Category: News Articles

Events, News Articles

Quarantine or Shelter-in-place – Here are things you can do at home

Sabrina

美國政府一開始對如何控制疫情的反應太慢, 現在可能自覺了卻又反應太激烈, 這我無法控制, 所以不予置評. 新聞媒體的標題為了吸引大家的注意, 多半太聳動卻不是實話, 而很多人似乎就看新聞標題而已, 要嘛沒有仔細把英文新聞全部看完, 要不看別人寫什麼就照抄, 因為我看到一堆朋友臉書上都寫著北加州封城. 我實在看不下去了, 所以寫這篇來灑一下消毒水!!!!

英文新聞原文 / 部分新聞的中文翻譯 (好康媽的加州休息站)

北加州 ” 沒 有 封 城 “, 只是(Shelter-in-place)就地避難

拜託各位, 英文新聞乖乖看完, 不要加入自己的情緒或理解, 因為大規模恐慌就是這樣開始的. 從大陸疫情開始發展至今四五個月, 我對自己在網路上寫什麼和轉貼什麼是非常警慎小心, 也對別人貼什麼, 我選擇讀哪篇文章也很小心, 因為我能做的, 就是不要製造出更多的害怕和恐懼, 並且讓自己保持在某種程度上的冷靜.

新聞不用一直看, 知道哪裡又有確診的人或者死亡人數又怎樣, 我們能做和應該做的, 就是常洗手, 想戴口罩就戴, 多喝水和吃維他命C, 少去人多的地方, 放些輕柔的音樂, 保持情緒穩定, 天氣好就去外面走動一下 (曬太陽有助情緒穩定), 趁這個機會好好陪伴家人, 對別人心存慈悲憐憫 (Compassion), 如果周邊有需要幫助的人 (去餐廳外帶食物, 因為他們也要養家; 替周邊老人去採買), 量力而為, 在網路上警慎發言, 然後就聽天命了.

你讀一堆負面新聞會造成你的情緒起伏, 你一直處在緊張或恐懼的情緒裡, 會讓你的免疫系統降低, 然後你就容易生病, 最後打垮你的未必是武漢病毒, 所以請慎選你所閱讀的東西, 我相信就算你完全不看新聞, 只要做到你該做的去保護自己和周邊的人, 你會安然度過這個疫情的.

May all beings be free from suffering,
May all beings be healthy and happy.

 

市面上買不到乾洗手或抗菌噴霧, 沒關係, 自己用精油做. 買不到酒精, 就找酒精濃度最高的伏特加Vodka也可以.

在家閒得發慌, 沒關係, 以下是你上網就可以做的

The Digital Concert Hall now free for everyone The Philharmonie is closed – so we will come to you! The Philharmonie Berlin is closed until 19 April to help contain the coronavirus.
As everyone moves life indoors for a while, more virtual opportunities are being created. You can take an afternoon tour of the British Museum in London, or tune in nightly for a performance streamed by the Metropolitan Opera. And we just discovered that you can still get your fix of nature, too, by taking a virtual walk through the U.S. national parks for free.

 

 

 

小孩無聊, 沒關係, 以下是可以讓孩子上網的

YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS HOST STORYTIME ONLINE!

 

CHILDREN’S MUSICIANS ACROSS THE GLOBE PERFORM ONLINE KIDS CONCERTS!

 

20 VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS TO TAKE WITH YOUR KIDS.

 

上網訂外賣, 送達你家, 就不用出門了.

 

【買菜App攻略】by 矽谷Bonjour

1.Amazon Fresh：全美有whole foods的地區都支援，Amazon Prime會員滿$35免運費，非會員前30天免費試用。蔬果肉品奶蛋品質極新鮮、提供多樣有機商品，價錢和實體whole foods一樣。灣區目前部分地區下單後開始出現「暫無送貨時間」，或者送貨檔期隨時調整，不妨每隔一段時間查看，有朋友就是這樣取得兩小時送貨呢。

2.Instacart：跟全美各大超市 Kroger’s、Albertsons、Costco、Ahold-Delhaize、HEB、Safeway等合作，矽谷南灣還送Sprouts和H Mart。第一次下單免運費，之後$3.99起，加入Instacart Express前兩週免費使用，之後年費$99，多數超市滿$35免運費。目前南灣 H Mart和 Sprouts下單後顯示暫無配送時間，Sprouts店經理說最快一週內會好轉。

3. Google Shopping (Google Express)：送貨範圍廣，和Costco、Target和Ranch 99等合作，適合大量購買Costco，懶得自己搬的人，產品單價偏貴，可能有額外運費。多數滿$35免運費，生鮮菜品類的選擇較少。以前送貨1-7天內，目前配送狀況約10天。

4.Shipt：支援全美的超市代購，美東和中西部為主，包括Fairway Market、Morton Williams、Safeway、Smart & Final等，美西也送Ranch 99。生鮮蔬果肉、熟食點心到日用品都有，年費$99、前兩週免運費試用。送貨一般兩天，灣區目前Ranch 99和Safeway排到至少一週後或暫無配送時間。

5.Safeway Delivery：滿$30提供送貨或自取，貨品齊全，蔬菜水果、生鮮肉品、飲料乾貨都有，服務地區：加州、亞利桑那、馬里蘭州、維吉尼雅州和華盛頓州，多數地區出現延遲狀況，商家表示一週內會補足。

6. Weee：支援舊金山灣區、西雅圖和洛杉磯。菜品齊全，蔬果生鮮、熟食奶茶外賣應有盡有，價格和亞洲超市差不多，蔬果品質蠻新鮮。可參考促銷、熱賣商品或新品專區再下單，首單減$10。以前是隔天送達，灣區我前天早上訂購下週可到府，昨天下午訂顯示10天後抵達。

7. Yamimeal：支援舊金山灣區、洛杉磯、斯托克頓市和波特蘭。下載App後輸入SJ在搜尋欄，就能看到SJ Distributors超市，以各式亞洲海鮮肉品為主，也有蔬果乾貨。海鮮價錢相當吸引人，蔬菜比一般亞洲超市稍貴。App操作介面還算好用但有改善空間，目前灣區配貨速度相當快，我15號傍晚下單，顯示隔天下午三點前能送達。目前提供額外5%折扣。

8. Imperfect Foods：把外表有瑕疵但品質好的食材做處理，以較便宜的價格販售，可選擇每週送一次或兩次的訂閱宅配。有生鮮蔬果、肉類、零食乾貨等。新用戶還能收到貼心的食譜建議和小卡片。免年費，運費按距離計算，價格跟Walmart差不多，目前送貨速度較不受疫情影響。

9.FreshDirect：提供新鮮、高品質食材，涵蓋紐約、康乃狄克、紐澤西、賓州、跟華盛頓DC地區。以周到貼心服務聞名，例如捕撈季節開始時會通知顧客，送貨時配合顧客固定指定送達時間，並考量美東嚴峻天氣狀況。運費依照地區而定，紐約$30起運費約$5.99，會員年費$129可無限次下單不收運費。

10.FreshGoGo：美東最大的華人生鮮送貨務，配送紐約、紐澤西、波士頓、賓州和華盛頓地區等，且包含餐廳美食。有自家配送和採購團隊，冷凍食品包裝非常細心，不必擔心運送過程食物變質。分為送貨到府和到貨自提，每單固定運費$10，冷藏食品加收$1。以前通常晚上10點前下單，隔天能收到。

11. Peapod：美東和中部城市為主，芝加哥、紐約、紐澤西、康州、馬里蘭、賓州等地區，提供各式生鮮蔬果肉品和Meal Plans。年費$119無限次送貨，若選周二到周四送貨，年費＄55，相當實惠。目前因疫情供貨短缺，暫不提供取貨服務。

12. Jet City Grocery：Walkmart旗下的送貨服務，以前以家居產品為主，現在還提供買菜，而且無需手續費，$35以上免運費，不採會員制度。雖然部分商品價格貴了一點，但客服迅速、支援免費退貨，可以把握免手續費時窩在家買買菜跟零食。

 

看看歷史, 這一切都將會過去.

Investments, News Articles, Real Estate

2017 Gift Tax Exemption 贈與免稅額度

Sabrina

You may know that Annual gift of $14,000 per person is tax free, meaning anyone can give you $14,000 a year without paying gift tax. This is a good way for parents to transfer their wealth to children start when they are young.

多數人知道美國的年度贈與稅是每人美金一萬四千塊, 這個意思是, 任何一個人每年都可以給你一萬四千塊而不用繳贈與稅, 不論他們是你的祖父母, 父母, 親朋好友, 或是陌生人.

The annual gift tax exclusion is set and stuck at $14,000 since 2013. The $14,000 can be gifted to as many family members/heirs as desired and these gifts do not count toward the lifetime gift exemption.

一萬四千塊的年度贈與免稅金額是在2013年設定, 而這個金額並不與終身贈與免稅算在一起.

But if you need a downpayment help from parents (or anyone), you can use the lifetime exemption that allows for much larger gifts. This is an effective way to receive an inheritance early!

如果你需要一大筆錢當頭期款, 你可以考慮使用終身贈與的金額.

For 2017 the estate and gift tax exemption is $5.49 million per individual. This means a person can leave up to $5.49 million to their family/heirs and they will not be required to pay any federal estate or gift tax.

2017年的終身贈與金額是五百四十九萬美金, 這意思就是你的家人贈與你的金額只要不超過這個數字, 你就不需要負任何聯邦的贈與稅.  這個是比較少人知道的.

Using this method, a donor can give an amount today and declare it against their estate exemption in the future (the donor need to report to IRS but no tax issue for either the donor or you). This allows for receiving an inheritance early to help with Down Payment.

贈與人在年度報稅單上要註明這筆贈與即可. 這對有錢人在生前轉移財產有很大的幫助, 不然等過世了才繼承財產就會有遺產稅 (40%) 要繳.

For 2018, the annual gift tax exclusion is up to $15,000 and the lifetime gift tax exemption is $5.6 million.

Read more: Learning about Gift taxes and What you will need to pay.

News Articles, Real Estate

Microsoft Buys Cilker Family 64.5-Acre Site in San Jose for $73.2MM

Sabrina

By Vladimir Bosanac / The Registry

Landbanking in Silicon Valley is a thing again. In another transaction in San Jose, yet another technology giant is making a big bet and staking a claim in the self-proclaimed capital of Silicon Valley. Redmond-based Microsoft Corporation just acquired the Cilker Family 64.5-acre lot that sits on the corner of State Route 237 and Coyote Creek Trail. The company paid $73.2 million for the property, according to a report by the San Jose Mercury News. Microsoft had been listed as the billing applicant on the proposal to redevelop the project, therefore the ultimate outcome here is of little surprise.

The site today is mostly fallow farmland with some farming structures and three residences. The property’s owner, Cilker Orchards Management Group has submitted a development application to the City of San Jose to potentially construct light industrial and data center facilities on the site.

The project plans propose two development options. The first option is to construct 1.2 million square feet of light industrial space. The second option involves a 436,800 square foot, 49.5 megawatt data center with PG&E energy substation, as well as 738,000 square feet of light industrial. The data center would occupy 26.5 acres while the light industrial use would use the remaining 38 acres. The light industrial component for both options would be similar in terms of use and density. As required by CEQA, proposed alternatives described in the EIR include not pursuing any development, building the data center only, the light industrial only, or a data center with a scaled back light industrial aspect.

Cilker Orchards is a longstanding, family owned commercial real estate developer and property manager with deep roots in the local community. Cilker Orchards was originally founded in 1965 as an agricultural company and is the sole initiator of the present development proposal.

The project is located within the Alviso Master Plan area and is currently designated as Light Industrial under the General Plan and is zoned Agricultural Planned Development. A rezoning to Light Industrial is required for both development options.

The property is just south of the Bay and is surrounded by a mix of office, industrial and commercial uses in other directions, as well as some vacant parcels. Development was initially billed as speculative and no tenants were identified at the time the project was initially proposed to the city, however, Microsoft Corporation was listed as a billing applicant in planning documents.

Phil Mahoney, vice chairman of corporate institutional sales, and John Yandle, executive vice president, who work out of Newmark Cornish & Carey’s Santa Clara office worked on the sale.

New Homes, News Articles, Real Estate

Palo Alto OKs mixed-use project with 17 homes

Sabrina

By KEVIN KELLY | kkelly@bayareanewsgroup.com | Mercury Bay Area News Group  PUBLISHED: September 20, 2017 at 9:19 pm

The Palo Alto City Council approved a mixed-use project Monday night that offers studios and townhouses.

The council unanimously backed a plan to demolish a long-vacant building at 3877 El Camino Real that formerly housed Compadres Bar & Grill and replace it with a 4,027-square-foot commercial building and a mix of 17 two-bedroom townhouses and flats. The vote was 7-0-2; Councilwoman Lydia Kou was absent and Councilman Eric Filseth was away from council chambers when the vote was taken.

The project, by owner Zijin LLC of Saratoga, will offer two deed-restricted affordable units on site that are intended to sell for “no more than 120 percent of median county income,” according to staff.

Asked by the council why the maximum 22 housing units allowed won’t be built, architect Mark Wommack of Palo Alto-based project designer EID Architects said they would all have to be studios to reach that number.

He said the owner was interested in building two-bedroom units to fit the neighborhood and provide homes for families, and felt the project would have also been less attractive if maxed out. Each flat is just over 1,000 square feet and townhouses are about 1,288 square feet.

“You can’t get much smaller at two-bedroom units,” Wommack said, pointing out the project could have provided even fewer housing units and still have met the city’s zoning requirements. “If you would like to see more smaller units, I would strongly suggest you rewrite your zoning rules to reflect that.”

Vice Mayor Liz Kniss agreed, saying, “If they get a lot smaller, you won’t get families and I think the goal in the area is families.”

The 4,027-square-foot, three-story commercial building will contain 1,700 square feet of retail space on the ground floor and six residential flats, one of which will be priced below-market. The 11 townhouses, two stories each, will be situated in five separate buildings along the L-shaped site bounded by El Camino and Curtner Avenue, situated between a Starbucks and Nine Minute Oil & Lube. All 62 parking spaces will be provided in an underground garage.

The council added some conditions before approving the project. The project must maintain the ground floor for retail and personal service uses; the buildings must provide bird-friendly elements such as window shading; and the owner must allow further historical surveying of the old Compadres building, some of which dates back to 1938. The project wasn’t bound by the city’s retail preservation ordinance because it was submitted prior to March 2, 2015. It was submitted Nov. 20, 2014, according to staff.

The existing building is associated with Gonzalo Slivestre, a master blacksmith of ornamental iron. It was studied for possible historical listing but deemed to have no significant value. The building also suffers from a lack of physical integrity. The owner plans to place a historic plaque in the new commercial building, using small ironwork plates from the existing building.

Becky Sanders, who heads the Ventura Neighborhood Association where the project is situated, and resident Jeff Lewinsky spoke at the meeting in opposition to the project, saying it is short on affordable units and will help to drive up housing costs in the city.

 

Education, News Articles

Equifax Data Breach

Sabrina

美國有三家Credit Bureaus (徵信機構),  Equifax, Experian, Trans Union.  Equifax是全美三大徵信機構之一，它有客戶的貸款和信用卡資料，並有相關的決定信用分數的資訊。這次Equifax的資料被竊, 將近1.43億美國人的個人資訊可能被洩露。網路犯罪者能夠獲得包括姓名、社會安全號碼、出生日期、地址和駕照編號在內的資訊。Equifax稱20.9萬美國信用卡用戶的資訊遭到洩露, 居住在英國和加拿大的人也受到影響。

根據維基百科的資料，美國信用監測機構Equifax在7月29日時就發現資料被竊取，9月7日爆發了資料外洩事件；除了1.43億美國居民的資料外洩外，還有一些加拿大人、以及4400萬名英國居民的資料也遭到竊取。被駭走的1.43億美國人民資料，包括姓名、出生日期、社會安全號碼等資訊；這些資料相當於一個人的「身份」被竊取，可以在被重組之後偽造。 巧合的是，在7月底、8月初訊息尚未爆發時，該公司的三位主管出售了手上的股份。

消費者可以通過提交姓氏和社會安全號的後六位來查詢自己是否受到影響。Equifax也將寄送文件給那些受到影響的客戶。
The best defense is to monitor your credit report frequently to check for any suspicious activity, such as accounts you didn’t open, address changes, or anything else that you don’t recognize.  那三家徵信機構每年都提供一份免費的信用報告, 這樣你可以每四個月從其中一家申請信用報告, 來密集監看你的信用狀況.