Bad time to be a PC Enthusiast in Canada.

[TheConverter]

TL:DR

 

You guys should start by dumping all your food into the ocean and start again.

 

Food is the #1 killer in the world, how ironic

 

[Trik'Stari]

You guys should start by dumping all your food into the ocean and start again.

 

Food is the #1 killer in the world, how ironic

.....that seems like a terrible idea for a number of reasons.

[TheConverter]

.....that seems like a terrible idea for a number of reasons.

 

Compared to E.U. legislation laws for food  it's a joke.

[Trik'Stari]

Compared to E.U. legislation laws for food  it's a joke.

All I know is that our government pays farmers to NOT grow food.

 

No wonder world hunger is still a problem.

[Bob Jim]

$1106 with tax* Prices in the UK include tax.

Yeah, except sales tax in the U.S. is maximum 10% (California). In Canada I believe it is maximum 15%. In the UK, it is 20%.

[Bob Jim]

It's not much better in Australia either.

A GTX Titan X in America might cost $980 to $1000, but in Australia you're looking at $1400 for the cheapest deals.

Yeah I said the 'cheapest' deals, because the online computer store I use has it listed at $1599.

Although I should mention that Australians have a higher average income, so it's not all bad I guess.

$1599 AUD is $1145 USD. Remove 10% VAT you Aussies have, and it is $1000. There ya go. Higher income, same price. How nice for you. American taxes get added afterwards, and go up to 10% in California. Meanwhile in the UK, a Titan X costs ~£800(some ar like £790, others are like £820). £800 GBP is $1231 USD. Remove a 20% tax, and it equals $985 USD. So it is the same in all three countries, but it all boils down to tax. The UK gets taxed the most, therefore is the most expensive. And out of that tax we get a free healthcare system that is falling apart and will not last much longer I do not think, the Government is not providing it enough money.

[othertomperson]

currently, it depends on the condition or ailment. Some illnesses or injuries come with disability, which is free medical care, or almost free (although you can't work when on disability, or at the least have restricted hours depending on the condition).

 

Again, I admit American "healthcare" needs a revamp. Some parts of "obamacare" I do agree with. Such as requiring insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions. They also need to start requiring dental work to be covered by health insurance, you know....since poor dental hygiene can KILL YOU. How that isn't health related is beyond me (also not covered or addressed under "obamacare".).

 

As I said, healthcare has a number of issues. I don't agree fully with our "previous system" or the current one, and nor do I agree with completely socialized healthcare (because it drives up cost and taxes, almost infinitely if you have the same immigration beliefs as the "progressives" do in the US).

 

I often find myself falling somewhere between pure capitalism and pure socialism. I think we should have a capitalist society, but I also think that companies shouldn't be allowed to havev a 90%+ profit margin either. Nor should we allow patents, and we need to restrict copyrights. We also need to be more strict about welfare. I used to work at a liquor store, and I can tell you, people gladly sell their food stamps to other people for cash, and then buy booze.

 

If you're buying booze by trading welfare money for cash, you need to get a f**king job.

 

I can go deeper into our economy if you wish. In many ways. "damages" from piracy; regulations on interest, debt, and lending (or financial enslavement as it is more properly known). For example, I think any company that has the majority of its holdings, finances, or employees in other countries, should lose all of its patents and copyrights. PERMANENTLY. (exceptions allowed for non-physical internet based companies like LMG for example)

 

Lets see the lawyers get around that one eh? Also, MAJOR changes in what is allowed to be included in an end user license agreement. Plot-twist, they benefit the consumer over the corporation.

 

It actually wouldn't be as bad now that Obamacare is in place but I'm diabetic, so any insurance company would be having to pay for medication and hospital visits and treatment for the rest of my life. The number of times I heard middle class people who have paid into insurance their entire lives and then had those insurance companies weasel out of paying up when they needed them have left me highly sceptical of that system.

 

Your statement about "socialised healthcare" as you call it driving up costs as you put it is demonstrably false. The US has one of (if not the) most expensive healthcare systems in the world. The NHS and other similar tax-funded solutions pale in comparison. If I pay for other people's (and my own) continued health and survival through my income tax and VAT then I don't particularly mind. The state is quick enough to spend it on wars overseas, I'd rather it do some actual good for people.

 

It also makes economic sense. I have known American friends to be on welfare through disabilities that could be "fixed" by a routine operation that they couldn't afford. On what planet does it not make sense to just give them the operation and then enable them to find a job? It also reduces the amount of days off sick people take if they have easy access to a doctor and treatment -- this is a massive benefit to productivity and so the economy.

 

And your anecdote about the liquor store is extremely blinkered. Those people obviously have an alcohol problem if they are buying liquor instead of eating. Getting a job won't help with that (could they even get a job around an alcohol dependency?) Ranting about a minority of people who spend the money the state entitles them to in ways that you don't approve of doesn't help anything, again what they need is affordable access to healthcare to help them over their addiction.

[Trik'Stari]

It actually wouldn't be as bad now that Obamacare is in place but I'm diabetic, so any insurance company would be having to pay for medication and hospital visits and treatment for the rest of my life. The number of times I heard middle class people who have paid into insurance their entire lives and then had those insurance companies weasel out of paying up when they needed them have left me highly sceptical of that system.

 

Your statement about "socialised healthcare" as you call it driving up costs as you put it is demonstrably false. The US has one of (if not the) most expensive healthcare systems in the world. The NHS and other similar tax-funded solutions pale in comparison. If I pay for other people's (and my own) continued health and survival through my income tax and VAT then I don't particularly mind. The state is quick enough to spend it on wars overseas, I'd rather it do some actual good for people.

 

It also makes economic sense. I have known American friends to be on welfare through disabilities that could be "fixed" by a routine operation that they couldn't afford. On what planet does it not make sense to just give them the operation and then enable them to find a job? It also reduces the amount of days off sick people take if they have easy access to a doctor and treatment -- this is a massive benefit to productivity and so the economy.

 

And your anecdote about the liquor store is extremely blinkered. Those people obviously have an alcohol problem if they are buying liquor instead of eating. Getting a job won't help with that (could they even get a job around an alcohol dependency?) Ranting about a minority of people who spend the money the state entitles them to in ways that you don't approve of doesn't help anything, again what they need is affordable access to healthcare to help them over their addiction.

1. We actually do spend more on healthcare rather than pointless wars. Although I would like to see the pointless wars funding be moved over to scientific/medical research.

2. I agree that we would be better off giving the person an operation rather than just treating their symptoms, (but corporations make more off of treatments than cures. Which is why that happens)

3. Socialized healthcare drives up costs for everything, except healthcare. It also lowers average household income because everyone pays more taxes.

4. Ask anyone who actually works in Welfare, and they will tell you that fraud and abuse of the system are FAR more rampant and common than the politicians let on. My mom worked in the welfare department for about 10 years.

 

I just think that forcing everyone to pay for healthcare is a less adequate system. I would rather them pass regulations on how much profit can be made by the corporations who own and run hospitals, as well as preventing them from raising prices in response to said profit caps. One of possible advantages of "corporate personhood" is that you could single them out more easily, although it never actually happens because corporations use corporate personhood to buy off politicians with political "donations".

 

I just think that we could avoid making everyone pay for things, by being a bit more strict with the corporations making ridiculous amounts of money.

[Dabombinable]

You know what they say; the government is lizards 

Like in this movie trailer (there is also another one with Putin)?: 

[MahtXL]

Yeah, except sales tax in the U.S. is maximum 10% (California). In Canada I believe it is maximum 15%. In the UK, it is 20%.

13 percent unified tax with massive environment fees.

[MahtXL]

How don't I pay insurance when I'm 19... derp

 

I earn about 700€ a month, and keep about 150-200€ at the end of each month

You still dont pay as much as me

>Gas for car

>Gas for snowmobile

>Gas for motorcycle

>insurance for car

>insurance for snowmobile

>Trail permit for snowmobile

>500 dollar replacement clutch for snowmobile

>paying off the remaining debt for said snowmobile (1600)

>rent

>50 dollar phone bill

>50 dollar internet bill

im lucky if i have maybe 200 at the end of each month after tax with how little i work. and thats PER MONTH.

[Dabombinable]

You still dont pay as much as me

>Gas for car

>Gas for snowmobile

>Gas for motorcycle

>insurance for car

>insurance for snowmobile

>Trail permit for snowmobile

>500 dollar replacement clutch for snowmobile

>paying off the remaining debt for said snowmobile (1600)

>rent

>50 dollar phone bill

>50 dollar internet bill

im lucky if i have maybe 200 at the end of each month after tax with how little i work. and thats PER MONTH.

You could save on power by selling your rig and getting something that's a lot more efficient (though it would warm the room its in noticeably if my Xeon X5450 @ 4.2GHz with its 125W TDP is anything to go by).

[TheConverter]

You still dont pay as much as me

>Gas for car

>Gas for snowmobile

>Gas for motorcycle

>insurance for car

>insurance for snowmobile

>Trail permit for snowmobile

>500 dollar replacement clutch for snowmobile

>paying off the remaining debt for said snowmobile (1600)

>rent

>50 dollar phone bill

>50 dollar internet bill

im lucky if i have maybe 200 at the end of each month after tax with how little i work. and thats PER MONTH.

 

Owning a car is OPTIONAL. What the fuck do you need s snowmobile for even if you live in Canada. From what I've seen on Discovery it's very dangerous if you get stuck you get hypothermia within 1 hour. 

 

50 phone bill because you got scammed, that's 1200$ on a 24 months contract. You can get a S6 for 400$ second hand.

 

And I actually pay 65€ for my 200Mb/s connection, first months 30€ tho

[Dabombinable]

Owning a car is OPTIONAL. What the fuck do you need s snowmobile for even if you live in Canada. From what I've seen on Discovery it's very dangerous if you get stuck you get hypothermia within 1 hour. 

 

50 phone bill because you got scammed, that's 1200$ on a 24 months contract. You can get a S6 for 400$ second hand.

 

And I actually pay 65€ for my 200Mb/s connection, first months 30€ tho

The world doesn't revolve around you and your situation.

[Noxz]

One dollar was worth 6 kroners for a while ago and now it's at 8.3 kroners. Thats an increase on almost 40%.

 

Let's say I go and buy a 980 today for 5550 kroner. If our currency didnt decrease so much in value, then I could have bought the same video card for only 3975 kroner.

 

Canada pls.

[TheConverter]

The world doesn't revolve around you and your situation.

 

Because it's my fault that other countries don't have brains?

 

Canada is a democratic land.

[TheConverter]

One dollar was worth 6 kroners for a while ago and now it's at 8.3 kroners. Thats an increase on almost 40%.

 

Let's say I go and buy a 980 today for 5550 kroner. If our currency didnt decrease so much in value, then I could have bought the same video card for only 3975 kroner.

 

Canada pls.

 

It's because Norway doesn't want to join EU, the only other one being Switserland.

 

[othertomperson]

1. We actually do spend more on healthcare rather than pointless wars. Although I would like to see the pointless wars funding be moved over to scientific/medical research.

2. I agree that we would be better off giving the person an operation rather than just treating their symptoms, (but corporations make more off of treatments than cures. Which is why that happens)

3. Socialized healthcare drives up costs for everything, except healthcare. It also lowers average household income because everyone pays more taxes.

4. Ask anyone who actually works in Welfare, and they will tell you that fraud and abuse of the system are FAR more rampant and common than the politicians let on. My mom worked in the welfare department for about 10 years.

 

I just think that forcing everyone to pay for healthcare is a less adequate system. I would rather them pass regulations on how much profit can be made by the corporations who own and run hospitals, as well as preventing them from raising prices in response to said profit caps. One of possible advantages of "corporate personhood" is that you could single them out more easily, although it never actually happens because corporations use corporate personhood to buy off politicians with political "donations".

 

I just think that we could avoid making everyone pay for things, by being a bit more strict with the corporations making ridiculous amounts of money.

 

1. Well until Obama was president if you ranked the countries in order by Military Spending (excluding North Korea because any statistics relating to them is pure speculation because they make nothing public) then not only was the US at the top but their military spending was as much as the next ten countries combined. Obama has reduced military spending but the US is still very comfortably spending more on their military than the rest of the world. You guys could very comfortably afford free healthcare without raising taxes.

 

2. Treating symptoms would be a start. What was happening, at least before Obamacare, was those people were receiving no treatment at all, but were receiving welfare because either their health only enabled them to work part time or in cases not at all.

 

3. None of this is true. Look at wages in countries that have what you call socialised healthcare. Wages are much higher than in the US, average disposable income is much higher, standard of living is much higher. I would argue, actually, that the reason things such as GPUs are more expensive here has more to do with people earning so much more than people in the US than because of taxes. The US is this weird worst case scenario where people are the poorest in the developed world and healthcare is the most expensive in the developed world. The flip side of this is that if you are in the top 5% the fact that everything is so cheap on account of the other 95% being literally impoverished that your own wealth goes further than in other countries.

 

4. I don't know about the US but I can speak for the UK benefits system. A couple of years ago the media went crazy with this story about a family who were gaming the benefits system and eventually ended up being paid the same as someone working a job that paid £90000 per year. There was massive outrage and people demanding something be done about benefits cheats. I can tell you why nothing was done. Because there just aren't that many people doing this. You need to weigh up how much people are cheating the system out of, and how much it would cost to follow up, investigate and then sort through all of the bureaucracy. It's the same reason a lot of benefits such as Child Benefit was never means tested and was given out to every mother who had a child between certain ages. Because the system in place to audit and means test this would have cost more than just giving everyone the money.

 

Americans always use rhetoric like "forcing everyone to pay for healthcare" as if your continued existence post illness is some kind of tyranny. It's laughable. Tyrannical things we are forced to pay for include state surveillance (both physically through CCTV and digitally through GCHQ/NSA) and foreign wars that have more to do with international arms trade than national security, and even less to do with the safety of the citizenry as we are assured. Being "forced to pay" into a system that will save your arse if you unexpectedly fall ill is not a tyranny.

[Noxz]

It's because Norway doesn't want to join EU, the only other one being Switserland.

 

Nonono, we're doing just fine outside EU. We'll live great the next 20 years. After that it's all hell breaking loose when we're out of oil.

 

The norwegian kroner is so low due to the oil price beeing cut in half ( from 100+ usd to 40 usd ((for one oil drum?)150L+/-)). But now our hardware prices are more fair due to our high wages. But f*ck that. I want my cheap hardware back ^-^