Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Still crazy after all these years

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  • recordari,

    Aha, so there is academic support for my argument after all.
    Tall Poppy Syndrome: Implications for entrepreneurship in New Zealand.

    But yes, envy beheadings was a bit inflammatory.

    Craig, from Australia;

    Low Income Tax Offset

    The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) is a tax rebate for individuals on lower incomes. From 1 July 2009 it provides individuals earning less than $30,000 with a tax rebate of $1,350. The full offset is reduced by 4c for every dollar of taxable income above $30,000, meaning incomes greater than $63,750 do not receive any benefit.[3] The LITO creates an effective tax-free threshold of $15,000 for low income earners.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Oh, so you pull the entire bottom tier out of the cake shave most of it off, and that's OK because even though you can't pay for shit at least you're still screwing over the rich pricks?

    It's called Progressive taxation. <click/> So that's where the name came from.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • B Jones,

    ...it'll all come out in the wash, but these two gutless "victims" deserve to be publically raked across the coals IMO.
    ... of course they wouldn't lie to sex up a story, especially if their jobs are on the line should it be found they misled the public.

    And you know this how? Were you there? It bothers me how often in the absence of any evidence one way or another, some people are determined to assume that in any accusation of sexual assault "she was lying" is the most likely scenario. Perhaps the journalists had a motive to lie, although lying to make a story more interesting is drawing a long bow, and one of those things that tends to put journalists' jobs on the line. But surely so does the accused. It's one thing to take a newspaper to task for creating its own stories, it's a whole other thing to heap all the blame for the entire incident on the women involved. The latter looks more like something from the misogynist and sexual assault apologists' playbook than any reasonable response.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 976 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    I'm sure there's a logical train of thought on the tracks somewhere

    Hey, did you see James May's Toy Stories last night? I love that programme. It is completely mad, and yet wholly enjoyable. The Mayor who got sick of standing around waiting for the damn model train to arrive, and retired to teh pub was priceless.

    Must be great for the sales of the old toys of course. Oh no, do I have to be cynical about the motives now?

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Actually I think we should, but it should be by making the first 14,000 threshold tax free. And if you want to keep the rich in check, make it means tested so it stays in place if you earn over 70k (the upper threshold). But I have no idea how much that would cost.

    I'm fully in favour of us looking at 0% taxation for the first $X,000.

    Punatively putting it back in for rich people would both be vindictive and high cost for not much return. Particularly when they don't get working for families.

    It's one thing to expect the rich to pay a higher proportion of taxes. It's another to be an arsehole about taking it off them.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Hey, did you see James May's Toy Stories last night?

    Having acquired these from Friends In England, we were a bit puzzled as to why they were numbered as Lego House then Toy Trains, but clearly had been broadcast the other way around. Then I watched Trains and it made me cry. Lego House makes a much better ending.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • recordari,

    Lego House makes a much better ending.

    Think I'll get the box set, as the chillin's haven't seen it yet. The Airfix one was so far my favourite. Although Meccano was brilliant also.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Hey, did you see James May's Toy Stories last night? I love that programme. It is completely mad, and yet wholly enjoyable.

    At last, something we can agree on. :) I enjoy it much the same way I can vastly enjoy Top Gear despite knowing nothing about cars and caring even less -- the nutter, the dwarf and the duffer with the mullet have their own special charms. Mill had a point: Any society without a goodly population of freaks and geeks is one in a very bad way indeed.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Don't forget that everyone gets the 0% bracket, if there is one, including rich people.

    It would mean a huge drop in the tax take, which would need to be made up somehow. There are plenty of options, and the basic idea of not taxing people who have next to nothing seems good. It was like that in Oz when I was there. Also, I was paying 47% tax (and 1.5% medicare levy) as a top bracket earner, so I had to just scratch my head when NZers whined about being overtaxed. AND they're still holding all that money I earned in superannuation, which is extremely embittering, considering that the value of it halved a couple of years ago. If I had it, it would have been on the mortgage, and I've have been able to buy a property about 5 years earlier too (which would have saved me a shitload).

    But I never grudged their taxation because it was plain that Australia has fantastic infrastructure compared to ours, and that, I'm sure, has contributed enormously to the ever widening wealth gap.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Robbie Siataga,

    It's one thing to take a newspaper to task for creating its own stories, it's a whole other thing to heap all the blame for the entire incident on the women involved.

    They went into his home totally unprepared for the eventuality that Bailey might not play to their rules.

    According to their report, when he allegedly exposed himself, the reporter didnt object and said nothing. Is it possible he, given his background, took that as a sign to continue for their benefit ? He supposedly masturbated ? She still said nothing but feeling flustered, gets a drink. As yet, no story worth shit.

    He allegedly gropes her ? Fair enough, time to leave, story got. Victim accomplished.

    Since Feb 2010 • 259 posts Report Reply

  • B Jones,

    Robbie, that's no different from saying she was asking for it by going back to his place/not fighting hard enough/not expecting a guy to be an animal/wearing a skirt/drinking too much etc etc. It's a crappy justification for sexual assault in general, and no better as applied to this particular situation.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 976 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    According to their report, when he allegedly exposed himself, the reporter didnt object and said nothing. Is it possible he, given his background, took that as a sign to continue for their benefit ?

    I look forward to an exhibitionist trying this defence in court. "But they didn't run away screaming m'lord!"

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    But I never grudged their taxation because it was plain that Australia has fantastic infrastructure compared to ours,

    Might be one or two (million) Melbournians arguing the toss after the weekend, and whoever wins the Victoria state election is going to have to bite the bullet and spend some serious cash on the city's rail infrastructure.

    But otherwise, pretty fair points -- much as I love Sydney and Melbourne piling stamp duty on the top of the gonzo property prices is just adding insult to injury.

    I look forward to an exhibitionist trying this defence in court. "But they didn't run away screaming m'lord!"

    I'd probably unwisely pull out the "M'Lord, my client is hung like a stunted door mouse on steroids. I intend to prove there is no way the complainants could have seen a damn thing!" defence.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Further brands of right wing thought tend towards the idea that wealth should automatically entitle its holders to greater social and political influence, either subtly (via improved living conditions over the poor) or overtly (via increased visibility and weighting of political opinions). The logical conclusion leads towards a kind of meritocracy where wealth indicates an individual's merit.

    Michael Carroll, anybody?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    whoever wins the Victoria state election is going to have to bite the bullet and spend some serious cash on the city's rail infrastructure.

    Watched a good documentary on one of the Sky channels t'other night "The Crumbling of America". It adressed the appalling conditions of American freeway infrastructure, and how being ignored, has resulted in conditions equal to the many levees that showed themselves when Hurricane Katrina hit East New Orleans in 2005.
    Some general information here explains the size of the US situations that are now impossible to deal with.
    It was interesting in the Documentary that California (under Arnie) had reduced taxes for the upper Glitterarti and their roads fear the worst. Jus' sayin'

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Oh yes, then they looked at the Dams. Not pretty.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    One of Arnie's first acts in office was to pardon the Enron fraudsters who had gamed California's energy system for billions. His campaign contributors certainly got their money's worth.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Robbie Siataga,

    All true under normal circumstances, but these victims were sent to get a story knowing he was damaged goods. It's basically entrapment.

    Since Feb 2010 • 259 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Oh yes, and, the bridges.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • B Jones,

    these victims were sent to get a story knowing he was damaged goods

    So, once someone's committed a crime and become "damaged goods", anyone who's subsequently been assaulted by them should have known better and therefore has no legal right of redress? Seriously, there are enough catch-22s for women wanting to avoid sexual assault without you inventing new ones.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 976 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Give it a break, Robbie. You do not know anything more than you've read in the paper and your repetition is getting tiresome.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Might be one or two (million) Melbournians arguing the toss after the weekend, and whoever wins the Victoria state election is going to have to bite the bullet and spend some serious cash on the city's rail infrastructure.

    Given that the entire Auckland rail system has less stops and junctions than the Frankston Line (one of the 16 lines in Melbourne), they don't know how good they've got it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Ashby,

    @Craig Ranapia

    Oh, so you pull the entire bottom tier out of the cake shave most of it off, and that's OK because even though you can't pay for shit at least you're still screwing over the rich pricks? I'm sure there's a logical train of thought on the tracks somewhere, but it's running awfully late...

    Now I know you didn't read all of my last post and just picked on the generalisation at the end. So I will say it again, since you obviously missed it:

    Those who must spend ALL of their income just to stay afloat pay the most GST as a proportion of income. So that 14k is not 'tax free' since it will be SPENT and not invested in non productive real estate, foreign trips, foreign cars, foreign made consumer durables etc.

    Therefore doing this costs diddly squat since the tax you 'give back' you get returned as GST. The only possible argument against is that GST is a less efficient way to collect tax than PAYE though in the Information Age that is less so than it used to be.

    But you carry on believing the myth that the 'undeserving' poor pay no tax so are just bludgers and parasites if it makes you happy. Meanwhile reality will continue on without you.

    So apart from urgently taking on your shoulders any slur against 'the Right' (I even capitalised it) you do your best to resemble strongly that which you object to.

    Well done.

    Dundee, Scotland • Since May 2007 • 425 posts Report Reply

  • Islander,

    Go Peter!
    Craig - all beneficiaries, including my beloved mother, pay gst on everything; a 2.5%increase in GST is a 2.5 diminshment on her income (which is pretty bloody slight anyway.)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Ashby,

    Thanks Islander, I will add having been there that the poor buy more necessary stuff than the well off do too. An example: shoes. When you are poor and you need a new pair of shoes or go barefoot (not advisable in the Student area of Dunedin, especially in winter). But you have no discretionary income so you buy the cheapest pair of shoes that will do. Meanwhile Mr Well Off buys durable shoes at twice the price. The catch is that the cheap shoes last 1/3 as long as the durable ones.

    I have been both those people and confirmed it empirically. These days I go through the soles of my street shoes before they need replacing. With the cheap ones the uppers go long before the sole wears out or the uppers part company with the shoes.

    Thus it costs more to be poor and that is before you have to try an heat damp draughty dwellings. When you are poor you scrimp on things the well off consider essentials, like insurance. You buy 3rd party on your vehicle not because its worth jack shit, but because its all you can afford. The stuff I take for granted now makes me shake my head sometimes.

    There but for fortunate genetics and an applied brain go I. Not everyone is so fortunate and the decks are not stacked in your favour if you aren't. I look back at the young me at scholarships, grants etc applied for in every expectation of success and wonder where that confidence came from and can I have it back please.

    Dundee, Scotland • Since May 2007 • 425 posts Report Reply

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