BoJo explains why our US cousins love to hate GW...

[Denzark]

Morning all.

I'm sure we have all noticed that the inevitable splits on emotional gaming issues such as GW vs CHS, or how much better GW minis are then PP, are often to be found on cross-Atlantic lines.

I think this article links in to why this sort of thing goes on.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/borisjohnson/9547195/British-businesses-are-taking-an-unfair-whacking-from-America.html

(PS can't link cos old work browser doesn't let me see the whole screen.)

Discuss!

[Wolfshade]

BroJo 4 eva


I have...entered a general plea on behalf of all fat, white, male, heterosexual Tories who see nothing much wrong with drinking a bottle of wine at lunch and then having a quiet cigar.

Actually, I do like his writting style and his article makes some very good points, for example my pensions (I have various, long and complicated story and has nothing to do with me being based in Luxemborg for tax reasons) are quite heaviyl invested in BP shares, like the vast majority of other pension pots.

[Psychosplodge]

It's quite amazing how they overlook the American contractors who actually did the work...and also the apparently lower safety standards present in the US oil industry as opposed to the North sea oilfields...

[Wolfshade]

You also need to consider the compensation that was recieved at the Piper Alpha explosion...

[Psychosplodge]

To be fair what do you expect from an american of kenyan decent?

[Denzark]

Harsh but probably fair. We skirt close to the unmentionable there however, TDA will whip out his mighty 'preventor' and we will all be banned from entering the US if you carry on too far...

[Psychosplodge]

lol, The US sounds like it has some amazing places to visit, but some scary places too...

[Denzark]

The worst place I visited was a gents toilet in a New York Subway station, it was one of the known 7 Gates to Hell, the amorphous miasma formed from the stench of mixed bodily fluids was near overpowering. I was indeed scared, my lip started to quiver and had I not been made of stern stuff a tear may have manifested and rolled slowly through the steely bristles on my starboard cheek...

[Psychosplodge]

sounds exciting, did you remember your aquila to ward off daemons?

[Wolfshade]

Hexagramic sigils.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

I have no idea what the hell any of you are talking about. Why am I being mentioned??

[Denzark]

Regretably not, I decided speed would be most efficacious against possible compromise.

[Denzark]

I have no idea what the hell any of you are talking about. Why am I being mentioned??

Because whilst discussing an amusing and witty piece by BoJo which talks about how septics don't like British business, we mentioned the POTUS's heritage, and I know you don't like things getting racialist innit?

besides, I thought your work had banhammered this site on their computers!!!

[Psychosplodge]

That wasn't racialist, that was a simple statement of facts.

Both country's mentioned having violently parted company with us in the past, one significantly more recently than the other.
Simples.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

I'm off all week.

[Psychosplodge]

The countdown to GD got you too excited for work?

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

It's my birthday on Games Day...

[ElectricPaladin]

One thing I'd like to point out is that I don't think most Americans are aware that BP is a British company. If anything, what's happening is that the pro-corporation (and anti-environment) segments of America's government and media are focusing on BP in an attempt to distract us from their allies (and donors), the American companies who are just as bad.

That doesn't mitigate the magnitude of BP's screw-up, though. I think they should be made to give all the monies to make up the lives that their screw-up destroyed. I also think that when US companies do the same thing, and they have, they should be forced to do the same thing, which they are also not.

So, I'm afraid I can't muster up much sympathy for poor BP, being made the target of a country's rage when really they aren't any worse than anyone else.

All of them deserve to burn.

Khoooooorne!

[Denzark]

That wasn't racialist, that was a simple statement of facts.

Both country's mentioned having violently parted company with us in the past, one significantly more recently than the other.
Simples.

Yeah but someone will pass a comment regarding said heritage that crosses the border and - 'BooM! HEADSHOT!'.

[Sean_OBrien]

Might just be the view from where I am sitting - but it really isn't BP being beat upon. It is anyone who is trying to do business being beat upon. Not sure which US firms ElectricPaladin is speaking about, but in the past few years there have been plenty of fines levied and even a few convictions handed out all around. Whether you are drilling for oil, fracking for gas or mining for coal - there is a group (or three) in the US who will swear you are worse than Hitler. It just so happens that one of those groups also happens to control the White House and the Senate (and has an apparent disdain for the British government...whether that can be tied back to Kenya is a matter of some speculation...).

The disdain for GW goes to something else...it really isn't disdain though, rather a general annoyance at them and the way they run their business. For example, I don't like them because I think a good 75% of their figures look like munchkins. What they call heroic - I call oompa loompa. I also have a long streak of resenting paying taxes I shouldn't have to. UK (and EU in general) retail prices are inclusive of the VAT which you guys over there seem to be fine with. However, when they go through and make their wretched attempt to normalize their retail prices across the globe...they use those prices which are inclusive of the VAT tax to determine what the prices should be. That adds an extra 20% or so over and above what they should cost (ignoring for a moment just how badly Australia gets the shaft just for being Australia). That bugs me.

If I order from a fine company like Hasslefree or any number of other European or UK based firms - they knock 20% off because I shouldn't be paying VAT. When I order from Forge World - I pay VAT.

[Psychosplodge]

So how does your version of VAT work? Does the price on the shelf not show what you actually pay at the till?

[Sean_OBrien]

No VAT...just sales tax when applicable. Some places have it...some places don't. Up at our business office - it is 4%. Here at the house it is 6% (but no state income tax). On internet orders, I fill out a form at the end of the year and mail it in (think I might be one of two or three people who actually do that).

[Psychosplodge]

So when you've added up your shopping the state may or may not add 4-6% on at the point of sale? O_o

[Sean_OBrien]

So when you've added up your shopping the state may or may not add 4-6% on at the point of sale? O_o

Basically...yes.

When I buy something at a store, I get charged whatever the local sales tax is for the point of sale. The lowest is nothing (Delaware for example). The highest that I can think of is a bit over 10% (Chicagoland area last time I was there was something like 11%). Math isn't too difficult to do in your head - and most phones have a calculator in them if you are cutting it close.

If you purchase online or through another mail order method you pay tax based on the delivery location. Lots of people don't file the paperwork to report that though...and most state governments don't follow up (less you get audited)...so it is largely considered to be tax free for online purchases.

Seem to recall Canada having a similar arrangement the last time I was up there as well - though that was years ago, and I wasn't paying that close of attention. Australia...to be honest I can't remember. When I was there last I was in my 20s and wasn't paying attention to things like taxes at all.