Irs Irs Irs

[Black Bart]

Just got off the phone with 1-800-829-1040. Good grief! A new low (no small achievement for them) in customer service.

Ten minutes hold time just to get the menu, for Heaven's sake. Then thirty minutes of loud, blaring, crashing crescendoes by various long-hairs (and I don't mean hippies). I'll bet I listened to that recording fifty times--you know, the one that says "Please do not hang up. Your call is important to us....blah, blah, blah." It begs the question, "If we're so important to you, why don't you hire enough people to man the phones?"

I know I mentioning liking something classical a few posts back, but you'd think they could give us just one soothing string quartet every now and then? Maybe I'm an ingrate since their non-help (I never got to talk to them) is free, but this is ridiculous. I put myself in mind of Seinfeld's line about the bums at the soup kitchen complaining--"What? Soup? Again?"

What did I call them about? I've completely forgotten. My ear is numb.

[S T]

Practitioners Hotline

Bart,

Try the Practitioners Hotline:

Practitioners' hotline. The Practitioner Priority Service® is a nationwide, toll-free hotline that provides professional support to practitioners with account-related questions. This service is available weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. local time. The toll-free number for this service is 1-866-860-4259.

You can either ask general questions, or if you have a power of attorney on file they will help with that specific client.

Sandy

[Gretel]

What did I call them about? I've completely forgotten. My ear is numb.

I am sorry Bart. I hope you can still hear me say: Happy Thankgiving.

I really like classical music myself and can not be in place where they play music that makes you just wanna scream.

[Bird Legs]

Black Bart, I agree

Just got off the phone with the practitioners hot line. Very helpful. However, while on hold,
The same thing over & over on the muzak thing. The same song has been on there over
2 years no change. Just repetition of the same one.
Say Black Bart, what kind of music would you prefer: Fiddle & guitar, Southern Gospel
quartet, the bands from the 30's & 40's? There was one band, cannot remember the name, they would start the song just great, then it went to wash boards, spoons, and
several other items.
Anyway, all of you go find a turkey and deep fry it Louisiana style. and have a great
Thanksgiving.

[geekgirldany]

Ha! That is pretty funny. I know what you mean. I was calling another number not the 1040 or the tax practioner line but a number for refunds. My customer's refund got all messed up. I won't go into the long story

But geez it is the same song over and over again. I mean they could change the music to something different. There is a commerical running I forget which one that is using that exact same music. Each time it shows I think "that is the IRS Music".

[B C]

Bird Legs

Maybe you were thinking of Spike Jones. They used to start off very serious and then take off on some pretty weird instruments.

[Black Bart]

Hey everybody,

Happy Thanksgiving to all along with an advance Merry Christmas (guess it's still okay to say those here).

I saw in the paper today that Wal-Mart has substituted "Happy Holidays" for MC again. Also that Target has banned Salvation Army bell-ringers from standing in front of their stores. Anybody notice that the "religious" Christmas carols (Hark, the Herald Angels Sing / Joy To The World / O Come All Ye Faithful / Silent Night) are not played over the PA system in the stores anymore? It's strictly Jingle Bells, etc. Odd, isn't it? It's okay to make money off the season as long as you don't mention the season.

So...., to fight back, tonight I sought a bell-ringer in front of Wal-Mart, gave her a few bucks, said Merry Christmas, and got the same greeting in return. It was nice. Those dedicated souls who stand out in the freezing cold for hours must be wonderful people indeed. They absolutely deserve our admiration and respect.

I really do miss those carols, though (especially Silent Night). They used to be everywhere during Christmas season. Guess I'll have to go to church to hear one.

Taste in music? A fifties teenager; I like rock 'n' roll and pop; also some 60's (Percy Sledge/Eagles) and 70's. Hard rock and rap--I feel like Andy Rooney probably does. Don't much like country music (surprised?) except for some female artists (Crystal Gayle genre). For some reason (if I drink enough), I like Hank Williams, Sr. The big bands of the 30's/40's were before my time. What do y'all like?

About the hot line: Although I've called them before; I just took them at their advertised word that it's for "account-related" problems only and not general tax questions, so I never asked them anything other than for a specific client. Will they, in fact, answer general tax questions?

[DTS]

Christmas

Hi Bart,

There has been so much talk on the TV and radio around here, echoing your sentiments about stores enjoying their profits, but being afraid to say "Merry Christmas".

Some people are offended, some are not. It does strike me as being odd they are selling the majority of their products that will be wrapped and opened Christmas morning.

Having said that, in December, I always send my clients a "holiday" card that is festive and has nice wishes to all for a wonderful New Year. Although I celebrate Christmas, I try to be sensitive to those who don't. I don't know what is correct in a situation like this. I just want everyone that comes to my office, to know how appreciative of them I am.

Years ago, I had a close friend, who did not celebrate Christmas, make a cutting remark to me after he received one of many cards I had sent him over the years. I meant the cards one way, he took them another. This left me a little more cautious after that.

By the way, I like all forms of music. From Elvis (when it started!) to AC\DC and beyond.

Dennis

[Snaggletooth]

Happy Happy, Merry Merry

to all of you, regardless of ethnicity or persuasion. I won't blow smoke in your face if you don't like my brand of cigarettes.

However, I am American, and believe in Christianity, and am not ashamed of it. Some years ago, Callie and I worked hard to jigsaw and paint a Manger Scene, and every year we put it in the front yard and light it up. I believe we have the right to do this whether it offends a few people or not. It will be a travesty if any government asks me to abandon this expression of my beliefs but encourages me to embrace other religions and ethnicity.

To all of you - be PROUD of who you are.

Regards, Ron J.

p.s. Bart, one time I called the IRS at work, and they were playing "Spring" by Vivaldi. I put it on the PA system, and the thing played for 20 minutes before the other folks begged for relief.

[JG EA]

I'll bet I listened to that recording fifty times--you know, the one that says "Please do not hang up. Your call is important to us....blah, blah, blah." ,... My ear is numb.

I get delight any time I am on hold for any reason to put them on speaker phone. HA! They think I'm I glued to the phone when I'm going about my normal office work. When they come on I pick up the phone with the unsaid taunt "You thought I cared I was on hold, well no, I hardly noticed and now can talk to you calmly because the time passed so quickly."

[Bird Legs]

Music

Black Bart, thought you were a couple of years older than that. My favorite music
was the big band sound. Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, all that group.
We had a victrola. Hand cranked, that played the old 78s. 1/2 inch thick. About
half way through the song the victrola started running down and had to re crank it
some more. This was back in the more simple days. Kids stayed out side all day
and then about 5:30 in the evening, the mothers stuck their heads out the door
and started calling their kids to come in and eat.
Just reminiscing a little bit. Please excuse me.

[Black Bart]

Different stuff

Sorry for the "before my time" comment, Bird. Didn't mean to imply that you're "over the hill" and I'm not. I do remember hearing "In the Mood," etc. as a pre-teen, but you know how it is; you mostly attach your memories and sentimentalities to the things that are popular when you're a teenager, dating, acquiring "our song,"and associating certain events to music popular at the time. When I was 8 or 10 we had a Victrola too (wish I had it today), although it was electric, and I still have a couple of 78 RPM records somewhere in the attic. Did you have a "Western Flyer" bike by any chance? / Hey, I heard a rumor that you boys down there spit an emu on a steel rod over a backyard fire and try to pass it off as a "Texas turkey." Is that true? What's Louisana-style cooking (marinate in Tobasco sauce?)?

Yo, Snag--keep those mangers comin' (the Christmas ones; not the dogs). Our area was almost 100% Christian until the past few years when quite a few Mexicans began moving in. We actually threw a parade for them last year (Cinco de Mayo, I think--is that their Fourth of July?) Actually, I fail to see why anyone should be "offended" by your Nativity display. If someone wants to put up a display of the birth of, say, Mohammed, or significant moments in his life, it's okay with me. I guess it's the government financing of such that others object to, but, since you're doing it on your own, I can't see anything wrong with that). If they wanted to put their stuff up (a mosque replice, maybe) and they were denied, then there'd be the devil (can I say that?) to pay, but I can't see why we should be denied our rights while defending theirs. As for the retailers, it just seems like moral cowardice to me to do what they're doing. Puts me in mind of the "Sears" directive after 9-11 when (for a short time before so much Cain--those religious-based words just keep slippin' in--was raised) that company refused to let their employees wear lapel-pins in support of the WTC victims because some NYC liberals felt it was "our fault" for supporting Israel, etc. I would boycott Wal-Mart for the "no Christmas carol thing," but, Lordy (there I go a again), I just have to have some of their cheaper-than-Office Max-stuff. Hmm, sounds a little hypocritical now that I think of it--it'd be okay for W-M to lose money doin' the right thing, but not for me (I better go stuff a few more dollar bills in that bell-ringer's pot). Why is it so difficult when it's your own posterior that's on the burner?

Dennis/ I had a close friend like your offended Christmas card recipient. A local attorney was running for judge and asked me if he could put up a sign. I did business with him, liked him, and said "Sure, go ahead." He did. My friend came into the office and basically said, "I don't like lawyer So-and-So. He once did such-and-such to me and I don't think you should let him put his sign up." I said, "Hey, if you don't like him, then fine; don't put his sign up if he asks you. But, he's helped me out in the past and I do like him. Now, this is my driveway. I'll put up any sign I want. If that's going to bust up the friendship; then it's not worth much anyway." He left, but later said "Forget it." I don't know if people ever really and truly get over those slights (either real or perceived), but we're still friends as far as I know. / I like some of Elvis' songs too (still have a few Sun 45's), but, contrary to the Foxworthy stereotype, I don't have a bust of him prominently displayed in the living room and did not attend the funeral.

Gabriele--Thanks for the condolences. My ear has now officially recovered. I agree; I'd like to scream, but it doesn't seem quite sane to curse a computer. It's sort of like beating a tractor with a chain for poor performance.

Sandy--Did you say that you [i]could[/i[ ask general questions on the hotline as well as specific account-related ones? I understood that you could not. Thanks.

JG EA--Good idea you have there about the speakphone. I never thought of that. We don't have a PA system in our office, so I'm going to buy a couple of phone with built-in speakers and give your method a shot. / Snag--re.: Vivaldi serenade--couldn't that be considered as "cruel and unusual punishment?"

[RLymanC]

Hey Bird

Throw in Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and Frank Sinatra.
Used to catch a lot of those guy's at the Hollywood Paladium.

My Mom didn't have to call use in at 5:30, we came a runnin all by ourself, turned on the radio for the Lone Range, The Green Hornet, Superman, **** Tracy, Batman. We waited with our decoder rings for the clues.

I Remember my Dad used to crack up at Fiber McGee & Molly everytime the closet door opened.
Like Archie Bunker say's........THOSE WHERE THE DAY'S.

[JON]

1950s

Sunday night we ate on TV trays in the living room and listenned to "Our Miss Brooks". That was 20 some years before she was on the movie "Grease"... I was not into to it much, but liked the trays.........

[JG EA]

Old stuff to remember

A great website to jog the memory:

http://www.thestatenislandboys.com/U_thrill_me