NZ's system is a universal Goods & Service Tax of 12.5% on all goods and services, except for stuff sold at garage (yard) sales, and a few other minor exmptions, including charities. Australia's system focuses on whether items can be considered staple or not, and is unbelievably labrynthine. The same item, for example, chicken, can change its taxable status several times in a day, depending on how it is being presented for sale.
Max is quite correct in what he says, but he omitted what is probably one of the most controversial issues: Financial services are not subject to GST. Therefore house sales are not GST-liable, interest on loans is exempted, earnings on investments, that kind of thing. This was, and still is, a bone of contention. But it's internally consistent and doesn't produce downstream anomalies, so the Government has left it alone. Until now. I hear a parliamentary methane-production group (or select committee) will be looking at this soon.
Financial services are not subject to GST. Therefore house sales are not GST-liable, interest on loans is exempted, earnings on investments, that kind of thing. This was, and still is, a bone of contention.
Quick, children, hide - it's the ghost of Bruce Beetham!
>Given that all of these are safety plugs, I wonder if Burma paid a nick-el (ugh) for placing them along the median. -- By the way, if the roads were three-laned, where *was* the median?
Burma shave signs were always just off the right shoulder of the road. As you guessed, there was no median. The middle lane was a passing lane, which could be used by cars going in either direction. NOT for the faint of heart, but some still exist in the southern parts of the US. Pretty rural now, but formerly truck routes.
Nay, 9W was a game Johnny Carson used to play, in which he would give the answer and the contestant had to come up with a question, sort of like Jeopardy. The name derives from the question, "Herr Vagner, do you spell your name with a V?"
and weren't the 9Ws banned from Johnny Carson after the one where the answer was (euphemistically phrased to avoid the gutter police) the red breasted male bird. You know the one that was killed by a bow and arrow. And the question had something to do with Batman? It may be an urban legend but I heard that that one slipped by the live censor who has 8 seconds or so to bleep a live obscenity. Rod
I remember some that didn't even have a middle, passing lane. If you've ever noticed truckers blinking lights at each other after passing on the Interstates you may wonder what that's all about. In them days they needed to know when they had passed whatever they were passing so they could get back into their regular lane without taking out half a dozen cars. They can't tell easily when they have passed with their long trailers so the passed truck will signal the passing truck when it's safe to cut back in. Some four wheelers will even do it.
Ted, 9W might well have been a game--but it is road- In NY and NJ that runs parallel to the North (Hudson) river.
For a while, Routes 1N (part of the old Post road system) and 9W run together. In the NY side of the river, 9 is Broadway (starting at about Columbus Circle) and running north to Montreal. It too is an old road --
Hoon is a great word and thank you for sharing it with us. It has absolutely the right kind of sound to express the intended contempt. I promise to use it each day this week, and when anyone asks me, I will tell them it is ZILD!
Umm... did I miss CapK's evidence that this was a ZILD word first and foremost? Don't ask me, I'm just an innocent (?!) [POM] abroad, but I'd say on the evidence at the moment the national origin of this word remains unproven.
Is CapK more reliable than an internet dictionary? Is that an insult or a compliment?
Just asking... [running-off-to-hide-from-the-trans-Tasman-flak-emoticon]
Umm... did I miss CapK's evidence that this was a ZILD word first and foremost? Don't ask me, I'm just an innocent (?!) [POM] abroad, but I'd say on the evidence at the moment the national origin of this word remains unproven.
Is CapK more reliable than an internet dictionary? Is that an insult or a compliment?
Just asking... [running-off-to-hide-from-the-trans-Tasman-flak-emoticon]
And there I was just a few hundred miles south of you all last week! No, the claim was made on the basis that Google didn't turn up any evidence of origin or usage, so I stated that it might be a Zildism. I now have renewed first-hand evidence that the Ozzies are much better hoons than we are ...
The real question is, what is it about the West Island that makes even transplanted poms living there reluctant to concede the possibility that any word used on both sides of the Tasman originated here?
NZ's system is a universal Goods & Service Tax of 12.5% on all goods and services ... Australia's system ....is unbelievably labrynthine
Hot off the press:
Gov. Jean Shaheen's proposal to institute a sales tax in New Hampshire was defeated by vote of the Legislature today. New Hampshire is currently the only state in the Union which has neither a sales or income tax. Come to God's country, you poor benighted souls! We hold the lamp beside the tax free door! wow What whinger mentioned NH property tax ? Speak up! I want to know right now.
NZ's system is a universal Goods & Service Tax of 12.5% on all goods and services ... Australia's system ....is unbelievably labrynthine
Just how labyrinthine was demonstrated amply at Malbun airport the other day. We bought two boxes of chocolates (total price A$27.50). The sales assistant, sweet girl, asked us if we wanted to claim the GST back since we were leaving the country. SWMBO - an accountant, remember - agreed that it would be a good idea. I suspiciously commented that we shouldn't bother if it was going to take some effort. I've done this in Singapore. We were talking about A$2.75's worth of GST, remember.
The girl said brightly that it was no bother at all. Okay, so here was the process:
1. She produced a foolscap form which had dunnamany blocks to fill in. She had to write down SWMBO's name and passport number. A detailed description of the goods and the pre-GST and GST-inclusive price followed. SWMBO then had to fill in her address in New Zealand and the date of departure from Oz.
2. Sales girl then had to sight and write down the number of SWMBO's air ticket, the flight number, the destination and the time of departure. Not from the boarding pass, but the ticket itself. This caused a rapid rummage through a shoulder bag.
3. Sales lady and SWMBO then both had to sign the form.
4. Sales person then filled out yet another form, kinda the opposite of a GST invoice. An un-GST invoice, presumably.
5. The goods then went into a special plastic bag that had "GST Exempt - keep in sight at all times" plastered all over it. A copy of the un-GST invoice went in with the chocolates.
6. Another copy of the un-GST invoice was then sealed (stapled) into a small plastic bag which was then stapled to the larger plastic bag.
Groovy, huh? A simple process.
Oh, and there was a (7). On our way down the jetway to the plane, a woman grabbed the big plastic bag from SWMBO and tore off the smaller plastic bag with the un-GST invoice in it. That appeared to be her entire job.
I didn't say a word through any of this. One knows when to keep one's mouth firmly shut after 17 years ...
New Hampshire is currently the only state in the Union which has neither a sales or income tax.
Sponging off neighbouring states, eh, Wow? That's the ticket!
Wow, do you remember this case from many years back? A New Hampshire man was convicted for removing the state motto from his license plates and he challenged the law before the US Supreme Court. The NH state motto, for those who don't know, is "Live free or die."
Just a gol'dern minute there! We do it the right way : soak the property owners and tax the Booze & cigarettes. We call 'em Sintaxes!
What rate do you pay for property taxes? ours is, i believe, 1% of assessed property value each year. we also have the Sintaxes on cigarettes, though i'm not sure if alcohol is taxed; i've never checked.
between state and federal taxes in CA, we give up about 50% of each paycheck. in my next life i'm going to live in NH
Dear IP: I remember the case, but don't remember how he made out. There is such a thing as appropriate civil disobedience, but he was a jerk. I'm sure New Hampshire has a law forbidding altering licence plates in any way or even covering up part of them. If he wanted to campaign to have the State change the plates, fine. If his arrogance got him a bruise, I have no sympathy for him.
The real question is, what is it about the West Island that makes even transplanted poms living there reluctant to concede the possibility that any word used on both sides of the Tasman originated here?
Max, you misjudge me! Transplanted Poms (based on my highly statistically viable sample of three) just like stirring things. Especially as my boss is a transplanted Kiwi married to a transplanted Pom...
And of course I was really just asking in the interests of the TRUTH. (Nah, didn't think you'd believe that one!)
A New Hampshire man was convicted for removing the state motto from his license plates
I remember the incident but not complete story. However, NH now has a choice of plates but you have to apply ahead for specialized plates like POW and Purple Heart and Vet (for those you need proof of eligibility) and others with a Loon or Old Man of Mountain on it. We do have vanity plates, too which cost extra and must be specially ordered. Income generated by vanity plates go to Fish and Game Dept. Regular plates just white with green letters/numbers and the state motto. Will try to check it out and get back to you. wow EDIT : Ooopps ... already answered (Thanks IP) saving me the hassle! Guess his win is why we now have the choices!
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) [POM] abroad, but I'd say on the evidence at the moment the national origin of this word remains unproven.
