US Presidential Election 2020

[sionascaig]

VAT or reclaiming it?

I got it wrong... was all set to write to my MP as well !

4.5 VAT on trophies
If you run a business as a stud or trainer, you can recover the VAT you’ve been charged on trophies you display on your premises to promote the business and attract clients. But if you claim input tax and later put the trophy to a private use, for example, by taking it home to be kept, you must account for output tax (you can find further information about output tax in section 5). Otherwise, VAT on trophies is not input tax and is not recoverable.

[superfrank]

With a pen stroke, President Joe Biden cancels Keystone XL pipeline project
https://www.dw.com/en/with-a-pen-stroke ... a-56285371

Obama blocked it, Trump ok'd it, Biden blocks it!

[Derek27]

Fascinating watching Biden sign his EOs. A set of 10 pens on the table, a different pen to sign each EO, and the pen gets taken away with the EO. Does he get them back or have to buy a new set of pens?

It's a socialist job creation scheme. Single use pens.

I'd like to know how much a box of those pens cost - they're not Bic Biros. Surely he could auction his first 10 pens for charity. It would raise a lot of money, but probably less than a tenth of what Trump followers would have paid for Trump's pens, which would have gone to the charity of his choice.

[Trader Pat]

In a normal signing ceremony everyone standing around the presidents desk gets a pen as a momento thats why they use multiple pens to sign the bill.

Not sure why he used so many pens though when he was the only one in the room though.. unless they were off camera..... or he wants to send a pen to each of the Trumps

[Derek27]

Reminds me a bit of lightbulbs: they (the old ones) were "designed" to breakdown after a certain time, purely in the interest of the companies that make them...

I bought a pack of the old incandescent lightbulbs from Amazon last year. The one in my boiler cupboard that's not necessary, hardly ever used and only switched on because there wouldn't be any point in fitting it otherwise, is still working.

But I can assure you when it comes to crap, outdated technology, you can't design it to breakdown early - it does that anyway.

[superfrank]

Biden health pick Rachel Levine set to become first transgender Senate confirmee...

This is going to be the funniest 4 years in human history.
https://twitter.com/still_a_nerd/status ... 5802915840

[sionascaig]

But I can assure you when it comes to crap, outdated technology, you can't design it to breakdown early - it does that anyway.

Do apple phones still start to run slowly just after an update & just before a new model is released?

[Derek27]

But I can assure you when it comes to crap, outdated technology, you can't design it to breakdown early - it does that anyway.

Do apple phones still start to run slowly just after an update & just before a new model is released?

No idea, I've never had an Apple phone.

The concept of 'planned obsolescence' is largely conspiracy theory, in my opinion. From the 1980s we had capitalism, competition, and What Hi-Fi, TV, Video magazine where poor products could easily be called out. The chances of every washing machine company on the market agreeing on how long a washing machine should last and trusting that nobody in the contract would cheat and make one last longer, coupled with the fact that in those days machines didn't have sophisticated microchips, are very slim.

As a trader you'll understand it's difficult enough to create a bot that works, nevermind one that works for 6 months and gradually reduces it's profits. How do you manufacture a mechanical device that works for a specified length of time?

Personally, if I had a phone that started slowing down for no reason, and the manufacturer said, "don't worry, give us £1000 for a new model", I'd switch to a different manufacturer.

[Derek27]

The election's over, Biden's president, knightwire2 hasn't got his Lamborghini ( ) and there's nothing more to discuss, yet we're still talking about pens, VAT, lightbulbs, Apple phones and washing machines.

[Archery1969]

Biden has his first problem apart from the pandemic.

His administration is being sued by the Texas state attorney over the pause in deportations.

Think its going to be a tough 4 years assuming he lasts that long.

[greenmark]

Biden has his first problem apart from the pandemic.

His administration is being sued by the Texas state attorney over the pause in deportations.

Think its going to be a tough 4 years assuming he lasts that long.

Indeed. But the point was stoppng the Trump bulldozer. And its becoming evident the Republicans are worried about Trump spliiting their vote and gifting power to the Democrats.
It would be really weird to have an independent President with the Senate and Congress split in the traditional way. Figure that one out. Blimey it sounds like the Roman empire.

[Archery1969]

Biden has his first problem apart from the pandemic.

His administration is being sued by the Texas state attorney over the pause in deportations.

Think its going to be a tough 4 years assuming he lasts that long.

Indeed. But the point was stoppng the Trump bulldozer. And its becoming evident the Republicans are worried about Trump spliiting their vote and gifting power to the Democrats.
It would be really weird to have an independent President with the Senate and Congress split in the traditional way. Figure that one out. Blimey it sounds like the Roman empire.

Yep + 1

I think if 17 Republicans cross the floor and allow Trump to be convicted of impeachment then the country will at some point implode.

Don’t get me wrong, I was no fan of Trump as I think he went a bit nuts in the last 18 months.

But listening to 2 women, one his private security, who he sacked and the Fox woman who he trashed several times, both agree and say he did some good things, was rather astonishing. Neither had anything to gain by doing so and deep down probably hate the guy.

Also, I don’t believe you can fool or brainwash 70 million people to vote for you even though most maybe voting for the party and not an individual. Well if you can then that speaks volumes to the US education system.

Personally, I like the USA allot, spent allot of time there in different states. I hope Biden and Harris don’t go after gun owners. Don’t mean about further background checks as the majority think that’s a good move.

But telling people what guns they can have and not would be a disaster. People outside of the US really don’t understand the right to bear arms arguments and they probably shouldn’t comment on the subject unless they actually live there.

What people fail to realise is that if you put a gun on a table then it won’t harm anyone. It can only fire if someone picks it up and pulls the trigger, so what’s dangerous, the gun, the person or a combination of both.

Allot of people have cars, the maximum speed limit on a motorway is 70mph, so why aren’t they restricted to that speed, why can you buy a car that does 80, 90, 100, 110 or more.

Can you do more damage with a Car or a Gun. Don’t know but if you drove a Car the wrong way down a motorway at 110 mph then you would cause some carnage. Must be reason enough to ban cars, yes or is the argument you need a Car but you don’t need a Gun ?

[greenmark]

Actually, your various posts around guns/America have succeeded in changing my mind.
The American psyche is heavily informed by the knowledge they've built one of the most powerful countries n the world. From scratch in a few hundred years.
Bossing them about seems to go down badly. Eg the protests about masks/lockdowns.
And finally your point about cars/guns has occured to me too. And we've already seen examples of vehicles being weaponised.
My only caveat can be the sheer cost in lives evey year. But even there, as you say, as a European, its not my place to judge whether thats worth the freedom that Americans attach to gun ownership.

[Archery1969]

Actually, your various posts around guns/America have succeeded in changing my mind.
The American psyche is heavily informed by the knowledge they've built one of the most powerful countries n the world. From scratch in a few hundred years.
Bossing them about seems to go down badly. Eg the protests about masks/lockdowns.
And finally your point about cars/guns has occured to me too. And we've already seen examples of vehicles being weaponised.
My only caveat can be the sheer cost in lives evey year. But even there, as you say, as a European, its not my place to judge whether thats worth the freedom that Americans attach to gun ownership.

Everyone including gun owners condemn mass shootings seen over the years in different parts of the USA. But when it comes to it nothing major is done and said gun owners would never willingly hand guns over to the authorities as seen in other parts of the world.

It’s easy for outsiders to judge but if you are living in say Wyoming, 40 miles from law enforcement and you have a home invasion then how do you protect yourself, property, family and if you have any, livestock. In the UK we don’t live in that type of situation. Well, you might in some remote parts of Scotland.

Obviously they need to tighten up on background checks. But then what happens if your that person living in Wyoming and would fail any enhanced checks. Could move i guess but property is allot cheaper in remote parts with beautiful landscapes. I swear the rest of the world thinks all Americans live in NY, LA or FL.

One thing is for sure, no way I would live in say Alaska without a very big gun. Wouldn’t want to go for a stroll in the woods and come face to face with a pack of wolves or grizzly.

A guy called Timothy Treadwell decided to live in bear country for part of each year without any protection for himself or girlfriend. That documented story didn’t end well for either of them. Don’t think hitting a kodiak bear over the head with a frying pan was the correct weapon under the circumstances...

[Trader Pat]

A guy called Timothy Treadwell decided to live in bear country for part of each year without any protection for himself or girlfriend. That documented story didn’t end well for either of them. Don’t think hitting a kodiak bear over the head with a frying pan was the correct weapon under the circumstances...

I read about him and a saw a couple of docs

Definitely deserving of a Darwin Award