In the News II

Quote: kenarman

I would classify it as a type of sales tax. You are right, foreign visitors are able to get a large portion of it refunded if they have the paperwork. I don't know all the rules for the refund because it of course doesn't effect me.

Making the tax visible was the main reason our conservative government brought it in.

The refund was for over a certain amount of purchase. When I bought a couple suits up there I was able to get it. Certain items are excluded. You just ask at Duty Free and hope for the best.

As to seeing it here in the states when Clinton was in they wanted a tax on phones to pay for something or other, internet for schools or something. But the Clinton admin was very against putting it as a line item, they wanted it hidden. They didn't want people to know what they were paying in tax.

Quote: Evenbob

My father-in-law had his driver's license till he was 88 and they had to literally take it from him forcefully. I'm not quite 88 yet. In the building where my wife lives there's a 102-year-old woman who still drives and I'm not joking. She only goes to church and the store and her doctor but she drives there herself. I read last year did a trucking firm hired a long distance driver who was 85. So I have a few years to go.

My father was still driving at 87. He was then a horrible driver. When my wife and I would visit we would fly in and he would always insist that he pick us up at the airport. Those were some harrowing trips.

Quote: DRich

My father was still driving at 87. He was then a horrible driver. When my wife and I would visit we would fly in and he would always insist that he pick us up at the airport. Those were some harrowing trips.

I remember 85 y/o relative driving us right through a red light like it wasn't even there. Somehow, he survived another year without an accident.

Anyway, in Florida, senior citizens get a 20 year waiver. You can run over 3 adults or 1.5 children before your license is suspended. I'm pretty sure that's the law.

SCOTUS strikes down racist college diversity programs.

Quote: AZDuffman

SCOTUS strikes down racist college diversity programs.

By striking down these “racist” programs they’ve made a lot of *actual* racists happy. Curious!

Quote: ams288

By striking down these “racist” programs they’ve made a lot of *actual* racists happy. Curious!

US Slavery lasted almost hundred years, not counting Jim Crow. So, 40 years payback of affirmative action probably is considered fair by right-wingers. It's the old 2 for me, 1 for you type of fairness.

I would like to go on the record to say that I do not care about affirmative action. I am a white guy who had a full ride in college thanks to grades and test scores. It is just curious to see people who also have no skin in the game celebrating this ruling.

Quote: AZDuffman

SCOTUS strikes down racist college diversity programs.

All things considered, I think I'm a bit left of center, but I applaud this one. It's very simple for me. As MLK jr. put it, I believe people should be judged not on the color of their skin, but the content of their character.

I encourage people of a race that is not the benefit of affirmative action to do do as I do if asked about your race by a government entity, do the first in this following list you're allowed to:

1. Decline to answer.
2. If you must answer and there is a fill in the blank option (as is the case with the Census), write in "human."
3. If you must choose among only listed races, lie. I personally put native American, which I am 0.2% by blood.
4. If asked separately if you wish to request preferential treatment based on your race, choose "no."

the colleges can still use other criteria for preference, like low income, I believe ... just not race

that will work to some degree , but they'll still get more asian americans than otherwise ... that's the group that was impacted the most negatively .

Quote: rxwine

Anyway, in Florida, senior citizens get a 20 year waiver. You can run over 3 adults or 1.5 children before your license is suspended. I'm pretty sure that's the law.

I think you even get more leeway if the people are illegal immigrants.