Reasons to be cheerful

[TheDemonLord]

Why Norway is so happy.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...llionaire.html
http://www.lifeinnorway.net/2013/03/...s-got-it-right
It is also one of the most socialist countries in the world.
There is a very small difference between the rich and the poor.
They have tax laws that make rich people and corporations pay a lot of tax on their profits.

The answer isn't any of those - it is Obviously because Norway invented Black metal:

[Ocean1]

New job is great. Still kinda adjusting a bit, but yeah. Happy. I did walk away from potentially quite a bit of money at the old one. but yeah nah.

Good result, there's not much point screwing yourself up for what amounts to fuck all real improvement in life quality.

[Ocean1]

Why Norway is so happy.

It is also one of the most socialist countries in the world.
There is a very small difference between the rich and the poor.
They have tax laws that make rich people and corporations pay a lot of tax on their profits.

They do tax those that work harder and longer more than most, but the reason they still have those high income taxpayers is they don't discriminate as much wrt spending. They spend hugely on free health, education and infrastructure that benefits everyone, not just the "poor".

You don't get the ridiculous situation we have here where the middle income majority is taxed so highly that they need subsidies to survive.

[husaberg]

They do tax those that work harder and longer more than most, but the reason they still have those high income taxpayers is they don't discriminate as much wrt spending. They spend hugely on free health, education and infrastructure that benefits everyone, not just the "poor".

You don't get the ridiculous situation we have here where the middle income majority is taxed so highly that they need subsidies to survive.

Careful that sounds almost socialist there comrade Ocean lol.
Yet it is still utopic...........
They tax the corporations and rich so highly, yet they still thrive.
They have a huge public service and public ownership of infrastructure and they are not bankrupt.
Should someone tell John Key?

[TheDemonLord]

Careful that sounds almost socialist there comrade Ocean lol.
Yet it is still utopic...........
They tax the corporations and rich so highly, yet they still thrive.
They have a huge public service and public ownership of infrastructure and they are not bankrupt.
Should someone tell John Key?

Just as an aside - the Norwegian system couldn't work here - because we don't have the Norwegian mind set

[husaberg]

Just as an aside - the Norwegian system couldn't work here - because we don't have the Norwegian mind set

Lack of the metal?

[mashman]

Lack of the metal?

Lack of mental judging by his response.

[TheDemonLord]

Lack of the metal?

Well, Lack of Black metal certainly - but there is a national culture in Norway that allows such policies to work - a culture that we simply don't have over here.

[husaberg]

Lack of mental judging by his response.

Whose?............

[mashman]

Whose?............

Duh, ours:

because we don't have the Norwegian mind set

[bogan]

That the people are taking space flight seriously and funding it themselves. Through bill-motherfucking-nye.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...ing-spacecraft

[husaberg]

Duh, ours:

I found this it turns out we can all be citizens of part of Norway, but pay less tax than the other parts, we can also exploit it natural resources.
This is really odd. I had never heard of it anyway.

Svalbard. People living on Svalbard (Spitsbergen) pay reduced taxes due to "Svalbardtraktaten".(New Zealand December 29, 1923 is a signatory)

Svalbard is part of Norway: Svalbard is completely controlled by and forms part of the Kingdom of Norway. However, Norway's power over Svalbard is restricted by the limitations listed below:
•Taxation: This allows taxes to be collected, but only enough to support Svalbard and the Svalbard government. This results in lower taxes than mainland Norway and the exclusion of any taxes on Svalbard supporting Norway directly. Also, Svalbard's revenues and expenses are separately budgeted from mainland Norway.
•Environmental conservation: Norway must respect and preserve the Svalbard environment.
•Non-discrimination: All citizens and all companies of every nation under the treaty are allowed to become residents and to have access to Svalbard including the right to fish, hunt or undertake any kind of maritime, industrial, mining or trade activity. The residents of Svalbard must follow Norwegian law though Norwegian authority cannot discriminate against or favor any residents of any given nationality.
http://www.nhm.uio.no/english/resear...min-res-1.html

Is it wong to rape and pillage Norway..lol

[TheDemonLord]

I found this it turns out we can all be citizens of part of Norway, but pay less tax than the other parts, we can also exploit it natural resources.
This is really odd. I had never heard of it anyway.

Svalbard. People living on Svalbard (Spitsbergen) pay reduced taxes due to "Svalbardtraktaten".(New Zealand December 29, 1923 is a signatory)

Svalbard is part of Norway: Svalbard is completely controlled by and forms part of the Kingdom of Norway. However, Norway's power over Svalbard is restricted by the limitations listed below:
•Taxation: This allows taxes to be collected, but only enough to support Svalbard and the Svalbard government. This results in lower taxes than mainland Norway and the exclusion of any taxes on Svalbard supporting Norway directly. Also, Svalbard's revenues and expenses are separately budgeted from mainland Norway.
•Environmental conservation: Norway must respect and preserve the Svalbard environment.
•Non-discrimination: All citizens and all companies of every nation under the treaty are allowed to become residents and to have access to Svalbard including the right to fish, hunt or undertake any kind of maritime, industrial, mining or trade activity. The residents of Svalbard must follow Norwegian law though Norwegian authority cannot discriminate against or favor any residents of any given nationality.
http://www.nhm.uio.no/english/resear...min-res-1.html

Is it wong to rape and pillage Norway..lol

Go to Svalbard
Listen to Black Metal
Be a Troll
Pay Less Tax
Win at Life.

[husaberg]

Go to Svalbard
Listen to Black Metal
Be a Troll
Pay Less Tax
Win at Life.

I was only half joking, I wonder what does reindeer taste like though.
Its also not as cold as a lot of other polar places.
Definitely seems like an interesting place though.
The Norwegians have been drilling for Gold if it is anything like the other areas it should have huge mineral reserves.
ps the troll was a bit harsh. I was only winding up Ocean in a nice way.

[Ocean1]

Careful that sounds almost socialist there comrade Ocean lol.
Yet it is still utopic...........
They tax the corporations and rich so highly, yet they still thrive.
They have a huge public service and public ownership of infrastructure and they are not bankrupt.
Should someone tell John Key?

I have no problem with public ownership of service providers and infrastructure that benefits the whole community.

Just with a toxic environment caused by a tax system that double-dips the "redistribution" machinery by not only taxing high earners stupidly more than low earners but then denies high earners access to those same services and assets.

The Scandinavians have it the right way around: community expectations of acceptable individual productive behaviour THEN share the results evenly. Without the productive behaviour there's not actually anything left to "share".