"Mommy, I want to fly!"

 

 

We've been a busy bunch lately. Caroline, Isaac, Anna and I have started going to Preschool in the Park, a program put on by the Battery Park Parks department. It's Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 10-12pm at Wagner Park. The park, if you don't know, faces the Statue of Liberty and is mostly enclosed by a low bench type barrier. It's a large grassy area that is perfect for kids to play in. The Parks Dept brings balls, big foam things, dress up toys, play food, building toys and toys that you push around. The kids play for 2 hours and we go home and eat and take a nap. It has been very nice. Of course, Thursday and Friday, we have to improvise our day. Should we take the Staten Island Ferry? Or maybe a Water Taxi? Boats are always big hits with the kids. So is sand. Most of the playgrounds around here have sand, so we just bring our buckets and shovels and dig in! Blogger is acting weird, so I will try to publish some pics later.

 

 

 

 

Lawmakers considere a tax on college endowments.

Here is the story.

Legislators have asked state finance officials to study a plan that would impose a 2.5 percent annual assessment on colleges with endowments over $1 billion, an amount now exceeded by nine Massachusetts institutions.

I have two thoughts here.

(1) Welcome to Taxachusetts! Liberals almost always want higher taxes, so there you go.
(2) I actually think this is a good idea. Why should colleges be able to accumulate wealth without paying taxes on it? In general, I think all institutions should pay taxes, because it would discourage people from establishing non-profits with the intention of tax avoidance.

The idea has prompted a range of questions, including whether it is legal to infringe upon private colleges' tax-exempt status or single them out based on their wealth. It also faces significant opposition from the colleges and some skeptical lawmakers.

I'm sorry but "whether it is legal to infringe upon private colleges' tax exempt status" leaves me wondering why it is 'legal' for the government to abscond with half of my family's income???

But proponents say the colleges' vast accumulations of wealth - Harvard University has the biggest endowment at $34 billion - and their often modest contributions to their host communities justify the assessment.

Harvard's amazing endowment keeps growing, as does their tuition. The tuition at Harvard, is $32,557 for 2008-2009 year, a 3.5% increase over last year. This does not include room and board and the other associated fees, which brings the total closer to $50,000.

University leaders criticized the plan as a gimmick that would backfire by hurting institutions that are pivotal to the state.

"You'd be taxing success here," said Kevin Casey, Harvard's associate vice president for government, community, and public affairs. "Over time, this would put us at a real competitive disadvantage, which would drastically hurt the Commonwealth."

Oh please. "Taxing success"? Ummm, that is also what the income tax does. Unless Harvard eliminates or drastically reduces the tuition (they have $34.9 billion in their rainy day fund, after all) and actually makes it possible for people with lower incomes to attend the prestigious university, I really don't think they are in any position to whine about being taxed on their massive endowment.

I enjoyed this article.

Anna Sophia slept for eight hours straight last night. Very nice.

Hypermiling? Who knew?

Some people claim to get 100 mpg (driving hybrids)using these techniques.

More on hypermiling.

More on the cost of a college education.

A bubble in higher education?

Some people have already mentioned the fact that I am going to be paying for 3 college educations in a row. They ask: have you set up your college savings accounts? Are you putting money in every month? College is expensive, you know. Yes college is expensive. Why is it expensive? Are professor salaries high enough to justify $38,000 a year in just tuition? I think not. College is expensive because it can be. Everyone wants to go to college. And those who don't want to go are forced to by their parents. In NYC, everyone seems to be in college. There are many many colleges here. Some are traditional universities and others are internet based universities. I think college tuition has risen higher than the rate of inflation simply because there is so much money available to students--lots of government grants, low or zero interest loans guaranteed by Uncle Sam (YOU). If schools don't raise their tuition they are leaving that money for other universities to gobble up. Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks this. Read this.

Celebrity sighting--

I saw David Schwimmer in Soho!

Hi everyone. It's me again. I've been really overwhelmed lately with 3 children, ages 3 and under. It's as though sometimes I have 10 children crying, wanting this or that, but not in this green cup, in the blue. Oh and no milk, only juice! No juice, water please ****sigh***** Now that I have 5 minutes, I want to give you all a quick update.

* I am having surgery May 16th to correct my umbilical hernia.
* Caroline is getting her hearing tested on May 14th.
* Todd is enroute to Tokyo for a week. He left his glasses in the cab and so I am overnighting his spare pair to him. It might arrive before he does.
* well that is all for now, because I need to go feed Anna Sophia BBL

 

Things to do when you are bored.

 

Put on daddy's pants.

Gun Control.

Fifty-four shootings in two weekends. Shot-up bodies recovered in groups of three and five. Is this Ramadi? Basra? No.

Welcome to Chicago.

Read it HERE. Via Instapundit.

Plant Rights.

I have nothing whatsoever to add. I'm stunned. Via Instapundit.