‘The system’ appears to me to be running scared and therefore now all about control of the masses through financial pressure. Why are large corporates and Governments taking advantage of individuals or leaving them out in the cold under the guise of ‘the global credit crisis’? Call me paranoid but surely you’re asking yourself ‘what the hell is going on?’ too.
I can’t get credit. The reason I can’t get credit is because it’s determined by a computer (or a programmed Experian report). I operate on the basis of being a person who makes choices rather than someone who is fully integrated into ‘the system’ (a distant memory tells me its something to do with being 'human' as opposed to a number). I don’t own a credit card and have very little debt other than my mortgage. ‘The system’ therefore doesn’t know everything I purchase and from what shops, where I eat, what I buy and what time I engage in those activities. To quote 'Little Britain': 'Computer says "No"!'.
In less rewarding ways, I am very much 'in the system'. I’ve been a tax payer since 16 years of age and had a mortgage since I was 25 years old and never missed a payment on either count. That isn’t enough for ‘the system’ however, therefore I’m out!
This morning, Radio 4's Today programme detailed stories about direct action to try and highlight that large corporate dodge billions in tax simply because they fully understand ‘the system’ (or have the resources to pay someone handsomely who does) and that because of draconian cuts, single women in their 20’s and 30’s might find themselves approaching loan sharks this Christmas to borrow £300 in order to buy Christmas presents for their children, potentially paying 1000%+ in interest because they can’t get an overdraft from the bank.
In other news in 2010 we’ve seen an inordinate amount of interviews with people stranded at airports and in-depth reports about the dangers of going outdoors in the snow. TV programmes and engaging in social media is big positive news however. I don’t need a news report on X-Factor or the weather – if I wanted that information, I’d watch X-Factor or the weather report – it’s not ‘news’!
If you take all that seriously and stay home watching TV, staring at Facebook or shopping online, a hidden file that operates in MS-Dos behind Windows called “index.dat”, that is almost impossible to remove, creates a feed through to Microsoft documenting every keystroke made on the computer; every TV licence holder relays information back to the system about what they’re watching and when. We don't fully know what the information is used for.
Where’s this Blog going? Well, I was subjected to a thorough investigation by HMRC in a ‘random’ check in my first year of business for tax avoidance (a person living in the same area since birth, a registered voter and religiously paying into the system for 25 years other than three months spent overseas!). Their 'investigation' was closed in three days and obviously revealed no anomalies. We're also hearing that companies like Top Shop and Vodafone aren’t paying their fair share and they or their leaders aren’t being challenged about their tax haven activities. Is the former 'soft targeting' going to yield best value for Government in difficult times, especially whilst we're simulaneously facing massive cuts to public funding across the board? Surely, they should be tackling cases that will yield £bn+ results - the FSB quotes that 50% of all recent tax investigations were small businesses (under £500k turnover) and 16% of those are earning £25k or less!
I watched ‘V for Vendetta’ and ‘The Matrix’ recently.....with all the world-wide power and money leaned towards a few at the top and the cash being passed between them, are these movies just life reflecting art or a distinct and frightening (near) future reality?!
I can’t get credit. The reason I can’t get credit is because it’s determined by a computer (or a programmed Experian report). I operate on the basis of being a person who makes choices rather than someone who is fully integrated into ‘the system’ (a distant memory tells me its something to do with being 'human' as opposed to a number). I don’t own a credit card and have very little debt other than my mortgage. ‘The system’ therefore doesn’t know everything I purchase and from what shops, where I eat, what I buy and what time I engage in those activities. To quote 'Little Britain': 'Computer says "No"!'.
In less rewarding ways, I am very much 'in the system'. I’ve been a tax payer since 16 years of age and had a mortgage since I was 25 years old and never missed a payment on either count. That isn’t enough for ‘the system’ however, therefore I’m out!
This morning, Radio 4's Today programme detailed stories about direct action to try and highlight that large corporate dodge billions in tax simply because they fully understand ‘the system’ (or have the resources to pay someone handsomely who does) and that because of draconian cuts, single women in their 20’s and 30’s might find themselves approaching loan sharks this Christmas to borrow £300 in order to buy Christmas presents for their children, potentially paying 1000%+ in interest because they can’t get an overdraft from the bank.
In other news in 2010 we’ve seen an inordinate amount of interviews with people stranded at airports and in-depth reports about the dangers of going outdoors in the snow. TV programmes and engaging in social media is big positive news however. I don’t need a news report on X-Factor or the weather – if I wanted that information, I’d watch X-Factor or the weather report – it’s not ‘news’!
If you take all that seriously and stay home watching TV, staring at Facebook or shopping online, a hidden file that operates in MS-Dos behind Windows called “index.dat”, that is almost impossible to remove, creates a feed through to Microsoft documenting every keystroke made on the computer; every TV licence holder relays information back to the system about what they’re watching and when. We don't fully know what the information is used for.
Where’s this Blog going? Well, I was subjected to a thorough investigation by HMRC in a ‘random’ check in my first year of business for tax avoidance (a person living in the same area since birth, a registered voter and religiously paying into the system for 25 years other than three months spent overseas!). Their 'investigation' was closed in three days and obviously revealed no anomalies. We're also hearing that companies like Top Shop and Vodafone aren’t paying their fair share and they or their leaders aren’t being challenged about their tax haven activities. Is the former 'soft targeting' going to yield best value for Government in difficult times, especially whilst we're simulaneously facing massive cuts to public funding across the board? Surely, they should be tackling cases that will yield £bn+ results - the FSB quotes that 50% of all recent tax investigations were small businesses (under £500k turnover) and 16% of those are earning £25k or less!
I watched ‘V for Vendetta’ and ‘The Matrix’ recently.....with all the world-wide power and money leaned towards a few at the top and the cash being passed between them, are these movies just life reflecting art or a distinct and frightening (near) future reality?!
