So much to do, so little time

Wife and I have been so busy with prepping for our overseas move that I almost neglected to notice this spate of lower-than-usual air temperatures that has hit Long Island, drenching it with more than its usual share of rainfall.  Does it have anything to do with global warming?

As mentioned previously, we are staying with my wife's sister pending our departure in less than two weeks.  Their gracious availment of their home to us is eternally appreciated; they will, of course, be welcomed in our abode at such time as they come to visit Israel (which they have intimated may be relatively soon).  Various friends and relatives have been inviting us to dinner for one last rendezvous before we become geographically attenuated.  I will likely continue to work on one case I am now litigating, although I will no longer be the lead attorney for the party.

Meanwhile, I am spending most of my time at our temporary home, doing all kinds of paperwork, making and receiving all kinds of phone calls, and trying to get our load down to three suitcases each for me and my wife (total of 6 for those who cannot count).  Now is not the time or place for me to spill my guts about the various complications; we are focusing on looking forward.  My wife's new employer is very understanding of our situation, and has agreed that my wife will not officially start until four to six weeks after our arrival, provided that she comes in, unofficially, on a few occasions in order to (A) get her paperwork processed; and (B) attends a few seminars and workshops.  Inasmuch as they are giving her many perquisites not currently found in her present situation, my wife is quite happy with the deal.

And her "current" situation has all but totally wound down.  She stopped seeing new patients in March, has worked down her patient inventory to just a handful (who are in the process of being transferred to the newby physician in her department), and is assisting with some research projects.  Tomorrow is her last day on the job (though she will come in next week for a farewell luncheon); she will be taking the remainder as vacation days (which will give her an income stream during the first two months we are in Israel).  She now needs to think about when she will turn on her pension payments; she can start in as little as 3 years and change, or else delay it and receive bigger monthly payouts.  We'll see how we are managing and she'll make the decision.

I have just turned in my grades for the semester.  Nothing happened this semester that didn't happen in prior semesters; I had the usual gamut of students.  These included some jocks who were academically clueless, and one who is anything but clueless.  One uberleftist who had the good sense to not start up with me (though her grade would still have been in the A range even if she had).  I caught one student submitting a plagiarized term paper (and a poorly-written one at that).  But all in all, the average student was above average for me this semester.  I expect to some of them succeed in the future (one has already gotten a merit-based scholarship to a prestigious program).

But I am very, very busy.  It is very grating and tedious.  Sometimes I just need to take a break and write a blog post.

Oh, well, back to the grind -- After I grab a little belated lunch.

Oiling the Machinery for New York Disaster Relief

   

My politics are not consonant with those of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (nor, for that matter, with those of his father, former New York Governor Mario Cuomo).  Nevertheless, I applaud him for his willingness to cut some slack on the tax angle in order to facilitate the disaster relief required in New York. 

Andy Cuomo is providing a commodity that has long been scarce in the Executive Chamber in Albany -- Leadership.  He has (through what surely were direct orders to his underlings):

            *  Postponed filing and payment deadlines for taxpayers affected by Hurricane Sandy, including special provisions for employers' tax filing and payment of withholding taxes.

            *  Waived the Highway Use Tax and Fuel Use Tax for trucks carrying disaster relief supplies or equipment.

            *  Simplified the paperwork requirements normally required to the import of motor fuel into New York State.

            But I will be quick to observe that the measures imposed by Andy's administration effectively amount to an admission that (A) the government's paperwork burdens stifle economic efficiency; and (B) higher tax burdens likewise stifle economic efficiency.