What are your unpopular opinions? (Vol. 2)

[Nethybridge]

Countdown said:

Is it unfair if people pay only for those services that they want/use? IMHO that's perfectly "fair".

The problem is that for "Society" as a whole it's crap - you'd end up with a 3rd world country where the streets are full of garbage, where great swathes of the population are uneducated, where healthcare is provided only to the minority who can afford it, crime would be rampant and where Law & Order is administered by the local Mafia leader. In short it would be st.

Thats why a system has evolved over time which tries to keep as many people as possible "happy" basically by redistributing wealth from those who have to those who don't. That's never going to be truly "fair" but it does mean a better "society" overall.

Very well put.

So how did Russia fk up that brilliant idea of wealth distribution ?

[hidetheelephants]

Nethybridge said:

Very well put.

So how did Russia fk up that brilliant idea of wealth distribution ?

By replacing one set of privileged elite with another, mismanaging the economy and bankrupting the country assembling a military that could not be sustained.

[otolith]

vetrof said:

otolith said:

Seems that both extremes of ideology have lost. Which is a win for humanity.

You’ll need to do better than that.

You think either Soviet communism or McCarthyism were desirable?

[Desiderata]

Sway said:

Different things. Income Tax goes to the Exchequer.

Council tax/poll tax/whatever is directly to local government.

Frankly, can't see how income taxation could work for council provision. That'd be horrifically complex to administer for both employers and HMRC.

Council tax is less than half of council income. The larger part of council income comes direct from government which in turn comes from ...taxes.

[Sway]

Desiderata said:

Sway said:

Different things. Income Tax goes to the Exchequer.

Council tax/poll tax/whatever is directly to local government.

Frankly, can't see how income taxation could work for council provision. That'd be horrifically complex to administer for both employers and HMRC.

Council tax is less than half of council income. The larger part of council income comes direct from government which in turn comes from ...taxes.

And changing all the time...

Councils are having to be very creative in finding ways to ensure funding, as central government inputs are entirely at the whim of government at the time (for example, significantly reducing funding, yet permitting councils to increase CT by a higher percentage).

Councils place differing burdens on CT as part of the income mix. Westminster for example has so much funding from things like business rates, that they barely bother. Others, it makes up a much larger slice of the pie.

The idea of a 'council surcharge income tax' is a non starter for this reason - I can't remember the last time I worked in the administrative area of my council. So how would that work? Councils set the rates, and employers levy different amounts on employees based on where they live?

Or, flat rate, central government distribute equally? In which case Westminster is even richer, and loads of councils see huge reductions in their income?

[Countdown]

Sway said:

The idea of a 'council surcharge income tax' is a non starter for this reason - I can't remember the last time I worked in the administrative area of my council. So how would that work? Councils set the rates, and employers levy different amounts on employees based on where they live?

Or, flat rate, central government distribute equally? In which case Westminster is even richer, and loads of councils see huge reductions in their income?

Or a percentage rate, and Govt distributes in line with a Council's average deprivation index. Wealthier people pay more, poorer areas benefit more.

[Zarco]

Castrol for a knave said:

The last remotely interesting supercar was the 12C, since then, it's just gaudy bolleux for the Kings Road types.

911's are boring. I'd rather watch 10 back to back Jayemm videos about the Evora than another load of guff and waffle about a GT3 wotnot or Singer or whatever arse engined japery they're wittering on about.

YMMV

I like that.

[MadCaptainJack]

Castrol for a knave said:

I'd rather watch 10 back to back Jayemm videos...

[Blown2CV]

Countdown said:

Alcohol should be banned, but it never will, because people won't admit/accept that they're addicted to it. They'll argue that they only drink in moderation - if they weren't addicted it would be irrelevant how much they drank.

caffeine too?

[The Wookie]

Countdown said:

Alcohol should be banned, but it never will, because people won't admit/accept that they're addicted to it. They'll argue that they only drink in moderation - if they weren't addicted it would be irrelevant how much they drank.

I go weeks without drinking, doesn’t mean I’d want to go without the taste and sensation of a cold pint on a nice day

The problem with Alcohol, as it is with most things, is stupid people

[Roofless Toothless]

Countdown said:

Alcohol should be banned, but it never will, because people won't admit/accept that they're addicted to it. They'll argue that they only drink in moderation - if they weren't addicted it would be irrelevant how much they drank.

‘Alcohol’ always seems such an inappropriate term when applied to the delights wine has to offer as part of a good meal, or a properly brewed pint of beer with a ploughman’s lunch. I don’t feel this way about the alcoho-pops marketed at the young and undiscerning, but perhaps I am being guilty of snobbery here.

Food, in general, is pleasurable and essential to life, but in the same way can be addictive (or at least compulsive) and also causes health problems when over-indulged in. Addictive behaviour, whether to drink, drugs, gambling, tobacco, sex, etc. is a behavioural trait that many struggle with. The object of the addiction is not the problem in itself.

[C5_Steve]

Castrol for a knave said:

The last remotely interesting supercar was the 12C, since then, it's just gaudy bolleux for the Kings Road types.

911's are boring. I'd rather watch 10 back to back Jayemm videos about the Evora than another load of guff and waffle about a GT3 wotnot or Singer or whatever arse engined japery they're wittering on about.

YMMV

I read that and thought 8C for a moment and was kind of getting on board, but the 12C? You're right that is an unpopular opinion.

I want my Super/Hyper cars flawed. Gorgeous to look at, incredible noise but not the best handling and will kill you if you sneeze.

[Speed addicted]

Countdown said:

Alcohol should be banned, but it never will, because people won't admit/accept that they're addicted to it. They'll argue that they only drink in moderation - if they weren't addicted it would be irrelevant how much they drank.

Not sure having an occasional pint makes anyone an addict?
I’ve seen alcoholic addiction close up (relative died at 42 due to it) and it’s a very different thing.
I was a heavy drinker in the past but was never addicted.

I sometimes eat cornflakes but I’m not addicted to them either.

[Speed addicted]

C5_Steve said:

I read that and thought 8C for a moment and was kind of getting on board, but the 12C? You're right that is an unpopular opinion.

I want my Super/Hyper cars flawed. Gorgeous to look at, incredible noise but not the best handling and will kill you if you sneeze.

Flawed things are more interesting. If you have to learn how to get the best out of something it creates more of a bond.
I’m into motorbikes, the perfect ones that just get you places really quickly become boring once you get used to the speed.
The imperfect ones that you need to work to get the best out of are far more interesting.

[Countdown]

Speed addicted said:

Not sure having an occasional pint makes anyone an addict?
I’ve seen alcoholic addiction close up (relative died at 42 due to it) and it’s a very different thing.
I was a heavy drinker in the past but was never addicted.

I sometimes eat cornflakes but I’m not addicted to them either.

I think a person is an addict if they would struggle to give something up, and get grumpy if they're forced to. Just because you "only do it in moderation or rarely" doesn't mean you're not addicted. Your brain still gets that endorphin kick when you indulge.

if somebody said I could never have avocados again I'd be completely fine.
If somebody said I couldn't have any more doner kebabs I'd be pretty depressed (its only a mild addiction)
If somebody who was a regular user had to give up cigarettes or cocaine they'd probably go crazy

There are degrees of addiction and people at the milder end don't always accept there's an addiction.

Also different types of drug have different societal costs/impacts. An addiction to doner kebabs or XBox gaming is going to have less of an impact on society than alcohol.

[Sway]

Speed addicted said:

C5_Steve said:

I read that and thought 8C for a moment and was kind of getting on board, but the 12C? You're right that is an unpopular opinion.

I want my Super/Hyper cars flawed. Gorgeous to look at, incredible noise but not the best handling and will kill you if you sneeze.

Flawed things are more interesting. If you have to learn how to get the best out of something it creates more of a bond.
I’m into motorbikes, the perfect ones that just get you places really quickly become boring once you get used to the speed.
The imperfect ones that you need to work to get the best out of are far more interesting.

Wasn't that the whole thing with the 12C?

Short term review - they all loved the Ferrari competitor. Long term - they preferred the 12C.

8C is an ugly car. Like a proper car that then got inflated by airline until it was 25% bigger. Bulbous thing unless there's no frame of reference for how bloated it is.

[paulguitar]

C5_Steve said:

I want my Super/Hyper cars flawed. Gorgeous to look at, incredible noise

Yes.

C5_Steve said:

but not the best handling and will kill you if you sneeze.

No.

[Zarco]

Sway said:

Speed addicted said:

C5_Steve said:

I read that and thought 8C for a moment and was kind of getting on board, but the 12C? You're right that is an unpopular opinion.

I want my Super/Hyper cars flawed. Gorgeous to look at, incredible noise but not the best handling and will kill you if you sneeze.

Flawed things are more interesting. If you have to learn how to get the best out of something it creates more of a bond.
I’m into motorbikes, the perfect ones that just get you places really quickly become boring once you get used to the speed.
The imperfect ones that you need to work to get the best out of are far more interesting.

Wasn't that the whole thing with the 12C?

Short term review - they all loved the Ferrari competitor. Long term - they preferred the 12C.

8C is an ugly car. Like a proper car that then got inflated by airline until it was 25% bigger. Bulbous thing unless there's no frame of reference for how bloated it is.

Yep.

[v9]

Countdown said:

I think a person is an addict if they would struggle to give something up, and get grumpy if they're forced to. Just because you "only do it in moderation or rarely" doesn't mean you're not addicted.

With the greatest respect, I don’t think you quite understand what the term means in a clinical context. If you forced me to give up sleeping I’d be more than a little grumpy, but I’m not addicted to sleep.

[Countdown]

v9 said:

Countdown said:

I think a person is an addict if they would struggle to give something up, and get grumpy if they're forced to. Just because you "only do it in moderation or rarely" doesn't mean you're not addicted.

With the greatest respect, I don’t think you quite understand what the term means in a clinical context. If you forced me to give up sleeping I’d be more than a little grumpy, but I’m not addicted to sleep.

That's an odd comparison to put it mildly - a bit like saying we're addicted to eating, or breathing. The human body needs to eat, sleep and breathe. It doesn't need to drink alcohol or take drugs.