Reinke Faces Life

Well, the fist salvo in what will be a long expensive war was fired last night.

I was mildly surprised that the “reeval company rep” was there last night. But, they were. And we, Frau and I, got another taste of what it’s like to “rent” one’s property from the gubamint.

In essence, they gave us some verbal Barbara Striesand about computer model. (And, you know how much that was worth to me. I gotta few computers and can “model” too.)

Basically, they took two sales on our block, as comparable, subtracted their swag about what the building was worth, and divided by the square footage to come out with a number. Take that number and multiply by the 20 by 100 lot we “own”. And, pouf, the land was worth 315k.

(Sell!)

After some fast thinking, I pointed out that these “comparables” were:

(1) Year round legal two families hence they may have under-valued the buildings and thus over-valued the underlying land.

(2) That small undevelopable lots are not worth the same as larger developable lots.

(3) The read of the lot was “unusable” because it is “landlocked” and as such you can’t practically or economically do anything with it. I cited just putting some rocks down in the back to control weeds was three times as expensive for us because they had to be wheel barrowed down an alley. Takes a lot of wheel barrows to make tons.

(4) We were preempted by zoning from using that back 40 feet from making a two family like our neighbors making the land less valuable.

(5) Everyone else has parking; we don’t. Makes our property worth a lot lot less. And, there was no way to remedy that defect.

I couldn’t think of anything else. Did I miss anything?

He dutifuly took notes on all our points, nicely promised to send it back to HQ, and we would get a response shortly.

Guess the next step is to hire an attorney?

I’ve been “drafted” as a foot soldier in this war on our pocketbook.

I wonder how much success I’ll have with Constitutional issues. No taxation without representation. I didn’t agree to government schools or spending.

I’m also warming up my tactical arguments. Did everybody get charged the same square foot rate? Politicians, businesses, landlords, voters? That will be an entertaining question. I don’t think so!

Let the games begin.

I went to the lawyer, signed an estate tax return, and now will pay the State a goodly chunk of change. Why would anyone die in NJ and leave money to other than a relative? Answer, when one has no relatives. I guess the thugs in Trenton figure it’s a safe theft. There’s no victim to complain. Beneficiaries are getting a windfall that they don’t have to pay taxes on. Little do they know that the taxes were paid long before the get a dime. While the feds have eliminated estate taxes, the sates have not. So this grave robbing is “legal”. It may be immoral, ineffective, and efficient. But they get away with it. The lawyer was telling me about a well-off lady who’s husband died and to keep the family farm in Princeton, she had to pay estate taxes that amount to everything else she had. I envision that if there is an Eternal reward, then the politicians who allowed this to happen deserve a special seat close to the fire. Grave robbers!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/08/
newjersey.idiot.reut/index.html

http://tinyurl.com/y972je

New Jersey may cut ‘idiot’ from constitution
POSTED: 3:59 p.m. EST, January 8, 2007

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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (Reuters) — New Jersey is to consider cutting the word ‘idiot’ from its constitution so that people with some mental disabilities won’t be barred from voting. State Senate President Richard Codey introduced a bill Monday that would remove language from the New Jersey constitution that was designed more than 150 years ago to prevent people suffering from mental illness or handicap from casting their vote in national, state or local elections.

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With all the pressing issues of the day, it’s nice to see that the “idiots” in office have time to handle this pressing issue. As opposed to handling one of the non-pressing issues, like out-of-control property taxes, a dishonest politicians taking “part time” jobs to pad their pensions, and rampant corruption by both parties.

Arghh!

A spam comment, at least I think it is spam, almost got me:

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sureshg | sg_bangalore@hotmail.com | suershg.wordpress.com | IP: 216.66.12.180

I am always intrigued and thrilled by the passion of Bloggers. WordPress never ceases to amaze me as I constantly bump into new blogs which really takes me by surprise for sheer energy and passion in maintaining a Blog. Good work and nice blog, I really enjoyed visiitng your place.

Jan 8, 4:25 AM — [ Edit | Delete | View Post ] — Bulk action: Approve Spam Delete Defer until later

*** end quote ***

So I contacted WordPress’s global command hq, (OK,I left some feedback to wordpress via their owner’s feedback mechanism.

*** quoting my feedback ***

I’m not so vain as to think any one is impressed by my blog. Heck, I’m not even impressed with it. But, it’s MY ugly baby. Anyway, when I clicked on the blog link it says “new”. So from that I conclude it’s spam. I don’t understand the motivation for spamming blogs, but you may want to put out an APB lest someone of weaker moral character and a less objective sense of their own blog’s worth, might be tripped up. fwiw, fjohn

*** end my feedback ***

The ip address says it’s from California.

I haven’t deleted it because I want to think SOMEONE appreciates my blog. ;-)

AND, I ran into a Branch Manager who was definitely incompetent. Figure I have this estate stuff down cold now having done it twice. She really just wanted to get rid of me.

I go in bright and chipper having just done some banking at Wachovia on another matter in zip time. I was going to be done and get back in time for coffee.

I go in and explain my tale. She first wants to give me cash from the estate account. I politely explained she can’t do that and I certainly can’t accept it. All I want her to do is complete my previous September transaction (i.e., convert regular individual account into an estate account). Chase supposedly did it and transferred it to an Estate Account at Wachovia. No problems. But evidently someone made a mistake cause one account wasn’t closed and money was left behind. I spent ninety minutes trying to complete this simple task. And, she basically told me that she didn’t know what was done, but she could not help me. Every time she spoke to “branch support”, she described it as if I wanted a “distribution”. So their response was to ask for a “tax waiver”! I didn’t want a “distribution”, I merely wanted it “rolled over” to an Estate Account. Arghhh! I explained it two her at least FOUR times and she just didn’t or wouldn’t get it.

If I had an account at chase, then it wouldn’t be there very long. Argh!!!

It put me on tilt the whole day!

Arghhhhhh!

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?
type=topNews&storyid=2007-01-
01T081606Z_01_L308031_RTRUKOC_0_US-
IRAQ.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsArt-R2-Today-3

http://tinyurl.com/ynzu9j

U.S. suffers 3,000th casualty with New Year
Mon Jan 1, 2007 3:16am ET136

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Specialist Dustin Donica on December 28 together with a soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad on Saturday, bringing the total to 3,000.

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This is tragic. Soon the administration will announce our exit strategy. And, I’ll wonder why this man died.

I’ll give him an exit strategy.

“Everyone exit south thru Kuwait. Spike the guns that you can’t move. Blow up the ammo that can’t be taken easily. And, proceed calmly and quietly to the exit. Like the Dunkirk rescue, planes will ferry you non-stop to the USA. When you arrive, please check in with the military police at the airport who will give you your discharge papers. Thank you for your service. Have a nice life!”

We screwed up. It’s a shame. But stuff happens.

You don’t? TOO BAD!

This morning 29 December at 0700 est on Route 295 south exit 47… …

… … a white TD 10986 … …

… … down route 295 at a leisurely something over 72 (Your serf speed limit is 55)

… … in lots of traffic

… … tailgating the poor peon in his way

… … never left the left lane!!

Arghhhhhhh!

P.S.: Dear reader, I don’t write these every day. Just when I ARRIVE early for work, particularly agitated aggravated and have to wait for my employer workstation to get online.

http://www.reason.com/blog/show/117512.html

Amish Refusal to Accept Food Stamps Makes Welfare Workers Look Bad
Ronald Bailey | December 27, 2006, 2:16pm

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This story from the Cleveland Plain Dealer is a couple of months old, but it’s a fascinating example of how government tries to insist on “helping” people who are not so evidently in need of its “help.” The Ohio Office of Family Stability is demanding that local welfare workers somehow get Amish people to sign up for food stamps. Why? Just because they are eligible on the basis of income. By refusing to sign up, the Amish are lowering the local food stamp participation rates which makes the agency look bad.

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Now here’s one we can laugh at! Amish children are going hungry according to these fascists. The people of Ohio are being robbed by the tax collectors to pay these fools who want to force the self-reliant Amish on to food stamps. You couldn’t make this stuff up.

http://www.slate.com/id/2156220/?nav=tap3

Hands Off My Kidney!
Who owns a donated organ?
By Kathryn Lewis
Posted Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006, at 6:14 PM ET

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Two weeks ago, New York state’s highest court ruled that you can’t sue an organ donor network for giving away a kidney, even if the donor’s family wanted you to have it. The case began several years ago, when a widow named her husband’s childhood friend as the recipient of his kidneys. The friend died of renal failure in June, and his family wants to sue the network for donating one of the kidneys to someone else. Who owns a donated organ?

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Libertarian believe that we own ourselves.

Really, if you don’t own your own body, who does? The essence of non-aggression principle begins with self-ownership. Who gave the State, Government, or anyone else control over one’s own body. In principle, we agree with the feminist argument “my body; my choice”. In fact the whole argument over abortion boils down to the government telling people what they can or can’t do. As a pro-life Libertarian, I grieve over the number of abortions, but I wouldn’t not dream of putting the government in change. We SHOULD be able to find better answers, but first the government has to stop mucking about with its diktats.

So, if we own our own bodies, then why can’t we own the organs?

Clearly, if there was a free market in organs, then we wouldn’t have transplant lists. And, don’t say that the poor would be prevented from getting transplants. Look at the charities that spring up for the needy. Look what hospitals and doctors do Pro Bono.

Do we need diktats to prevent people from buying and selling body parts? No, because we have that today despite laws. When we put the free market in charge, then everyone will be satisfied.

Now what am I offered for the proceeds of a liposuction? I have about a 100# I could spare.

Seriously, the gooferment makes diktats about organ transplants and we have shortages, spoilage, and high costs. (Which is EXACTLY what the dismal science of economics predicts would happen.)

Tell your representatives to get their head out of where ever it is and take their hands off our organs!

As most know, I poa on a now two relatives. I think it is interesting that companies try to slip stuff by the elderly. My Mom’s retiree benefits plan changed administrators and they sent her some stuff that I found downright condescending.

“Do not include any correspondence with your bill. And correspondence returned with your bill will be discarded.”

Now in this time of Holy Day peace, I hate to tell you what I was tempted to scribble on their bill.

“No written correspondence will be accepted or processed for address changes or coverage changes / terminations. If you wish to make changes, you must call the …”

No, the only thing I must do is pay taxes.

I intended to make a fuss about this. They have a lot of nerve. Talk about unilaterally changing the terms of a contract.

I think I am going to go on the warpath with these bozos.