You say tomato

[venta]

What a wonderful sentence:

"[The Supreme Court of the US] acknowledged the botanical reality of their fruithood, but ruled that in common understanding and usage, they are treated as vegetables and should be taxed as such."

(From an article about tomatoes, as read out by my boss this morning.)

In other news, I have betrayed the Marmite. I just had lemon curd on my toast.

Comments

[nalsa.livejournal.com]

This is a rerun of the whole Jaffa Cakes Are Not Biscuits thing, isn't it? I find it amazing that fruits and veg are taxed differently... "if it's sweet, it's a dessert, so it's a luxury item" is one potential next step.

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

Yay! The government can make fruit even more expensive than it is already!

[nalsa.livejournal.com]

Hehehehehehehe.

I wasn't being serious, but that was a very funny reply!

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

The sad bit is, the government will probably see this post and think 'what a good idea', and make it part of the next budget.

I don't have much faith in politicians.

[venta.livejournal.com]

I don't have much faith in politicians.

I'd be genuinely surprised if there was anyone here who would say they did have.

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

I did when I was little! But then I also remember being 11, and working out that I had three weeks to go in which I could kill Newt Gingrich before I turned 12, and would be legally liable for my crime. So the faith can't have lasted too long.

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

I have as much faith in politicians as in any other sector of society - possibly slightly more. Its just that when they screw up/do something corrupt, it matters more, and gets more publicity.

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

< takes break from civil service job to read venta's LJ >

< scrolls through comments >

Wow, what a fantastic idea!

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

Bloody government spies!

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

< runs off to tell MI5 about treasonous citizen >

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

Don't! Then the CIA will learn of my dastardly plans!

He knows too much. I may have to kill him.

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

Its LJ espionage! Coded information drops on random livejournals, using polls as ciphers... I sense great potential in this idea.

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

Grey marmoset? My mother drinks tea in the autumn.

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

Enemy agent!

< pulls out walther >

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

Double-crossing bastard! I'll tell Svetlana what you've done!

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

...Svetlana?

I'm terribly sorry, I seem to be in the wrong movie.

I'll get me coat.

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

And then he walked into my office, all coat and no trousers. I tossed my platinum blonde hair, provocatively pursed my fire engine red lips, and seductively crossed my legs on the desk.

(Husky purr.) Hello, aoldier. Of all the film noir detective stories in the world, you just had to walk into mine.

[cardinalsin.livejournal.com]

I sauntered in from the cold, ready for anything. The Russian probably wouldn't think to look for me this side of the tracks, but anything was possible.

Sorry to come unannounced, I got held up in another story. Genre confusion, y'know?

As my eyes adjusted to the gloom, I got an eyeful of blonde fireworks.

What a minute... Sam Spade is a dame?

[venta.livejournal.com]

Aye, I mentioned jaffa cakes when the tomatoes were talked about here.

And, since the decision about tomatoes was made in 1887, more of a pre-run :)

[wimble.livejournal.com]

There was a discussion about jaffa cakes on QI a week or so back.

Cakes are soft, and go hard when they're stale.
Biscuits are hard, and go soft when they're stale.

Apparently McVitites baked a really, really big Jaffa Cake, so it could be analysed.

The peculiarity is that cakes are not subject to VAT, and biscuits are. Because biscuits are a luxury, but cake's an essential!

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

Yet 'female sanitary products' (the last time I checked) are considered a luxury item, and carry VAT.

[venta.livejournal.com]

Actually, I don't think they are any more. I think sense kicked in a couple of years ago, though I might be wrong.

[stompyboots.livejournal.com]

That's good, because it was ridiculous when they were. Some things (soap, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.) I don't think should be classed as luxury, more as 'vital to ensure your fellow man isn't tortured by the horrible stink you're producing'.

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Did the price noticeably drop by... um... 17500/1175 percent? Because if not, it's not like it made much difference to the consumer other than the satisfaction of knowing that it's now the retailers rather than the government who is pocketing the additional cash.

[venta.livejournal.com]

I think you dropped these:
.
.

But anyway, actually, yes the price did fall, though I didn't calculate the exact percentage.
In fact, Tesco dropped the price in advance of the legislation, and had little signs up saying so.