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We are being told repetitively that 'most will be better off' when GST goes up on Friday, and the tax cuts come in. This is an accurate statement if you are looking at if one will have more or less in their hand at the end of the week...but if you look at the fairness of the amount you will get you might find another story within this story.
You can use this website to estimate your own finances and to see if you will be better off or not http://www.taxguide.govt.nz/
The people who won't be better off are those that don't pay tax. An example is someone studying living off a student loan, they don't pay tax, hence no tax cut and therefore the extra GST will need to be absorbed within their current budget. Those of us paying income tax, for the most part, will be better off.
My questions are, is the system fair, and, who is the biggest winner in all this?
Well lets have a look at a few scenarios.
If you earn $20,000 you will be better off by $2.16 per week, or 0.56%. On $20,000 you'll end up after GST goes up, and the tax cuts come in, being better off by 0.56%, However the more you earn, the better off you become. We don't work this out by how much extra money you see, but by how much better off you are as a percentage. For $20k you're better off by 0.56%. Below are some more breakdowns.
If you earn $20k, you are $2.16 better off per week or 0.56%
If you earn $40k you are $8.65 better off per week or 1.12%
If you earn $60k you are $15.04 better off per week or 1.3%
If you earn $80k you are $24.92 better off per week or 1.62%
If you earn $100k you are $38.85 better off per week or 2.02%
If you earn $200k you are $108.51 better off per week or 2.8%
As you can see, the more you earn, the better off you will be when it comes to a percentage breakdown. This seems to me to be the definition of 'tax cuts for the rich'. Surely the fair result is if we were all better off on a more equal footing, not as in the amount, but the percentage.
If we did use the 2.8% better off mark the the $200,000 earner receives, this is what the amounts would look like.
If you earn $20k, you’d be better off $10.77 per week @ 2.8%
If you earn $40k you’d be better off $21.54 per week @ 2.8%
If you earn $60k you’d be better off $32.31 per week @ 2.8%
If you earn $80k you’d be better off $43.08 per week @ 2.8%
If you earn $100k you’d be better off $53.85 per week @ 2.8%
I assume that the reason we are not seeing this size cuts is that the country cannot afford to lose that much tax revenue, but why give the biggest benefits to those in society who are better off.
Either the government should make the percentage fairer. or if there was going to be a skew then surely it would be better to give a bigger percentage to those who need it more...at the bottom.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Flight of the Conchords on The Simpsons
This Sunday was the beginning of the new Simpsons season in America. Episode one of season 22 features oue very own Flight of the Conchods. The episode is called Elementary School Musical where Bret and Jermaine play "two free-spirited, artsy camp counsellors.",
Also featured in the episode are Lea Michele, Corey Monteith, and Amber Riley from television show Glee.
Below is the full episode, enjoy.
Also featured in the episode are Lea Michele, Corey Monteith, and Amber Riley from television show Glee.
Below is the full episode, enjoy.
Friday, September 17, 2010
It get's worse for Rodney Hide
Larry Williams has just finished an interview with Rodney Hide, in the interview Larry asked Mr. Hide if he was actually the target, not David Garret. Hide said "No" and also stated clearly that he would not be stepping down from the leadership role.
The most surprising part of the interview was Mr. Hide revealing that he didn't know that the offensive act committed by Mr. Garret was suppressed. Which means that Rodney Hide not only knew of this horrific act, but didn't think he had to keep it secret.
See if Hide thought it was suppressed, he'd have to keep it secret, as it's a court order. However if he didn't realise that it was suppressed, which means Rodney Hide chose to keep it secret.
In his own mind (which many think is where Rodders lives permanently) Rodney Hide had the opportunity and ability to release this information to the people of NZ...and chose not to.
The ACT party is done, they only way they could hope to be re-elected is if Hide was to step down...however even then, they'll only get in on Epsom, and we all hope and pray that the good citizens of Epsom release NZ of this virus of party in about 14 months.
The most surprising part of the interview was Mr. Hide revealing that he didn't know that the offensive act committed by Mr. Garret was suppressed. Which means that Rodney Hide not only knew of this horrific act, but didn't think he had to keep it secret.
See if Hide thought it was suppressed, he'd have to keep it secret, as it's a court order. However if he didn't realise that it was suppressed, which means Rodney Hide chose to keep it secret.
In his own mind (which many think is where Rodders lives permanently) Rodney Hide had the opportunity and ability to release this information to the people of NZ...and chose not to.
The ACT party is done, they only way they could hope to be re-elected is if Hide was to step down...however even then, they'll only get in on Epsom, and we all hope and pray that the good citizens of Epsom release NZ of this virus of party in about 14 months.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Tony Blair interview on The Daily Show
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Tony Blair | ||||
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| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Exclusive - Tony Blair Extended Interview Pt. 1 | ||||
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| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Exclusive - Tony Blair Extended Interview Pt. 2 | ||||
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Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Who else in parliament stands for one thing...but does the complete opposite?
Soooooo, how often do you quite literally have a jaw dropping incident? Quite rare ah? Earlier this week we heard about ACT Party Law and Order Spokesman, David Garret, and his conviction for assault. Garret explained it away and although embarrassing, it didn't seem to be the end of the world. Then today happened!
Here's how it panned out.
TVNZ's Guyon Espiner asked Garret in a corridor at parliament if he has had pled guilty to any other charges in NZ. Garret was visibly knocked...he paused...paused again...then asked what Espiner was referring to. 4 hours later Garrett was admitting in the house that he used methods he learned about in 'The Day of the Jackal' to obtain a dead child’s birth certificate, then use that to get a passport in that child's name.
He pled guilty, was discharged without conviction and received permanent name suppression, which is something the ACT party has railed against. It does raise the question why did he 'fess up, if he has name suppression.
Rodney Hide did know about this issue, and still bought him on board. Hide also stated on Close Up of Garret that he'd never met anyone "who knew more about what we needed to do in NZ to get tough on crime"...obviously other than his own crimes...note the 's' on the end there...crimes.
What I am interested in is how so often people who rally against some part of society, and they end up being intrinsically a part of that area in society.
Think the worst of the worst, Graham Capil fought for 'family values' while committing horrendous acts on children. To a much lesser extent examples like Rodney Hide who was the major person fighting against perk-busting then stuck his name in the trough, Phillip Field fighting for lower socio-economic societies while taking advantage of migrants to get cheap tiling done, Bill English fighting to get us all to tighten our belts while he has a dubious claim to living away from home and claiming tens of thousands for a second home, credit card abuse, travel abuse...and the list goes on...
Lets take this to the next level, if all MPs are saying one thing...but doing another, what is still to come out?
Maybe Sue Bradford want to re-introduce the cane...
Maybe Sir Roger Douglas wants to have us run as a socialist country...
Maybe Jerry Brownlee wants to out tax up on pies...
Chris Carter obviously believes that marriage is only for a man and woman...
Judith Collins want to make modifications on cars tax free...
Shane Jones wants all porn banned from hotels...
Russell Norman is fighting to make GE crops more attainable...
And Hone Harawira is trying to help Pakeha get a hand up in life...
I mean the above is ludicrous, sadly though, it's not as ludicrous as the actual events that seem to befalling the likes of ACT's spokesman for Law and Order, David Garret right now.
The only thing to stop the Republicans is the Republicans
The GOP should smash the Democrats in the mid term elections in 7 weeks, only one thing can really get in their way...the GOP.
See the problem with the Democrats is they are too fractured, there base is far left to centre. Typically the GOP has set itself up to be much more aligned with one another. The Republicans seem to be able to get together much more easily and agree, whereas the Dems views are so varied, even thought the have the house, the senate and the white house at the moment, they can't get things done.
However, now there is a so-called 'grass roots' movement coming out of the GOP called the Tea Party, they are selling themselves as being a party for everyone...but it simply ain't so. They tend to be conservative Caucasian evangelical Christians whose new messiah is Glenn Beck, and whose new scripture comes from Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and the team at FOX News. This group is the only thing that can cause the GOP to stumble at the mid-terms as they are starting to win primaries and becoming officially the GOP nominations, to run for the Senate. Just an aside, in the American system the base of a constituency decides who is going to represent them at the upcoming election.
From the bbc.co.uk
Tea party candidate wins in Delaware primary upset
Tea Party-backed Christine O'Donnell won an upset victory in Delaware's Republican Senate primary Conservative activist Christine O'Donnell has won an upset victory over longtime Congressman Mike Castle in Delaware's Republican Senate primary.
Ms O'Donnell's win will give impetus to the conservative Tea Party movement.
Former New Hampshire health Commissioner John Stephen also beat three opponents to capture the Republican nomination in the state.
People in seven states and Washington DC are voting to pick party candidates ahead of mid-term elections...Continue reading the story
So, how will this be detrimental for the Republicans?
Firstly it will fracture the party more, and make those within the party more distant from one another as the Tea Partiers tend to be saying that their current GOP representatives are not 'conservative' enough. So this will strengthen a far right part of the party. When in power they will then face the same problem as the Democrats, of not just fighting the opposition, but fighting one another.
Secondly when it comes to polling day, the public will look at the two candidates. What they will see is the Glenn Beck/Sarah Palin backed Tea Partiers with no experience, a uber conservative religious agenda and no background in politics, and seasoned politicians who know how to work the system. There will be some who think a 'Grizzly Mom' is the way to go, and others that vote Republican because they will only support the GOP, but all polls say it won't happen, common sense says it won't happen and even FOX News says it won't happen.
In the Republican race for Delaware, now won by Tea Partier Christine O'Donnell, the polls prior to the decision showed this. If Mike Castle had been the Republican nominee he would have beaten his Democrat counterpart by 11%, if O'Donnell was to win, she would lose by 11%. Now polls are polls are polls, but asking the Republican support base who they thing would win the state and to have a 20% swing does not bode well for Tea Party nominees.
When FOX News is warning against electing Tea Partiers...then you know it's over. I think Charles Krauthammer, uber conservative and FOX News commentator, said it best two days ago, "You have to elect the most electable." For supporters of the Tea Party movement...it's not your candidate.
See the problem with the Democrats is they are too fractured, there base is far left to centre. Typically the GOP has set itself up to be much more aligned with one another. The Republicans seem to be able to get together much more easily and agree, whereas the Dems views are so varied, even thought the have the house, the senate and the white house at the moment, they can't get things done.
However, now there is a so-called 'grass roots' movement coming out of the GOP called the Tea Party, they are selling themselves as being a party for everyone...but it simply ain't so. They tend to be conservative Caucasian evangelical Christians whose new messiah is Glenn Beck, and whose new scripture comes from Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and the team at FOX News. This group is the only thing that can cause the GOP to stumble at the mid-terms as they are starting to win primaries and becoming officially the GOP nominations, to run for the Senate. Just an aside, in the American system the base of a constituency decides who is going to represent them at the upcoming election.
From the bbc.co.uk
Tea party candidate wins in Delaware primary upset
Tea Party-backed Christine O'Donnell won an upset victory in Delaware's Republican Senate primary Conservative activist Christine O'Donnell has won an upset victory over longtime Congressman Mike Castle in Delaware's Republican Senate primary.
Ms O'Donnell's win will give impetus to the conservative Tea Party movement.
Former New Hampshire health Commissioner John Stephen also beat three opponents to capture the Republican nomination in the state.
People in seven states and Washington DC are voting to pick party candidates ahead of mid-term elections...Continue reading the story
So, how will this be detrimental for the Republicans?
Firstly it will fracture the party more, and make those within the party more distant from one another as the Tea Partiers tend to be saying that their current GOP representatives are not 'conservative' enough. So this will strengthen a far right part of the party. When in power they will then face the same problem as the Democrats, of not just fighting the opposition, but fighting one another.
Secondly when it comes to polling day, the public will look at the two candidates. What they will see is the Glenn Beck/Sarah Palin backed Tea Partiers with no experience, a uber conservative religious agenda and no background in politics, and seasoned politicians who know how to work the system. There will be some who think a 'Grizzly Mom' is the way to go, and others that vote Republican because they will only support the GOP, but all polls say it won't happen, common sense says it won't happen and even FOX News says it won't happen.
In the Republican race for Delaware, now won by Tea Partier Christine O'Donnell, the polls prior to the decision showed this. If Mike Castle had been the Republican nominee he would have beaten his Democrat counterpart by 11%, if O'Donnell was to win, she would lose by 11%. Now polls are polls are polls, but asking the Republican support base who they thing would win the state and to have a 20% swing does not bode well for Tea Party nominees.
When FOX News is warning against electing Tea Partiers...then you know it's over. I think Charles Krauthammer, uber conservative and FOX News commentator, said it best two days ago, "You have to elect the most electable." For supporters of the Tea Party movement...it's not your candidate.
How to win a million dollars
If you thought Fonzie was the benchmark for cool....you were wrong, meet the new standard John Carpenter, who at the time was 31 and working for IRS.
If you know the show, then understand that at the time he had used no lifelines
If you know the show, then understand that at the time he had used no lifelines
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Islamophobiapalooza
The FOX News narrative taken apart from numerous, as demonstrated by Jon Stewart and The Daily Show crew...although as you'll see...the narrative continues
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Islamophobiapalooza | ||||
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Lucky those terrible asians didn't buy the farm
Xenophobia is alive and well in NZ, please have a listen to a call made to my Saturday show
Good to also see that we have chased away $1.5b of investment into NZ buy scaring off the Natural Dairy group from Hong Kong who wanted to buy the Crafer farms, I mean why would we let an international company ruin our good name internationally, imagine the poor practice of Chinese nationals in this country, we have a pristine countryside and wouldn't want blimin' Asian ruining it with their 'dirty practices'
Oh...by the way, this from the NZPA
The Crafar farming family has lost its appeal against convictions and sentences for dirty dairying practices on a Waikato dairy farm.
The High Court at Hamilton yesterday dismissed the appeals related to effluent prosecutions brought by the regional council, Environment Waikato (EW), following problems in 2007 and 2008 at a property owned by the Crafar company Hillside, southwest of Hamilton, EW said in a statement today.
Hillside directors Allan and Frank Crafar were fined $29,500 each on 10 charges, while Allan's wife Elizabeth, another director, was fined $1500 on four charges.
Just a heads up as well, did you know that over the last 5 years, the Overseas Investment Office has approved 235 bids for agriculture land to be sold to international groups...most of them were to white American, British, Australian and Europeans though...so no worries there ah?
Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io
Good to also see that we have chased away $1.5b of investment into NZ buy scaring off the Natural Dairy group from Hong Kong who wanted to buy the Crafer farms, I mean why would we let an international company ruin our good name internationally, imagine the poor practice of Chinese nationals in this country, we have a pristine countryside and wouldn't want blimin' Asian ruining it with their 'dirty practices'
Oh...by the way, this from the NZPA
The Crafar farming family has lost its appeal against convictions and sentences for dirty dairying practices on a Waikato dairy farm.
The High Court at Hamilton yesterday dismissed the appeals related to effluent prosecutions brought by the regional council, Environment Waikato (EW), following problems in 2007 and 2008 at a property owned by the Crafar company Hillside, southwest of Hamilton, EW said in a statement today.
Hillside directors Allan and Frank Crafar were fined $29,500 each on 10 charges, while Allan's wife Elizabeth, another director, was fined $1500 on four charges.
Just a heads up as well, did you know that over the last 5 years, the Overseas Investment Office has approved 235 bids for agriculture land to be sold to international groups...most of them were to white American, British, Australian and Europeans though...so no worries there ah?
Stroke gives woman foreign accent
from bbc.co.uk
A Geordie woman has apparently developed foreign accents after waking up following a stroke.
Linda Walker awoke in hospital to find her distinctive Newcastle accent had been transformed into a mixture of Jamaican, Canadian and Slovakian.
The 60-year-old may have Foreign Accent Syndrome, where patients speak differently after a brain injury.
The former university administrator says she hates what has happened to her and now feels like a different person.
Mrs Walker said: "My sister-in-law said that I sounded Italian, then my brother said I sounded Slovakian and someone else said I sounded French Canadian...more
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VIEDO
A Geordie woman has apparently developed foreign accents after waking up following a stroke.
Linda Walker awoke in hospital to find her distinctive Newcastle accent had been transformed into a mixture of Jamaican, Canadian and Slovakian.
The 60-year-old may have Foreign Accent Syndrome, where patients speak differently after a brain injury.
The former university administrator says she hates what has happened to her and now feels like a different person.
Mrs Walker said: "My sister-in-law said that I sounded Italian, then my brother said I sounded Slovakian and someone else said I sounded French Canadian...more
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VIEDO
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sep 11th Debate
We had two special guests on 9/11.
Mike Berger is a documentary maker. His film Improbable Collapse "examines how three steel-framed buildings collapsed on 9/11 when no steel framed building had ever collapsed from fire previously." Mike is also the media coordinator for 9/11truth.org
Dr. W. Gene Corley is an American structural engineer and "preeminent expert on building collapse investigations and building codes." Corley has been the Vice President of CTLGroup since 1987, where he leads structural engineering projects, including numerous evaluations of buildings and structures damaged by earthquake, explosions, and from terrorist attacks. He led the investigation of structural performance of the Murrah Building following the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, and the World Trade Center Building Performance Study in 2001-2002 following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The folling is the conversation between the three of us on the collapse of the twin towers.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
For reference, FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Mike Berger is a documentary maker. His film Improbable Collapse "examines how three steel-framed buildings collapsed on 9/11 when no steel framed building had ever collapsed from fire previously." Mike is also the media coordinator for 9/11truth.org
Dr. W. Gene Corley is an American structural engineer and "preeminent expert on building collapse investigations and building codes." Corley has been the Vice President of CTLGroup since 1987, where he leads structural engineering projects, including numerous evaluations of buildings and structures damaged by earthquake, explosions, and from terrorist attacks. He led the investigation of structural performance of the Murrah Building following the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, and the World Trade Center Building Performance Study in 2001-2002 following the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The folling is the conversation between the three of us on the collapse of the twin towers.
Part One
Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io
Part Two
Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io
Part Three
Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io
For reference, FEMA is the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Dancing Taggers
From stuff.co.nz
A Northland couple and some police officers are being investigated after the couple allegedly forced two men they believed tagged their fence to dance in front of a camera.
A video was made after the couple's house was tagged last Thursday in Otaika, south of Whangarei, police said.
Whangarei-Kaipara police acting area commander Inspector Murray Hodson said the alleged taggers were apparently located by the couple the day after.
A video subsequently posted on You Tube showed two men dancing in a house while those taking the video were waiting for police to arrive.
One of the couple who took the footage said one policeman who arrived took photos of the men and another laughed, TV3 reported.
Whangarei police said in a statement that a 20-year-old man was charged with wilful damage in relation to the tagging incident and that an investigation into the video footage had been launched.
"Police can confirm that the investigation involves looking into the actions of the occupiers of the house, where the video was filmed, the actions of the taggers and the actions of police who responded to the incident."
Mr Hodson said the best course of action for anyone who apprehended an alleged criminal was to contact police and let police deal with the incident.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
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