Axial MRI image of The Nashman's Brain. It's very rarely used.......
It was alleged that German Billionairess Johanna Quandt (BMW) once said of Michael Schumacher, who lives in Monaco for the tax breaks, "If you need to escape paying tax, you are not rich enough". The ultra-rich were obviously peeved at those small time millionaires who opt to live outside their country instead of contributing to the welfare state coffers.
I, on the other hand, live below minimum wage. But if I were in the same league as the Kampards, Albechts, or Bettencourts, I'd register my domicile in my beloved Las Islas Filipinas so that my tax money can be siphoned off by the traditional politicians and they can send their ill-bred kids to London or some diploma mill in the USA to 'study' and shop. The Philippines is also a welfare state but only for the welfare of politicians and their families.
Anyways, I need a new laptop soon and this has distracted the irritable geeky part of me for past few days. I initially wanted an Apple but was balked at their omission of a dedicated Video RAM (I need my hi-res porn!) and so I'm looking at Dell XPSes and Lenovo M60s. My main criteria though is that it has to be teeny weeny portable as I intend to write my thesis in some far flung African village or in South America to save on living expenses which I don't have the money for. I could also write it in Baguio but I'd be too distracted by many things.
I naively thought that the tax rates caused the variation in laptop prices from country to country. And so for a generous welfare state like the UK, even with my student discount, the final price would be significantly higher than if I bought one in the US (not a welfare state). I also looked at Hongkong (zero tax), Singapore (fine city-state), France (any excuse to go to Paris is good excuse), and Switzerland (improve skiing skills while there) prices and realised What-a-minute! the prices vary significantly even WITHOUT the tax levied! That is really strange because everything is assembled in China anyway. Surely the base prices should be the same!
Flying to New York is out of the question because the cheapest fare from London is £250 and that erases any cost benefit in buying the laptop stateside (and I could be shot in broad daylight.) I could go to Andorra, a tiny feudal state trapped in the middle ages sandwiched between France and Spain, that exists solely for the purpose of being a duty-free Dubai in the Sky (elevation 1000-2000m) but knowing how close it is to Barcelona, I'd probably waste my savings on San Miguel beer.
The cheapest option so far (including the cost of going there) remains good ol' Switzerland. I'd go to Zurich, do my hairstyle the right way, revert to my Ilocoslovakian accent, go to a bank and say "Naimbag nga aldaw, I'm a Marcos heir. Can I withdraw some money please...." I'd probably get enough money for the laptop AND a Jaeger LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon I watch.