h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It has been said that nothing in life is certain but death and taxes, but what other great truths do we know?


Haiku on Certainity

What truth may we know
that can never be false or wrong?
"In time everything ends"

That money will not buy happiness.

That love really DOES make life worth living.

Advertising is the third great certainty. Apart from the BBC is there anywhere it hasn't infiltrated?

Advertising's more of a deception than a truth, but I take the point!
You've sold it to me!

Wow...I should get a job in sales...!

It would be good fun at first, but after a while it would drive you mad! (whispers the voice of experience!)

Yikes, a sales job? There's a reason they don't have good reputations. I tried it once, and I just couldn't force myself to make people pay for things that they didn't need.

Same here. When I go home at night after a days work, I need to be able to be easy with my conscience.

I was kidding. I have to deal with a lot of sales reps and the part of me that doesn't roll my eyes and sigh when I spot them coming actually feels very sorry for them. Having to justify your job by how many people you've suckered into spending money every week is not for me!

I wasn't kidding! It's true. You have to convince someone that they need or require your product regardless of whether or not they actually do. After a time of this it saps the vitality out of your soul! This is one of the reasons why the sales industry in general has such a high turn over of staff!

And why most of the really good ones get paid exhorbitant amounts of money to stay. They get paid to sell their souls.

The wages of Faust!

Speaking from experience, taxes definitely are a greater truth than death, maybe a cure will be found for death, but taxes will always continue, if a cure for death is not found, then you can be sure that you will be taxed on being dead or alive.

Jane

So what do you do to pay your taxes, Jane? And perhaps more importantly, do you like doing it?

Hello Hoon

You are not a tax inspector are you???

Not of course that I have anything to hide you understand!!!! (only those millions stashed away under my mattress of course)

Hmmmm well I have a shop where I sell mainly ladies clothes, but have ventured into loud Hawain shirts for men now and a few other mens clothes, particularly as my shop is in front of the sea in puerto de la cruz in tenerife, a prime tourist spot, only trouble is the tourists these days don,t seem to spend much money!!! of course the tax office is not very sympathetic to my plight.

Jane

No I'm not a tax man. I work as a community warden in Coventry. We liase between the council, the social services and the local residents; advising them of the services available, reporting environmental issues and the like. I also work with "wayward" kids. The job can be challenging, but I love it!

I've often wondered if the English actually feel like they get what they pay for with their taxes...I know that I certainly don't on this side of the pond. I make just enough money that I'm not eligible for anything, but not enough to actually afford it on its own.

Or do most folks feel that way, regardless of where they are!

(And Jane, you're right...I'm sure that if death ever gets cheated, there will be a special longetivity tax)

Hi M, people over here are always complaining about the amount they are taxed, and the have a right to complain. Some of our levels of taxation are outrageous by the standards of other countries. A gallon of petrol here is now about £3.75, of which £2.00 is purely tax for the Government. But oh, it's late, better put the soap box away or I'll be on here ranting all night!