I've mentioned Andre Rieu in passing before on here but this is more about touting.
And he has the nerve to charge P&P !
General, General Thread Page 2,150
Shall I make an offer of 20 pence?
I just heard on 6 Music that gas/petrol prices are at an all-time high in the UK. What's that all about? Oil prices have been rising slowly over the last few months, but I paid $2.62/gallon yesterday (the equivalent of 45.5 pence/liter) and that's nowhere near the record $3.99/gallon price of a few years ago. Did you raise the tax or something?
Never mind, I found an article that explains it. Weakening pound + increased taxes and refining costs = record price, despite the fact that the price of oil is nowhere near the 2008 record. Still seems fishy ...
Quote: DaButt @ April 8 2010, 7:00 PM BSTI just heard on 6 Music that gas/petrol prices are at an all-time high in the UK. What's that all about? Oil prices have been rising slowly over the last few months, but I paid $2.62/gallon yesterday (the equivalent of 45.5 pence/liter) and that's nowhere near the record $3.99/gallon price of a few years ago. Did you raise the tax or something?
The country is in massive debt we have no decent industry no major exports so the only way to recoup is to tax citizens to death.
Quote: DaButt @ April 8 2010, 7:00 PM BSTNever mind, I found an article that explains it. Weakening pound + increased taxes and refining costs = record price, despite the fact that the price of oil is nowhere near the 2008 record. Still seems fishy ...
Our petrol is the highest taxed in Europe. 
Five more years of Gordon? Yes please! 
Obama's money men are starting to murmur about raising taxes and instituting a VAT in the United States. 
If you create VAT you'll never see the back of it, even if it is initially proposed as a limited and temporary measure. One of the stupidest taxes ever created. Considering its roots were as a stealthy way to cream some money of sales of "luxury goods" in the post-war austerity years, it then got extended to practically everything. An absolute mess of a tax, with the lion's share of the burden simply passed on to the consumer.
On this one, I would agree that Obama would be wrong/mad to propose it.
Quote: Tim Walker @ April 8 2010, 7:22 PM BSTIf you create VAT you'll never see the back of it, even if it is initially proposed as a limited and temporary measure. One of the stupidest taxes ever created. Considering its roots were as a stealthy way to cream some money of sales of "luxury goods" in the post-war austerity years, it then got extended to practically everything. An absolute mess of a tax, with the lion's share of the burden simply passed on to the consumer.
On this one, I would agree that Obama would be wrong/mad to propose it.
It might be ok if they did away with the federal income tax, state income tax (Texas has none), sales tax, Medicare tax, Social Security tax and the other 8 zillion taxes we already pay. Somehow I think it will just be an additional tax for American consumers.
Although one needs a degree of public expenditure in order to create a semblance of a fair society, as I get older I do think more about a very simple question posed by PJ O'Rourke once - "Who do you trust most to spend your money? Yourself or the government?".
Without trying to sound too paranoid about government, common sense rather dictates that people (government) given lots of other people's (citizens) money to spend will tend not to care as much (nor spend so wisely) about where it goes. I think the choice in this election really is between a party that thinks The State (and tax revenues) is the solution for everything, and one which feels that the State should retreat from interfering in personal choices and provide infrastructure and support only.
I've seen some depressing graphs lately, where the number of government jobs has risen sharply while the number of non-government jobs has fallen precipitously. The same is true for government salaries versus non-government pay. Government retirement benefits are similarly increasing and are increasingly underfunded.
It's quite obvious that this cannot continue without more taxes. Big government is a snowballing monstrosity and someone needs to starve the government to force it back to a manageable size.
Quote: DaButt @ April 8 2010, 7:00 PM BSTI just heard on 6 Music that gas/petrol prices are at an all-time high in the UK. What's that all about? Oil prices have been rising slowly over the last few months, but I paid $2.62/gallon yesterday (the equivalent of 45.5 pence/liter) and that's nowhere near the record $3.99/gallon price of a few years ago. Did you raise the tax or something?
Never mind, I found an article that explains it. Weakening pound + increased taxes and refining costs = record price, despite the fact that the price of oil is nowhere near the 2008 record. Still seems fishy ...
No doubt your suppliers get it even chepaer by both being able to get oil from within the country more easily, and greater bulk-buy power.
Plus, y'know, we let companies screw us.
Quote: Tim Walker @ April 8 2010, 7:38 PM BSTAlthough one needs a degree of public expenditure in order to create a semblance of a fair society, as I get older I do think more about a very simple question posed by PJ O'Rourke once - "Who do you trust most to spend your money? Yourself or the government?".
You have to get older to consider/realise that? :/
Quote: DaButt @ April 8 2010, 7:56 PM BSTI've seen some depressing graphs lately, where the number of government jobs has risen sharply while the number of non-government jobs has fallen precipitously. The same is true for government salaries versus non-government pay. Government retirement benefits are similarly increasing and are increasingly underfunded.
It's quite obvious that this cannot continue without more taxes. Big government is a snowballing monstrosity and someone needs to starve the government to force it back to a manageable size.
Big government truly is one of the greatest evils to have plagued mankind to date.
Quote: Aaron @ April 8 2010, 11:01 PM BSTNo doubt your suppliers get it even chepaer by both being able to get oil from within the country more easily, and greater bulk-buy power.
I think oil is one of those commodities that has a fixed price, sort of like gold. It just doesn't make sense that your price is at an all-time high while the price of crude is nowhere near its record price. Someone's ripping you off.
Government, oil companies, distribution networks... Any and all of the above would be my guess.
Not necessarily a bad thing, given the congestion on and state of the roads, mind.
I feel so guilty about living in the Infidel West sometimes and wish we were more civilised !
good evening comedy fans just wondering if anybody interesting is around?
Dan