Inspectors always make things sound really bad, that's their stock in trade.

IRS pub 425 says, "Passive activities include trade or business activities in which you don't materially participate.

He said he had that with their computers too. 

My idea is to offer my skills, such as social media management, painting, or assisting with various menial tasks, in exchange for the opportunity to learn the trade.

Also I cant figure out how to get a camera etc on my computer to do pod casts  Scott and I were going to do one this summer I flew to Colorado to do it since I could not set it up at home unfortunately Dave Meyers schedule did not jive when I was at BP world headquarters..

Send all your AG's and tap my phones, computers, homes etc. if you wish, I couldn't care less about it.

Something in the middle will work fine (unless you have a lot of devices connected (like 12+) in addition to computers.  500k upload speed is generally sufficient.And one more tip to finish. 

As @Sam Grooms mentioned, we've competed (unsuccessfully) against them in the highest and best.Everyone has their "tricks of the trade".

To provide an example, I was previously employed in the legal department of HHM, which at the time was a an affiliate management company of a publicly traded hotel development/operation company where we managed  the portfolio of  hotels as well as provided 3rd party management services.

But if the replacement property has less value in section 1245 items, you do have to compute the difference (which pretty much requires a cost seg study on the acquired property), and then you have 1245(b)(4) recapture on the difference.