something to do.
BV
It's simple: if you make so little money with your blog just take out the GoogleAds and you won't have to pay anything.
ReplyDeleteJust for the record, your blog is quoted as an example in french newspapers :) (http://www.lemonde.fr/technologies/article/2010/08/24/la-ville-de-philadelphie-envisage-de-taxer-ses-blogueurs_1402302_651865.html)
ReplyDeleteHere's the NPR article.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129386271
German article
ReplyDeletehttp://www.zdnet.de/news/digitale_wirtschaft_internet_ebusiness_stadt_philadelphia_besteuert_blogs_story-39002364-41536752-1.htm
Hi there. Saw the article mentioned in a tweet this morning. That's insane. And I thought WE had over-taxation here in Canada! (Ok, well, we do.. but they're not charging for blogs. yet)
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good fight!
Bloggers of the World Unite! This is ridiculous, but at least it's getting some eyes on your words, and as any blogger knows, that's the real end goal.
ReplyDeletePer aspera ad astra
Too funny, Seano. Thanks for the interview late last night. You had me cracking up, man. Anyway, I'll keep in touch with upcoming gigs and what-not. -Jim
ReplyDeletea very interesting post you have writte, money is all about money and money is all we live for, cheerzzzz
ReplyDeleteHey! Just noticed that you are a Blog of Note! Well deserved I'd say. Many Congrats!
ReplyDeleteJust read an article that mentioned your blog here in the UK. Hope common sense wins at the end of the day.
ReplyDeletetest
ReplyDeleteScrew with them....send them the little amount of cash you may get from the ads and see if they know how to handle it. Send it to them as a non-profit gift to some department that isn't really there. Then, when they want to tax you see if they can figure out how to credit you for the gift.
ReplyDeletehttp://porschecorvettemusic.blogspot.com/
Hiya--I read about your $11 bi-annual earnings this AM, and now I see you're the blog of note! I did my own mini-rant over at my blog on this issue... oddly coincidental in the timeliness :)
ReplyDeleteHola a todos! este es el nuevo Blog de la Web www.allinpoker.com.ar. ¿¿Quieren ganar dinero jugando al poker gratis?? te vamos a decir como! visiten allinpokerweb.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteHe you have a pretty interesting blog going on here. I'll come back again. Check out mine too!
ReplyDeletehttp://edlund101.blogspot.com/
THAT SUCKS JUST MOVING FROM NJ TO NC. HERE THEY TAX YOUR CAR. THATS NO JOKE TALK ABOUT SUCKING IF YOU HAVE A LICENSE AND NO CAR YOU STILL NEED INSURENCE ITS CALLED NON INSURENCE. IT AROUND 40 A MO. WE GET IT UP THE BUT EITHER WAY. EXISTENCE
ReplyDeletei like ur blog
ReplyDeleteI just found out about this today! How absurd! Philly's people aren't going to take much more of this!
ReplyDeleteYou simply can not put a price on Cookie Crisp and Pale Ale: The true "Breakfast of Champions."
ReplyDeleteThere should be limitations when it comes to imposing taxes.
ReplyDelete