Nikon D70 issues/questions Vs. Canon

Paul Bielec wrote:
William Graham wrote:
"Robert C." wrote in message
. ..

"William Graham" wrote in message
...

"Thomas T. Veldhouse" wrote in message
e.net...

In rec.photo.digital Paul Bielec wrote:

Just so you know, Quebec actually DOES have the highest taxes in North
America.

One VERY good reason not to live in Quebec.

Honestly though, how productive are your tax dollars? In the US, it
seems a large percentage of tax dollars are buying luxuries for the
beneficiaries of a very inefficient system.

Yes. - If you decide to leave Quebec to pay lower taxes, don't (I repeat
DON'T) move to California.....:^)


Why? What kind of system do they have?


Much the same as Quebec.....A ridiculously high tax system. After I paid
about 30% of my income in federal payroll taxes, I had to pay about 10% in
state payroll taxes. Then I had to pay 1-1/2 % of my homes appraised value
in property taxes every year. Then I had to pay several hundred dollars for
each of my vehicles in property taxes. (called yearly registration fees,
which is how they get around not franchising the head of the DMV as a tax
collector) And then, after all that, when I went to the store to spend what
little I had left over, I had to pay 8% sales taxes on that. - The total
bite was very close to 50%, just as it is in Quebec.

Actually, in Quebec, with an above average income, it is much more than
50% when you add everything.
With a 60000$ gross income, you end up paying 40% in deductions (federal
tax, provincial tax, unemployment insurance etc.) If you earn more, it
is even worse because any income above 50000$ is taxed at over 50%.

But you don't pay $10,000/year in health insurance.

--
Ray Fischer

Paul Bielec wrote:
Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:
Paul Bielec wrote:

I didn't have to. Had it done by one of the best specialists in
Montreal. Free of charge and bypassing the waiting list.


And that is fair to those who honor the rules how? Perhaps you are part
of the problem rather than the solution?

This same question can be very easily turned around:
With the high taxes I pay in Quebec for the oublic healthcare system,
why do I have to rely on contacts to get efficient services?

Did you pay $30,000? No? Then your whine about "high taxes" is
pointless nonsense. You didn't pay for the service you got. You
are part of the problem.

--
Ray Fischer

Robert C. wrote:
"Paul Bielec" wrote in message
...

Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:

In rec.photo.digital Paul Bielec wrote:


Pretty much the same thing here. The taxes used to be justified by free
social services, education and healthcare.
But the services are just getting worse and worse...


It seems that the more socialist the system (i.e. the USSR), the faster
the decline. Better fasten your seat belt.


It is still a decent place to live.
On the other hand, if the separatists win the next provincial election,
they will go ahead with another referendum for Quebec separation. That
could mess up the things really badly. In that case, we might think about
getting f#@& out of here...


Another mass exodus down the 401? AKA to Ontario????


I don't think that I would consider Ontario. Maybe Europe (I have dual
citizenship), maybe somewhere else... I would even consider some places
in US, like around Boston for example.

Ray Fischer wrote:

Paul Bielec wrote:

William Graham wrote:

"Robert C." wrote in message
om...


"William Graham" wrote in message
...


"Thomas T. Veldhouse" wrote in message
se.net...


In rec.photo.digital Paul Bielec wrote:


Just so you know, Quebec actually DOES have the highest taxes in North
America.

One VERY good reason not to live in Quebec.

Honestly though, how productive are your tax dollars? In the US, it
seems a large percentage of tax dollars are buying luxuries for the
beneficiaries of a very inefficient system.

Yes. - If you decide to leave Quebec to pay lower taxes, don't (I repeat
DON'T) move to California.....:^)


Why? What kind of system do they have?


Much the same as Quebec.....A ridiculously high tax system. After I paid
about 30% of my income in federal payroll taxes, I had to pay about 10% in
state payroll taxes. Then I had to pay 1-1/2 % of my homes appraised value
in property taxes every year. Then I had to pay several hundred dollars for
each of my vehicles in property taxes. (called yearly registration fees,
which is how they get around not franchising the head of the DMV as a tax
collector) And then, after all that, when I went to the store to spend what
little I had left over, I had to pay 8% sales taxes on that. - The total
bite was very close to 50%, just as it is in Quebec.


Actually, in Quebec, with an above average income, it is much more than
50% when you add everything.
With a 60000$ gross income, you end up paying 40% in deductions (federal
tax, provincial tax, unemployment insurance etc.) If you earn more, it
is even worse because any income above 50000$ is taxed at over 50%.


But you don't pay $10,000/year in health insurance.

Not directly. Although my company contributes almost 2500$ for my
insurance and this is a taxable benefit. And of course, we do pay the
public heathcare system through our income taxes. Considering what me
and my wife pay in taxes and that we still have to rely on contacts to
get decent service, I'm not sure that it wouldn't be cheaper to pay less
taxes and paying our own insurance.

Ray Fischer wrote:

William Graham wrote:

"Robert C." wrote in message

"William Graham" wrote in message

"Thomas T. Veldhouse" wrote in message


Just so you know, Quebec actually DOES have the highest taxes in North
America.

One VERY good reason not to live in Quebec.

Honestly though, how productive are your tax dollars? In the US, it
seems a large percentage of tax dollars are buying luxuries for the
beneficiaries of a very inefficient system.

Yes. - If you decide to leave Quebec to pay lower taxes, don't (I repeat
DON'T) move to California.....:^)


Why? What kind of system do they have?


Much the same as Quebec.....A ridiculously high tax system. After I paid
about 30% of my income in federal payroll taxes, I had to pay about 10% in
state payroll taxes. Then I had to pay 1-1/2 % of my homes appraised value
in property taxes every year. Then I had to pay several hundred dollars for
each of my vehicles in property taxes. (called yearly registration fees,
which is how they get around not franchising the head of the DMV as a tax
collector) And then, after all that, when I went to the store to spend what
little I had left over, I had to pay 8% sales taxes on that. - The total
bite was very close to 50%, just as it is in Quebec.


Wah, wah, wah.

Wars cost money.
Debt costs money.

Every year about 25% of your federal income tax does nothing but pay
interest in the national debt. Another $1000 went to kill people in
Iraq. Meanwhile republicans think that rich people should get money
tax-free while you pay more.

Which is not different from Canda where the PM's family operates a
company in Barbades which he declared a tax haven when he was the
minister of finance.

"Ray Fischer" wrote in message
...
Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:
Paul Bielec wrote:

Pretty much the same thing here. The taxes used to be justified by free
social services, education and healthcare.
But the services are just getting worse and worse...

It seems that the more socialist the system (i.e. the USSR), the faster
the decline. Better fasten your seat belt.

In fact the more capitalist systems treat their citizens worse.

Balderdash.

Obviously never visited the baulkland states or to cuba.

Paul Bielec wrote:
Ray Fischer wrote:
Paul Bielec wrote:

Actually, in Quebec, with an above average income, it is much more than
50% when you add everything.
With a 60000$ gross income, you end up paying 40% in deductions (federal
tax, provincial tax, unemployment insurance etc.) If you earn more, it
is even worse because any income above 50000$ is taxed at over 50%.

But you don't pay $10,000/year in health insurance.

Not directly. Although my company contributes almost 2500$ for my
insurance and this is a taxable benefit.

My company contributes $10,000/year for my insurance. For service like
is available in Canada I'd have to pay an additional $5,000 per year.

And of course, we do pay the
public heathcare system through our income taxes.

As do we.

Considering what me
and my wife pay in taxes and that we still have to rely on contacts to
get decent service, I'm not sure that it wouldn't be cheaper to pay less
taxes and paying our own insurance.

Canada spends less of health care than does the US, per capita, and
Canadians are healthier and live longer. But if you want fast service
you can always travel across the border and pay cash. Even minor
surgery will cost $5000 and up.

--
Ray Fischer

In rec.photo.equipment.35mm Paul Bielec wrote:
In Quebec, we do have the public healthcare system. And we do pay the
highest taxes in North America. If the service was good, it wouldn't be
a problem. But the service is crap. People are actually dying while on
waiting list for a surgery. The systems is so badly administrated that

And thats different from dying while trying to get enough money to go
and have teh surgery in precicely what way?

--
Sander

+++ Out of cheese error +++

ian lincoln wrote:
"Ray Fischer" wrote in message
...
Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:
Paul Bielec wrote:

Pretty much the same thing here. The taxes used to be justified by free
social services, education and healthcare.
But the services are just getting worse and worse...

It seems that the more socialist the system (i.e. the USSR), the faster
the decline. Better fasten your seat belt.

In fact the more capitalist systems treat their citizens worse.

Balderdash.

Obviously never visited the baulkland states or to cuba.

I've often wondered how Socialist States treat their people. I've heard
that Cubans, although poor, are well cared for. I'd like to visit Cuba
one day and photograph the nation; I've heard the vistas are like a
trip back in time. Time to "practicar mi espanol".

J.

Ray Fischer wrote:
Thomas T. Veldhouse wrote:
Paul Bielec wrote:

Pretty much the same thing here. The taxes used to be justified by free
social services, education and healthcare.
But the services are just getting worse and worse...

It seems that the more socialist the system (i.e. the USSR), the faster
the decline. Better fasten your seat belt.

In fact the more capitalist systems treat their citizens worse. In
the US we have limited health care, more poverty, and declining wages,
worse education, than in someplace like Canada, Britain, or France.

--
Ray Fischer


Limited healthcare? Not true. Don't believe me? Why do rich
Canadians and other foreigners come to America to be taken care of?

Even illegal aliens get free emergency room health services in America.

We have millions on taxpayer-supported welfare. And I don't mean just
the welfare payouts, but also subsidized housing, food allowances
(WIC), IRS payments TO poor people (if they fill out their tax forms
right), etc. And this is just the Federal outlays. The states have
their nanny programs too.

Oh, and don't forget government safety nets when a hurricane comes
through and you couldn't be bothered to have insurance.

Most poverty is caused, by the way, because people spend more than they
have, usually by choice, sometimes by necessity. But, then again, no
one is holding a gun to a poor person's head forcing them to have more
and more children, each of which require a minimum amount of money and
time to raise properly.

Even been to a bingo parlor? You'll see older people playing with
their social security money. And then these same people whine about
not having enough in their later years.

Even been to a convenience store? You'll see lots of poorer people
buying alcohol, cigarettes, and lottery tickets, while their children
sit dirty and unfed in a junky car.

Even been to the supermarket? You'll see welfare queens buying top
quality steaks and other good food with their food stamps, food that
working people can't usually afford. Then, watch them whip out a roll
of $20s or even $50s to pay for cigarettes and beer (because you can't
buy such things with food stamps).

Worse education? Well, you do have a point there. You can get the
best education in the world in a capitalist society if you work for it.
But, don't expect it to automatically happen in a government school.

Declining wages? In terms of inflation and buying power, in some
cases, true. Yet, America does this to ourselves by shopping at the
made-in-China distribution centers called Target and WalMart, instead
of the mom & pop stores. Unions demanding $30 per hour to a
newly-hired 18-year-old man on an assembly line doesn't help either,
especially when Indonesia is paying the equivalent worker $1 an hour.
The $29 difference more than compensates for the added freight cost to
ship to America.

Hmmm... Perhaps the problem with capitalist societies is the guilty
feelings it gives to liberals and weak-minded moderates who then feel
bad for those of more unfortunate circumstances. These politicians
then make stupid laws and give away things, destroying the American
work ethic and fostering laziness and apathy.

Just my humble opinion...but what do I know? I'm just a red-blooded
American who saves and invests money, goes without so that my family
doesn't have to, works for a living, eats healthily, and buys
American-made whenever possible. Foolish me.

And I do have a Nikon D70 which I like very much. And I paid for it
with my own hard-earned money, not by cashing a welfare check.