New retro-encabulator about to drop.

Does Australia not have parents?

No, just them.

Steamed hams

Sam Niel did it best.

No thanks, New Zealand should please stay out.

It’s best not to take it literally

Run the frame number through the police, see if it was reported.

I’m not suggesting social contributions should go. But that’s the cost of doing business and as such a lot of smaller enterprises simply can’t afford to do business. It becomes a bigger money game. Which I think is problematic.

Arguably the main problem is national taxes and social contributions. It’s extremely expensive to operate and disproportionately affects small business. Getting started isn’t really the problem, staying afloat is. I suspect lowering the entry barriers will largely result in more insolvencies.

I can only speak for Germany from experience but it really feels like everything you get, you don’t get. It’s just working for the tax department with extra steps and terrible pay.

A small shop will turnover about 30k per month, 10k will go on taxes and non-optional non-taxes like GEMA, GEZ, IHK, BGN, etc. 3 full time staff will absorb 10k in minimum wages and social contributions. The remaining 10k have to cover 2k rent, 1k insurances, stock purchases, packaging purchases, advertising, legal and administrative services, energy costs, some liquidity savings (machines need service, sometimes replacing). There’s nothing left for the owner-operator to live off and they also have rents, social security, energy and taxes to pay. It’s not really viable to do a small business unless it’s something with huge value addition to beat the curve.

The administrative start up cost isn’t the hurdle, it’s macro economics. The money is sucked out of small enterprises because the big corporations aren’t taxable, they have the resources and political backing to avoid being taxed the same way.

Its better to work a bullshit job.

What about another Batman movie, only more dark and serious?

Piracy is back boys!

In American English it’s Gravytas

When Russia invaded Ukraine, all the European border countries immediately mined the border territories 🤷 arms control is a peacetime publicity move. As soon as war becomes a possibility we fire up the meat-grinder. And even more perversely, we celebrate it.

It’s propaganda. It’s not a serious consideration. It’s intention is to make you feel exactly how you felt after reading it.

It used to be men in skirts and the women stayed home.

Great at it, even.

I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I’m with ain’t it and what it is scares me.

It will happen to you too.

It hasn’t been this bad since Alexander the Great

Back then all you had was the clothes on your back an half a sack of grain at the store. There’s more free time if you don’t produce anything.