Visuals

I've been noticing for months now that there are cool advertisements drawn on some sidewalks in Boston, for either the aquarium (with lots of blues and interesting underwater creatures), or the theater district (with more classic art). It's not chalk; it lasts longer. Perhaps it's actual paint? I haven't touched it to see. I wonder when this started, and who has to approve it.

Seeing the open doors of the train close as I try for the seventh time to get my pass to work at an unmanned entrace to the T. Grrr. (Of course, the next train was much more jammed.)

I got a new driver's license before my birthday. I renewed online, so the photo's the same. The general layout is the same, but there are a lot of differences. There's a background with two images of the state, and wavy blue and green gridlines curving around. Some of the layout of data is a bit different. And there's a holographic seal with yet another image of the state, a banner with the full state name, and what looks like a Native American holding a full-height bow with a star just above it. Obviously, much of this is to make it harder to counterfeit. Still, the Native American (I have to keep remembering not to type "Indian". Oops, did it anyway.) it interesting. Makes me think of the image they had to take off the Mass Pike signs, of a pilgrim hat with an arrow through it.

Taxation

There's an article in today's NYT on the proposals of Bush's tax advisory commission (mirrored at the Houston Chronicle, as well).

What do they want to do? Limit the deductions for mortgage interest and employer-provided health insurance. I thought that home ownership was a value to these home-and-hearth guys? And a decrease in a health insurance deduction will go over like a lead balloon too. The reason they're suggesting this? To make up for revenue that will be lost if their recommendation to abolish the alternative minimum tax goes through. (The article ends with a great quote:
'The panel's vice chairman, John Breaux, a former Democratic senator from Louisiana, acknowledged the political difficulty but said, "We've got to make bold recommendations without regard to politics."'
As if anything in Washington these days could be politics-neutral. *snort*)

Luckily, they've decided that consumption taxes have more drawbacks than advantages, so they're not suggesting scrapping the income tax entirely. Consumption taxes fall a lot harder on the poor than the rich: they still have to buy food, clothes, medical care, and so on, but now it's all taxed. Rich people not only are able to absorb the cost better (especially since a greater percentage of their spending is discretionary), but are more likely to be able to save or otherwise avoid official consumption. In other words, the rich get richer.

However, they're still considering a flat tax, which I also think is foolish, for similar reasons. Bill Gates can afford a higher tax rate on his income without noticing a practical difference than I can on mine. And I can afford more than someone making minimum wage.

The one thing I think is a good recommendation is trying to figure out how to let people who don't itemize taxes to be able to take a deduction for charitable donations. A lot of people don't itemize if they don't have a mortgage and/or don't have huge health expenses, but that shouldn't be a reason not to be able to deduct charitable gifts. I mean, if they're tax deductible, they should be for everyone.

Sukkot planning

Yes, it's Yom Kippur tonight (until tomorrow evening). G'mar chatimah tovah and tzom kal to those fasting.

But my planning brain is leaping ahead to the more involved holiday (making the assumption that I'll be written for life through the end of the month, at least. I hope so...)

( in which I ramble on )

Farm share, week 18

A fair bit of stuff, including:

• a pound of peppers (I chose two red, one purple, and one almost whitish one.)
  
• a bunch of cilantro (given away at the distribution)
  
• a bunch of kale (or collards)(I got lacinato kale. Yay!)
  
• 0.4 lb of mixed salad greens and/or spinach
  
• a bunch of long, thick, red radishes (think squat carrots in shape), with greens (unsure if they're edible, in the good to eat sense, rather than the won't kill you sense) (I'm not a huge radish fan; anyone local interested? I'm going to be offline until tomorrow night soon.)
  
• a pound of beets (I mentioned liking beets, and was told to take more; apparently lots of people don't like them. So I have two large beets instead of one.)
  
• a stalk of broccoli
  
• four hot peppers (There were a variety of kinds.)
  
• a pound of sweet potatoes
  
• an eggplant (all on the small side. I got a regular one; there were also Asian ones, and the round lighter-purple ones.)

And a ( Boston Organics delivery. )

Eruv

I'd gotten the email that the eruv would be down for Y"K. Not great, but knowing in advance is good.

I just got another email:

Rabbi Klapper has determined the following: "The North Charles Community
Eruv can be presumed up for tonight, (the night of Yom Kippur), but must
be presumed down as of 6 am tomorrow morning, (Yom Kippur day)".

Eeeenteresting. It's good for the nursing moms, if they want to make it to Kol Nidrei.