Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[RED-DOG]

Meanwhile, my posh Wood Pigeons are devouring a whole feeder of bird seed daily, but I've yet to see what I had hoped - Robins, Finches, Tits, etc.

I have a half coconut filled with fat, & that has been part pecked, but I have never seen by what. 

I'm really keen to attract a wider range of birdlife.

Might be a problem because the Thames is only 100 yards away, with lots of little islands, lush vegetation, & I would assume an abundance of natural food.

Please advise.

PS - To be fair, I don't mind the Wood Pigeons at all. They seem quite well-bahaved & refined. Tom was a bit sniffy about all pigeons, it seemed to me.

We bought one of these. 

http://www.charliesdirect.co.uk/products/the-nuttery-squirrel-proof-original-seed-feeder

They defeat the pigeons and squirrels, but unfortunately most of the tits and robins are too bird brained to use them. 

We still have a standard peanut feeder that is home to pigeons, sparrows, tits and squirrels.  The wood pigeons do a good job of mopping up the detrius that ends up on the floor.   That is preferable to rats.   

Yes. I bought a squirrel-proof feeder to protect my nuts, and I devised a stubby-perch feeder to keep the jackdaws off my fat balls.

My apologies for the unintended trouserial nature of this reply.

[tikay]

Tikay,I think your top picture is a rock dove/pigeon, not a wood pigeon.

Thanks Dino, (gatters,  Red & Doobs too) I'm becoming more confused, not less.

This any better?

[tikay]

Oh my, that came out a big big, scared the life out of me.

[tikay]

I now have some niger seed, & I'll read up on that link Tom Posted, from the (ugh) Daily Mail.

Looks like cheese will be needed too.

I'm not even 100% sure that the pigeons are the ones eating the seed, as I just have a regular bird-feeder, no perches or anything, hanging from a branch. But there are always lots of pigeons around.

[neeko]

What I want to know is, how much tax would a UK businessman be paying of 21 million per annum? Do we have anyone left who earns that much, (tikay doesn't count) or have they all buggered off to countries who understand that it's better to have 15% of everything than 90% of nothing?

The answer is it depends.

If the income is in the form of a salary or cash bonus and the person is British, and was domiciled in Britain (lives here) then they would probably pay 50% as long as they don't try and "avoid it".

If the "income"  is a capital gain (as Mitt Romneys would have been) - ie he bought some shares for $20 and sold them for $41m then the gain would be taxable (assuming they are held in the UK) at 28%

Lewis Hamilton will probably earn $40m this year but he has chosen to live in Switzerland so that he is not subject to UK income tax, so his bill will be very low (he has to pay a a bit - depending on how many days he is in the UK) - although this will be more in income tax than UK poker players pay.

Joe Lewis or Philip Green live in Bahamas /Monaco so equally pay no UK income tax on their hundreds of millions of income.

It is legal in the UK to arrange your live / income streams in such away as to minimise the amount of income tax you pay. To evade the tax you legitimately (according to statute) owe is illegal.

All goverments have the option to change these rules but they choose not to.

For example if you are an American and live in say Monaco then you still of US income tax.

[RED-DOG]

What I want to know is, how much tax would a UK businessman be paying of 21 million per annum? Do we have anyone left who earns that much, (tikay doesn't count) or have they all buggered off to countries who understand that it's better to have 15% of everything than 90% of nothing?

The answer is it depends.

If the income is in the form of a salary or cash bonus and the person is British, and was domiciled in Britain (lives here) then they would probably pay 50% as long as they don't try and "avoid it".

If the "income"  is a capital gain (as Mitt Romneys would have been) - ie he bought some shares for $20 and sold them for $41m then the gain would be taxable (assuming they are held in the UK) at 28%

Lewis Hamilton will probably earn $40m this year but he has chosen to live in Switzerland so that he is not subject to UK income tax, so his bill will be very low (he has to pay a a bit - depending on how many days he is in the UK) - although this will be more in income tax than UK poker players pay.

Joe Lewis or Philip Green live in Bahamas /Monaco so equally pay no UK income tax on their hundreds of millions of income.

It is legal in the UK to arrange your live / income streams in such away as to minimise the amount of income tax you pay. To evade the tax you legitimately (according to statute) owe is illegal.

All goverments have the option to change these rules but they choose not to.

For example if you are an American and live in say Monaco then you still of US income tax.

Thanks for taking the time to give me such an excellent explanation Nick. (I assume you must be a bloke?).

Mrs Red is from Newark, I did my courting there. Do you still live there, if so, whereabouts?


PS- I think this line is supposed to read -
For example if you are an American and live in say Monaco then you still owe US income tax.

If that is the case, I'm flabbergasted.

[gatso]

I'm becoming more confused, not less.

rock pigeons/rock doves are wild and live on rocks. domestic pigeons were bred from them. feral pigeons are domestic pigeons that did a jailbreak, they're the ones you used to get in trafalgar square. all of these are the same species

common wood pigeons are a separate species

common pigeons are a species you made up

[tikay]

I'm becoming more confused, not less.

rock pigeons/rock doves are wild and live on rocks. domestic pigeons were bred from them. feral pigeons are domestic pigeons that did a jailbreak, they're the ones you used to get in trafalgar square. all of these are the same species

common wood pigeons are a separate species

common pigeons are a species you made up

Excellent explanation, I am now officially non-confused, thank you.

[RED-DOG]

I'm becoming more confused, not less.

rock pigeons/rock doves are wild and live on rocks. domestic pigeons were bred from them. feral pigeons are domestic pigeons that did a jailbreak, they're the ones you used to get in trafalgar square. all of these are the same species

common wood pigeons are a separate species

common pigeons are a species you made up

I went sea fishing once on a little cob-boat skippered by an incredibly grizzled molysilabic old salt.

When I eventually I caught a fish, I asked the skipper what it was and if it was good to eat. He replied, "Rock salmon". "Looks like salmon, tastes like rock".

[Tonji]

I'm becoming more confused, not less.

rock pigeons/rock doves are wild and live on rocks. domestic pigeons were bred from them. feral pigeons are domestic pigeons that did a jailbreak, they're the ones you used to get in trafalgar square. all of these are the same species

common wood pigeons are a separate species

common pigeons are a species you made up

so where does that leave your stool pigeon?

Excellent explanation, I am now officially non-confused, thank you.

[mulhuzz]

PS- I think this line is supposed to read -
For example if you are an American and live in say Monaco then you still owe US income tax.

If that is the case, I'm flabbergasted.

That most certainly is the case. Good luck not giving uncle Sam his slice on your foreign earned income if you want to remain a US Citizen!

People I know, who worked in call centres in the UK (and not majorly well paid, even for the industry, I might add) would pay tax in the UK and then have to keep a little more than they'd like aside every month in order to be able to pay Uncle Sam off once a year, even though they hadn't lived in the US for quite a long time.

[RED-DOG]

PS- I think this line is supposed to read -
For example if you are an American and live in say Monaco then you still owe US income tax.

If that is the case, I'm flabbergasted.

That most certainly is the case. Good luck not giving uncle Sam his slice on your foreign earned income if you want to remain a US Citizen!

People I know, who worked in call centres in the UK (and not majorly well paid, even for the industry, I might add) would pay tax in the UK and then have to keep a little more than they'd like aside every month in order to be able to pay Uncle Sam off once a year, even though they hadn't lived in the US for quite a long time.

Crikey!

Still, I guess someone has to pay for all those war planes pictured on Tony's diary.

[RED-DOG]

How's this for a great pic?

PS- I didn't take it.

Click to see full-size image.

[EvilPie]

I saw one of these little fellas in my garden once:

It was just happily pecking away at the grass eating the ants.

Click to see full-size image.

Absolutely gorgeous little creature and the first and only time I've ever been interested in birds*. I sat and watched it for ages. Fascinating little thing it was

*the feathered kind. I've always found the ones with lady parts quite amazing.

[RED-DOG]

I saw one of these little fellas in my garden once:

It was just happily pecking away at the grass eating the ants.

Click to see full-size image.

Absolutely gorgeous little creature and the first and only time I've ever been interested in birds*. I sat and watched it for ages. Fascinating little thing it was

*the feathered kind. I've always found the ones with lady parts quite amazing.

You don't get to see those often Matt, but most birds (feathered) are fascinating if you take the time to watch them*

*Above statement also applies to non-feathered variety.