Taxes

After finally getting a standard paycheck, I found my effective tax rate (without housing adjustments) right now is about 25%. After I start paying state/local taxes it will be 35%. Not too bad, could be worse. I should stop spending so much cash, I been spending for a year nonstop now.

It poses the question.. why do we desire "things" ? Some of us don't, but many of us do. I admit I look at shit like watches and clothes and feel like yeah I want some of that phat shit. Its shameful though to desire brand name goods. What is up w/ that. Is it media brainwashing?

In HK I compared prices of a few known articles to measure just how expensive things were compared to the USA and Japan. I noted.. Things are about 15-20% more in HK than the US. Tokyo is about 20-30% more than HK. So roughly, Tokyo is about 40-50% higher than the US for most goods.

I also learned that the duties are really high in Tokyo for inbound goods.. this roughly explains the 40-50% hike. Yep its almost all duty. I ordered some goods online and the duty was a whopping 39% of the "stated" cost of the product! Are you fricking kidding??? Yep, don't order online international shipment to tokyo. You will get raped.