Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Ayesha in Boston on April 4, 2009:

I think taxes certainly increase stress on adults, but I'm going to go ahead and disagree about taxes being at the forefront of April's stressors on students.

When I was in college, the vast majority of other students I knew didn't have much to do with filing their own taxes, and those who did didn't seem particularly stressed about it. And as high school students, I remember us as being barely even aware of tax season. Sure, stresses on the parents trickle down to a certain extent, but I think April's changes in light, the whole springtime making your blood pump faster thing, and the academic stressors -- exams, end-of-academic-year, final projects and presentations, that sort of thing, as well as the weather finally getting nice combined with students still being stuck indoors -- are more likely to blame here.

As always, a thought-provoking choice in articles!

Posted by Janelle, Kansas on April 4, 2009:

A Federal Sales Tax has been suggested as a much simpler alternative, but I've heard that most politicians don't like the idea - "We can't do that...people would actually realize how much they're giving us!!"

I actually think it kind of makes sense. Not nearly so complicated. Want to make something tax exempt? No need for people to save receipts and do all kinds of tracking - just don't tax it at the store. Many states already make groceries tax free, so apparently cash registers can handle the tax/no tax difference. People with more money to spend will still end up paying more taxes. And maybe, just MAYBE, it might encourage a few people to remind themselves of what a savings account is again.

And of course, lots less stress every April!!

Posted by Gary G., Binghamton, NY on April 4, 2009:

The point is well-taken that eliminating handguns legally will do nothing except disarm the "good guys". The fellow that committed this caper had TWO handguns, I assume legally obtained. Remove the enforcement of gun laws from the hands of politicians and that will do a lot to reduce the problem...

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It's nice to hear something from someone in the area. -rc

Posted by Tony, Charleston, SC on April 4, 2009:

I don't really think taxes are the trigger in the cases that have occurred so far, but they certainly have that potential. If I were Dictator For A Day, I would pass just 2 laws: all politicians have to complete their own tax returns without assistance from anyone else, and all politicians would have to buy their own health insurance. Then a lot of other things will start to fall into place!

Posted by brian, ohio on April 4, 2009:

Two quick comments: First of all...to the comment that increased light agitates some with mental illness. Sooo, is that why they keep adding to daylight savings time? So that more of us mental defects will react violently. hmmmm

Second, to your comment that you are surprised there haven't been more nutballs going postal...

You left off an important word: YET.

Posted by Robyn, Baltimore on April 4, 2009:

In March 2005, at the age of 64, my father went insane. He became manic and had a psychotic break and was committed for three weeks. He was never previously diagnosed as mentally ill but they decided he was bipolar. He stopped taking his medications that summer and again in May of 2006, he went insane and was committed for three weeks. The mental health experts told us that it is indeed spring (increased light, warmer temperatures) that causes bouts of severe mania and psychotic breaks. In that condition, a person can and will do anything as they are literally insane sometimes through no fault of their own but due to a malfunctioning brain. Extra stresses like taxes (and retirement, a dead dog, and a grandchild born in my father's case) certainly help trigger the same thing so together, it's just too much for a disabled brain.

Posted by Jackie, Tacoma, WA on April 4, 2009:

As far as the "sudden" light change: I vote for putting this under Daylight Savings Time, which does bring about a sudden change of light, not to mention throwing everyone's internal clocks off-balance and making us all cranky (I know I was cranky when I suddenly had to start getting up at what my body considered 4:30 after Daylight Savings, only two weeks after starting a new job where I got up at 5:30, when my previous wake-up time was 8:30. Can we say shock to the system? Clearly motivation for excessive behavior [Youall will be glad to know that the excessive behavior I engaged in was not so severe as to go around shooting people. I think it mostly involved falling asleep in training classes]).

Yes, I know that DS comes near the beginning of March these days, and this might make you wonder why April. I've heard, however, that everyone is thrown off for a few weeks after the change, so it's obviously from residual effects. (Although someone else posted their research claiming March as a more violent month, which I guess supports my theory even better.)

Posted by Sheila, Calgary, AB Canada on April 4, 2009:

April 30 is Tax Day in Canada. Don't know if April is a bad month here for killings.

I am amazed there has not been a study on this. They like to tell us every year that the car accident rate go up dramatically on the Monday after Daylight Savings Time kicks in. Those pesky statisticians should be able to come up with the stats.

Posted by Jon, Pocatello, Idaho on April 4, 2009:

What can you say -- the month starts with April fools, taxed in the middle and ends with May Day.

Posted by Jim, southwest Illannoy on April 4, 2009:

I think you're right about tax day being the major stressor it is Randy. Add to this the possibility that I ran into head-on a few years back where, with the graduated tax system we have, our combined incomes (military retirement, my wages, and my wife's wages) suddenly pushed us over a threshold where I suddenly owed nearly over half of what I'd received for the year in my retirement. When the tax system is so complex that it creates an industry of software developers and accountants just to help people calculate their own taxes, it is far too complicated.

To Ayesha in Boston, wait till you are a homeowner and have to mail a novel to the federal and state tax collectors each April. I'd rather take a dozen final exams than go through this. Then there's the additional stressor that you might inadvertently make a mistake. It can be very stressing.

Just my thoughts on this topic. I still have to do my taxes, and spent the day fishing. This next week is going to be busy enough I needed to flush the brain a bit, and fishing, even when they're not biting, does that for me.