I read an interesting article the other day that breaks down the tax burdens of citizens in countries world wide. In other worlds, which nation taxes most and which the least. It is computed in the format of a "Misery Index", with the highest numbers meaning the citizens have the most tax misery and the lowest the least.
Look below at the Misery list for 2007. Hmmm Eight of the top ten most taxed countries are European. That is no surprise. Europe has extremely high taxation rates due to its socialist welfare programs. But look which country has the third most taxes. It's China!
.Yep! China ranks third among the world's most heavily taxed nations, according to the latest "Tax Misery Index" chart released by Forbes Magazine. Since the Misery Index reflects how much of your paycheck you will take home after the government takes its cut it means the available income for the average Chinese worker is much lower than I previously thought.. And China was second on the it last year.
The misery score is the sum of corporate income, personal income and wealth taxes plus employer social security, employee social security and VAT/sales taxes at the highest marginal rate in each locale. And the higher the index is, the more miserable it is. Despite the decrease in the index this year, China remains the most heavily taxed nation among Asian countries, the index showed. Ha! It shatters my illusions that the consumer in China is seeing more an more of his income to spend on non luxury items. Some other notables include Japan at number 15th most taxed, Canada 23rd, Britain 25th, Vietnam 32nd, Australia 33rd, South Korea 35th, India 42nd, Philippines 44th, United States 46th, Taiwan 49th, Russia 50th, and Qatar last (It has so much oil that it taxes foreign companies the citizens pay almost nothing in taxes).
Of course, taxation does not necessarily correlate to quality of life. No doubt one would probably more enjoy living in the highest taxed nation, France, than in the lowest, Qatar. Any comments about this?
Forget tax ratios...I think it may be time for all the men in the world to move to Brisbane, Australia. Why? Because a nude car wash offering an X-rated sideshow and topless cleaning there has been given the all-clear after police and officials said they were powerless to "scrub it" form the list of legal Canberra businesses.
The Bubbles n Babes car wash in Brisbane isn't as popular with all the residents though. It has prompted a flood of complaints from people who don't want a topless car wash in the city. But for men it seems like a bargain to pay for $45 for a nude car wash that also offers with X-rated lap-dance service for $82.
"If it was approved for a car wash then I can't imagine how we can stop them," Lord Mayor Campbell Newman told a council meeting with worried local lawmakers. I think the only thing that might stop Bubbles 'n' Babes are wives and girlfriends with rolling pins that they strategically place on their sweetie's "grills".
Professional car washes have boomed in most cities in drought stricken Australia. Most cities ban residents from washing their own cars due to tough water restrictions. Hmmmmm Lap dancing washers seems like a fair trade-off to me to. But this raunchy wash, set up by a strip-club owner, was screened from the public view and uses recycled water to avoid breaching water use restrictions. City officials said. "We don't want any traffic accidents caused by people looking at the girls instead of looking at the road."
Well, as they say "cleanliness is next to Godliness." I think a lot of men in Brisbane must feel blessed these days.