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Lisa, we're going to have your parents arrested for not making you start a blog devoted to these things. Obviously your laziness is their responsibility!
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Obviously this thread topic is very subjective.
That said, locally, the city is considering a ban on outdoor smoking at restaurants and bars and such. Even as a non-smoker (formerly a smoker) I feel that this is a case of the government overstepping it's bounds. I personally think that each place should be able to have that ban if desired and so, cater more toward that demographic. The state has already banned smoking inside restaurants and bars, a move that I mostly agreed with.
Posts: 369 | Registered: Apr 2007
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At the cafe where I work, we used to include sales tax in the listed prices, which were all rounded to the nearest 5 cents. This made transactions quicker and easier, and we didn't really have to deal with pennies most of the time.
This was apparently all too simple for the WA state department of revenue, who is forcing us to list prices without sales tax, and tack it on at the register. Posts: 2907 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Pegasus: Obviously this thread topic is very subjective.
That said, locally, the city is considering a ban on outdoor smoking at restaurants and bars and such. Even as a non-smoker (formerly a smoker) I feel that this is a case of the government overstepping it's bounds. I personally think that each place should be able to have that ban if desired and so, cater more toward that demographic. The state has already banned smoking inside restaurants and bars, a move that I mostly agreed with.
Banning smoking OUTDOORS? I guess I don't think that it's beyond their authority, but I DO think that's stupid and unfair. I've done some reading on the concerns of environmentalists on how industrial outdoor patio heaters might be a significant source of energy drain and emissions in the coming years if we use them so much more to make up for banning smoking in buildings. But if a restaurant wants to have a smoke free building with a smoking outdoor patio, I have no problem with that. I'd like to see a mix of restaurants that have outdoor smoking/smoke free and indoor smoking/smoke free so there's always a place for everyone to go depending on whether or not they want to eat indoors or outdoors.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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A recent Games For Windows magazine article noted seven different state- "get tough on video game violence!" laws that have been (predictably) overturned, costing the taxpayers a combined total of around $1.7 million in legal fees.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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quote: But if a restaurant wants to have a smoke free building with a smoking outdoor patio, I have no problem with that.
what a restaurant wants is irrelevant. The government will tell you what's best for you. this is one of those things that really irritates me. I would rather see a restaurant choose to be smoke free rather than have it forced upon them. I love Aussie Cheese Fries from the Outback...I can imagine that they will be banned soon because of the high fat and high calorie content
Posts: 1918 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Pegasus: Obviously this thread topic is very subjective.
That said, locally, the city is considering a ban on outdoor smoking at restaurants and bars and such. Even as a non-smoker (formerly a smoker) I feel that this is a case of the government overstepping it's bounds. I personally think that each place should be able to have that ban if desired and so, cater more toward that demographic. The state has already banned smoking inside restaurants and bars, a move that I mostly agreed with.
Hey now, people have a right to breathe the air of their choice. Now that indoor air is taken care of, it's time to move to outdoor air. If people don't want to detect the odor of cigarette smoke as they walk by a restaurant patio, it's their right to insist upon it, and enact any necessary laws to enforce it.
After all, all the following are already laws: --If you haven't showered in two days, you can't stand within 20 feet of a bus stop --Offensive perfume is not permitted in open-air football stadiums --Don't even try ordering sauerkraut --Everyone must wear flatulence-containment devices in their underwear
Oh wait, I forgot, smells are generally not regulated beyond all reason.
I'm certain these people can't possibly think that an outdoor smoking ban will reduce health risks for non-smokers (after all, they must be familiar with the concept of hormesis). Nope, this is a tyranny of esthetics.
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Juxtapose: At the cafe where I work, we used to include sales tax in the listed prices, which were all rounded to the nearest 5 cents. This made transactions quicker and easier, and we didn't really have to deal with pennies most of the time.
This was apparently all too simple for the WA state department of revenue, who is forcing us to list prices without sales tax, and tack it on at the register.
Then just list the price pre-tax so that, when they pay at the register, they pay an even amount.
I used to do this whenever I had a really busy third shift at a hotel, had no access to the safe, and had long since run out of change. I'd just drop the price so that it would come out to even dollar amounts. It only took me a couple of minutes with a calculator, then I had the price for the rest of the evening.
I made a crapload of money for the hotel that way too, though I got strange looks from my boss the next day when he saw the rates I sold the rooms at.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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PC, that's pretty hard to do when people can order unpredictable combinations of several items. You can make the price of a slice of pie come out to $4.00, and the price of coffee $1.50, but put them together, add a side of guacamole (what?!) and the rounding is likely to be off at that point. When you calculate the combined tax post-sale, you don't have to worry about it. (Just pay the gov't X% of whatever you took in.)
Posts: 4287 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:This was apparently all too simple for the WA state department of revenue, who is forcing us to list prices without sales tax, and tack it on at the register. [Mad]
What in the...? What the heck was their objection?
Posts: 3295 | Registered: Jun 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Juxtapose: At the cafe where I work, we used to include sales tax in the listed prices, which were all rounded to the nearest 5 cents. This made transactions quicker and easier, and we didn't really have to deal with pennies most of the time.
This was apparently all too simple for the WA state department of revenue, who is forcing us to list prices without sales tax, and tack it on at the register.
If people see one price and have to pay a higher one, it will make them more reluctant to raise taxes in the future. This is a good thing.
Like wise, if they got rid of withholding and everyone had to pay their fantastically high tax bill in a lump sum on april 15th, people would stop bragging about how much they got back and would, instead, reach for the pitchforks and torches.
Posts: 7085 | Registered: Apr 2001
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quote:Then just list the price pre-tax so that, when they pay at the register, they pay an even amount.
The managers set the prices so that, in many cases, this is what happens for purchases of single items. As scifibum noted, though, because the sales tax is rounded, two items that may total for $2.00 each may add up to $4.01. In other cases the extremely thin margins on some items make this unfeasible.
quote:Like wise, if they got rid of withholding and everyone had to pay their fantastically high tax bill in a lump sum on april 15th, people would stop bragging about how much they got back...
quote:Originally posted by The Pixiest: Like wise, if they got rid of withholding and everyone had to pay their fantastically high tax bill in a lump sum on april 15th, people would stop bragging about how much they got back and would, instead, reach for the pitchforks and torches.
I'm with you. When I tell my coworkers how much I have to pay in taxes, they always look at me like I'm crazy. Then I have to explain to them that they paid comparable amounts, they just had that fact obscured.
Posts: 3580 | Registered: Aug 2005
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quote: But if a restaurant wants to have a smoke free building with a smoking outdoor patio, I have no problem with that.
what a restaurant wants is irrelevant. The government will tell you what's best for you. this is one of those things that really irritates me. I would rather see a restaurant choose to be smoke free rather than have it forced upon them. I love Aussie Cheese Fries from the Outback...I can imagine that they will be banned soon because of the high fat and high calorie content
As a side note, I LOVE those fries. Especially with their special ranch dressing to dip in, they are the pinnacle of delicious fryness.
I don't see it getting to the point where they ban food for their fat and calorie content.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote: I don't see it getting to the point where they ban food for their fat and calorie content.
Banning trans-fats was the first step. Knowing the government they wouldn't ban it but it is a matter of time before we get the fat food tax...
Posts: 1918 | Registered: Mar 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Dan_Frank: I'm with you. When I tell my coworkers how much I have to pay in taxes, they always look at me like I'm crazy. Then I have to explain to them that they paid comparable amounts, they just had that fact obscured.
Not that I don't believe you (I certainly do), but I never quite understood what leads to that sentiment. I mean, at least here you physically see how much is with-held on each paycheque and when you do your taxes, either by hand or by tax program, you also see how much you paid in the simple summary/assessment.
quote: I don't see it getting to the point where they ban food for their fat and calorie content.
Banning trans-fats was the first step. Knowing the government they wouldn't ban it but it is a matter of time before we get the fat food tax...
Amusing sidenote: It was several years ago and I don't think it ever got very far, but at one point there was a proposed law to put a "Fat Tax" not on food, but on videogames and dvds. The arguement was that these passive entertainments were keeping kids from playing outside and exercising.
I guess when some of those laws actually make it further than one person's desks and all good tasting unhealthy foods are banned, we'll just need to wait for Sylvester Stallone to save us from Wesley Snipes' bad dyejob and eat some ratburgers.
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