We have "enjoyed" a heat wave recently. Daily temperatures have been running about 37 or 38 celsius (that's right around 100 degrees F.) Riding on the back of a motorbike does not cool you off at that temperature. Some long time residents say that this is almost a record for Hanoi. It should not get this hot until late May.
This temperature in Thailand and Laos is normal - I was just there. And then I read of a friend who is serving in an African desert for a couple of weeks. The temperatures there are averaging 40 - 45 degrees. Heat is relative, isn't it? I remember days in a Canadian Spring when we all would comment on how warm it was when the temperature rose above 10 degrees!
Thinking of relative, how much tax should a person pay? That is a good question to ask in May, because people in Canada and the USA had to pay their taxes last month. I heard a story recently from a neighbouring country. Someone from the tax department called on expats who own a small business. They were told that they owed $3,000. USD (translating from the local currency.) They were startled and said "We can't afford to pay that much."
The tax department person thought for a moment and then replied: "Well then, how about $2,000. USD." The tax was paid and everyone went away happy! Wouldn't you like to deal with "relative" taxation rates like that?
That reminds me of why tax collectors were so despised in the days of Jesus. You remember that they were Jewish people collecting money for the occupying foreign power, Rome. But worse than that, everyone knew that Rome demanded the tax men collect what Rome wanted. Anything above that amount was what the Jewish tax man could keep. So the tax rate was as high as the Jewish tax man/entrepreneur felt he could get away with. Not a very popular way to make money.
This temperature in Thailand and Laos is normal - I was just there. And then I read of a friend who is serving in an African desert for a couple of weeks. The temperatures there are averaging 40 - 45 degrees. Heat is relative, isn't it? I remember days in a Canadian Spring when we all would comment on how warm it was when the temperature rose above 10 degrees!
Thinking of relative, how much tax should a person pay? That is a good question to ask in May, because people in Canada and the USA had to pay their taxes last month. I heard a story recently from a neighbouring country. Someone from the tax department called on expats who own a small business. They were told that they owed $3,000. USD (translating from the local currency.) They were startled and said "We can't afford to pay that much."
The tax department person thought for a moment and then replied: "Well then, how about $2,000. USD." The tax was paid and everyone went away happy! Wouldn't you like to deal with "relative" taxation rates like that?
That reminds me of why tax collectors were so despised in the days of Jesus. You remember that they were Jewish people collecting money for the occupying foreign power, Rome. But worse than that, everyone knew that Rome demanded the tax men collect what Rome wanted. Anything above that amount was what the Jewish tax man could keep. So the tax rate was as high as the Jewish tax man/entrepreneur felt he could get away with. Not a very popular way to make money.
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