Posts made by raphjd

I don't think there are any true F2P (free to play) games out there anymore.

P2W (pay to win) seems to be the only so called "free" business model in the gaming industry right now.

There won't be another Uncharted.  That was announced before the release of the current version.

I love the ID brand lubes.

@groovedware:

I prefer they keep backwater thoughts to themselves.  Wait, no, better they share their stupidity so I know.

TRUE, it's better to know your enemies than if they are kept from view.

That's sad, I really like the show.

I muted the offender, so he can no longer post in the forums.

He was flooding the forums to get bonus points.

Except for laptops and Kindles, I build all my computers myself.

It's not that hard, if you take it easy and do your research.  There are plenty of guides online to help you.

As we saw in the UK and many other countries, these non "marriage" gay relationships were never equal to hetero marriage.

Despite what people seem to believe, the UK government officially said that Civil Partnerships were "somewhat similar to marriage" when it came to rights and whatnot.    Tony Blair, the then Prime Minister, said that civil partnerships were "separate but equal" from hetero marriage.    If you don't know what Jim Crow laws are, then look it up.  Basically they are laws that said whites and blacks were separate but equal, which is why they had difference drinking fountains for each race, and so on.

Hell, even with gay marriage now being legal, all references to love and sex have been removed from gay marriage, while still being an official part of hetero marriage.

"Marriage" is often claimed by the religious.  However,  "marriage" has belonged to the state for over 4,000 years.

Every country's government pays way too much for the stuff it buys.    The US infamously bought $12,000 toilet seats and £32,000 hammers back in the 1980s, which at any hardware store would have cost less than $15.  Haliburton is still screwing the US over on several contracts they have.  The UK always gets screwed (purposely it seems) whenever they had a contract with outside companies, especially in construction.

NO government is without it's base of corruption.

You don't have to live in Greece to see where the problems are coming from; mass tax evasion, black market, early retirement, extremely generous work benefits, etc, etc.

Now, as a citizen you are supposed to pay your taxes and in return the greek state is supposed to provide you education, health and public infrastructure but because of all the money grubbing these three sectors were and are crumbling. You have to pay for extra tutoring if you want a dissent education for your child, you have to pay the doctors or a private clinic if you are in need of something that's less than an absolute life-threatening emergency and you also have to compensate in time and money for the bad public infrastructure.

The UK has the same problems and it's been made worse by having to bailout various countries.

It pisses me off that my taxes have gone up, as has the retirement age, while government services are being slashed.

Let's compare Greece's black market (in 2009 figures) with Scotland's school budget (2012/13).    Greece's black market cost their country 43.2 Billion Euros per year (very low estimate; see earlier post) and Scotland spends £2.4 Billion a year on schools.  Based on population, cost of living, currency conversion and other factors, you can say that Greece's black market tax loss is just shy of 14 times it's budget for school.    Of course that doesn't cover the other forms of tax evasion.

Your government's budget is in serious trouble when 25% of it's GDP tax revenue is lost to the black market.  Then you need to add in all the other forms of tax evasion and the problem just grows and grows.

Greece created it's own problems.  (see the other active thread on Greece)

49% tax evasion (in 2005) even before the global economic crisis is pretty extreme.  If you look at that other thread, the numbers are disgusting.    People keep trying to place all the blame on the rich, but the facts don't bare that out.  The entire nation actively participated in running their country into the ground.

My taxes have skyrocketed, while government service have been slashed.  Much of this is to do with the various bailouts the UK has taken part in.  Why should I have to pay for the horrible actions of others?!

Then there was the threat a couple weeks ago from Greece to let all the terrorists into Europe if they didn't get their way.

The 7% was an example, not the actual amount Greece has to pay.  At least that I know of.

My point is that the indebted nations need to pay the entire amount to service their loans, just like anyone else would have to.

How can there be 49% tax evasion in 2005, but the lower classes are paying their taxes?

Remember, the lower economic classes are the "other 95%".    That means the 44% of the tax evasion, in 2005 before the global economic collapse, came from the lower economic classes in Greece.  This is based on the claims that the top 5% never pay any taxes, which is unlikely.

Tax evasion in Greece has a long history.  During the Ottoman Empire, it was considered "patriotic" to not pay your taxes.

They are free to say what they want, but we are also free to boycott their brand.

D&G are ignorant twats who have said some really screwed up things over the years, especially about gays.  They seem to be more than a bit self loathing.

Why should Greece be allowed to pay back the money at 0% interest, when the countries that bailed them out have to pay interest on the money they borrowed to bail them out?

Tell you what, I need £30k for our new extension, so you borrow the money and then give it to me.  I'll repay the £30k, no problem.  You repay the 7% interest on that loan.  Great deal for everyone involved.

Using the black market (major part of the grey economy), then you are NOT paying all of your taxes.

According to GreekReporter.com, Greece loses 43.2 Billion Euros a year in unpaid taxes from sales and work.  That's admittedly a low estimate by VISA Card who did the study.

The black market in Greece is nothing new.

According to Wikipedia, in 2005 (before the global economic crisis), tax evasion was at 49%.    In 2009, tax evasion by the self employed alone was 31% of the national budget deficit.  The black market for that year (2009) was worth 25% of Greece's entire GDP.

As we see, there is the claim that the lower classes (economically) are paying all their taxes, but with the admission that they aren't paying their taxes because they can't afford too.  You can't have it both ways.

It's a bit strange, but I see nothing wrong with it.

The UKIP chairman for LGBT Affairs has quit because he can't keep defending the political party candidates' homophobia.

Over 3,000 major republican "names" have signed up to the equality side in this lawsuit.  Many businesses have also sent in "friend of court" briefs siding with equality.

Obama (as the President and as a private citizen), Eric Holder (as US Attorney General and as a private citizen) and many other top government officials have sent in "friend of the court" briefs siding with equality.

Dan Savage said that Carson could prove it by sucking his (Dan's) dick.

Even ultra right wing nutter, Glen Beck, said that this stance is probably the end of Carson's Presidential bid.

I've read a lot about this case and the "I was duped" excuse is a lie.  At least that's how it seems to me.

Either way, I do agree with this article that he will only get a slap on the wrist from the US military and won't face trial in the Philippines.  The US and Philippines have had an extremely rocky relationship over the decades.  Neither side really give out "normal" punishments for doing illegal things to the other side's people.