Saturday, October 20, 2007

No Taxation without Representation!!!

I bought a flight to Barcelona so I can spend Thanksgiving with my friend Mike and his family. Because European airlines seem awesome, the flight cost £0.01 each way (about $0.02 round trip). Now the total cost of this flight was not £0.02. After taxes and whatnot, I paid £23.90 or 1195% of my purchase price. 1195 is not a number that should exist in percents. Technically, nothing above %100 should exist, especially in reference to taxes.

Until now, I'm not sure I understood the reasoning behind the American Revolution. It seemed to me that colonials had a powerful government protecting them, setting up roads, post offices, swimming pools, etc. and everyone got pissed off over a tea tax. Now that I know the tea was probably taxed 1195% I don't blame starting a war over it. On my trip to Barcelona, I think I'll take a note from my forefathers, dress up like a Native American, and throw the airplane into the sea. Overall, not a bad way to spend Thanksgiving.