#tax comparison

[taxsysteminusa]

Payroll Tax vs Income Tax: A Comprehensive Comparison Guide

Uncover the critical differences between payroll tax and income tax in this detailed comparison. Payroll tax vs income tax explains how these taxes are calculated, who pays them, and their impact on both employees and employers. This guide simplifies complex tax concepts, helping you understand their roles in the U.S. tax system and how they affect your paycheck and business operations.

[dairisrls]

twice now in my life there have been catastrophically funny jokes about patho that only hit for a british audience. "town on gorkhon got window tax?" and "the polyhedron has re-opened as a wetherspoons" are shaking hands.

[oflightningandstars]

guy who likes Dimension 20: getting a lot of Dimension 20 vibes from this

[horizon-verizon]

What do you think of George referring to Aegon and Helaena as "King Aegon" and "Queen Helaena" and Rhaenyra by her name in the new (now deleted) blog?

(Webpage Link)

And I said this in the comments of this post, but repeating myself: he's writing in the mood and "perspective" of the KLers who resented Rhaenyra and loved Helaena for the "sweetness" they felt Rhaenyra no longer had. I also wrote another independent post abt what sort of love the smallfolk had for Helaena HERE, which is very important for anyone to read BEFORE reading this post bc I'm not going to repeat myself. You also should probably read THIS POST that goes into how the Shepherd characterizes Helaena vs Rhaenyra.

A) The Actual Comments I Wrote:

[*EDIT: 9/8/24*] Adding/correcting, I was describing the free indirect style:

This is a literary style that allows the narrator’s voice to share with us the words, thoughts or feelings of the characters, without telling us that this is what they are doing. This means that the character’s thoughts or words slip into the third-person narrative, subtly shifting the perspective from that of the narrator to that of the character. It’s almost as though the narrator is the character for a moment, but they’re not – they’re still the narrator. Importantly, the speech or thought is not attributed to the character (for example with a ‘she thought’ or ‘he imagined’), so the reader must pick up on clues in the text to understand that these are the thoughts of the character, not the narrator.

[*END OF EDIT*]

And in response to what GRRM said that started this whole debate after someone else asked:

B) Jaehaerys, Rego Draz, and the Taxes/Executions (for context and comparison b/t smallfolk's reactions to taxes and executions):

I don't deny that the smallfolk loved her and GRRM was being sympathetic for Helaena when he wrote that post.

I am saying that:

He was writing, in that post, sympathetically bc Helaena was so from the smallfolk and Rhaenyra was reviled both here and at large by the narrative bc she was simply the more active party while being female; Helaena never actually ruled, she was always a consort and her person was more the accessory of Aegon or as a representation of "goodness", esp when the Shepherd contrasts Helaena's "purity" to Rhaenyra's "whorish" "evil", which further encourages the peasants to riot as they are already rioting

the smallfolk's sort of love for Helanea was not the sort that comes from just appreciating the person as is but as a contrast to the person they came to despise. And from that phenomenon, the smallfolk revealed another interesting phenomenon of how the actual people, the subjects themselves, can switch between diff "definitions" of queenship. Not kingship, QUEENSHIP, precisely bc gender, ethnicity, etc. did/does affect how the public will see a ruler's actions' effects on them.

The Shepherd and Helaena v Rhaenyra ("Rhaenyra Overthrown"):

When Jaehaerys strung up Rego Draz's murderers (Rhaenyra strung up those she had executed), it was during a time of "peacetime"/no war even as it was also a time of widespread fatal illness; he had no outside enemies who could invade at the same time, bc his mother and stepfather took care of that in a sorta-similar situation when he himself was still underage ("The Long Reign-Jaehaerys and Alysanne-Policy, Progeny, and Pain"):

Rego Draz, like Celtigar but much smarter about it, still also put taxes on common KLers after he and Jaehaerys did on luxury items (nobles) out of necessity. But the smallfolk of KL still took issue with Rego and not Jaehaerys both bc of said taxes AND bc Rego was a Essosi foreigner.

So yes, Jaehaerys did have to deal with a dying and ill populace and used an actually consummate master of coin...but those taxes still angered smallfolk enough towards violence & rape & looting ("The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Policy, Progeny, and Pain"):

bc they were being taxed already through a gate tax BEFORE the Shivers came ("Birth, Death, and Betrayal Under Jaehaerys I"):

Were Rhaenyra's taxes very heavy, yes. Did she have much other option during a war where food was scarce and an invasion could happen at any moment AND the greens depleted the treasury she sought to quickly fill, no. Were there rumors PLUS the Shepherd's anti dragon, anti "bad" woman preachings incentivizing already resentful and starving people to riot against the woman ruling over them who they previously loved [evidence in the next section], yes. Did Jaehaerys really go through a similar situation, even with the Shivers being so terrible, no, bc he had more than Rego Draz, he had his own mother and stepfather basically pave the rulership-way for him before he came of age to become king for him and Rego to be able to implement the taxes as well as they did. The same Alyssa and Rogar who the KLers also took issue with for the taxes they made on them when they were trying to rebuild the Dragonpit ("A Surfeit of Rulers"):

Yes, Jaehaerys-Rego fixed this situation & learned from it--once again, neither ALyssa-Rogar-Edwell nor Jaehaerys-Rego had to contend with an ACTIVE war and a TOTALLY DEPLETED treasury nor the PREJUDICE AND HIGHER EXPECTATIONS against a female ruler. So....

C) Use of the Book to Show What I Mean abt GRRM's Use of the Smallfolk's Perspective and the Timeline/Transition of such b/t Before The Fall of King's Landing and After It

Before the Fall of King's Landing, & the taxes the KLers loved Rhaenyra as the "Realm's Delight" and such a moniker in the book connoted an image of pleasantness:

("Rhaenyra Triumphant")

("A Question of Succession")

("A Question of Succession")

("A Son for a Son")

("A Son for a Son")

Refer back to the very first pic/quote I give in this section. The moment Rhaenyra showed herself to be...not so "sweet" by the taxes during a time of fear of invasions/retaliations from the greens and their dragons, starvation, etc. bc...war (which she did bc the greens looted the royal treasury BEFORE she even landed & took KL but the smallfolk didn't know about that nor would they ever come to), and the previous image of her being charming, lovely, and innocently beautiful, innocently childlike transformed into her innate cruelty.

So yes, they resented Rhaenyra and many would not have wanted her as their Queen not just bc of taxes but bc the taxes were compounded by the...disillusionment(?) of that image/character of her through said taxation. thus the lack of "Queen" for Rhaenyra and "Queen" for Helaena and "Prince" for Maelor, both people who have no power, were very vulnerable to the actions of those around them, and nearly childlike or was an actual child whether in reality or in their imagination. At least under the greens--who Helaena is inevitably connected to--they weren't being taxed and Helaena has no real power herself to ever had affected the smallfolk's life so strongly.

This is what I think is being expressed through GRRM's writing in that particular blog post.

As for reactions to Aegon's coronation, we have Munkun saying the smallfolk were "most[ly] confused" by the announcement of Aegon's coronation and saying (some) Rhaenyra's name instead VS Munkun saying that there were many cheers when the actual coronation happened ("The Blacks and the Greens"):

[more-flotsam-and-jetsam]

[yinyuedijun]

so sorry if this is a stupid question but like... how do u age up characters, not like literally but like in a writing sence (cause ur suo fics were honestly amazing)

this isn't a stupid question at all, it's actually something I struggle a lot with LOL and I'm glad to hear that you liked how I handled it in my suo fics - thank you for reading 🥺!

here are the approaches I take to generally ageing people up:

think about their canon characterization - not just their traits and habits, but also their motivations/values and where their character arc is heading

think about what kind of path they'd be heading toward as an adulthood (in material, mundane terms - university, type of work, relationships, major life events, etc). sometimes the series will give you careers they're heading towards, but wherever that's not the case, I usually like to stick to very realistic career paths because it grounds them into a realistic kind of adult context that we would be able to relate to. if they're getting into some kind of exceptional career (like, for instance, yakuza membership lol, but even if I kept them in delinquent groups like shishitoren or roppo-ichiza), then I usually go out of my way to justify it.

now this is the tricky part - think about how the events of their adulthood would affect their motivations/values, traits, habits, and larger character arc. the motivations/values and character arc pieces are very important, because it basically defines the adult characterization. (that's why so much of the suo fic revolves around his master and the effect of losing him, and what it does to his values and character arc!)

I also like to think about how other, normal adults would perceive this new aged-up version of them - the typical salaryman, the typical convenience store worker, etc. I find it helps recontextualize the character away from the canon setting and toward a more realistic, adult context. this is mostly so I'm not viewing the character through rose coloured glasses as I'm writing them lol (eg, someone who may be charming to us because of our attachment to them in canon might in fact be a neurotic loser to the average well-adjusted adult).

sorry I yapped so much rip - hopefully this helps!!!!

[lelianaslefthand]

trying to figure out heights for oc's when my brain cant visualize them is so fun. like i dont know what 5'11 looks like but that sounds like a number lets do it

[hecatesbroom]

I just watched that s7 episode where Rose, Dorothy and Sophia will have to move out if Blanche doesn't make them co-owners of the house and oh.... oh my god. I knew Blanche's grand gesture would hit hard, but Dorothy's talk to Rose before then?? Giving her an excuse for why she has to say, only to shrug that off and softly tell her the truth ("we love you") and proceeding to tell the permit guy that they're family!! They love each other so much & they can't be separated!! Rose's face throughout the whole thing!! It's so much

[famousblueraincoatmp3]

people are going to be shocked when they join catholicism because of tumblr and then they find out most catholics are fucking insane

[bibleofficial]

legal weed comparisons netherlands to us:

- purchase limit (day): 5g vs 1oz

- available to purchase: bud/hash, brownies vs … name a noun ? 😭😭

- percentages: <25% vs >25%

- price 35€/3.5, 15€ fatty prerolls vs just buy it illegally so u don’t have to pay taxes on the same product 😭😭

overall i mean it runs standard to black market broadly for eu it’s just … legal-ish

[titles-for-tangents]

The “Tappan Zee Bridge” vs. the “Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.”

[horizon-verizon]

I honestly don't get why so many people from both sides got so worked up about Rhaenyra being unloved in KL. They hated her for taxes, while they continued to love Helaena, which is written right in the book: All the same, the rumor of Queen Helaena’s “murder” was soon on the lips of half King’s Landing. That it was so quickly believed shows how utterly the city had turned against their once-beloved queen. Rhaenyra was hated; Helaena had been loved.

(Webpage Link)

And if people don't believe anon, to repeat and screenshotted straight from GRRM's post VS the book:

Notice that "quick to believe" note GRRM uses?

It's said directly from the book...right before it also says she was "once-beloved"...("Rhaenyra Overthrown")

More evidence of her being beloved BEFORE the taxes & the taxes being the reason why they hated her ("Rhaenyra Triumphant"):

And why did she raise taxes? Because the greens depleted the treasury exactly to bring about this result & destabilize Rhaenyra's hold on the city ("Rhaenyra Triumphant"):

("The Sad, Short Reign of Aegon II")

And you can look to how I compare Rhaenyra v Jaehaerys I HERE. If we speak about the executions, again, it may not have been exactly smart, but neither was it exactly so unique of Rhaenyra for her to be singled out as a "terrible" ruler. It was a bad situation that had little other recourse other than taxes that nonetheless was used against Rhaenyra in-world by the Shepherd and the greens. Helaena was a device against her AS WELL AS just a gentler person than MOST of anyone, green or black, around her--which includes Alicent.

People just either have never read the books and want to still use what they don't know/contextlessness against those they are arguing against OR they know and again, removing context for their arguments. Or they forgot and are rushing to argue.

I go into more detail abt the progression and buildup of the smallfolk's hatred for Rhaenyra--caused by the treasury stealing-tax response--HERE.

[mintycents]

Top 5 Accidental Insurance Plans in 2025 to Protect You

Looking for the best accidental insurance plans in 2025? This guide compares top policies, benefits, and coverage to help you make an informed choice.

[goldgro]

Freedom! Mel Gibson Returns to Trim for Braveheart's 30th Anniversary - Thirty years after the epic battle scenes of

Braveheart first echoed across the fields of Meath, actor and director Mel Gibson is set to return to the historic town of Trim. He will be the guest of honour at a major festival celebrating the 30th anniversary of the film that forever linked the town with one of cinema's most iconic stories of rebellion.

The visit is part of the King John's Summer Prom Festival, scheduled to take place next month from August 8th to 10th. Fans will have a unique opportunity to meet the star, who will be signing posters on the morning of Saturday, August 9th, at the Trim Castle Hotel, with proceeds benefiting the Irish Equity Benevolent Fund.

A Festival of Cinematic Proportions

Gibson's return is the headline act of what is being billed as "the largest orchestral festival on the island of Ireland," featuring nearly 300 performers from Ireland and beyond. The King John's Summer Prom Festival is a weekend-long celebration of music and film, taking place under a fully seated Big Top on the Navan Road in Trim.

The weekend schedule includes:

Friday, August 8th: "Voyage: Ireland in Song," an orchestral journey featuring actor Patrick Bergin and vocalists Leah Barniville and Emmet Cahill.

Saturday, August 9th: A matinee concert, "Heroes and Legends," celebrating the music of great film composers, followed by a special 30th-anniversary outdoor screening of Braveheart in Trim, with original cast members in attendance.

Sunday, August 10th: A family-friendly "Orchestral Odyssey" in the afternoon, followed by a show-stopping finale tribute to Neil Diamond’s "Hot August Night" in the evening.

The Story of 'Braveheart' in Ireland

While the film tells a Scottish story, its production is a landmark moment in Irish film history. In 1994, after six weeks of shooting in Scotland, Mel Gibson moved the entire $53 million production to Ireland. This pivotal decision was influenced by two key factors.

First, a groundbreaking tax incentive scheme, introduced in 1993 under then-Minister for the Arts Michael D. Higgins, made Ireland an attractive international filming location. It was the first scheme of its kind in the world, and Irish investors raised £10 million towards the film's budget under its rules.

Second, an agreement was reached to make 1,500 members of the Irish defence forces available as extras for the film's large-scale battle scenes—a cost-effective measure that provided highly disciplined performers. Actor Alun Armstrong, who played the Earl of Mornay, commented, “These must be the best extras I’ve ever worked with, they should have an award for being extras. They’re just so self-disciplined.”

On set, Gibson himself was remembered for his camaraderie and immense work ethic, often eating with the crew in the canteen and working 18-hour days, six days a week, while directing, producing, and starring in the feature.

A Legacy That Built an Industry

Braveheart became a global phenomenon. It was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won five, including Best Picture and Best Director for Gibson. Its critical and commercial success was a massive endorsement for Ireland as a filming location, helping to convince later blockbuster productions like

Saving Private Ryan and King Arthur to shoot here. The film is credited with helping to "kick-start a stable growth in Ireland’s film industry that has seen it go from strength to strength since then."

This upcoming festival is more than just a celebration of a classic film; it’s a tribute to a pivotal moment that helped shape an entire industry.

For tickets and more information on the King John's Summer Prom Festival, visit kjsummerprom.ie.

[asestimationsconsultants]

How Much Do Quantity Takeoff Services Cost?

Understanding the cost of quantity takeoff services is essential for accurate budgeting and project planning in construction. Quantity takeoff provides a detailed measurement of materials and labor required for a project, serving as the foundation for cost estimation and procurement. However, pricing for these services varies based on several important factors, including project scope, complexity, and location.

Factors Affecting Quantity Takeoff Service Costs

Several key elements influence the price of quantity takeoff services:

Project Size and Complexity: Small residential renovations usually require less time and effort, resulting in lower costs. Larger commercial or industrial projects with multiple trades and systems require more detailed analysis and higher fees.

Scope of Takeoff: Basic material quantity measurements cost less than comprehensive takeoffs that include labor, equipment, and multi-trade coordination.

Quality and Availability of Documents: Well-prepared, clear blueprints and specifications speed up the takeoff process, reducing costs. Poorly detailed or outdated documents require extra time and possibly site visits.

Geographic Location: Costs tend to be higher in metropolitan areas due to labor rates and business expenses compared to regional locations.

Delivery Timeframe: Rush orders or fast-track projects may incur premium pricing for expedited delivery.

Pricing Models for Quantity Takeoff Services

Quantity takeoff services typically use one of the following pricing structures:

Flat Fee: A fixed price based on project size or complexity. This is common for standard projects with defined scopes.

Hourly Rate: Charged based on the time spent completing the takeoff. This method suits projects with variable or uncertain scope.

Per Square Foot: A rate calculated according to the project’s total square footage, often used for large commercial builds.

Some providers also offer bundled packages that include quantity takeoff along with cost estimating or value engineering, which may provide better value but come at a higher upfront cost.

In-House vs. Outsourced Quantity Takeoff Costs

Contractors with in-house estimating teams face initial expenses such as software licenses, staff salaries, and training. While this can be cost-effective for companies with steady project volumes, smaller firms often benefit from outsourcing to expert takeoff providers who bring efficiency and scalability without overhead.

How to Get the Best Value

To ensure fair pricing and quality service, request detailed quotes from multiple providers. Ask for transparency in deliverables, timelines, and any potential additional fees. Verify the provider’s experience with projects similar in size and type to yours.

FAQs

What influences the cost of quantity takeoff services? Project size, complexity, scope, document quality, location, and delivery urgency are primary factors.

Is outsourcing quantity takeoff more cost-effective than in-house? It depends on project frequency and company resources. Outsourcing offers flexibility; in-house can save money for high-volume firms.

Do quantity takeoff prices differ between residential and commercial projects? Yes, commercial projects usually require more detail and coordination, increasing costs.

How fast can I expect delivery of takeoff services? Small projects may be completed in 1–3 days, while complex jobs can take several weeks.

Are there hidden fees I should watch out for? Reliable providers disclose all costs upfront. Changes or revisions after the fact may add fees.

Conclusion

Quantity takeoff services are a vital investment in the construction process, providing the detailed data required to produce accurate cost estimates and project plans. Understanding the variables that affect pricing will help contractors and developers budget effectively and select the right provider. Whether opting for in-house or outsourced services, transparency and expertise remain key to maximizing value and ensuring project success.