australian plans for manditory internet censorship have thankfully been set back today as ISPs are refusing to participate
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7779547.stm
The government wants to filter all net traffic and block access to 10,000 sites deemed to hold illegal content.
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Saturday, 13 December 2008
football clubs in england have had their million-pound tax debts "cancelled out" by the government. and here's me paying 12 hours work worth of fines and getting court threats for misreading the date on a letter.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7741859.stm
By Paul Grant
The Donal MacIntyre Programme, BBC Radio 5 Live
Football finance graphic
The study involved 18 of the 42 clubs that have gone into administration
More than £28m of tax money owed by struggling football clubs in English divisions has been written off by HM Revenue and Customs, the BBC has found.
The debt was incurred by 18 clubs which have gone into administration with unpaid tax bills in recent seasons.
In one case, Leicester City settled just 10% of their £7m tax bill.
Under league rules, clubs pay football-related debts such as salaries and player transfers first, but HMRC believes this is unfair.
The Football League says it will consider stricter financial controls, including asking all clubs to provide it with more information about their accounts.
Since 2000, 42 professional clubs in the Football League and the lower divisions such as the Football Conference have gone into administration - some more than once. The BBC examined the tax debt in 18 cases.
Table: Football clubs in debt
In total, the 18 clubs owed approximately £31.7m to the taxman, but paid back only £3.5m - meaning the public purse lost out to the tune of more than £28m.
That figure would be higher if all the other clubs that have gone into administration had been included in the BBC study.
'Taxman not a priority'
When a football club goes into administration, the "football creditors rule" requires all football-related debts - to players, coaching staff and other clubs - to be paid first and normally in full.
HMRC is not deemed a preferential creditor and has to line up with other non-football creditors to share what is left in the pot. That means the taxman is typically paid 5-10% of what is actually owed.
Finance regulations set by the Football Association and the Football League means professional football clubs have a unique way of dealing with debts.
The debt to HMRC is often substantial because large player salaries mean big income tax and national insurance bills.
When Luton Town went into administration in 2007 it owed £2.5m to the taxman, but paid back just £275,000. Leicester City owed £7m but paid £700,000, and Ipswich Town had unpaid tax debts of £5m in 2003, but reached a settlement of £391,000.
Leeds United went into administration in 2007 owing nearly £7m to the taxman. The Revenue and other creditors were initially offered just a penny in the pound - in contrast to former players, who were paid hundreds of thousands of pounds each to honour their contracts.
HMRC challenged the offer, but are still likely to get only 10p in the pound - meaning it will have to write off more than £6m of public money.
Rule changes needed
Phil Willis, the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and a strong critic of the Leeds deal, says clubs should not be allowed to write off such huge tax debts.
He said: "It is quite ludicrous that the taxpayer has to pick up the tab for what are often poor business dealings.
"We should get rid of the football creditors rule and all creditors should get an equal share of the money, as happens when other businesses go into administration."
The Football League say the football creditors rule is necessary to prevent clubs gaining an unfair advantage over their rivals by not paying for player transfers.
However, it is now looking at ways of preventing clubs running up huge tax debts in the first place.
Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney said the league was considering a plan for clubs to provide more financial information.
"Trying to ensure debt to the Revenue is manageable is clearly an issue... and we are looking at regulations which will try to prevent clubs getting into this situation. Prevention is better than cure," he said.
HMRC now routinely opposes any deals offered by football clubs in administration - a move seen by many within football as one designed to put pressure on the FA and Football League to change its creditors rule.
HMRC is so opposed to the rule that, when the new owners of Luton Town Football Club offered to pay a £2.5m tax debt in full in order to come out of administration, the Revenue refused.
'50-60 clubs in arrears'
Luton Town managing director Gary Sweet told the BBC: "It's politics, it's the Treasury versus football. If we were another business I think the deal we were talking about with HMRC would have been accepted."
HMRC told the BBC: "Football clubs and other employers are well aware of their responsibility to pay over any tax and National Insurance deducted from their employees' pay-packets. "
Last week, a well-placed industry source with a detailed knowledge of the tax affairs of football clubs told the BBC there were 50 to 60 clubs in either the Football League or the Football Conference currently in arrears to HMRC.
He said his conservative estimate was that football's current unpaid tax bill was at least £50m.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7741859.stm
By Paul Grant
The Donal MacIntyre Programme, BBC Radio 5 Live
Football finance graphic
The study involved 18 of the 42 clubs that have gone into administration
More than £28m of tax money owed by struggling football clubs in English divisions has been written off by HM Revenue and Customs, the BBC has found.
The debt was incurred by 18 clubs which have gone into administration with unpaid tax bills in recent seasons.
In one case, Leicester City settled just 10% of their £7m tax bill.
Under league rules, clubs pay football-related debts such as salaries and player transfers first, but HMRC believes this is unfair.
The Football League says it will consider stricter financial controls, including asking all clubs to provide it with more information about their accounts.
Since 2000, 42 professional clubs in the Football League and the lower divisions such as the Football Conference have gone into administration - some more than once. The BBC examined the tax debt in 18 cases.
Table: Football clubs in debt
In total, the 18 clubs owed approximately £31.7m to the taxman, but paid back only £3.5m - meaning the public purse lost out to the tune of more than £28m.
That figure would be higher if all the other clubs that have gone into administration had been included in the BBC study.
'Taxman not a priority'
When a football club goes into administration, the "football creditors rule" requires all football-related debts - to players, coaching staff and other clubs - to be paid first and normally in full.
HMRC is not deemed a preferential creditor and has to line up with other non-football creditors to share what is left in the pot. That means the taxman is typically paid 5-10% of what is actually owed.
Finance regulations set by the Football Association and the Football League means professional football clubs have a unique way of dealing with debts.
The debt to HMRC is often substantial because large player salaries mean big income tax and national insurance bills.
When Luton Town went into administration in 2007 it owed £2.5m to the taxman, but paid back just £275,000. Leicester City owed £7m but paid £700,000, and Ipswich Town had unpaid tax debts of £5m in 2003, but reached a settlement of £391,000.
Leeds United went into administration in 2007 owing nearly £7m to the taxman. The Revenue and other creditors were initially offered just a penny in the pound - in contrast to former players, who were paid hundreds of thousands of pounds each to honour their contracts.
HMRC challenged the offer, but are still likely to get only 10p in the pound - meaning it will have to write off more than £6m of public money.
Rule changes needed
Phil Willis, the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and a strong critic of the Leeds deal, says clubs should not be allowed to write off such huge tax debts.
He said: "It is quite ludicrous that the taxpayer has to pick up the tab for what are often poor business dealings.
"We should get rid of the football creditors rule and all creditors should get an equal share of the money, as happens when other businesses go into administration."
The Football League say the football creditors rule is necessary to prevent clubs gaining an unfair advantage over their rivals by not paying for player transfers.
However, it is now looking at ways of preventing clubs running up huge tax debts in the first place.
Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney said the league was considering a plan for clubs to provide more financial information.
"Trying to ensure debt to the Revenue is manageable is clearly an issue... and we are looking at regulations which will try to prevent clubs getting into this situation. Prevention is better than cure," he said.
HMRC now routinely opposes any deals offered by football clubs in administration - a move seen by many within football as one designed to put pressure on the FA and Football League to change its creditors rule.
HMRC is so opposed to the rule that, when the new owners of Luton Town Football Club offered to pay a £2.5m tax debt in full in order to come out of administration, the Revenue refused.
'50-60 clubs in arrears'
Luton Town managing director Gary Sweet told the BBC: "It's politics, it's the Treasury versus football. If we were another business I think the deal we were talking about with HMRC would have been accepted."
HMRC told the BBC: "Football clubs and other employers are well aware of their responsibility to pay over any tax and National Insurance deducted from their employees' pay-packets. "
Last week, a well-placed industry source with a detailed knowledge of the tax affairs of football clubs told the BBC there were 50 to 60 clubs in either the Football League or the Football Conference currently in arrears to HMRC.
He said his conservative estimate was that football's current unpaid tax bill was at least £50m.
Friday, 12 December 2008
3rd recent dxm experience (5th in a year)
i wrote notes during it:
Dec 11, 2008; 01:35pm
started maybe 13:10
shakin bot, pouring a little into cup, repeat (slowly oc)
had 3 small pies about 5 hours ago, otherwise empty stomach
got mcchris, various radio stations, and various movies lined up and ready
went into the trip in a very very goood mood (even tho i was crying this mornin)
right now its 15:30 and im buzzin to stuff like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRePJxjtFhw&feature=channel_page
had about 250ml 7.5mg solution (quarter under 2 bots) will probably drink the rest
had the first bot quite quickly, went to the shop for cigs, 2nd bot im not rly paying attention to so its well spaced out .
elevated mood + dxm = pwn
this music makes me feel like JAMMIN
HAHAHA!!!!
15:40 i was jammin to some music with my internet friend brendan
decided to call my dealer for some weed
BAM as soon as i call my dealer i hit 3rd plateau
man fucking incredible , you suddenly "forget" reality
good bloody job im in such an elevated mood and brendan is here with me
i had about 1 minute of complete dire confusion but im fine and happy again now
mainly the problem was probably coz it happened (or i realised it) the moment i phoned my dealer
lol i hope hes not scared of me lolool
Dec 11, 2008; 03:47pm
brendan says its coz i was drinking it quickly, usually i drink very very slowly so it comes on at least a little more gradually than this
anyway im still feelin a 2nd plat buzz so better turn the music back on
hope i didnt scare my dealer too much lol
Dec 11, 2008; 03:52pm
WOW
usually i never wear headphones
but i am today and it took quite a bit to get used to them and force myself to be comfortable with them
now im listening to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg8LfoyDFUM&eurl=http://perisie2.blogspot.com/
the feeling of encloseness...that headphones give me...has gone, or at least has deminished very much
there is a feeling of open space
Dec 11, 2008; 03:54pm
im kinda tempted to try binaural beats right now but dont wanna induce a fit or anything so wont lolol XD
Dec 11, 2008; 04:16pm
i tried a game on iccup
started off feeling dreamy and smooth but became a litle anxious and intense, felt like quitting half way thru and shudda done probably since it was giving me bad vibes (had a choice to combat it
lost the form of my sentence
Dec 11, 2008; 04:25pm
thing are profound
the feeling is great
ron jenkees , i was diappointed with his album
but on dxm it Works
slight, v slight bitty anxiety here and there but thats ok
Dec 11, 2008; 04:27pm
feeling is magic
torn between worlds
Dec 11, 2008; 04:34pm
for the 3rd or 4th time ive remembered what i was gonna say:
the profoundness of that experience is a difference in sensation
wow
its like
this is a different reality
one where shit is good
profoundness of a different state of being
sensations
the film "Perfume" is about a young man whos sense of smell is incredibly strong and mesmerises him
sensory overload
within 10 minutes hes killed a girl by accident because of it
this music...is perfect for dxm...i wonder...if he is a fake...or...autistic...or...if he knows...
ronald jenkees
Dec 11, 2008; 04:39pm
wen to urinate, had the notion of how dangerous it would be if my mind locked my body accidently into thinking that it shouldnt urinate and go to sleep in this state and pollute my body
im not tired, breathing very heavily when stood up tho
Dec 11, 2008; 04:44pm
wtf
ron remixes the song from perfume?
edit: weird i think i thought or feel theres connection where there isnt, due to crossing over of brain signals
was very strong
Dec 11, 2008; 04:51pm
having second thoughts about watching Perfume now, since its a HORRIFICALLY dark film
Dec 11, 2008; 04:55pm
THIS IS INCREDIBLE
I CAN SEE THE "FUN" IN MUSIC
I CAN feel it
i can feel it
i can SEE...FEEL...the energy in music
this is amazing
Dec 11, 2008; 04:58pm
this is incredible
its liek pure energy streaming directly into me
from this song
OMG I HATED THIS SONG EARLIER???
omg
Dec 11, 2008; 05:00pm
i need to describe what the fuck im feeling
its more than just sensory overload coupled with confusion
Dec 11, 2008; 05:03pm
im completely out of breath lol just sitting here in silence panting with my head tingling like some massive elation but i cant place it
Dec 11, 2008; 05:05pm
earlier i was trying to say that i am able to detect the energy that comes from different pieces of music
i skip songs with bad energy and am overwhelmed by songs with good energy
Dec 11, 2008; 05:21pm
its hard to talk logically right now
i just said to brendan "its like he knows the secret" (ron (
i also said "its like being in another reality"
Dec 11, 2008; 05:22pm
its disturbing only because i am here alone heheh but this music....hes here with me.....
i messeged him on youtube twice
Dec 11, 2008; 05:37pm
having a "break" (lol what?) toko my headphones off will put on family guy
i wrote notes during it:
Dec 11, 2008; 01:35pm
started maybe 13:10
shakin bot, pouring a little into cup, repeat (slowly oc)
had 3 small pies about 5 hours ago, otherwise empty stomach
got mcchris, various radio stations, and various movies lined up and ready
went into the trip in a very very goood mood (even tho i was crying this mornin)
right now its 15:30 and im buzzin to stuff like this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRePJxjtFhw&feature=channel_page
had about 250ml 7.5mg solution (quarter under 2 bots) will probably drink the rest
had the first bot quite quickly, went to the shop for cigs, 2nd bot im not rly paying attention to so its well spaced out .
elevated mood + dxm = pwn
this music makes me feel like JAMMIN
HAHAHA!!!!
15:40 i was jammin to some music with my internet friend brendan
decided to call my dealer for some weed
BAM as soon as i call my dealer i hit 3rd plateau
man fucking incredible , you suddenly "forget" reality
good bloody job im in such an elevated mood and brendan is here with me
i had about 1 minute of complete dire confusion but im fine and happy again now
mainly the problem was probably coz it happened (or i realised it) the moment i phoned my dealer
lol i hope hes not scared of me lolool
Dec 11, 2008; 03:47pm
brendan says its coz i was drinking it quickly, usually i drink very very slowly so it comes on at least a little more gradually than this
anyway im still feelin a 2nd plat buzz so better turn the music back on
hope i didnt scare my dealer too much lol
Dec 11, 2008; 03:52pm
WOW
usually i never wear headphones
but i am today and it took quite a bit to get used to them and force myself to be comfortable with them
now im listening to this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg8LfoyDFUM&eurl=http://perisie2.blogspot.com/
the feeling of encloseness...that headphones give me...has gone, or at least has deminished very much
there is a feeling of open space
Dec 11, 2008; 03:54pm
im kinda tempted to try binaural beats right now but dont wanna induce a fit or anything so wont lolol XD
Dec 11, 2008; 04:16pm
i tried a game on iccup
started off feeling dreamy and smooth but became a litle anxious and intense, felt like quitting half way thru and shudda done probably since it was giving me bad vibes (had a choice to combat it
lost the form of my sentence
Dec 11, 2008; 04:25pm
thing are profound
the feeling is great
ron jenkees , i was diappointed with his album
but on dxm it Works
slight, v slight bitty anxiety here and there but thats ok
Dec 11, 2008; 04:27pm
feeling is magic
torn between worlds
Dec 11, 2008; 04:34pm
for the 3rd or 4th time ive remembered what i was gonna say:
the profoundness of that experience is a difference in sensation
wow
its like
this is a different reality
one where shit is good
profoundness of a different state of being
sensations
the film "Perfume" is about a young man whos sense of smell is incredibly strong and mesmerises him
sensory overload
within 10 minutes hes killed a girl by accident because of it
this music...is perfect for dxm...i wonder...if he is a fake...or...autistic...or...if he knows...
ronald jenkees
Dec 11, 2008; 04:39pm
wen to urinate, had the notion of how dangerous it would be if my mind locked my body accidently into thinking that it shouldnt urinate and go to sleep in this state and pollute my body
im not tired, breathing very heavily when stood up tho
Dec 11, 2008; 04:44pm
wtf
ron remixes the song from perfume?
edit: weird i think i thought or feel theres connection where there isnt, due to crossing over of brain signals
was very strong
Dec 11, 2008; 04:51pm
having second thoughts about watching Perfume now, since its a HORRIFICALLY dark film
Dec 11, 2008; 04:55pm
THIS IS INCREDIBLE
I CAN SEE THE "FUN" IN MUSIC
I CAN feel it
i can feel it
i can SEE...FEEL...the energy in music
this is amazing
Dec 11, 2008; 04:58pm
this is incredible
its liek pure energy streaming directly into me
from this song
OMG I HATED THIS SONG EARLIER???
omg
Dec 11, 2008; 05:00pm
i need to describe what the fuck im feeling
its more than just sensory overload coupled with confusion
Dec 11, 2008; 05:03pm
im completely out of breath lol just sitting here in silence panting with my head tingling like some massive elation but i cant place it
Dec 11, 2008; 05:05pm
earlier i was trying to say that i am able to detect the energy that comes from different pieces of music
i skip songs with bad energy and am overwhelmed by songs with good energy
Dec 11, 2008; 05:21pm
its hard to talk logically right now
i just said to brendan "its like he knows the secret" (ron (
i also said "its like being in another reality"
Dec 11, 2008; 05:22pm
its disturbing only because i am here alone heheh but this music....hes here with me.....
i messeged him on youtube twice
Dec 11, 2008; 05:37pm
having a "break" (lol what?) toko my headphones off will put on family guy
Sunday, 7 December 2008
Boys are stupid, throw rocks at them!
or, why we need to grow up and stop obsessing and reinforcing non-issues when there's plenty else in the world to be getting on with
Binaural beats
page sent me this link and i clicked to play the 2nd track. after a few seconds i had to turn it off because it weirded me out so much so abruptly.
it - the sensation produced by it - reminded me of DXM. i wasn't surprised to see this in the FAQ:
Binaural beats can be used to change the predominant brain wave frequency in a process called brain wave entrainment. It has been said that by changing the predominant brain wave frequency of the brain one may feel any number of effects including:
Change in consciousness
Detached Awareness
(Increased intuitive knowledge)
(Increased energy flow)
hah! i explained to page that it is probably just some interesting mind-fuck marketed to a particular audience, but apparently there is some less-than-superficial support for it:
When the perceived beat frequency corresponds to the delta, theta, alpha, beta, or gamma range of brainwave frequencies, the brainwaves entrain to or move towards the beat frequency.[16] For example, if a 315 Hz sine wave is played into the right ear and a 325 Hz one into the left ear, the brain is entrained towards the beat frequency (10 Hz, in the alpha range). Since alpha range is associated with relaxation, this has a relaxing effect or if in the beta range, more alertness." - wiki
what I'm not keen about is how these are just rough dumb labels. you could say "it makes your brain relax", but you could just as well say "it makes your brain spaz out which causes sensations of relaxation", or even more simply "it causes psychosis, possible brain damage which may or may not be permanent".
anyway, like DXM, it seems fun to fuck around with, but there are potential risks and i wouldn't advise over-exposure for someone so psychotically vulnerable as myself
you can download gigs of sorted binaural tracks from isohunt/thepiratebay with the keywords "i-doser" and "binaural". be careful you get mp3s and not raw files tho.
Ronald Jenkees
fun and awesome (thanks page)
check out his youtube profile for more
or, why we need to grow up and stop obsessing and reinforcing non-issues when there's plenty else in the world to be getting on with
Binaural beats
page sent me this link and i clicked to play the 2nd track. after a few seconds i had to turn it off because it weirded me out so much so abruptly.
it - the sensation produced by it - reminded me of DXM. i wasn't surprised to see this in the FAQ:
Binaural beats can be used to change the predominant brain wave frequency in a process called brain wave entrainment. It has been said that by changing the predominant brain wave frequency of the brain one may feel any number of effects including:
Change in consciousness
Detached Awareness
(Increased intuitive knowledge)
(Increased energy flow)
hah! i explained to page that it is probably just some interesting mind-fuck marketed to a particular audience, but apparently there is some less-than-superficial support for it:
When the perceived beat frequency corresponds to the delta, theta, alpha, beta, or gamma range of brainwave frequencies, the brainwaves entrain to or move towards the beat frequency.[16] For example, if a 315 Hz sine wave is played into the right ear and a 325 Hz one into the left ear, the brain is entrained towards the beat frequency (10 Hz, in the alpha range). Since alpha range is associated with relaxation, this has a relaxing effect or if in the beta range, more alertness." - wiki
what I'm not keen about is how these are just rough dumb labels. you could say "it makes your brain relax", but you could just as well say "it makes your brain spaz out which causes sensations of relaxation", or even more simply "it causes psychosis, possible brain damage which may or may not be permanent".
anyway, like DXM, it seems fun to fuck around with, but there are potential risks and i wouldn't advise over-exposure for someone so psychotically vulnerable as myself
you can download gigs of sorted binaural tracks from isohunt/thepiratebay with the keywords "i-doser" and "binaural". be careful you get mp3s and not raw files tho.
Ronald Jenkees
fun and awesome (thanks page)
check out his youtube profile for more
Friday, 5 December 2008
The Gods Must Be Crazy
beautiful fuckin movie. broadly about a tribesman who discovers the revolting modern world around him.
Threads
movie of a similar kinda style from the same period. this ones about the precedings, duration and aftermath of nuclear apocalypse in Britain.
beautiful fuckin movie. broadly about a tribesman who discovers the revolting modern world around him.
Threads
movie of a similar kinda style from the same period. this ones about the precedings, duration and aftermath of nuclear apocalypse in Britain.
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Auras (skepdic.com)
the best aura reader in the West was tested before a live television audience and failed miserably. The Berkeley Psychic Institute (BPI) sent their top aura reader for a chance to win $10,000 if she could prove her powers. She agreed that the devised test was a fair and accurate. The test was televised on a program hosted by Bill Bixby. James Randi put up the $10,000.
Synesthesia (wiki)
In one common form of synesthesia, letters or numbers are perceived as inherently colored, while in ordinal linguistic personification, numbers, days of the week and months of the year evoke personalities.
the best aura reader in the West was tested before a live television audience and failed miserably. The Berkeley Psychic Institute (BPI) sent their top aura reader for a chance to win $10,000 if she could prove her powers. She agreed that the devised test was a fair and accurate. The test was televised on a program hosted by Bill Bixby. James Randi put up the $10,000.
Synesthesia (wiki)
In one common form of synesthesia, letters or numbers are perceived as inherently colored, while in ordinal linguistic personification, numbers, days of the week and months of the year evoke personalities.
Wednesday, 3 December 2008
a) stayed up all night
b) paid council tax at last, nice lady being nice about it <3
c) saw jan, signed up to some shifts
d) saw polly, gave her light present lolz
e) got some healthy shopping (pasta salads, tinned fish, apples, NO bread!)
f) started tidying up the place
g) threw everything back off my bed for a nap :@
h) apparently dad managed to buy.............
b) paid council tax at last, nice lady being nice about it <3
c) saw jan, signed up to some shifts
d) saw polly, gave her light present lolz
e) got some healthy shopping (pasta salads, tinned fish, apples, NO bread!)
f) started tidying up the place
g) threw everything back off my bed for a nap :@
h) apparently dad managed to buy.............
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