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BC Hydro will charge two-tier rates
System will reward those who conserve energy and penalize those who don't
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Brits pay more green tax than they need to
The Taxpayers' Alliance (TPA) claims that the amount of tax paid on flights, fuels and cars is far more than that needed to offset the cost of the country's carbon emissions. The Taxpayers' Alliance (TPA) claims that the amount of tax paid on flights, fuels and cars is far more than that needed to offse... more
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Police text couple asking them to investigate a burglary themselves
Having seen a man break into next doors shed, steal some stuff, then escape over the fence, Lloyd and Suzanne Bishop decided they had better call the police. Instead of sending out some officers to investigate, Cambridgeshire Constabulary sent a text an hour later asking them to investigate it themselves.
It read: "Lloyd. Following on from your call earlier on to the police, please can you contact us if you are able to establish what has been stolen and where from?
"At this time we're struggling to get the police to attend general calls for service, many thanks."
I guess the burglar got away with it, but he surely would have been caught if the Police had responded. The Police's excuse was that there were many calls at that time in the morning (5am) regarding disorder and assault and that they didn't have enough officers on duty to cover the call. Should we have more police officers on duty or should we stop being so drunken and disorderly at 5am in the morning? Having seen a man break into next doors shed, steal some stuff, then escape over the fence, Lloyd and Suzanne Bishop decided they had ... more -
The Real McCain
The REAL John McCain is a multi-millionaire who owns ten luxurious homes. The REAL John McCain backs President Bush’s tax cuts for big corporations. The REAL John McCain empathizes only with the interests of our nation’s wealthy minority, not its money-strapped majority. But far too many are buying into McCain’s deceit, so we created this video to educate the public about the REAL McCain. The REAL John McCain is a multi-millionaire who owns ten luxurious homes. The REAL John McCain backs President Bush’s tax cuts for big... more
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MoD scraps £227m Phoenix spy drone that hated heat and landed upside-down
As a spy drone, it had its disadvantages. To land, it had to flip on its back. It could not operate in extreme heat or in thin air and became known as the “bugger off” because it frequently did, never to return.
The Phoenix unmanned air vehicle, which cost an estimated £300,000 each and was brought into service with the British Army in 1998 after a protracted development programme, is now officially dead.
MPs on the Commons Defence Committee revealed in a report published last week that the Phoenix, which provided target information for the Army's artillery regiments from an operating height of about 9,000ft, was unable to cope with the heat in Iraq when it was deployed in 2003. It had to be used only in the cooler months. The Ministry of Defence also confirmed that it was never sent to Afghanistan because the air was too thin there.
The Phoenix has now been taken out of service and replaced by a more sophisticated aerial spy platform called Hermes 450. The MPs said that the Hermes had to be acquired as a “stop-gap” filler because the Phoenix “could not be operated effectively in a hot and high climate”.
The rise and fall of the Phoenix has been one of the more quixotic stories in the history of MoD equipment purchases. The total cost of the programme was £227 million. The development took so long and involved so many technical hitches that there were some moves to abandon it.
The biggest problem was landing. The surveillance pod was slung under its belly, so the spy drone had to flip on to its back to avoid damaging the equipment on landing. But too many crash-landed and bits fell off. As a spy drone, it had its disadvantages. To land, it had to flip on its back. It could not operate in extreme heat or in thin air and... more -
States may tax iTunes, other digital downloads
If you enjoy buying music from iTunes, movies from Amazon.com's Unbox, or computer software from anywhere, be warned: the halcyon days of tax-free digital purchases may be over. More... If you enjoy buying music from iTunes, movies from Amazon.com's Unbox, or computer software from anywhere, be warned: the halcyon... more
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On this day - August 2
1937 - The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 was passed in America, essentially rendering marijuana and all its by-products illegal.
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Who's the daddy? DNA shows fifth of fathers not the real dad in Child Support...
Nearly one in five paternity claims handled by the Child Support Agency end up showing the mother has deliberately or inadvertently misidentified the father, figures show.
Since DNA paternity testing figures began to be collected in 1998-99, 4,854 paternity claims have turned out to be false after DNA testing.
Under child support legislation it is a criminal offence to make a false statement or representation, and to provide false documents or information.
But according to the CSA, there has not been a single prosecution of a woman for making a false claim.
Government-approved paternity tests, based on samples in multiple parts of the body, are deemed to be 99.99% accurate.
CSA rules state that if the DNA test establishes that the named father is the actual father, then he must pay for the cost of the test. If the DNA establishes he is not the father then the taxpayer pays, so there is no consquence for the mother in making a false claim.
The latest figures for 2007-08 show that out of 3,474 tests ordered, 661 or 19% named the wrong man. The negative results for tests taken in 2004-05 were 10.6%, in 2005-06 were 16.4%, and 13.6% in 2006-07.
Are the women claiming for Child Surport just uncertain of who their baby's father is? Or is this deliberate scamming? Should these wrongful claimants be prosecuted? What impact will this have on the children whose fathers are wrongly identified? And who should foot the cost of these investgations - the taxpayer? Nearly one in five paternity claims handled by the Child Support Agency end up showing the mother has deliberately or inadvertently mi... more -
Super-Rich Tax Cheats | American News Project
They hide an estimated $100 billion a year from the IRS, but now the U.S. Senate is turning up the heat on super-rich tax cheats. The man who ratted out some of these tax dodgers now lives in hiding and has a $10 million bounty on his head. This is a story straight out of our new Gilded Age -- one of billionaires, foreign bankers, corruption, secrecy and, of course, greed. They hide an estimated $100 billion a year from the IRS, but now the U.S. Senate is turning up the heat on super-rich tax cheats. The ... more
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Tobacco style health warnings for alcohol
Drinks manufacturers in the UK will be given until the end of the year to put the required warnings and advice on bottles and cans. If the target is not met, the Government will move to put a mandatory scheme in place. This would require health and unit information on all drinks containers.
The consultation, which is launched today (July 22), would see the industry's self-regulation code on retailing become mandatory. It would also mean restrictions on the way alcohol is sold in pubs, bars and nightclubs, including banning large glasses or measures, restricting promotions and mandatory point of sale information. Shop checkouts will also not be allowed to display alcohol-related promotions.
Figures will show that six per cent of all NHS admissions are in some way caused by drink, and the rate of visits to hospital over alcohol-related problems is rising by 10 per cent every year. The figures indicate the true impact alcohol has on the NHS from accidents, violence and disease. They include for the first time estimates of the number of cancers caused by alcohol consumption as well as heart disease and strokes.
Alcohol is thought to cause about 17,000 cases of cancer a year and £2billion of NHS money is spent every year treating patients with alcohol-related diseases. Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, believes “lifestyle” illnesses will put an increasing strain on the NHS unless people behave more responsibly. Drinks manufacturers in the UK will be given until the end of the year to put the required warnings and advice on bottles and cans. If... more -
Cheap DVDs: HMV to use tax loophole
A controversial tax avoidance scheme which HMV operates on its website is to be extended to the high street, allowing customers to buy DVDs, CDs, Blu-ray Discs, and games for lower prices from instore kiosks.
The items will be free from the usual 17.5% VAT charges on conventional purchases, as the items are subsequently delivered to the customer from the Channel Islands tax haven of Guernsey.
If copied by other high-street chains and supermarkets, it could divert hundreds of millions of pounds from the Treasury. Woolworths is also testing similar terminals in three stores. A controversial tax avoidance scheme which HMV operates on its website is to be extended to the high street, allowing customers to buy... more -
No healing in Argentina's bitter row
The Argentine Senate has rarely had such a dramatic session. After 18 hours of debate, in the early hours of the morning it all came down to just one vote.
Those who had managed to stay awake watched with bated breath.
Government supporters gathered in the plaza outside the parliament building.
Thousands of farmers and their supporters were in a nearby Buenos Aires park, watching the vote on a huge screen.
The senators were tied at 36 votes each.
The Senate speaker and government vice-president, Julio Cobos, had the casting vote. He looked tired and nervous.
He spoke about how proud he was to be vice-president and serve President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
He called for another vote, then for an intermediary to help solve the crisis.
The heads of both blocs in the Senate told him to vote, and to vote now.
It was, he said, the most difficult day of his life.
Mr Cobos said he voted with his heart: he voted against the government.
Argentines couldn't see her, but could picture President Fernandez hurling her coffee cup across the room in anger.
Empty shelves
The split vote in the Senate reflects the deep division in Argentine society.
This is a conflict that has grown and grown since the government announced in March that it was raising export taxes on agricultural products, mostly soya and grains. The Argentine Senate has rarely had such a dramatic session. After 18 hours of debate, in the early hours of the morning it all came d... more -
Argentina Senate rejects farm tax
The Argentine Senate has narrowly rejected controversial tax increases on agricultural exports that have provoked repeated protests by farmers.
With senators tied 36 to 36 after more than 16 hours of debate, Vice-President Julio Cobos cast the deciding vote to reject his government's proposals.
The outcome is as a blow to President Cristina Fernandez, correspondents say. Farmers said the taxes would be crippling, but the government said they were needed to fight poverty.
May history judge me, my vote is not for, it's against
Julio Cobos
Argentine vice-president
Farmers have won a critical battle but the dispute is not over and Argentina faces some tough days and weeks ahead, says the BBC's Daniel Schweimler in Buenos Aires.
The government has said that it will seek another vote in the lower house, which passed the measures earlier this month.
Food prices
Mr Cobos, who is also leader of the Senate, said it had been "the most difficult day of my life".
Close to tears, he cast his deciding vote.
"They tell me I must go along with the government for institutional reasons, but my heart tells me otherwise. May history judge me, my vote is not for, it's against," he said.
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Government supporters and farmers held rival demonstrations this week
In a Buenos Aires park, hundreds of farmers and their supporters erupted in cheers after watching the vote on big-screen televisions.
Argentina is a major producer of soya, grains and beef, which fetch high prices on international markets.
The dispute between the government and farmers began in March, when President Fernandez's government raised taxes on soya exports from 35% to 45%, and imposed new taxes on other farm exports.
The government argued that they needed to raise taxes on agricultural exports to help build a new Argentina.
It said farmers could afford to pay more, as they were benefiting from high prices.
The authorities also accused farmers and their supporters of undermining democracy by refusing to respect the wishes of the elected government.
However, farmers' leaders said that any profits needed to be reinvested so that Argentina, one of the world's leading agricultural producers, could help to feed a hungry world. The Argentine Senate has narrowly rejected controversial tax increases on agricultural exports that have provoked repeated protests by... more -
Americans for Tax Reform
Cost of Government Day: how many days does it take for the American worker to pay for federal, state, and local government? Today the average American worker is finished working for federal, state, and local government. This article also gives the listing and rank of each state. Cost of Government Day: how many days does it take for the American worker to pay for federal, state, and local government? Today the ... more
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Pringles Only 42% Potato: UK Court Decides
Warren overruled a VAT Tribunal decision that Pringles should be subject to the 17.5-percent tax because it met the definition of "potato crisps, potato sticks, potato puffs and similar products made from the potato, or from potato flour, or from potato starch."
The judge found that Pringles were only 42 percent potato, and thus exempt.
P&G spokeswoman Marina Barker says the company is pleased with the ruling. Warren overruled a VAT Tribunal decision that Pringles should be subject to the 17.5-percent tax because it met the definition of ... more -
Sky high gas prices
Staff at several gas stations said they were extremely busy Monday evening as motorists tried to fill up before the tax kicked in. In contrast, they said business was quite slow Tuesday. Staff at several gas stations said they were extremely busy Monday evening as motorists tried to fill up before the tax kicked in. In ... more
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No law requiring US citizens to pay income tax
Something many American's may not know is that there is no law written anywhere in American history that we have to pay a Federal Income Tax. In fact, this tax is UCONSTITUTIONAL. The Constitution states that all taxes must be apportioned. The Federal Income Tax is a DIRECT unapportioned tax and is therefore unconstitutional. Some claim that Amendment 16 overrides this section of the Constitution, but for those who don't buy in to everything the government tells us this is how I see it:
Amendment 16 was a political scheme introduced by Republicans in attempt to trick the Democrats. Secretary of state at the time the amendment was proposed, Philander Knox, declared the amendment ratified. For those of you who don't know what it takes for an amendment to be ratified, it must be approved by 3/4 of the states. Knox, claimed that it was approved by 42 states.
For state approval to be acceptable, neither words nor punctuation can be changed. And the states MAY NOT violate their own state constitutions in ratifying the amendment:
Eight states (Rhode Island, Utah, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Florida, Virginia and Pennsylvania) did not approve or ratify the amendment.
Texas and Louisiana were forbidden by their own state constitutions to empower the federal government to tax.
Vermont and Massachusetts rejected the amendment with a recorded vote count, and only later declared it passed without a recorded vote after the amendment was declared ratified by Knox.
Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi, California and Washington violated their state constitutions in their ratification procedures.
Minnesota did not send any copy of its resolution to Knox, let alone a signed and sealed one, as required.
And Oklahoma, Georgia and Illinois made unacceptable changes in wording. (Some of the above states also made such changes, in addition to their other unacceptable procedures.)
So as you can see, only 27 states legally under our constitution ratified the amendment. 27 is FAR less then the required 36. Something many American's may not know is that there is no law written anywhere in American history that we have to pay a Federal... more -
Mrs McCain defaults on tax payments for 4 years
Cindy McCain, wife of presidentail candidate John McCain has been defaulting on property-tax payments sent to a house in La Jolla, California for 4 years. The house is owned by a trust over-seen by Mrs McCain as part of her estimated $100 million fortune. After the matter was raised Mrs McCain payed the amount of $6,744.42 yet San Diego County official say there is still another $1,742 owed on the property for this year. Cindy McCain, wife of presidentail candidate John McCain has been defaulting on property-tax payments sent to a house in La Jolla, Cal... more
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Most voters prefer NDP plan over Liberals: poll
When it comes to paying for carbon emissions, the NDP tackle the problem at its source -- business -- and people overwhelming prefer it to the Liberal plan. When it comes to paying for carbon emissions, the NDP tackle the problem at its source -- business -- and people overwhelming prefer ... more
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CTA address 2008
Tim Harford, economist and author, talks about behavioural taxes at the CTA Address 2008. www.tax.org.uk
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