Month: October 2009

Public Charities differ from foundations

The reason the IRS distinguishes between the two is that tax laws are far more advantageous to public charities. Private foundations must refrain from acts of self-dealing (IRC 4941), meet minimum distribution requirements (IRC 4942), abstain from “excess business holdings” (IRC 4943) and “jeopardizing investments” (IRC 4944), and refrain from making certain expenditures (IRC 4945), while public charities are not subject to the provisions of IRC chapter 42.

Smithgall would reduce fire fighters

… Remember that Smithgall laid off fire fighters in his previous iteration as mayor. Remember that he expressed his interest in seeing the fire bureau reduced in size in his first two terms. Remember that he was developing a scheme to have volunteer firefighters from outside of the city provide fire protection to city residents. Charlie […]

INTELLIGENCER NEW ERA

In Jeff Hawkes’ column “Canada care, through eyes of its citizens,” LaMar Weaver compares the healthcare he had received in the USA with his experience in Canada:  “There are some (Canadians) who would complain, for sure.   But for the most part, I think they would be well satisfied when they look down to the States […]

LGH is technically a “Public Charity”

A viewer wrote “LGH is not a ‘Public Foundation.’ ” NewsLanc inquired of Lancaster General Hospital and was advised “Lancaster General Hospital is not a foundation. It is a public charity.” We appreciate being corrected, but the difference, if any, is largely semantic and therefore does not change anything. Below is an official definition of […]

AP / NEWSMAX.COM

An article headed “Schumer: Public Option Near Votes Needed to Pass” goes on to quote the senator as stating: “A proposal for the public option that is gaining wide support would allow states to choose not to participate in a government-run insurance program, said New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the third-ranking Democrat. The “opt out” […]

Save lives: Abolish malpractice, not malpractice suits

The real way to save malpractice costs is to reduce malpractice itself, not limiting malpractice awards.  Limits on awards simply shift the costs from those who commit malpractice to the victims because the severely injured or killed can’t get full compensation and the less injured find it uneconomical to bring a claim at all. National […]

SUNDAY NEWS

From the New York Times Service:  “Hospitals get help to fight the flu”, “Henry V’s greatest victory besieged by academia”, “Pakistan says it captured Taliban stronghold”, “Rising small-business health costs press on reform efforts.” From the Washington Post, “A news Fox among hens.” From the Chicago Tribune: “Savvy students can save a bundle on airfare.” […]

SUNDAY NEWS

Readers were treated to Gil Smart’s “Just a different flavor of spin” across the  Perspective section from Charles Krauthammer’s “A news Fox among hens.” Smart rose to the occasion. WATCHDOG: The more things change…. From Ron Chernow’s “Alexander Hamilton”, Pages 395 and 396: “How could Jefferson hound Hamilton from office without tipping his hand?  A […]

Santa Monica Reporter’s mission

In response to a note that the New York  Times’ critic also didn’t like “Amelia”  (http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/movies/23amelia.html?8dpc), our Santa Monica Reporter, Dan Cohen, responded: “It was an easy movie not to like, but what I tried to do is to show how it represents a certain type of Hollywood thinking. I’m never much interested in thumbs up […]