jphone

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  • in reply to: Funny Bumper Stickers #1163448
    jphone
    Member

    Not a bumper sticker, but absolutely the best business slogan I have ever seen on a truck. I dont remember the same of the septic tank cleaning service, but their slogan is “Were Number 1 in the number 2 Business”.

    in reply to: Funny Bumper Stickers #1163441
    jphone
    Member

    Dyslexics of the world, UNTIE.

    in reply to: Inexpensive Family Vacations #769176
    jphone
    Member

    Bubby. Would include a name and address but would violate YWN rules of engagement 🙂

    in reply to: Storm of Taxation Threatens to Swamp Internet Stores #646407
    jphone
    Member

    Ames. If you live in the state of NY, there are many credits available for many different taxes paid to other states and/or localities including in Canada. so, if you pay sales tax in NJ, you can claim the credit in NY, of course the credit has to be claimed via the proper method, not simply by stating “You can’t go shopping in Jersey to save on the sales tax? Forget the government, is this halachically assur?”

    in reply to: Storm of Taxation Threatens to Swamp Internet Stores #646406
    jphone
    Member

    for all those who question the legitimacy or even the existence of “Use Tax” at least in the state of NY, here is some info. This is from TurboTax. If you went to state.ny.us/finance the info is there as well. Those who do their own taxes are familiar with this question. those who dont, and were not asked by their tax preparer, well, thats up to your preparer to answer.

    =========================================================================

    Information on paying sales and use taxes on your income tax return

    When do you owe New York State and local sales or use tax?

    When you make a purchase of taxable property or services from a seller (vendor) located in New York State and take delivery in New York State, the vendor should collect state and local sales or use tax due and forward it to the Tax Department. However, you are responsible for paying the tax directly to the Tax Department under the following three circumstances:

    Deliveries into New York State – You owe state and local sales or use tax if you:

    * purchase property or a service that is delivered to you in New York State without payment of New York State and local tax to the seller, such as through the Internet, by catalog, from television shopping channels, or on an Indian reservation.

    Purchases outside New York State with subsequent use in New York State – You may also owe state and local sales or use tax if you are a resident of New York State at the time you purchase any of the following outside New York State:

    * property you bring into New York State for use in New York State;

    * a service performed on property outside New York State, and you bring that property into New York State for use here; or

    * a service (such as an information service) you bring into New York State for use here.

    (You may be entitled to a credit for sales or use tax paid to another state. See the Instructions for Form ST-140 for more information.)

    However, you are not required to pay state or local sales or use tax on any property or service that you bring into New York State which you purchased outside of the state before you became a resident of New York State.

    Additional local tax – You may owe an additional local tax if you are a resident of a locality (county or city) at the time of purchase and you:

    * bring property into that locality which you purchased in another locality in New York State that has a lower tax rate;

    * bring property into that locality on which you had a taxable service performed in another locality in New York State that has a lower tax rate; or

    * bring a service (such as an information service) into that locality which you purchased in another locality in New York State that has a lower tax rate.

    However, you are not required to pay any additional local tax on any property or service that you bring into a locality in New York State that you purchased outside that locality before you became a resident of that locality.

    Note: For purposes of these sales and use tax instructions, the word tax will be used to refer to either the sales tax or the use tax, or both.

    Who is a New York State resident for sales and use tax purposes?

    For sales and use tax purposes, the definition of resident includes persons who may not be considered residents for personal income tax purposes. For example, persons maintaining a permanent place of abode in New York who do not spend more than 183 days a year in the state, college students, and military personnel may all be residents for sales and use tax purposes even if they are not residents for income tax purposes. For sales and use tax purposes, an individual is a resident of the state and of any locality in which he or she maintains a permanent place of abode. A permanent place of abode is a dwelling place maintained by a person, or by another for that person to use, whether or not owned by such person, on other than a temporary or transient basis. The dwelling may be a home, apartment or flat; a room including a room at a hotel, motel, boarding house, or club; a room at a residence hall operated by an educational, charitable, or other institution; housing provided by the armed forces of the United States, whether the housing is located on or off a military base or reservation; or a trailer, mobile home, houseboat, or any other premises. This includes second homes. Therefore, you can be a resident of more than one locality and state for sales and use tax purposes.

    An individual doing business in New York State is a resident for sales and use tax purposes of the state and of any county or city in which the individual is doing business, with respect to purchases of taxable property or services used in the business. Therefore, if an individual is engaged in business in New York State but has no permanent place of abode in New York State, the individual will owe use tax only on taxable purchases made with respect to the business operated in New York.

    What tangible personal property and services are subject to sales and use taxes?

    Most tangible personal property is subject to tax. Some examples are: cigarettes and other tobacco products; alcohol; candy; clothing and footware costing $110 or more per article; books; electronic equipment; furniture; collectibles (stamps, coins, etc., bought for collections); works of art; off-the-shelf computer software; and, generally, a garage sale item costing more than $600.

    Some examples of tax exempt items are: prescription and nonprescription drugs and medicines used for humans; certain medical equipment and supplies used for humans; newspapers; periodicals; most food items; U.S. and New York State flags; Indian arts and crafts when purchased on an Indian reservation; used mobile homes; and college textbooks. Clothing and footware costing less than $110 per article as exempt from State tax but may still be subject to local taxes depending on the locality involved.

    Only certain services are subject to tax. Taxable services include maintaining, servicing, and repairing tangible personal property (for example, auto and appliance repair) and real property such as land and buildings (for example, services such as house repairs, lawn maintenance, and interior decorating). Some examples of exempt services are dry cleaning, veterinary (except for grooming and boarding), legal, accounting, and medical services.

    For more information on taxable and exempt goods and services, see Publication 750, A Guide to Sales Tax in New York State.

    Reporting and paying sales and use taxes

    You must report any unpaid sales or use tax owed for 2008 on your 2008 personal income tax return.

    Note: Do not use Form IT-150 or Form IT-201 to report and pay sales and use taxes with respect to a business if you or the business is registered, or are required to be registered, for sales tax purposes. Report and pay sales and use taxes with respect to business purchases on the applicable sales and use tax return.

    If you are requesting an extension of time to file your personal income tax return and you owe sales or use tax, you must pay any sales or use tax you owe at the time you request the extension. See Form IT-370 for more information.

    If you receive an automatic extension of time to pay your New York State personal income tax (for example, you are in a foreign country), your sales or use tax is due when your New York State personal income tax is due.

    You may report and pay your sales or use tax liability on your personal income tax return for:

    * your personal purchases;

    * purchases related to your royalty activities or rental real estate activities reported in Part I of federal Schedule E; and

    * purchases related to your Schedule C, C-EZ, or F business (not otherwise eligible for exemption) unless the business is, or is required to be, registered for sales tax purposes.

    If you are married and file a joint return, you may include your spouse’s sales or use tax liability for:

    * your spouse’s purchases;

    * purchases related to your spouse’s royalty activities or rental real estate activities reported in Part I of federal Schedule E; and

    * purchases related to your spouse’s Schedule C, C-EZ, or F business (not otherwise eligible for exemption) unless the business is, or is required to be, registered for sales tax purposes.

    If you are not filing an income tax return but owe sales or use tax for 2008, you must pay any unpaid sales or use tax by filing Form ST-140, Individual Purchaser’s Annual Report of Sales and Use Tax, by April 15, 2009. However, if you or the business is registered or required to be registered for sales tax purposes, all sales and use taxes owed with respect to business purchases must be reported and paid with the periodic sales and use tax return.

    At the time of registration, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) collects any unpaid sales or use tax on a motor vehicle, trailer, all-terrain vehicle, vessel, or snowmobile that must be registered or titled by DMV. Therefore, do not report or pay the sales or use tax on these items on your personal income tax return.

    What happens if I don’t pay the sales or use tax due?

    Failure to pay sales or use tax may result in the imposition of penalty and interest. The Tax Department conducts both routine and special audits to promote compliance. In addition, the U.S. Customs Service provides the department with information from customs declarations filed by New York State residents returning from overseas travel. The Tax Department also obtains information on sales to New York State residents under information exchange agreements with other states.

    Computing sales or use tax

    To compute the amount of tax you owe, see the Instructions for Form ST-140.

    If you do not owe any sales or use tax, you must enter 0 on the sales or use tax line of your personal income tax return.

    For more information, see Publication 774, Purchaser’s Obligations to Pay Sales and Use Taxes Directly to the Tax Department, Questions and Answers.

    in reply to: Lycra long sleeve shirts #645825
    jphone
    Member

    If frum women wore burkas, you could be sure the “style” would have become one where the burkas came in many colors, were form fitting and perhaps even sleeveless “models” that were worn with lycra shirts to cover the arms.

    in reply to: Lycra long sleeve shirts #645822
    jphone
    Member

    A womens clothing store in Flatbush was “forced” by community presure to dress their window display mannequins in a Tsniusdig manner. It was appaling that a frum owned store, catering to frum people displayed mannequins in its window, in skirts that clearly did not cover the knee (no part of it) and short sleeve shirts (not even close to the elbow). I am not suggesting that hilchos Tsnius applies to mannequins, rather it was the message the store was implying that riled up many women.

    in reply to: Storm of Taxation Threatens to Swamp Internet Stores #646403
    jphone
    Member

    “But realistically no one does it, jewish or gentile, and the government KNOWS THIS and tolerates this and deals with this in other ways”

    So now that the government decides that they dont want to tolerate this and is enforcing something everyone should be honest about to begin with, we are complaining.

    in reply to: Why not use your real name? #840752
    jphone
    Member

    Lets see, my name is Daniel Yehudah Breslaur, no its Eli Cohen, or is it Gavriel Schwartzberg? Wait, my wife just reminded me my name is Yekusiel Horowitz. Do I have a wife?

    See how “real” real names are?

    in reply to: Why not use your real name? #840750
    jphone
    Member

    I’m the real Daniel Yehuda Breslauer. Who is using my name as an alias on YWN?

    in reply to: Can An Avel Listen To Music On Lag Baomer? #645405
    jphone
    Member

    “Sefira is “miktzas aveilus” a small part of aveilus. Haircuts and shaving are not done, and live music is not listened to.”

    Where does the statement “live music is not listened to” come from? Who, what and where is the source for this? Mechaber? Rema? Mishna Berura? Other nosei keilim? This statement implies “non live” music IS (permitted, to be)listened to. Who or what is the source for the distinction between live and pre-recorded music? Is it limited to music? What about other sources of entertainment such as singing and dancing? Is that permitted? If yes, why is it different than music? Who drew these distinctions and what is the basis for them (assuming they are all correct).

    in reply to: Shavous Learning #647273
    jphone
    Member

    I let my 8 (now 10) year old stay awake, on the condition that

    1. He sleeps for at least 3 hours Erev Shavuos

    2: He knows in advance what he wants to learn

    3: For at least the beginning of the night, he has someone to learn with (at least 45 minutes)

    4: If he gets “bored” he has books to read to keep him busy

    5: I dont have to carry him home from shul in the morning.

    He stayed awake the entire night, last year, learned for about 2.5 hours and didnt bother anyone in the shul.

    in reply to: Non Jewish Music… #819242
    jphone
    Member

    Do you?

    in reply to: Can An Avel Listen To Music On Lag Baomer? #645402
    jphone
    Member

    Is Sefira “aveilus”? Are we allowed to wear new clothing? Build a binyan shel simcha?

    I dont know the answer to this question, and I was hoping all the Poskim on YWN would help me out here. Where is it brought down that one can not listen to music during sefira (I am not implying that we can or arguing on a minhag), all I see in the mechaber is that we should not take haircuts and make chasunas. Where does music fit in?

    in reply to: Non Jewish Music… #819240
    jphone
    Member

    “dee bist du?”

    Im ain ani li, mi li?

    in reply to: Non Jewish Music… #819238
    jphone
    Member

    “depends who you are trying to force your belief on.”

    If you use this tactic, no matter WHAT you say or do, you will never convince anyone of anything. Dont “force” your beliefs on anyone. Also, the questioner is looking for a pwerful argument to make in a discussion.

    in reply to: Citi Shares Under $1 #1075549
    jphone
    Member

    Closed at $3.55 today.

    in reply to: Jury Duty #645103
    jphone
    Member

    I have had the distinct “pleasure” of servicg jury duty 3 times in the last 12 years. Twice in the NY State system and once in the Federal System.

    12 years ago I was called to serve in the state system and after sitting in the “big room” for 2 days waiting to be called (this is Kings County prior to current number/call in system), I was finally called as a potential in a criminal case and was one of the 1st 12 so had to sit in Jury box in the courtroom. I listed to the judge drone on about the case (was a murder trial) and the 2 lawyers talk about their clients, the judge stated it was expected to be a case that went 6-8 weeks and then asked who feels they should be exempt and went through the 1st 12 in the jury box. The automatics went quickly (related to cop, had relative who was shot things like that) but the judge wasnt giving out the exemptions. I tried things like, I recently started a new job, wife was 8 months pregnant, nothing was working. Finally in frustration I blurted out “its not fair, just because this low life shoots someone, I have to jeopardize a new job and sit here for 8 weeks”. That worked wonders. The defense attorney immediately jumped up and wanted me excused for prejudice against his client. Was I ever happy.

    The NY State courts in the state of NY on all forms recommend bringing along a laptop or something else to keep you busy “while you wait”. 6 months ago when I was called, I dutifully brought along my laptop (as did 90% of the people there). wouldnt you know it, NO OUTLETS for the power chords. About 90 minutes into the waiting you heard all the battery life warnings and slowly the laptops were closed.

    in reply to: PURIM TORAH!!!! #1062220
    jphone
    Member

    Half the “psakim” written in most of the threads here qualify as Purim Torah.

    in reply to: Cholov Akum #772661
    jphone
    Member

    Joseph,

    There is never an excuse for a Jewish company to sell inferior products to the community. I have found that all Chalav Yisroel brands spoil rather quickly. It is mostly due to the inferior packaging – you can feel the difference in the plastic containers – and the poor handling by the stores that sell it.

    I simply refuse to purchase inferior products and pay way more than I have to for it.

    It should be the worst thing I ever do.

    As has been pointed out a number of times already, I am not drinking Chalav Akum, I am driniking chalav Stam, there is a difference.

    in reply to: Cholov Akum #772652
    jphone
    Member

    I would argue that “shas hadchak” would apply to a sitution where the milk from Chalav Yisroel companies simply does not measure in terms of quality to that of the Chalav Stam companies. Whether it is the packaging, the storage, the delivery to the stores, the way the milk is kept in the stores or some combination of all of the above, the fact remains that the Chalav Yisreoel milk that I purchase in my neighborhood, whether from the local “heimishe store”, the much larger “heimishe store” or the local shop rite, spoils 10x faster than Chalav Stam. It is an inferior product, plain and simple.

    in reply to: Post Here – So We Know You’re In The CR #904287
    jphone
    Member

    I’m here. Not sure what that does for anyones day.

    in reply to: 3 Boys in Japan #656262
    jphone
    Member

    I wonder if there was a collection for Pidyom Shvuyim for the mikoshesh when he was jailed.

    It is sad that there are jewish criminals. On the other hand, Jewish criminals should be treated the same as everyone else by whatever legal system they reside under, or CHOOSE to do a crime under.

    I dont know the specifics of what these young did or did not do (there are as many stories as internet users), but from all accounts it appears that they were guilty of naivete.

    They have legal representation to be sure, but I cant imagine irresponsible comments such as “Japan is not a democracy; it does not work according to what is fair and what is not.” are helping these young men in any way.

    in reply to: Jewish Music Is Jewish? #638187
    jphone
    Member

    “Jewish Music Is Jewish?”

    Is it music?

    in reply to: Daven With A Hat BeYichidus or Without it with a Minyan #1082105
    jphone
    Member

    “Daven With A Hat or Minyan and Moish01”

    I’d rather daven with a minyan and let moish keep his hat. Maybe Moish can have me in mind when he puts on his hat, so I can be yoitze that as well.

    in reply to: Cholov Akum #772536
    jphone
    Member

    Most Chalav Yisroel products are also made by an Akum 🙂

    The Rav Hamachshir is probably the only Akum not involved in the entire chalav yisroel process, well him and the cows. Heimishe yidden are not, for the most part, manning the milkers, they supervise the milking machines. They do not operate the bottling plant, they supervise it.

    in reply to: Post Here – So We Know You’re In The CR #903853
    jphone
    Member

    Teen: Does it really matter who is onlie? Does it make your day? If it does, I apologize.

    in reply to: Not Your Taste = Bad? #635488
    jphone
    Member

    Is that a psak? 🙂

    in reply to: Cholov Akum #772532
    jphone
    Member

    Re: Camels milk..

    I was making a joke that had nothing to do with the 4 legged animals in the region. Only the 2 legged kind.

    in reply to: Not Your Taste = Bad? #635487
    jphone
    Member

    Sources? Every blogger on YWN is a posek and a potential source for everything and anything. Want a heter? A Psak issur? a Kula? Come on over to YW CR and you will find Poskim from all stripes and communities who issue blanket Psakim in their own names or in the names of other Rabbonim.

    Sources galore.

    I recently heard from a prominent Brooklyn Posek who visited an out of town community, that he was asked “are you the Rabbi Ploni who holds it is muttar to……”. the Rav was taken aback at the question, as he had never issued such a psak and it was quite a few years that he was in that particular community that someone could have even mistaken what he said. He was told “I read on the internet that you said so”.

    in reply to: Smoking vs. Bochurim on the Internet #638873
    jphone
    Member

    “Smoking vs. Bochurim on the Internet”.

    Sounds like the undercard at UFC 98.

    in reply to: Post Here – So We Know You’re In The CR #903835
    jphone
    Member

    This is ridiculous. I assume otherwise normal people, are concerned if their anonymous cyberfriends are online?

    Whats next, an online YW CR Dungeona and Dragons tournament so that people can further live their lige in cyberspace instead of reality?

    in reply to: Ungodly Hour? #636341
    jphone
    Member

    I think we should discuss exactly why people are up to “ungodly” hours and not sleeping. Is blogging THAT addictive? Do people really have that little of a life that cyberspace has become their reality?

    in reply to: Cholov Akum #772528
    jphone
    Member

    Camels give milk? live and learn

    in reply to: Cholov Akum #772525
    jphone
    Member

    Personally, I am makpid on Chalav Yishmael.

    in reply to: Raisin’ a Ruckus #636707
    jphone
    Member

    “so much for wherever you’ll find Coca Cola you’ll find Chabad LOL!”

    You’ll still find them wherever you’ll find the “golden arches”.

    in reply to: Smoking vs. Bochurim on the Internet #638795
    jphone
    Member

    “A mir bochur just posted he is fed up with smoking in Israel. I agree with that to a certain extent but what is he doing on the internet. I think someones spiritual health is more important than his physical health. I think its worse for him to be here than smoking a few marlboro lights with his coffee befoe first seder.”

    Perhaps he would be in the Beis Medrash if he didnt need a gas mask to sit over his gemara? Or, perhaps he is online gathering information about how deadly cigarette smoke is to a person. Or, perhaps he just finished an 18 hour learning marathon and needed a break from mental exertion. Perhaps he knows of a site that allows him to smoke virtually. Who knows. This thread is so obviously looking to pick on certain people, how is it the moderators, all 1,678,213 of them, didnt label it DOA.

    in reply to: Best Part of Living in the Five Towns #672076
    jphone
    Member

    I’m not so sure this Rav wants to be talked about in cyberspace 🙂

    in reply to: Welcome YW Moderator-21 and YW Moderator-25 #1213881
    jphone
    Member

    Welcome new moderators. As good as you guys/gals may be, Moderator-1,843,956 is still my favorite.

    in reply to: Working = Rich? #634602
    jphone
    Member

    Me: Now that I am paying taxes, I would prefer the government use the money on an Avreich somewhere so that he can sit and learn and not on some study that tries to learn the eating habits of the Playtapus off the coast of Australia.

    SJS: There are plenty of good uses for our tax money – repairing our roads, educating our children etc…but my tax money is NOT there to support people learning in Kollel. That is what my maaser money is for. And taking advantage of the system (especially in such a bad economy), is going to break the system.

    Let me rephrase what I said. There are portions of my taxes that are earmarked for all sorts of causes. The portion earmarked for “social services”, I would prefer be made larger while the portion allocated to things like studying the eating habits of the Platypus be scrapped. I’d much rather fund someone sitting and learning than some scientist out in the middle of nowhere looking at a Platypus down its lunch.

    in reply to: Working = Rich? #634588
    jphone
    Member

    I will not comment on the legality or ethics of some of the situations described above. I will say, that B”H I am employed and pay taxes. Now that I am paying taxes, I would prefer the government use the money on an Avreich somewhere so that he can sit and learn and not on some study that tries to learn the eating habits of the Playtapus off the coast of Australia.

    in reply to: CR Rosh Yeshiva’s Luncheonette – BYOF #647016
    jphone
    Member

    Whats the difference who has to make it, its who gets to eat it that matters.

    in reply to: Kosher Hangouts #634512
    jphone
    Member

    For teenagers (or anyone else) that has absolutely nothing to do with themselves for an evening, an afternoon, or for days at a time, a safe and healthy way to spend your time is to volunteer.

    The local hospital or nursing home could always use a cheerful, pleasant person to assit with basic things and the patients/residents look foward to someone nice and pleasant.

    Is it an amusement park? A Pizza shop? No. Is it a safe, clean environment? Yes. Try it.

    in reply to: THE ISSUE: To Stay On Topic, Or Not #634937
    jphone
    Member

    If you wear a hat and jacket when blogging, it is muttar to stray as far from the original topic as you’d like.

    in reply to: Kosher Hangouts #634500
    jphone
    Member

    Who gives the hechsher on these kosher hangouts? Are they Glatt? Chalav Yisroel? Yoshon Only? What about Non Gebrochts? If you happen to be there and it is Zman Tefilla, is a hat and jacket required? Even for the girls?

    in reply to: Let’s Work Together On 1 Middah #665442
    jphone
    Member

    “Then I’m with jphone’s idea :)”

    Actually, with my waistline the size that it is, middos is probably more accurate 🙂

    in reply to: Let’s Work Together On 1 Middah #665432
    jphone
    Member

    I’m going to work on my waistline.

    in reply to: CR Rosh Yeshiva’s Luncheonette – BYOF #646993
    jphone
    Member

    VIrtual food is gevaldik.you dont gain any weight despite taking 9 helpings of chulent, half gallon of herring and 2 trays of overnight kugel.

    in reply to: Convention #633922
    jphone
    Member

    The Frum Syrian community must be quite large as the 5% NOT in Deal for the summer constitute quite a lot of people in Brooklyn and the Catskills.

    Generally though, I agree with the earlier post that stated “it is a safe bet that 95% of Syrians spend their summer somewhere in Syria”.

    in reply to: School and Internet #633952
    jphone
    Member

    If you agree to a school policy and them blatantly (or not so blatantly) ignore the policy you send a horrible message to your children. Probably a worse message than many of the “off limit” internet sites have to offer our kids.

    The “internet” is not treif, although the vast majority of the informaiton avaialble via the internet is certainly contrary to torah hashkafa and includes many violations of halacha. Assuring “the internet” is like assuring chicken because an unscrupulous person sells treif as kosher. There IS a lot of kosher info available on the web, for personal and business use and with the proper “hechsherim” in place (filters, restricted sites, white lists – IE only selected sites available and no other url opens) “the internet” can be used and benefited from in a kosher way.

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