You know, AI, I really expect more from you. This article (published anonymously) is the essence of FUD.
If the issue at hand pertains to all foreign devices of this type, then the headline is not:
Apple's iPads, iPhones could be subject to new French 'culture tax'
Grow the "F" up.
You did read the actual article, right? This is an Apple interest site after all, and what is of interest is how it applies to Apple. So the headline reflects that. This is not a straight news site, in case you've wondered.
No. the headline does not reflect that.
AI has made it sound like, once again, someone is going after Apple. That Apple has been singled out.
If you don't see that, then you're not too bright. I, however, believe that you do see that, and that it's intentional on AI's part.
I've read enough Apple hit-whore headlines to know one when I see one.
In any case, it did a great job getting everybody bashing the French. Nice work. (hmm, maybe because everybody sucked-in on this as if the French were attacking Apple. I wonder why)
If they change the name of the Apple products to "Le iPhone", "Le Tablet Petit" and "Le Tablet Grande" would that make them happy?
Funny, a co-worker returned today from a trip to France. Her comments were "everything they sell were things we can already buy in the US or online, except they jacked the prices up".
They can charge any tax they want, but the French citizens will be the one's that pay.
They're taxing the products to give a leg up to French content makers, since French cultural products cannot compete on a level playing field.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OllieWallieWhiskers
france has cultural products?
So pathetic to see such ignorance on display. If it was up to me, it would be against the law to display such stupidity (not dissimilar to how Apple ][ would like Android use to be made illegal).
Funny, a co-worker returned today from a trip to France. Her comments were "everything they sell were things we can already buy in the US or online,
I wonder if one can buy a good old-aged non-pasteurized cheese like a Camembert anywhere in the US or online. Fortunately, we still keep some genuine treats out of the reach of foreigners
Of course, if you're an American and not wholly ignorant of your own history, you should show a little gratitude, not to mention respect, to the French. Without their help, the outcome of that little skirmish often referred to here as the Revolutionary War might well have been entirely different.
Let us not forget WW I and WW II which should make America even, if not ahead, as far as to who should be considered indebted to who.
Your definition of radical is not the same as mine, apparently. And why the thug comment? Because I consider all socialists to be enemies, and I view them to be a threat to all free people.
So you're against education, libraries, museums, fire and police depts, the miltary, the roads system, the postal system, FBI, CIA, every federal agency, the list goes on and on, they're all "social" programs funded by the government.
Correct, except for grandfathered brands, only a certain kind of wine grown in Champagne region of France can be called Champagne. It's like a trademark given to a region rather than a specific organization. That I've seen, only Europe has this kind of food region branding. Cheeses, alcoholic beverages and dishes can get this kind of protected designation. In one absurdity, a cheese named after a city isn't allowed to be made in that city.
Not true at all.
In the US, only specific regions in Georgia, for instance can grow Vidalia onions. Grow the same onions anywhere else, and you can't call them vidalias. Lots of places have region-specific brand identifications that are govermentally controlled.
I wonder if one can buy a good old-aged non-pasteurized cheese like a Camembert anywhere in the US or online. Fortunately, we still keep some genuine treats out of the reach of foreigners
Well I have enjoyed a number of delicious French foods from my local gourmet shop here in the US, including Camembert, but it may not have been non-pasteurized. Not sure if they would allow that to be imported. I will have to check the next time.
We get to enjoy some of your nice delicacies, and we send you McDonald's and "Le Royal with Cheese" !
Yes. Although the current president is from the Socialist Party the legislature is fairly evenly divided between socialists and conservatives. France is a democracy much like the US.
So you're against education, libraries, museums, fire and police depts, the miltary, the roads system, the postal system, FBI, CIA, every federal agency, the list goes on and on, they're all "social" programs funded by the government.
Nope. I am obviously not against certain social services which exists in civilized countries. There is a difference between having certain social services and being a fully socialist country. It all depends on the degree and implementation of said services. I am against people who call themselves socialists, I am against their ideology, just like I would be against people who call themselves communists and nazis. Socialists are bad news, and I believe that they should be combatted in the same way that other evils have been combatted in the past.
In a way, the opposition between socialism and capitalism is now obsolete. With every western nation stooping under the weigh of debt, true power has passed from governments to banks. If the banks decide suddenly to cut off oxygen (loans), no political power whatsoever could avoid a country to choke. It’s not that I like that – I mourn the days where politicians were all but meek – but it’s an inescapable fact.
The US has fewer and fewer examples of free market capitalism, so it's difficult to declare capitalism obsolete when so few have actually experienced it.
Banks and the Fed have "power" in the US because of the devil's bargain that was struck in an attempt to circumvent the constitutional strictures against the establishment of fiat currency. The Constitution allows the use of gold coin as currency. "Federal Reserve Notes" used to be redeemable for gold, but their worth is now limited to fantasy valuation. The Federal Reserve is a privately owned corporation that is not "technically" part of the government and this is how our governmental "deciders" corrupted the monetary system.
The dollar's value has plummeted since it was no longer a reflection of the gold backing it. Now, I'm not arguing for a return to the gold standard, but our currency should minimally see currency competition and let the best "money" win.
That is okay France also enacted pirating tax on various storage devices like HDD, they make end users pay a tax based on the total storage capacity because they may steal content and store it on those devices.
Just hope France taxes themselves out of existence
Funny, a co-worker returned today from a trip to France. Her comments were "everything they sell were things we can already buy in the US or online, except they jacked the prices up".
They can charge any tax they want, but the French citizens will be the one's that pay.
You can't just compare prices. You have to consider income and cost of living.
For 2011 the average wage in the US was $42,979.61 (gross), in France it was $57,544 (gross) or $44,295 (net, after taxes, health care, retirement fund etc. deductions). Which gives the average French person a lot more buying power, while working a lot less hours (again, on average). The truth is that there are several socio-capitalist countries in the world that provide a higher standard of living, leave more money in people's pockets and have less debt at the same time. Hurts?
That is okay France also enacted pirating tax on various storage devices like HDD, they make end users pay a tax based on the total storage capacity because they may steal content and store it on those devices.
Just hope France taxes themselves out of existence
That's not quite correct. This is not a "pirating tax", but a "private copying levy". If it would be a "pirating tax" it would de facto legalize pirating. It does not. Nothing can be regularly taxed and illegal at the same time.
The laws in many EU countries (and, I think, Canada, too) entitle private buyers to make "private copies" (not only for back-up purposes) and e.g. lend them to friends (for free), have a second copy of a CD in your car while the original stays at home etc. The copying levy is just a flat fee (and normally rather low) that gets distributed among content producers to compensate for these copies. The assumption is simply that a certain amount of storage space and recordable media is used to store third party content. These levies get reviewed frequently to reflect market conditions (e.g. today a decent amount of storage space is used to store content that was purchased online, so a future revision should actually lower these levies).
You can't just compare prices. You have to consider income and cost of living.
For 2011 the average wage in the US was $42,979.61 (gross), in France it was $57,544 (gross) or $44,295 (net, after taxes, health care, retirement fund etc. deductions). Which gives the average French person a lot more buying power, while working a lot less hours (again, on average). The truth is that there are several socio-capitalist countries in the world that provide a higher standard of living, leave more money in people's pockets and have less debt at the same time. Hurts?
You have oversimplified things based on a limited perspective. Wages (gross or net) do not equate buying power. You must factor in the costs of what is being purchased. (which includes taxes and fees on those items).
Consumer Prices in United States are 19.13% lower than in France
Consumer Prices Including Rent in United States are 13.96% lower than in France
Rent Prices in United States are 1.16% higher than in France
Restaurant Prices in United States are 28.83% lower than in France
Groceries Prices in United States are 13.21% lower than in France
Local Purchasing Power in United States is 41.99% higher than in France
There are over 3.2 million unemployed in France now, the highest since 1997. Around 11.5 %. Now that hurts...
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by melgross
Quote:
Originally Posted by isaidso
You know, AI, I really expect more from you. This article (published anonymously) is the essence of FUD.
If the issue at hand pertains to all foreign devices of this type, then the headline is not:
Apple's iPads, iPhones could be subject to new French 'culture tax'
Grow the "F" up.
You did read the actual article, right? This is an Apple interest site after all, and what is of interest is how it applies to Apple. So the headline reflects that. This is not a straight news site, in case you've wondered.
No. the headline does not reflect that.
AI has made it sound like, once again, someone is going after Apple. That Apple has been singled out.
If you don't see that, then you're not too bright. I, however, believe that you do see that, and that it's intentional on AI's part.
I've read enough Apple hit-whore headlines to know one when I see one.
In any case, it did a great job getting everybody bashing the French. Nice work. (hmm, maybe because everybody sucked-in on this as if the French were attacking Apple. I wonder why)
If they change the name of the Apple products to "Le iPhone", "Le Tablet Petit" and "Le Tablet Grande" would that make them happy?
Funny, a co-worker returned today from a trip to France. Her comments were "everything they sell were things we can already buy in the US or online, except they jacked the prices up".
They can charge any tax they want, but the French citizens will be the one's that pay.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
They're taxing the products to give a leg up to French content makers, since French cultural products cannot compete on a level playing field.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OllieWallieWhiskers
france has cultural products?
So pathetic to see such ignorance on display. If it was up to me, it would be against the law to display such stupidity (not dissimilar to how Apple ][ would like Android use to be made illegal).
Educate yourself. http://www.eupedia.com/forum/threads/16869-Greatest-French-contributions-to-the-world
I wonder if one can buy a good old-aged non-pasteurized cheese like a Camembert anywhere in the US or online. Fortunately, we still keep some genuine treats out of the reach of foreigners
Quote:
Originally Posted by Realistic
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonymouse
Of course, if you're an American and not wholly ignorant of your own history, you should show a little gratitude, not to mention respect, to the French. Without their help, the outcome of that little skirmish often referred to here as the Revolutionary War might well have been entirely different.
Let us not forget WW I and WW II which should make America even, if not ahead, as far as to who should be considered indebted to who.
Seriously... Are you 10 years old?
So you're against education, libraries, museums, fire and police depts, the miltary, the roads system, the postal system, FBI, CIA, every federal agency, the list goes on and on, they're all "social" programs funded by the government.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffDM
Correct, except for grandfathered brands, only a certain kind of wine grown in Champagne region of France can be called Champagne. It's like a trademark given to a region rather than a specific organization. That I've seen, only Europe has this kind of food region branding. Cheeses, alcoholic beverages and dishes can get this kind of protected designation. In one absurdity, a cheese named after a city isn't allowed to be made in that city.
Not true at all.
In the US, only specific regions in Georgia, for instance can grow Vidalia onions. Grow the same onions anywhere else, and you can't call them vidalias. Lots of places have region-specific brand identifications that are govermentally controlled.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EauVive
I wonder if one can buy a good old-aged non-pasteurized cheese like a Camembert anywhere in the US or online. Fortunately, we still keep some genuine treats out of the reach of foreigners
Well I have enjoyed a number of delicious French foods from my local gourmet shop here in the US, including Camembert, but it may not have been non-pasteurized. Not sure if they would allow that to be imported. I will have to check the next time.
We get to enjoy some of your nice delicacies, and we send you McDonald's and "Le Royal with Cheese" !
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Yes. Although the current president is from the Socialist Party the legislature is fairly evenly divided between socialists and conservatives. France is a democracy much like the US.
The US is a Democratic Republic. Big difference.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich
The US is a Democratic Republic. Big difference.
Big difference to what?
Democratic People's Republic of Korea?
It is just a name. In France they are free to vote and in the US they are free to vote.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dasanman69
So you're against education, libraries, museums, fire and police depts, the miltary, the roads system, the postal system, FBI, CIA, every federal agency, the list goes on and on, they're all "social" programs funded by the government.
Nope. I am obviously not against certain social services which exists in civilized countries. There is a difference between having certain social services and being a fully socialist country. It all depends on the degree and implementation of said services. I am against people who call themselves socialists, I am against their ideology, just like I would be against people who call themselves communists and nazis. Socialists are bad news, and I believe that they should be combatted in the same way that other evils have been combatted in the past.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EauVive
In a way, the opposition between socialism and capitalism is now obsolete. With every western nation stooping under the weigh of debt, true power has passed from governments to banks. If the banks decide suddenly to cut off oxygen (loans), no political power whatsoever could avoid a country to choke. It’s not that I like that – I mourn the days where politicians were all but meek – but it’s an inescapable fact.
The US has fewer and fewer examples of free market capitalism, so it's difficult to declare capitalism obsolete when so few have actually experienced it.
Banks and the Fed have "power" in the US because of the devil's bargain that was struck in an attempt to circumvent the constitutional strictures against the establishment of fiat currency. The Constitution allows the use of gold coin as currency. "Federal Reserve Notes" used to be redeemable for gold, but their worth is now limited to fantasy valuation. The Federal Reserve is a privately owned corporation that is not "technically" part of the government and this is how our governmental "deciders" corrupted the monetary system.
The dollar's value has plummeted since it was no longer a reflection of the gold backing it. Now, I'm not arguing for a return to the gold standard, but our currency should minimally see currency competition and let the best "money" win.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mstone
Big difference to what?
Democratic People's Republic of Korea?
It is just a name. In France they are free to vote and in the US they are free to vote.
Did you read what you typed before you submitted your comment?
Look up the differences between a Republic and a Democracy first.
That is okay France also enacted pirating tax on various storage devices like HDD, they make end users pay a tax based on the total storage capacity because they may steal content and store it on those devices.
Just hope France taxes themselves out of existence
Quote:
Originally Posted by msimpson
Funny, a co-worker returned today from a trip to France. Her comments were "everything they sell were things we can already buy in the US or online, except they jacked the prices up".
They can charge any tax they want, but the French citizens will be the one's that pay.
You can't just compare prices. You have to consider income and cost of living.
For 2011 the average wage in the US was $42,979.61 (gross), in France it was $57,544 (gross) or $44,295 (net, after taxes, health care, retirement fund etc. deductions). Which gives the average French person a lot more buying power, while working a lot less hours (again, on average). The truth is that there are several socio-capitalist countries in the world that provide a higher standard of living, leave more money in people's pockets and have less debt at the same time. Hurts?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maestro64
Just hope France taxes themselves out of existence
It's only a matter of time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich
Look up the differences between a Republic and a Democracy first.
Every democracy is a republic, but not every republic is a democracy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maestro64
That is okay France also enacted pirating tax on various storage devices like HDD, they make end users pay a tax based on the total storage capacity because they may steal content and store it on those devices.
Just hope France taxes themselves out of existence
That's not quite correct. This is not a "pirating tax", but a "private copying levy". If it would be a "pirating tax" it would de facto legalize pirating. It does not. Nothing can be regularly taxed and illegal at the same time.
The laws in many EU countries (and, I think, Canada, too) entitle private buyers to make "private copies" (not only for back-up purposes) and e.g. lend them to friends (for free), have a second copy of a CD in your car while the original stays at home etc. The copying levy is just a flat fee (and normally rather low) that gets distributed among content producers to compensate for these copies. The assumption is simply that a certain amount of storage space and recordable media is used to store third party content. These levies get reviewed frequently to reflect market conditions (e.g. today a decent amount of storage space is used to store content that was purchased online, so a future revision should actually lower these levies).
Quote:
Originally Posted by dreyfus2
You can't just compare prices. You have to consider income and cost of living.
For 2011 the average wage in the US was $42,979.61 (gross), in France it was $57,544 (gross) or $44,295 (net, after taxes, health care, retirement fund etc. deductions). Which gives the average French person a lot more buying power, while working a lot less hours (again, on average). The truth is that there are several socio-capitalist countries in the world that provide a higher standard of living, leave more money in people's pockets and have less debt at the same time. Hurts?
You have oversimplified things based on a limited perspective. Wages (gross or net) do not equate buying power. You must factor in the costs of what is being purchased. (which includes taxes and fees on those items).
Consumer Prices in United States are 19.13% lower than in France
Consumer Prices Including Rent in United States are 13.96% lower than in France
Rent Prices in United States are 1.16% higher than in France
Restaurant Prices in United States are 28.83% lower than in France
Groceries Prices in United States are 13.21% lower than in France
Local Purchasing Power in United States is 41.99% higher than in France
There are over 3.2 million unemployed in France now, the highest since 1997. Around 11.5 %. Now that hurts...