General News Discussion

[Guest]

it was rather shameful to be fooled by such a poor effort but that's taking things too far.

[eFestivals]

I havent said that a turnover tax and VAT are the same thing. What I have said is that they both have the same impact on the consumer - ie they would be regressive.

and as I've already shown for any 'regressive' measure there is usually a 'progressive' measure on the other side. It's which you choose to focus on, the word is only marketing.

[eFestivals]

Turnover and profit are clearly separate things... I know you know this but it made your post read as nonsense.. That or your now backing down and saying we should only tax profit

I'm pretty sure it's nowt more than a poor choice of words by me that has you putting the opposite meaning on those words to what was meant.

In theory I'd love it if we just taxed profit. The problem is that it's impossible to stop a company using the system to disguise profit as something else (exactly have Starbucks have done).

Simple fact is that if we continue to say "we should only tax profit", sooner or later we'll be taxing nothing at all under that principle. Tax avoidance is now something that almost everyone could do with some surprisingly small efforts.

It's far far harder to hide turnover - and on the basis that businesses exist to make a profit and that they make profit via their sales turnover with an already factored-in profit to that sales price, you can tax their profits via their turnover.

Edited December 7, 2012 by eFestivals

[eFestivals]

The solution is better more simplified tax rules but that doesn't suit the ruling classes.

i'd say that it's more the case that the entrenched ideas of special cases and people not joining up the dots all the way get to mean that it's a political impossibility - as most of today seems to have proven in this thread.

And so we're completely fucked, as regressive as it's possible to be - the poor gets squeezed till they choke while the rich run off with ever-more of the money.

[Guest]

the pranksters, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, have said:

"We're very sorry if we've caused any issues and we're glad to hear that Kate is doing well."

any issues...?

ffs

Edited December 7, 2012 by tonyblair

[abdoujaparov]

Not all, no. As i've already proven, that burden is not a burden, but that aside....

IT MAKES THEM PAY TAX!!!!!

Which in more than your principles will ever make them do.

[pink_triangle]

To be fair that was said before the women killed herself....

Outside of that.... I think it shows that humiliating and embarrassing people in such a way is not funny.....

[Guest]

I have heard a few people today claim people are being wise after the event, I personally found the incident offensive from the start. While I have no doubt the situation has arose from a lack of thought rather than malice, as I understand it the incident was prerecorded which means there was a timescale to think about the consequences.

Its bad enough that the station have humiliated a complete stranger, but they have also had their professionalism seriously compromised, which to many will be just as difficult. I hope this will make some people think about their actions in the future because nothing else good can come from this stupid radio station.

[worm]

no, it would make customers pay tax on their tax behalf, by passing the cost onto them

[pink_triangle]

isn't that the same for all/most prank calls..? I mean, you have to ask yourself what's so hilarious about phoning someone up and lying to them about who they're talking to

haha.. fooled you.. yea, funneee .. well done

[Rufus Gwertigan]

isn't that the same for all/most prank calls..? I mean, you have to ask yourself what's so hilarious about phoning someone up and lying to them about who they're talking to

haha.. fooled you.. yea, funneee .. well done

[kk1977]

The Australian DJs must be feeling pretty shitty with the suicide of the nurse. I also think the wider press must be held partly responsible too. Their excessive reporting on Kate being in very early pregnancy with near 24/7 updates increased the pressure on the nurse who was taken in by the prank call. If the TV news had not repeatedly played the prank call, it would not have been as humiliating for the nurse who committed suicide. The TV news stories are as much about entertainment as other aspects of the press.

[t8yman]

from a personal point of view I cant understand why she took her own life. I dont find prank calls funny at all, but i understand why they exist - some people do find them funny. The DJ's dont have any blame in this IMHO, and it would appear that the lady who took the call was obviously quite fragile in some respects. Its a horrible circumstance, and an incredibly sad story to have ended this way.

thats probably comes across a little cold, but its not intended to.

[pink_triangle]

I have no problem with the broadcasting of prank calls either, however I believe they should always be pre recorded and need the person who has been pranked consent to be broadcast.

It's true that the nurse probably was fragile already, but that's always the risk when you target random people.

[t8yman]

I have no problem with the broadcasting of prank calls either, however I believe they should always be pre recorded and need the person who has been pranked consent to be broadcast.

It's true that the nurse probably was fragile already, but that's always the risk when you target random people.

[philipsteak]

In this case it's not just the call, it's the wall to wa ll worldwide coverage afterwards. I don't know cos I hadn't paid that much attention but was she named (before she died). Even if she wasn't, she still knew who these articles were about and it was only a matter of time til her name came out. You've then also got the ' below the line' idiots to contend with.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

from a personal point of view I cant understand why she took her own life. I dont find prank calls funny at all, but i understand why they exist - some people do find them funny. The DJ's dont have any blame in this IMHO, and it would appear that the lady who took the call was obviously quite fragile in some respects. Its a horrible circumstance, and an incredibly sad story to have ended this way.

thats probably comes across a little cold, but its not intended to.

[Guest]

from a personal point of view I cant understand why she took her own life. I dont find prank calls funny at all, but i understand why they exist - some people do find them funny. The DJ's dont have any blame in this IMHO, and it would appear that the lady who took the call was obviously quite fragile in some respects. Its a horrible circumstance, and an incredibly sad story to have ended this way.

thats probably comes across a little cold, but its not intended to.

[grumpyhack]

from a personal point of view I cant understand why she took her own life. I dont find prank calls funny at all, but i understand why they exist - some people do find them funny. The DJ's dont have any blame in this IMHO, and it would appear that the lady who took the call was obviously quite fragile in some respects. Its a horrible circumstance, and an incredibly sad story to have ended this way.

thats probably comes across a little cold, but its not intended to.

[Guest]

oops...

Edited December 8, 2012 by tonyblair

[t8yman]

it's not that hard to think of a few reasons why she may have thought she'd done the wrong thing. How can the presenters not be blamed? They made the call... isn't part of the point of prank calls to basically suggest the 'victim' is slightly daft to believe them? At the very least they could have ended the call by letting her know it was supposed to be a joke.

[Guest]

but even if she had "done the wrong thing" - so fucking what? (thats meant in a "fuck it" way, not an aggressive standpoint) it is the biggest non-deal in history. even if Kate had come on the phone herself and said - "Fucking hell lizzie, I feel like shit!" as a result - its still not that big of a deal. there was no security breach - every terrorist on the planet knew exactly where the pregnant princess was - thanks to the press, no-one was hurt as a result of her taking that call and handling it the way she did.

it would appear that either the lady was - as I said, extremely fragile, or had other issues that contributed to her state of mind. that call alone should never be a reason to take ones own life.

Edited December 8, 2012 by tonyblair

[AcademicPistol]

Worst prank call since Wossy and Russel Brand, I didn't think I found prank calls funny until I heard this guy > http://www.youtube.com/user/OwnagePranks/videos?flow=grid&view=1 although I think that's mainly down the brilliant voices he can do.

I am sure the nurse committed suicide due her mental health and other contributing factors but my stupid conspiracy-yearning brain keeps giving me the feeling of fowl play.

[Guest]

prank call

Worst prank call since Wossy and Russel Brand, I didn't think I found prank calls funny until I heard this guy > http://www.youtube.c...low=grid&view=1 although I think that's mainly down the brilliant voices he can do.

I am sure the nurse committed suicide due her mental health and other contributing factors but my stupid conspiracy-yearning brain keeps giving me the feeling of fowl play.

[feral chile]

prank call

prank calls are so easy if you can be bothered... what's so clever or funny about it? The only conclusion any victim can come to is to never believe anyone... is that good?