50% tax on bank bonuses...

[candj]

Not just Switzerland, but Asia is very attractive as well. HK has a cap on tax at 17% max and no capital gains, excellent education and public transportation and the growing Chinese economy on their doorstep.... and they speak English. I'm sure Huguenot too can praise the benefits of being in Singapore. And no I'm not a banker.

[Jeremy]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Maybe they should adopt a Wenger like, train em young and don't pay over the odds policy?

The premiership football analogy seems ironic to say the least, given the context of the conversation!

Quids is right, good traders/quants/analysts/sales are not easily replaceable. People who can do these jobs well are highly sought after all over the world.

But I agree that Geneva is boring. Nice place to live if you like skiing, I guess... but dull as dishwater for the rest of the year!

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Don't say that Jeremy, there'll be a mass exodus of plongeurs and then where would we be?

[Ladymuck]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Don't say that Jeremy, there'll be a mass exodus

> of plongeurs and then where would we be?

Divers?

*brain goes into meltdown*

[Brendan]

Wasn?t that guy out of Only Fools and Horses a plongeur?

[Ladymuck]

Brendan Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Wasn?t that guy out of Only Fools and Horses a

> plongeur?

*bursts out laughing*

...a mass exodus of plonkers? Now there's a thought...

[brum]

Brendan Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Wasn?t that guy out of Only Fools and Horses a

> plongeur?

Yes it was Rodeurney I fink.

[HAL9000]

Talking of plonkers, that reminds me: Delboy is coming to Peckham. He'll be opening the new 99p Store at 10AM on Friday 29th January on Rye Lane where the old Woolworth used to be.

[daizie]

Cushty

[Ladymuck]

daizie Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Cushty

It looks to me as though one bank at least is finally beginning to shed a smidgen of it's arrogance and showing some willingness to react to the public's displeasure over the bank bonuses - albeit indirectly via the US and UK Governments.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8476589.stm

[HAL9000]

Looks like a tax avoidance scheme to me - deferred bonuses could easily be used as collateral for interest-free loans until the escrow expires thereby avoiding this year's one-off bonus tax! Plus ?a change, plus c'est la m?me chose.

[Ladymuck]

HAL9000 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Looks like a tax avoidance scheme to me - deferred

> bonuses could easily be used as collateral for

> interest-free loans until the escrow expires

> thereby avoiding this year's one-off bonus tax!

You are probably right HAL9000. I used to work in the Tax Department of one of the City's largest firms of Solicitors where it was not unusual to send out bills for over ?250,000, those bills representing a mere fraction of what "we" had managed to save the client (usually the CEO of a very large and high profile corporation) in tax. Yes, the most talented of lawyers/accountants will in all probability be engaged to exploit technical loopholes of such deviousness that the IR&C might struggle to dispute their legality. However, these same lawyers/accountants would act no differently if bonuses were paid outright as opposed to being deferred as now planned by Barclays (please see my concerns: post 01:42AM January 22).

According to Jill Treanor, Deputy City Editor for the Guardian, anti-avoidance measures are being introduced with immediate effect and HM Revenue & Customs made it clear that "it will not be possible to avoid bank payroll tax by the use of loans which are in substance earnings, or by channelling a bonus through an employee benefit trust or similar intermediary vehicle".

Perhaps the Government should also be channeling their energies into radically overhauling our current tax legislation so as to make it virtually impossible for banks responsible for the economic meltdown to then avoid taxation which has been specifically designed to restore the Treasury's coffers to financial health - but that's another topic altogether!

> Plus ?a change, plus c'est la m?me chose.

Peut-etre mon cher, peut-etre!

(Incidentally how did you manage to include the cedille and accent circonflexe in your post? I'm most impressed!)

[HAL9000]

Ladymuck Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> HAL9000 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> ... According to Jill Treanor, Deputy City Editor for

> the Guardian, anti-avoidance measures are being

> introduced with immediate effect ...

How many times have we heard that only for some bright spark to drive a coach and horses through the legislation?

I'll believe it when I see it. My bet is that HM R&C will be fobbed off with some piddling token tax payments while the real payouts vanish into a black hole; just like all the other money did - it's what banks are good at.

> Perhaps the Government should ... make it virtually

> impossible for banks ... to ... avoid taxation ...

Ha ha ha. The government still hasn?t figured out what happened to all the western world's money in the first place - they don't stand a chance.

> ? ?

> (Incidentally how did you manage to include the

> cedille and accent circonflexe in your post?

Well, in this case I just cut and pasted them from another web page because I wasn't sure of the spelling but one can code them by hand with reference to HTML Special Entity Codes.

[Ladymuck]

HAL9000 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> How many times have we heard that...?

> ...I'll believe it when I see it. My bet is that HM

> R&C will be fobbed off with some piddling token

> tax payments...Ha ha ha...

Oh you are funny...as usual, you have succeeded in making me laugh - really laugh...ha ha ha indeed. Anyway, have you seen this article you incorrigible cynic?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jan/24/banking-bonuses-executive-pay-tax

Toujours cynique? En fait, je crois que je connais la r?ponse, en fait, je peux presque l'entendre...et vous pouvez arr?ter de sourire en plus!

*tries not to laugh*

>one can code them by hand with

> reference to HTML Special Entity Codes.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph HAL9000..."code them by hand"?!!! One look at that page and my brain went into meltdown. However, I have bookmarked it and now use it to cut and paste from - so thanks for that.

[HAL9000]

Ladymuck Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> However, I have bookmarked it and now use it to

> cut and paste from

Habile sabots!

[Ladymuck]

HAL9000 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Habile sabots!

Σας ευχαριστώ εσάς αγαπητέ ρομπότ.

[HAL9000]

Ladymuck Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Σας ευχαριστώ εσάς αγαπητέ ρομπότ.

Είστε ευπρόσδεκτοι, βόρβορος κυρία.

(I sincerely hope you're using an automatic online HTML Encoder)

[Ladymuck]

HAL9000 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Είστε

> ευπρόσδε

> 954;τοι,

> βόρβορος

> κυρία.

*Εκτελεί λίγο πριν την υπόκλιση Robot*

Oh my giddy Aunt! Thanks to your comic talent, tonyw3's thread, and the Burns' Night thread, I basically haven't stopped laughing since the wee small hours this morning. I've had absolutely no sleep...but it doesn't seem to matter (at the moment anyway). I think I've enjoyed sufficient laughter to last me the rest of the year!

Μακριά μπορεί να συνεχίσει

> (I sincerely hope you're using an automatic online

> HTML Encoder)

Actually, no I'm not (you sound serious all of a sudden)...does it matter? As you well know, I speak fluent Greek! Thanks for the link though, but to be honest, so deficient is my pea-brain that it has absolutely no chance of working out what to do with such a tool.

[karter]

I am surprise at LM, speaking so many different languages including greek and you can't use a html decoder thingy...:-S

[HAL9000]

Ladymuck Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> HAL9000 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> > (I sincerely hope you're using an automatic

> > online HTML Encoder)

>

> Actually, no I'm not (you sound serious all of a

> sudden)...does it matter?

No, it's just that the encoder does it all with one click.

> As you well know, I speak fluent Greek!

I didn't realise you were that fluent - I thought you just knew a few phrases. I'm impressed.

> Thanks for the link though,

> but to be honest, so deficient is my pea-brain

> that it has absolutely no chance of working out

> what to do with such a tool.

Just cut and paste the Greek text into the encoder's input box, click 'Encode!' and then cut and paste the encoded text from the output box into the Forum's post message box - voila!

I know it sounds complicated but it's a lot easier than cutting and pasting the code for each letter one at a time (if that's what you're doing). How are you doing it, anyway?

"κυρία βόρβορος" has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

[Ladymuck]

karter Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I am surprise at LM, speaking so many different

> languages including greek and you can't use a html

> decoder thingy...:-S

Ahem...yes karter, funny that...different parts of the brain I guess.

*blushes and avoids eye contact with karter*

PS: mi auguro che tutto va bene nella tua vita al momento. Speriamo di vedervi presto Mx

[Ladymuck]

HAL9000 Wrote:

> I didn't realise you were that fluent - I thought

> you just knew a few phrases. I'm impressed.

Oh dear...don't be...please...

*looks away embarrassed*

> Just cut and paste the Greek text into the

> encoder's input box, click 'Encode!' and then cut

> and paste the encoded text from the output box

> into the Forum's post message box - voila!

> I know it sounds complicated...

You are dead right...it does sound complicated...I've had a look and it looks complicated too...I'm no good at this technology stuff...thick as three planks

>but it's a lot easier...

not for me it isn't...my brain works differently to yours

> than cutting and pasting the code for each letter

> one at a time (if that's what you're doing).

I haven't a clue what you are talking about...what code?

>How are you doing it, anyway?

Well...*thinks about how to explain*...where I am writing in either French or Spanish I just type what I want to say...and until yesterday (when you kindly provided me with the link for all the accents etc.) the text just went out without the accents. But now that I have your list of accents bookmarked I can just type my text minus the letters with accents. When finished, I simply go back and fill in the gaps (i.e. the missing letters complete with accents) by individually cut/pasting them from your list onto my page. As for other languages (and that includes Greek...sorry if I misled...was just having fun...and besides I genuinely didn't think you would really think me that clever!) I simply type what I want to say in English onto this fabulous web page I found on the internet. I then press a button and hey presto I look like a very intelligent linguist...guess I've blown that now. It's easy...seems a lot less complicated than this encoded stuff you are talking about (no offence...and I'm not ungrateful for your help). So, if I want to say hello to you in Chinese e.g. I just type hello onto this page, press the button for Chinese and bingo! Like this:

您好亲爱的机器人

or how about in Arabic:

مرحبا ايها الروبوت

or, of course in Greek: hello αγαπητέ ρομπότ

or German: Hallo liebe Roboter...I quite like this one...it actually sounds robotic. So now you know...as does everybody else! Here is the link if you want to show off: http://www.howtosayin.com/

> "κυρία

> βόρβορος"

> has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

Yes it does and yes I do! I wonder if Admin would allow me to switch? Perhaps not...

Well, I guess this is the end of a very fun road...it started with the 50% tax on bank bonuses if I recall...I feel kinda sad now...but hey...we could never have got away with this in the Drawing Room! Hee hee!

Well, Gute Nacht, liebe Roboter hat es Spa? gemacht xx.