Things Noticeable this week

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by otokonomidori

It says the UK is 19th. I reckon happiness is more a personal circumstance thing - even if you did live in Norway you'd still be a miserable bastard if you were poor, lonely and had prolapsed haemorrhoids .

Access to life's small pleasures, such as a change of underwear, low residue foods (e.g. Complan) and a inflatable rubber doughnut to sit on could possibly increase happiness.

[bloke57]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

Access to life's small pleasures, such as a change of underwear, low residue foods (e.g. Complan) and a inflatable rubber doughnut to sit on could possibly increase happiness.

Seriously though, it is amazing how some very small changes (which we could all bring about) can make huge differences to lives.

I recall a report by Wateraid that showed the massive health benefits of simply being able to wash your hands and face in clean water.

And yet there are billionaires out there avoiding tax and buying f***ing yachts!

[otokonomidori]

Originally Posted by bloke57

And yet there are billionaires out there avoiding tax

Not just billionaires - I've just negotiated a VAT free deal with a plumber for cash - I wonder if he'll declare the income!

[bloke57]

Originally Posted by otokonomidori

Not just billionaires - I've just negotiated a VAT free deal with a plumber for cash - I wonder if he'll declare the income!

Probably not - but he could connect up an African village to the mains.

[Devius]

Portia de Rossi accuses Steven Seagal of sexual harassment

Actress Portia de Rossi has accused actor and producer Steven Seagal of sexual harassment.

The Arrested Development actress, who is married to US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, made the allegation in a tweet posted on Wednesday night.

She alleges that during a film audition Mr Seagal told her "how important it was to have chemistry off-screen" before unzipping his trousers.

Mr Seagal's manager told BBC News that the actor had no comment.

The 65-year-old is best known for his action roles during the 1980s and 1990s, including Under Siege and Flight of Fury. He was given Russian citizenship by President Vladimir Putin in 2016.

Several other women have come forward to accuse Mr Seagal of inappropriate behaviour and harassment, including the Good Wife actress Julianna Margulies and model Jenny McCarthy.

Details:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41936741

[chris chunt]

Just think of all the Syrian child refugees your money could have helped Gary .

[martynz]

Complete bollox!!!!
Read the comments from NZers.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.e041b36c59c5
And I thought the WP was a proper newspaper.

[Devius]

I was going to mention about the five women who accused US comic Louis CK of sexual misconduct - full details here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41936594

But I laughed this morning when I heard BBC Breakfast News announced that today, Friday 10th November is Equal Pay Day, considering the BBC is stil wrestling with thier own gender pay gap problem:



Equal Pay Day marks the point in the year when a woman on an average wage stops being paid relative to their male counterparts.

But according to a campaign group, the Fawcett Society, it will take until 2117 for the pay gap to close.

Equal Pay Day: Five statistics that sum up how much progress still needs to be made
Details:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/bu...-a8046651.html

Gender pay gap 'will take 100 years to close' say campaigners
Details:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41805053

Top-paid BBC men face seeing wages slashed to close gender pay gap
Details:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/486613...ace-wage-drop/

[Brecht]

Originally Posted by CARLTON BROWN

Generally, most governments can never collect enough in taxes and cannot be trusted to spend the money sensibly or fairly. Banks tend to act like shadow governments and major multinationals are a law to themselves. However, the main topic is wealthy individuals isn't it?

No, it's not just wealthy individuals but corporations, too. However corrupt and dishonest, governments are still accountable to the public. As citizens we can still exercise influence upon public institutions. Wealthy individuals and multinationals are not accountable to anyone or at least that's what they believe. They're using every possible loophole and gap in the legal system to pursue and justify their greed.

If there is no legal requirement to pay more tax than the law requires, then are you supposed to top this up with what amounts to a charitable donation to the government? That would be stupid, wouldn't it?

You can't expect billionaires and corporations to act in the interest of society. Businesses are meant to maximize their profits, otherwise they wouldn't be businesses. You can't appeal to their conscience to make them pay their taxes and decent wages to their employees. No matter how low the taxes are, it's never good enough for them. It's the government's job to protect the interests of the whole society. That's obviously not the case and what I previously said is an understatement: laws are not made for the rich but by the rich.

And on the matter of hiding things away, what's so wrong about keeping your affairs private from people you neither trust or respect? Should you automatically be branded dishonest for doing so? And by whom?

You think hiding billions in tax money in some Caribbean tax haven is just a matter of keeping your affairs private? I find your downplaying of the whole situation disconcerting.

And I'm sorry if you hate the middle classes, who generally work hard, keep things running in most industrialised countries and make a very large contribution to society. That's perhaps why they are middle class?

I wasn't aware of my hate for the middle classes. The people exposed by the Paradise Papers are not your hard-working middle classes. Having a middle class background myself, I can tell you that the amount of deluded people in this branch of society is exceptionally high. Most of them don't realize that they're just a glorified working class. There's a big difference between a lawyer, doctor or architect and a well-paid foreman in a factory who thinks he's no longer working class just because he owns a car and a house.

[Devius]

Originally Posted by Devius

I was going to mention about the five women who accused US comic Louis CK of sexual misconduct

Update:
US comedian Louis C.K. has admitted that sexual misconduct allegations made against him by five women are true.

He said he had "wielded power irresponsibly" and could hardly wrap his head around the "scope of hurt" he had caused them.

Details:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-41950043