We are being ripped off

[neal32]

The top 1% of wage earners in this country probably each pay less tax than you do, they earn more that the entire bottom 20%, but no politician is ever going to go out of their way to tie this 1% to any sort of equilibrium, because they are the big contributers who help get them their nice comfy piece of the pie in politics.

We could do what the Yanks have done and say **** the poor! But then we'll have the same, destitution, and crime they do (just without the guns). You can drive through any part of any city at any time you like in this country; we don't have square kilometers of ghettos sprawled across the outskirts of our cities. I like it that way.

We have done what the yanks have done. We've been a country of bi-partisian neoliberals for nearly as long as them. The only difference is the US had a massive manufacturing base that was so big due to them coming out of WW2 relatively unscathed. Now it's gone and regardless of what any politician says, it's not coming back. Australia is the same in those regards.

Also for the OP. The outrageous cost is the reason why I got into homebrew and I'm sure many, many others. Thank god that they haven't made home brewing illegal!

 

[neal32]

Funnily enough I have been giving euthanasia a lot of thought, I was all for it, let people die with dignity but 2 years ago I was ready to let go of life, even looking forward to it, then went on a trial and came good, though one never gets cured of cancer it has given me some more years (don't know how many) so unless they get the policy right I can't now say I fully agree with it.

Your entitled to your opinion but if it came to a vote, would you vote against it and keep thousands in a state of needless, expensive suffering against their own will?

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

The main result of making Pre mixed drinks so expensive was to basically kick off widespread cider drinking in Australia.

Before that, cider was a weird thing that vegans and funny old men with funny whiskers drank. There was Strongbow, Mercury, end of story.

If we ever do get reform of excise it will probably be called the Rekorderlig amendment: it's basically apple based alcopop but the apple base means it pays half the tax.

 

[madpierre06]

Your entitled to your opinion but if it came to a vote, would you vote against it and keep thousands in a state of needless, expensive suffering against their own will?

Is it only needless, expensive suffering because we refuse to let someone die naturally? As his knowledge grows, whether it be medical or other areas, man seems determined to play God, or even supplant God. Relative to the OP, inequity in taxation systems allows nobody other than the already powerful to prosper at the expense of the less powerful.

And WEAL...I'm not making any statement regarding your situation, I'm really pleased for you that you've had a significant improvement in your health...my statement is purely rhetorical.

 

[wereprawn]

Is it only needless, expensive suffering because we refuse to let someone die naturally? As his knowledge grows, whether it be medical or other areas, man seems determined to play God, or even supplant God. Relative to the OP, inequity in taxation systems allows nobody other than the already powerful to prosper at the expense of the less powerful.

What constitutes a natural death? By that logic we should withhold all life extending treatment.

 

[Dave70]

The top 1% of wage earners in this country probably each pay less tax than you do, they earn more that the entire bottom 20%, but no politician is ever going to go out of their way to tie this 1% to any sort of equilibrium, because they are the big contributers who help get them their nice comfy piece of the pie in politics.

We could do what the Yanks have done and say **** the poor! But then we'll have the same, destitution, and crime they do (just without the guns). You can drive through any part of any city at any time you like in this country; we don't have square kilometers of ghettos sprawled across the outskirts of our cities. I like it that way.

How have the yanks said **** the poor? On the contrary, poverty is on the decline in the US.
https://www.ft.com/content/ae5c0264-97d1-11e7-a652-cde3f882dd7b
And indeed, globally.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo...s-even-amid-economic-slowdown-world-bank-says

Here's a plan that will guarantee (well, a 75% guarantee) you middle class status in pretty much any western country, obtainable by virtually anyone.
Take your education seriously.
Get a job.
Work hard.
Keep working hard.
Exercise thrift.
Dont have children out of wedlock (mainly directed toward women)

Unforeseen calamitys aside, If you follow this prescription and still wind up broke, you basically suck with money. And some folks do. I know. I'm related to quite a few..

 

[madpierre06]

What constitutes a natural death? By that logic we should withhold all life extending treatment.

Every day, life extending treatment takes another step forward....make of that what you will.

 

[Bribie G]

There's an excellent series of current articles on The Conversation, about assisted dying.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Your entitled to your opinion but if it came to a vote, would you vote against it and keep thousands in a state of needless, expensive suffering against their own will?

That is the reason I mentioned to get the policy right , terminal should mean terminal, with no get out of jail card there must be absolutely no chance of a recovery before an assisted death is carried out.

 

[madpierre06]

There's an excellent series of current articles on The Conversation, about assisted dying.

View attachment 109680

You must be new here.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

There's an excellent series of current articles on The Conversation, about assisted dying.

View attachment 109680

A Gold star for Leyther he tried to get it back on track. From rip off beer prices to assisted dying, who would believe it.

 

[malt junkie]

There's an excellent series of current articles on The Conversation, about assisted dying.

View attachment 109680

Oops, this is what happens when you've got the flu and feel like dying.

 

[Bridges]

A Gold star for Leyther he tried to get it back on track. From rip off beer prices to assisted dying, who would believe it.

ME!

 

[garage_life]

I would say death is worse than broke, broke you can get over, death is irreversible.

True, but if there money being made I don't see a lot of it going into help for the helpless "goon bag at 10am every day" types, specifically the under 30s that fall into a bad situation and can't get themselves out, or any age really. Lifespan dramatically increased and financial burden on the government increased. Not good for anyone, anywhere.

 

[garage_life]

As a former Allens Sweets, then Rothmans, rep I've seen literally thousands of small businesses. In my case they were nearly all in the retail / service sector but what warra refers to would apply to all small business.

It struck me (and ask any rep they'd probably agree) that a good proportion of small businesses are started by people who either want to buy themselves a job or, worse, are totally unemployable in the real world.
How often do you see (for example in the local rag) .. after being made redundant from the engineering company Robert decided to follow his lifelong dream and finally realise his plan to manufacture and sell widgets...

Many buy themselves a "lifestyle". ... Helen and Harry felt they were getting nowhere in their medical careers in Sydney and wanted a better lifestyle for their kids - they felt that they deserved better than living in Blacktown. Then the opportunity came to move to Hervey Bay to take over the Golden Goldfish takeaway and souvenir shop .. the ideal sea change...

You could always tell the lifestylers, when I parked behind the row of shops you could count off the BMW SUV's, the Toyota Celicas for the wives - all leased of course .. Oh Harry's not in today he's playing volleyball....

Having said that I'd be the world's worst small businessman. I'm not hard arsed or full-of-myself enough. Give me the quiet life.

You need to have the heart and drive and be able to hand the reigns over when the time comes to someone objective. And also knows what they are actually doing. See it all the time too. (Not necessarily brewing related businesses)

 

[garage_life]

Not sure if Australia wide but in SA the government introduced a hefty tax on alcohol drink mixtures like those can mixes (eg UDL) and alcopop bottles in an attempt to stop teenage binge drinking. All this did was to actually force an alternative. Buy a bottle of strong alcohol and mix your own.

Now at least one positive issue with the mixes was the alcohol content at the start of the “binge” was at least the same at the end of the “binge.
By mixing their own the problem has worsened, as like most that mix, start off with more mixer than alcohol, end up more alcohol than mixer.

Also the big companies started making all those "girlie" beers, that 7% extra dry stuff and the flavoured sugar water cider explosion etc. No self respecting person over 20 is drinking that shaite.

 

[garage_life]

Can i bring euthanasia into this? Or is that too taboo? I mean If society forces you into quick sand and doesn't throw you a rope...

Have you seen Phillip Nitschke "home brew gas shop"? [emoji16]

 

[spog]

15+ yrs ago when in Norway I paid the equivalent of $120.00 AU for a slab of beer, savoured every drop ! Pricey, yep but at least the Gubnment up there looks after its people. At the time GST was at 27%.

 

[labels]

WoW, just how far has this thread drifted off-topic.
It has become a socialists vs capatilist argument and all the time what was being said is, beer is so much more expensive here than most other countries, simple.
What does it matter to us ? - we make our own. Some cases it costs us far more and in some cases it costs far less ( I'm in the far less category)

 

[malt junkie]

WoW, just how far has this thread drifted off-topic.
It has become a socialists vs capatilist argument and all the time what was being said is, beer is so much more expensive here than most other countries, simple.
What does it matter to us ? - we make our own. Some cases it costs us far more and in some cases it costs far less ( I'm in the far less category)

I keep upgrading and building stuff, and buying stuff, the slippery slope in some cases is a vertical drop.