BITS & PIECES

A BRIEF HISTORY OF VALENTINE’S DAY

Candelit dinners, rose bouquets, cards, gifts, chocolates and romantic walks on the beach -- sound familiar? While some of that may happen at different times during the year, Valentine’s Day is the day for lovers and loved ones. (And you fellas out there had better remember the 14th of February, or you may indeed be in lots of trouble!)

But how did Valentine’s Day come about? It is probably the fault of the original St. Valentine, a name shared between two legendary Christian martyrs of the third century. Sadly enough, the first St. Valentine was a martyr who was believed to be a Roman priest--killed for believing in Christianity on a Roman Road. The second St. Valentine was an Italian bishop martyred in Rome for believing in Christianity. Historians disagree on whether these are true stories or just legends. Nevertheless, celebration feasts for these two men were held on February 14th and they did not occur with the idea of love or courtship but instead were held in honor of the martyred St. Valentine’s.

Up until the 5th century AD, a celebration (the Lupercalia -- a Roman feast in honor of Lupercus or Pan) was held on February 15th for Faunus, the mythological Roman god of fertility and flocks through sacrifices of goats and a dog. Young men called Luperci would then travel down the hillsides, hitting those along the way with whips made of the sacrificed goatskins. If any of these were women, they were assured of fertility and a simple childbirth. Many of these women would write their names on love notes during evening feasts and men who drew any of those notes would be allowed to court that woman for the evening. And this is how of St. Valentine’s Day cards originated. Strangely enough, the Lupercalia, held on February 15th was connected to the feast of St. Valentine on the 14th but it was not until the 1600’s that the Christian Church ended the Lupercalia and incorporated it with the Feast of St. Valentine.

In time, St. Valentine became known as the Lover’s Saint though it is doubtful he had anything to do with romantic antics at all. St. Valentine’s Day evolved into celebrations of love due to media hype and commercialization. Yet who among us would deny that Valentine’s Day is a positive undertaking -- a time to express love, to receive and give love and to make someone special very happy indeed. (Editor’s Note: many elderly people’s families donate all kinds of cards to local thrift stores; even the smaller thrifts carry greeting cards. We suggest that you search for holiday cards, including Valentine’s Day cards, in your local thrift stores and in rummage sales. See our San Diego Events Calendar for the largest rummage sale in town, coming up in Balboa Park in March.)

CARS DONATED TO CHARITY
NO LONGER A HOT WRITE-OFF!

New Laws Affect Your Donation and Hurt National Charities.

    The House passed a new law effective January 1st allowing the final sale price only as a tax write-off for donated cars, boats, planes and other valuable items in 2005, if the price of those items are more than $500. The fair market value still applies if the value is less than $500.

    The General Accounting Office, an independent watchdog arm of the government studied tax returns in the year 2000, finding that 733,000 people claimed deductions for donated vehicles. Donors were claiming deductions that valued automobiles at more than 20 times the actual auction price. According to the GAO, an estimated 4300 U.S. charities with annual revenues in excess of $100,000 operate vehicle donation programs. In addition, the annual net proceeds from vehicle donations for 2002 as reported by the charities ranged from as little as $1000 per two vehicles..to over $8.8 million for one national charity that received over 70,000 vehicles. Although the dollar amount received was over $1 million for several charities, for many the revenue was a small share of total charity revenues. Charity proceeds constituted less than 2% of the total annual budget for fifteen of the thirty charities providing budget information; however, two of the charities stated that vehicle donations accounted for 80% or more of their annual revenue. The IRS and the GAO both have issued guidelines which donors should consider when donating vehicles to charities:

1. Verify that the recipient organization is a tax-exempt charity.

2. Charities need to be registered with state regulatory agencies; check with the state attorney general’s office or the secretary of state.

3. Ask how the vehicle will be used once donated? For example, will it be repaired and given to the needy? Or will it be resold and if so, what amount will the charity receive?

4. Consider itemizing deductions if those are greater than the standard deduction.

5. Deductions can only be based on the fair market value if below $500; that includes the vehicle’s condition which can be less than what is listed in used car guides.

6. These deductions must be documented. Obtain IRS publication 526.

7. Title of vehicles must be transferred to the charity’s name by contacting the state motor vehicles department; if state laws allow it, remove all license plates when the transfer is complete.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER--BUT WHAT
TO DO WITH ALL OF THAT TRASH!

    The holidays are over (some of us may say "thank God")--yet, what in the world do we do with all of that trash? Boxes, wrapping paper, ribbons, tissue, stickers, labels and ye olde live (or plastic) Christmas trees? There are lots of groups out there who give instructions on what to do and how to do it but a few of the best include the City’s Environmental Services Department (check their web site at http://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/recycling/index.shtml). I Love A Clean San Diego, the Audubon Society and the Sierra Club. Some of the tips from these organizations include:

RECYCLING YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE

    It is unlikely that you may have your Christmas tree around this time of year--mid-January-- but some of you might. You could have one growing outside in an old pot with no ability to transplant it. Or, you could have stashed your cutdown, live tree out in the backyard, waiting for a convenient time to go to the landfill. The City estimates that 800 tons of Christmas trees will be recycled this season alone (lower than the 874 tons from last year due to the increasing popularity of artificial trees.)

    Requirements are simple: trees must not be attached to tree stands and should be minus nails, staples, ornaments and decorations. Plastic trees cannot be recycled but flocked trees are okay (plastic trees can be cut apart and placed into trash bins). Households in the City of San Diego who have curbside green recycling can place their trees at the curb.

    Commercial waste haulers have certain standards for taking trees: most have the same requirements as stated above but trees must also be cut into 4-foot sections or smaller. Some will not accept flocked trees. The City of San Diego’s Christmas Tree Recycling Program continues through January 24 at eighteen drop-off locations: (the trees will be recycled into high quality mulch and compost which is available throughout the year at the Miramar Greenery. Self-loaded mulch is free!)

    Residents who want to recycle their Christmas Trees through January 24th can go to the Miramar Greenery located at the Miramar Landfill seven days a week during hours of operation. Some areas of San Diego have access to the City’s Curbside Greenery Recycling Program. Do you have curbside greenery recycling at your house?

To find out, view the: Refuse, Recycling and Greenery Collection Schedules for Your Address. Businesses and those residences without curbside greenery recycling can still help the environment by bringing recyclable greens to the Miramar Greenery at the Miramar Landfill. The Miramar Greenery is located inside the City’s Miramar Landfill, located north of Highway 52 at 5180 Convoy Street. Fee Booth: (858) 573-1420; Recorded Information: (858) 573-1418

Hours: Monday - Friday: 7:00 AM - 4:30 PM.; Saturdays, Sundays and most holidays: 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM. The Environmental Services Department uses green waste to produce useful mulch, compost and wood chips that are available to the public. Mulch is free

• Compost, Mulch and Wood Chips for Landscaping

• Curbside Greenery Recycling Program

• Refuse, Recycling and Greenery Collection Schedules for Your Address

Christmas Tree Recycling
Drop-off Locations
Through January 24, 2005 

Carmel Valley
Carmel Valley Recreation Center, 3777 Townsgate Drive, lower parking lot

Clairemont
Clairemont Mesa Boulevard at Diane Street

Encanto
Cielo Drive at Woodman Street

Golden Hill
Golden Hill Recreation Center, 2600 Golf Course Drive

La Jolla
Kate Sessions Memorial Park, Soledad Road and Loring Street (New location, replaces the previous Mt. Soledad drop-off site).

Logan Heights
Dolores Magdaleno Memorial Recreation Center, 2902 Marcy Avenue

Miramar
Miramar Landfill and Greenery Recycling
Convoy Street north of Highway 52

Mission Bay
Sea World Drive at Pacific Highway

Mission Valley
Super Target parking lot in Mission Valley Center

Oak Park
Chollas Lake, 6350 College Grove Drive, in Gloria’s Mesa parking lot

Ocean Beach
Robb Field Recreation Center, 2525 Bacon Street

Otay Mesa/Nestor
Montgomery Waller Community Park (upper and lower-west parking lots)

Rancho Bernardo
Rancho Bernardo Recreation Center, 18448 W. Bernardo Drive

Rancho Penasquitos
Canyonside Recreation Center, 12350 Black Mountain Road

Scripps Ranch
Scripps Ranch Recreation Center, 11454 Blue Cypress Drive

Tierrasanta
De Portola Middle School, 11010 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard

University City
Swanson Pool, 3585 Governor Drive

REUSE WRAPPING PAPER, CALENDARS, HOLIDAY CARDS

    It always surprises me to hear that many people just do not know what to do with leftover wrapping paper, calendars or cards. Think back to your school days. Where do you suppose your favorite teacher acquired those pretty pictures for arts and crafts projects? So recycle your extra or old calendars to your local schools. You could also use the backs for writing notes; some are even worthy of framing! And instead of quickly tearing into wrapping paper on gifts, tear it open gently and use it for someone’s gift next year. Boxes can be flattened and easily stored for shipping later on.

    Even priority boxes can be turned inside out and reused or, wrapped with brown paper. Bubble envelopes can be reused as well. Open them carefully to avoid extensive tearing and you’ll be able to use them for another mailing, eventually saving you lotsa money! And finally, if you receive a gift you’re not happy with or cannot use -- recycle it. Pass it on to someone who can use it or donate it to your local thrift store. In the old days we were a "throw away" society; in these modern times we should be a reusable society.