Gameroom Magazine

[Hoopz]

I wasn't flaming you.  It was a legitimate question in regard to wanting X number of back issues but only getting the 6 month trial.  Those two things don't exactly go hand it hand IMHO. 

My second comment was meant as a joke albeit one with a little sarcasm hence the tongue in cheek emoticon.  I'm not sure that constitutes me being a tool but I'm not going to get my panties in a bunch over it.

The troublemaker title was Saint's joke on me.  Don't poke the bear.... 

[Visitor Q]

I'm over it. 

[KevSteele]

Hey, I'm always glad to sell inventory! 

Since digitizing all the back issues, I've been more than happy to sell off as many back issues as I can, as I had literally a 10-foot high industrial shelving unit stacked with boxes of back issues...inventory that I have to pay taxes on every year.

I still have a number of back issues, but the number is thinning rapidly...

[saint]

I had literally a 10-foot high industrial shelving unit stacked with boxes of back issues...inventory that I have to pay taxes on every year.

Huh? Whyzzat?

[KevSteele]

I had literally a 10-foot high industrial shelving unit stacked with boxes of back issues...inventory that I have to pay taxes on every year.

Huh? Whyzzat?

Don't ask me -- businesses in Ohio have to pay taxes on unsold inventory every year. 

[Ummon]

Like they're gonna audit your gig? Maybe, but I wouldn't think so.

[KevSteele]

Like they're gonna audit your gig? Maybe, but I wouldn't think so.

I play by teh rulez. 

[Visitor Q]

Like they're gonna audit your gig? Maybe, but I wouldn't think so.

I play by teh rulez. 

Kev... This ain't no video game! 

[KevSteele]

Like they're gonna audit your gig? Maybe, but I wouldn't think so.

I play by teh rulez. 

Kev... This ain't no video game! 

Which is exactly why I play fair - I've only got one life left...

[CheffoJeffo]

Like they're gonna audit your gig? Maybe, but I wouldn't think so.

Let me guess, you have never been audited, have you ?

 

[cmoses]

How do you determine value of unsold inventory of something that is potentially 20 years old?  Also there is no basis of value.  No one else is selling your old issues.  Do they go by original price?  What you sell them for today was not what they were priced at when they were new?  Don't you have to determine (provide them with) that value?  It could be anything or nothing. 

The following is a hypothetical question, I do not expect you to get rid of your old stock and it to have no value.

If after you digitize all the back issues, you determine that your physical inventory no longer has value (because no one wanted it) and decide to get rid of it, do you have to prove to the IRS that you did?  Receipt from the company that shred them?

That's just crazy.      

[KevSteele]

That's just crazy.      

Yeah, it is. My accountant hates this part of the job. Come to think of it, so do I. 

[SirPeale]

Here's what you do: "sell" them at a loss to someone. Say...Kevin Steele!  Then they'll be his property, not the magazines.  Then, rent storage space to Kevin.  Say...the size of a magazine rack.  $1.00 per year.

[missioncontrol]

Here's what you do: "sell" them at a loss to someone. Say...Kevin Steele!  Then they'll be his property, not the magazines.  Then, rent storage space to Kevin.  Say...the size of a magazine rack.  $1.00 per year.

then in 15-20 when you get done busting big rocks into little rocks at Leavenworth for stiffing the gov't we can get out next issue...

[patrickl]

Having to put a value on your inventory isn't so strange is it? That you have to pay taxes on inventory does sound quite bizarre though.

In the Netherlands I only have to pay taxes on my inventory if it has gone up in value (ie when I theoretically made a profit on it), but depreciation of my inventory means I can deduct the loss and pay less taxes.

[SirPeale]

Here's what you do: "sell" them at a loss to someone. Say...Kevin Steele!  Then they'll be his property, not the magazines.  Then, rent storage space to Kevin.  Say...the size of a magazine rack.  $1.00 per year.

then in 15-20 when you get done busting big rocks into little rocks at Leavenworth for stiffing the gov't we can get out next issue...

He should check with his accountant first, but there's no reason that shouldn't be legal.

[CheffoJeffo]

Here's what you do: "sell" them at a loss to someone. Say...Kevin Steele!  Then they'll be his property, not the magazines.  Then, rent storage space to Kevin.  Say...the size of a magazine rack.  $1.00 per year.

then in 15-20 when you get done busting big rocks into little rocks at Leavenworth for stiffing the gov't we can get out next issue...

He should check with his accountant first, but there's no reason that shouldn't be legal.

Perhaps (IANATL) not illegal per se, but there may be offsetting (or worse than offsetting) entries in the tax ledger.

For example, he takes a capital loss as GRM, but makes a corresponding capital gain as KevSteele at the presumably higher personal tax rate ? Given the nature of the items involved, perhaps the second part would never make it to a declaration, but selling inventory at a loss to yourself would tend to open up a can of worms with the tax authorities as it is likely tax avoidance and potentially tax evasion and even if that wasn't true -- audits suck.

The answer, of course, is perfectly clear -- Kev should sell the inventory to me for $1!

[missioncontrol]

I'm sure depreciation of stock fits in somewhere...

[KevSteele]

I just do what my accountant tells me to, and write checks when I'm told to. When he calls from the Bahamas he's always really friendly...

[shardian]

I was gonna make some comment followed with some ?!?!?!'s, but when you said Ohio, it all makes sense. Sure you don't pay food tax in Ohio, but they get you on the ground and gang beat you on everything else! At least, that's what I've been told.

[KevSteele]

I was gonna make some comment followed with some ?!?!?!'s, but when you said Ohio, it all makes sense. Sure you don't pay food tax in Ohio, but they get you on the ground and gang beat you on everything else! At least, that's what I've been told.

We pay food tax. I think you're thinking of PA, which has no food or clothing taxes...

[pinballwizard79]

I can help you avoid paying taxes on inventory.

Just send me everything, I will sell it via consignment.

Actually I will just keep em all, never mind.

[driph]

Just wanted to toss in another recommendation just in case anyone is still on the fence... I'm several months into the trial subscription and I love this magazine. One of the very few mags I'll read from cover to cover.

Great work, Kevin, and thank you!

(now if only we could get Retrogamer out here in the US at a reasonable rate)

[Ummon]

No food tax in AZ, either.

Like they're gonna audit your gig? Maybe, but I wouldn't think so.

Let me guess, you have never been audited, have you ?

 

I'm not sure of the nature of your question, or what you're implying.

[CheffoJeffo]

Like they're gonna audit your gig? Maybe, but I wouldn't think so.

Let me guess, you have never been audited, have you ?

 

I'm not sure of the nature of your question, or what you're implying.

Only that I find that people who have been audited don't share a cavalier attitude towards the process.

[KevSteele]

Thought I'd get this thread back "on topic" -- got a question for BYOAC'ers:

What would you like to see in GameRoom? What's your "dream interview?" What machine would you like to see a retrospective on? Any interest in MAME stuff, or just restoration of classic arcades? Any non-arcade game room stuff you'd like to see more of?

[shardian]

Thought I'd get this thread back "on topic" -- got a question for BYOAC'ers:

What would you like to see in GameRoom? What's your "dream interview?" What machine would you like to see a retrospective on? Any interest in MAME stuff, or just restoration of classic arcades? Any non-arcade game room stuff you'd like to see more of?

I would love to see some DIY gameroom decoration ideas. It could be anything - painting, organizing, custom art, etc. I realize the news section kind of does this, but a more indepth article on a specific subject would be a neat read for a page or two each issue.

I've seen a couple neat custom items in the "gameroom of the month" section, and it always fascinated me to hear the backstory on them. The main one that comes to mind is the crazy guy who decorated his ceiling 100% with football helmets. I was wondering how in the hell he did that, then find he wrote a big section about it. That is kind of what I had in mind.

P.S. I might be able to have my arm twisted into heading this up. It would be sweet to be published!

[RayB]

More mentions of ME.
 

[shardian]

I was curious, did anyone else feel that George Gomez came off a little too cocky and condescending in his interview? The way he phrased things kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

[Level42]

I think Jed Margolin would be a good candidate for an interview. The guy worked with Atari for "ages" compared to some others, so he should be able to tell some nice stories.....at least I hope

Kev, if that on-line/pdf version would become real I'd subscribe in a heart-beat. Especially when it will have the nice form of a real magazine where you can flip pages, easily zoom in and out etc. that you see regularly now on the internet. Much like this:

http://kruidvat.nl/domains/kruidvat/pages/magazine/S2/kruidvatmagazine.aspx

That still wouldn't be half as good as a real paper one, but coming close. I do understand that there may be some concerns about copying it that way....

Would it at all be possible to have the real thing printed over here and then distribute it within Europe ? With today's "on demand" printing of books you'd say it should be possible. Not sure how big the market would be here of course.

Maybe it's a nice suggestion to have an article about Euro cabs ?

[cmoses]

I would enjoy seeing some MAME articles. 

Article of Cliff Hanger Laser Disc game.

Also articles on games that never made it to the arcades (company went out of business, arcades tanked, etc)?  Marble Madness II comes to mind. 

[KevSteele]

Would it at all be possible to have the real thing printed over here and then distribute it within Europe ? With today's "on demand" printing of books you'd say it should be possible. Not sure how big the market would be here of course.

Unfortunately, on-demand printing or a European print run both would raise the cost per issue to the same as me mailing it first-class. There's just not enough European subscribers (...yet. I can dream, right?)

The online mag is looking more and more like the way to go for electronic distribution. I can't find a DRM solution for PDFs that isn't a pain in the butt for end-users, and I don't want to make this any more painful than it has to be...

[MameMaster!]

How about an interview with Billy Mitchell ? 

[shardian]

How about an interview with Billy Mitchell ? 

Isn't he already on your speed dial? 

[KevSteele]

How about an interview with Billy Mitchell ? 

Isn't he already on your speed dial? 

 

[MPS]

I'm really looking forward to the next issue -- I understand that there will be a Death Race restoration featured! 

I just went out to the mailbox and, yes, there is an article on restoring a Death Race. Not just a Death Race, but a YELLOW Death Race!

* CheffoJeffo rubs hands together in glee with anticipation of a proper reading

I was there when that game was delivered in 2007.  I helped Gary Vincent take it off of the truck , and it was an unmitigated disaster.  The bottom literally fell out of the cab while we were trying to lift it.  There was a huge chunk of plywood missing from one of the sides.  The metal parts were full of rust, and we were all standing there thinking it would take a major miracle to get that machine running again.

Gary Vincent, Bob Lawton & everyone else involved at the American Classic Arcade Museum should be commended for the outstanding work they did restoring that game.  Gary has not put it out on the floor yet, but I did see it last week while I was up in NH helping Gary restore two other games.  The cabinet looks amazing. 

[RayB]

How about capturing the Tim Skelly chat tonight and then publishing a condensed and edited version of the chat? Slap a big Coin Op Space logo at the top and everyone's happy.
Come on Jeff, give him permission to do that.

[KevSteele]

How about capturing the Tim Skelly chat tonight and then publishing a condensed and edited version of the chat? Slap a big Coin Op Space logo at the top and everyone's happy.
Come on Jeff, give him permission to do that.

Strangely enough, you're the second person to suggest that -- I've already asked Jeff if he'd be willing to "interviewize" the chat for GRM. Looks like there's plenty of interest!

[CheffoJeffo]

How about capturing the Tim Skelly chat tonight and then publishing a condensed and edited version of the chat? Slap a big Coin Op Space logo at the top and everyone's happy.
Come on Jeff, give him permission to do that.

Strangely enough, you're the second person to suggest that -- I've already asked Jeff if he'd be willing to "interviewize" the chat for GRM. Looks like there's plenty of interest!

Must be something in the water ... 

[Ummon]

I think Jed Margolin would be a good candidate for an interview. The guy worked with Atari for "ages" compared to some others, so he should be able to tell some nice stories.....at least I hope

He does. At least several at his site. What he can say of them, anyways. Lots of legal stuff in his past that seems to be still on the table or able to hound him.