NewAcctWhoDis

My grandchildren love playing Monopoly. The board game has become a great way for me to interact with them, and also a great way for them to see capitalism in all its imperfect glory. The problem: One of the cards a player may draw when landing on Community Chest is “Bank Error in Your Favor. Collect $200.” Right when we first started playing the game together, I removed that card from the set. I did so because it taught the wrong lesson. The proper thing to do when there is a bank error in your favor is to report it and return the money.

https://archive.ph/WJgQ1

It sounds as if you’ve been part of an effort to persuade your condo association to stop using pesticides, herbicides and other chemical treatments that have become commonplace in landscape maintenance. Pesticides that are sold legally are authorized as safe for use if they are applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions and in compliance with the law, which may include a requirement to post warning signs for a defined period after application. (Specific information about pesticides can be found on the E.P.A.’s website.) You and some fellow residents have come to a different conclusion about their safety — fair enough. Your concern for how such substances could affect others and the environment is admirable.

Still, unless your condo association has made a public commitment to chemical-free landscaping, buyers will assume the use of conventional lawn-care methods, the sort of thing you’d find in any big-box-store garden aisle. If the association is violating regulations — say, by failing to post required signage — you can push for compliance or notify the relevant authorities. But the association’s practices aren’t hidden. And when it comes to selling your unit, your responsibility doesn’t extend to reshaping a buyer’s worldview.

https://archive.ph/EktSD

As a White Man, Can I Date Women of Color to Advance My Antiracism?

Here’s what’s controversial among my friends: I want to prioritize dating women of color. I’m after a cross-cultural relationship. I believe very strongly that one of the main ways to combat racism is through relationships. Part of me thinks that I will always be somewhat disappointed if what ends up becoming one of the most important relationships in my life is with another white person. If someone is a woman of color, that checks a box for me in a real way. I am seeking to be antiracist in all my relationships.

https://archive.ph/j4DHF

Our Gardener Wants to Avoid Taxes. Should We Pay Him in Cash?

Beyond that? I get your anger, but the way to fix a flawed system is through democratic reform, not some individual act of noncompliance. Bear in mind, too, that people with truly modest incomes typically face very low effective tax rates and stand a good chance of receiving more back, through refundable credits, than they pay in.

https://archive.ph/6NZuj

How Do I Discourage My Remote Colleagues from Taking Secret Second Jobs?

https://archive.ph/6oNOB

Is It OK to Read a Newspaper Online When I’ve Stopped Paying for It?

You should still alert the newspaper. For all you know, the site routinely leaves accounts open for a period — possibly because it takes a while for the system to revoke access, or because they want to remind you of the value of what they provide, or, less honorably, because they want to maintain user-engagement stats for advertisers. But maybe it’s just a glitch which the newspaper needs to fix. Journalism is increasingly dependent on digital subscribers, and if a glitchy system causes the publication to lose out on subscription revenue, their business model could, as the Brits say, go pear-shaped. An honest person would send them a message telling them what has happened. Then, if the account remains open, you can use it in good conscience.

Even so, the fact that you’re still checking the content suggests it has value for you. Could your cancellation be worth reconsidering? These have been brutal times for news organizations, with a very few notable exceptions. While citizen journalism has its place, professional journalism — with its skilled reporters, photographers, editors, illustrators and more — requires real investment. Their work shows us worlds beyond our own and can subject our institutions and systems of governance to critical scrutiny. We’re already seeing the consequences of diminished local reporting, and if more newspapers fold, we’ll all pay the price. The fruits of journalism don’t come free, and they nourish our democracy.