patrick.net

May ANS rest in peace.

Well, I was basing my opinion based on what happened to her son. But perhaps it's always bad.

(I personally don't think so in this case, as long as responsible guardians are appointed for her daughter. ANS died before the kid was one. Plus, ANS is a trouble magnet. Without such a mother, the daughter might have hopes of leading a relatively normal life)

Well, you're all entitled to your opinions. Keep in mind that I didn't say anything bad about ANS other than my own opinion that the daughter is better off without her. I think I have substantial reasons, based on facts known to me, to think this is so.

Astrid, we know you, don't worry. ;)

Though you are welcomed to make fun of my eventual demise, which is going to happen sometime within the next 100 years.

With this 0% capital gains - could not someone theorectically take a long unpaid sabatical in one year to get their salary in the bottom bracket?

Am I missing something?

What about newly retired boomers?

It's always possible. But won't SSI for most boomers be around 25k a year?

The death tax is also eliminated for the year 2010. It'd be interesting to see if there are any correlation between it and death rates among the wealthy.

It’s always possible. But won’t SSI for most boomers be around 25k a year?

After deducting state tax and mortgage interests?

Peter P,

If you died, I would miss you a great deal. I have nothing but good to say about you. However, if you insisted on a mausoleum with a 500 sq. ft. bathroom...then I'd make fun of you, a little.

However, if you insisted on a mausoleum with a 500 sq. ft. bathroom…then I’d make fun of you, a little.

How about 400 sq. ft. But with marble?

Only while you're still alive.

After deducting state tax and mortgage interests?

Hmm, good point. Also, with a married couple, the income limits for those brackets double. Hold on to your stocks & your house! (unless Congress changes its mind)

NIA, NTA

What is the $$ amount that the 'death tax' kicks in at now? It doesn't really tax your death, unless you have a decent estate, I find that such an odd name for it.

I just received this email from ZipRealty:

Opportunity to buy in an awesome location in Sunnyvale. Only 3 left, offering a 10K financing incentive package for 2 of them. Also get a $ 6500 plus rebate from me.delivery 4-5 months. price 670K to 730K.
PLEASE CALL/EMAIL ME ASAP TO SEE THE FINAL UNITS.
----
Why do I need an incentive if these are the last units? Won't someone just snap them up? Also, what location is awesome in Sunnyvale? I cannot think of any.

SP : ditto to everything. I was shocked too.

Astrid : This is a free country. You can say whatever you want. But the parent-child relationship is very special. To casually say that it's more good for the child to lose the parent, just because you are free to come to your conclusions, is horrible. Unless you know and can show how her being alive was harming the child, don't hide behind the right of free speech.

Also, what location is awesome in Sunnyvale? I cannot think of any.

Better than an "awesome" location in East Palo Alto.

The only possible place in EPA I like is the Four Seasons hotel.

Also, what location is awesome in Sunnyvale?

Entire BA is awesome. Peter P said that every place is special.

Perhaps "awesome" as in Shock and Awe.

The Four Seasons in EPA is quite nice.

The Four Seasons in EPA is quite nice.

I recommend the warm seafood salad there. Service at the restaurant is superb at times.

StuckinBA,

First of all, this is hardly a freedom of speech issue at all, but one of social nicety. If most people here had declared me so repugnant as to boot me out, that's your perogative. Freedom of speech is not applicable to small privately runned websites.

In any case, I have no problem that you think, on this one point, that I hold a repugnant view. I'm not big on this particular brand of social nicety. And I think very very poorly of people with bad parenting skill.

Also, what location is awesome in Sunnyvale?

Why, the part next to Cupertino - of course!

"Do these guys think they’re selling to idiots?"

Yes.

And I think very very poorly of people with bad parenting skill.

To the extent that you think the kids are better off with the parent dead ? Because they don't match your definition of good parenting skill ?

SFWoman,

Death tax is just the nickname. It's called the federal estate tax. Exemption limit is $2mm this year.

Link

SQT,

If her son was a decent kid and she made an effort to raise him properly, then I was wrong and I retract that statement. My impression was that she was a very unfit mother.

StuckinBA,

Because it is my opinion only! It would be different if I was a family court judge or child service person making a judgment that affects these people's lives. I see no reason to tone down my opinion simply because they may offend the sensibility of some, unless I deem that offense to be great enough to cause some sort of actual harm.

Increasingly, I’ve started to appreciate socialism, as in the European sense.

Socialism works only for countries with small population and large reserve of natural resources.

I think you are admiring the relative wealth of those countries.

BTW, I've repeated stated my own opinion about child raising. People can do whatever the heck they want to their own lives, but if they have a child, I think they owe that child at least 18 years of reasonable stability and loving care. That obligation, once undertaken, supersedes their own personal preferences.

I do think that a major reason why this society is screwed up is that many people don't think before undertaking this responsibility and are derelict in their duty as parents.

MtView,

Ah, I thought the amount to qualify for the estate tax was much higher, because such a small percentage of people end up qualifying to pay it.

I feel sorry for ANS's daughter. Who knows, maybe she died of flu, but I'd guess it was likely drugs or heart failure. Why didn't the people close to her do an intervention or something? Everytime I've seen the woman appear on anything she seemed to be a stupor.

I do think that a major reason why this society is screwed up is that many people don’t think before undertaking this responsibility and are derelict in their duty as parents.

I agree. But I am not ready to accuse any specific person of not being a good parent.

I am probably a bad parent myself. :(

What is the $$ amount that the ‘death tax’ kicks in at now? It doesn’t really tax your death, unless you have a decent estate, I find that such an odd name for it.

SFWoman,
Will your kids be surly teenagers in 2010? If so, I would look both ways before crossing the street -- I know FABs parents will :-)
Exemption limits revert to $1 million in 2011.

SQT said:
I think ANS biggest flaw was that she wasn’t terribly bright. Being beautiful and not-to-smart is a sure fire way to be taken advantage of.
Uhhhh.... she was a golddigger, and quite a good one I would say -- or am I missing something?

"Not that you need or want me on your side. Nor that there are sides. "

:-) It's more of an oval. ( I hope I didn't just offend the rhombus people)

Anyone ever have to deal with having accounts at a bank or S&L that fails? How long until you get access to your FDIC insured balances? What if you have automatic bill pay? Do those bills get paid?

I've recently noticed that one of banks that I have accounts with (small balances but with the bill pay) is deteriorating rapidly. I'll be working to change this situation as quick as possible but I thought I'd ask the questions just in case I'm not quick enough.

Thanks,
Paul

SQT,

I felt bad for her when her son died too. I thought she was a terrible mother, but no one (including Saddam Hussein) deserves to have their child die before them.

Huh?

GC,

I think it's conventionally understood that men with neither a job or a bank account have other problems too, all of which make them less than desireable husbands.

SFWoman Says:

> What is the $$ amount that the ‘death tax’ kicks
> in at now? It doesn’t really tax your death, unless
> you have a decent estate, I find that such an
> odd name for it.

The people that use the term “Death Tax” are usually Libertarians or Republicans (or others that think that the government wastes most of the money we pay in taxes) and the people that use the term “Estate Tax” are usually Democrats or Greens (or others that get money from the government and think that the government could solve all our problems if the “rich” only paid more taxes).

2001 Death Tax Rate 55% Exemption $675,000
2002 Death Tax Rate 50% Exemption $1,000,000
2003 Death Tax Rate 49% Exemption $1,000,000
2004 Death Tax Rate 48% Exemption $1,500,000
2005 Death Tax Rate 47% Exemption $1,500,000
2006 Death Tax Rate 46% Exemption $2,000,000
2007 Death Tax Rate 45% Exemption $2,000,000
2008 Death Tax Rate 45% Exemption $2,000,000
2009 Death Tax Rate 45% Exemption 3,500,000
2010 Death Tax Rate 0% No death tax on any Estate
2011 Death Tax Rate 55% Exemption $1,000,000

P.S. In 2000 less than 2% of the Americans who died paid the Death Tax and some states had less than 100 total estates over the $675K exemption (that was $650K in 1999)…

P.P.S. My Dad has joked that he plans to hire a “food taster” (like the medieval kings had to avoid poisoning) in 2010…

I see no reason to tone down my opinion simply because they may offend the sensibility of some,

Precisely. Those are your rights. But you have failed to offer any analysis of supporting that opinion, and as I said earlier, simply hiding behind your right to say whatever you want to say. But that's your right too, you do not have to offer any justification for saying it.

A child, who is less than a year old, lost it's mother. It's a grave loss. A loss that cannot be replaced. A child needs a mother, especially a mother at that age. For good physical, emotional and psychological development. You suggested, very casually, that it was better for the child for her mother to have died. That is a very serious statement.

What you in essence are suggesting is, you think it's better for kids to lose their parents if their parenting skills are not up to your definition of "good parenting". Saying things are better by someone being dead because they do not fit with your idea of "goodness" is strikingly similar to the viewpoint of most terrorists.

Saying things are better by someone being dead because they do not fit with your idea of “goodness” is strikingly similar to the viewpoint of most terrorists.

Not always. Terrorists are better dead.

At some point we do need to draw the line between good and evil.

StuckinBA,

Are you suggesting that adopted children, who grew up without a biological parent, are irredemably damaged.

I'm not suggesting ANS's child grow up without responsible guardians. In fact, I was originally suggesting that this girl would do better in the hands of responsible guardians than she would in the care of a highly irresponsible parent.

My paternal grandmother's mother died when my grandmother was two and she was packed off to her maternal grandparents. However, she was reasonably treated there and grew up quite well adjusted. My extended family has suffered a few instances of kids who lost parents in infancy or childhood. They managed to grow up okay and I don't see the deep psychological scar. It's not nothing, but I'm not convinced that the damage is worse than growing up with outright bad parents.

She unfortunately will have a different mother figure so the arguement of her life being over because her mother passed on is BS.

Who said the child's life was over ? What happens to the child as a result of this tragedy is simply unknown future. The issue we are debating is completely different.

The issue is statements like... "Since I don't like the person's particular skills, I think xyz is better off with that person dead."