SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
A journalist sarcastically asked Philippe Martinez, the leader of a major labor union, whether the flood of donations was evidence of trickle-down economics. “Money doesn’t trickle down for everything,” Mr. Martinez answered, adding that the outburst of generosity from French billionaires only exposed the inequalities that divide the country.
Such gifts aren’t just a private matter; they cost the state, too. For one thing, and certainly in the eyes of some Yellow Vests, these philanthropists are offering only a small fraction of enormous fortunes they have amassed partly by avoiding taxes otherwise needed to fund basic public services. And since their proposed gifts are destined for France’s national heritage, the bulk of them could benefit from major tax exemptions — up to 90 percent if a proposed bill presented this week were to pass.
Notre-Dame’s Safety Planners Underestimated the Risk, With Devastating Results
Unlike at sensitive sites in the United States, the fire alarms in Notre-Dame did not notify fire dispatchers right away. Instead, a guard at the cathedral first had to climb a steep set of stairs to the attic — a trip Mr. Mouton said would take a “fit” person six minutes.
Only after a blaze was discovered could the fire department be notified and deployed. That means even a flawless response had a built-in delay of about 20 minutes — from the moment the alarm sounded until firefighters could arrive and climb to the attic with hundreds of pounds of hoses and equipment to begin battling a fire.
(Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Saturday April 20 2019, @06:55PM (5 children)
Money the rich give away to help restore damage to a major piece of the country's heritage from a disaster might not be taxed? I can see why this would rile politicians in France.
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Saturday April 20 2019, @07:48PM (4 children)
No, they are essentially getting free PR and paying nothing, or a small amount (10%), while the government loses tax revenue. So it's just the government paying for the bulk of the repairs.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 21 2019, @12:17AM
The government is going to take all kinds of tax money from the craftsmen and suppliers that are doing work paid for by the billionaires. It isn't a complete loss for the government.
(Score: 1) by Sulla on Sunday April 21 2019, @04:41AM (2 children)
https://news.bloombergtax.com/daily-tax-report-international/france-to-provide-tax-incentives-to-increase-notre-dame-donations [bloombergtax.com]
Now I know
>2019
>trusting billionaires
>seriously hope you don't do that
But I still found it interesting
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday April 21 2019, @05:05AM (1 child)
Maybe someone who knows what's going on there can pinpoint exactly when people started losing their shit over this. Mr. Pinault could have been proactive, foreseen the controversy, or made the announcement in reaction to criticism that was happening for at least two days.
President Macron was set to address the Yellow Vest protests and offer token reforms on the day the fire happened. Now the protesters are freshly pissed off due to the events of yesterday [npr.org]. It will be interesting to see if they gain or lose support due to roping the Notre Dame situation into their protests. And maybe they will burn a few other buildings down while they're at it.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1) by Sulla on Sunday April 21 2019, @06:48AM
Likely he is just saying he will not take the deduction in hopes they pass the law so he can quietly take it back when filing his taxes next year
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Saturday April 20 2019, @08:23PM
Very successfully. I'm a native New Yorker, born and raised. And one of the great things of New York is, we don't leave burned out churches and other things that are VERY DETRIMENTAL to Property Values. We go after those Slum Lords to tear them down and build something much nicer. Something Rudy Giuliani -- Former Mayor -- and Bill Bratton of NYPD came up with. Known as Broken Windows Fallacy. Guy is walking to the Stock Exchange, he passes these burned out buildings, he thinks he can get away with Securitys Fraud. Raze those buildings and maybe he starts to follow the Law. Very very smart idea that made our City so much greater. Much safer & much cleaner. And now Bill & Rudy are both working for me. Bill is in my D.H.P., my Department of Homeland Protection. While Rudy is doing my cyber security. And Rudy is also one of my personal Lawyers. They're both doing TERRIFIC work. Thanks guys!
And by the way, NYPD is still doing magnificent work. John Miller, beautiful man in their Anti Terrorist Office, just announced they caught a guy with cans of gasaline going into St. Patrick's Cathedral. He was on his way to Rome. Otherwise known as the Home of the Pope. And they arrested that guy. Can you imagine, Rome would have been burning, it would have looked like Pleasure, California. Very strong move by NYPD but you'll NEVER hear about it on Soylent News. Because Dumb & Biased Editors -- Marty B and others -- think with Penis -- not Brain. And they want to bone Beth Mole, they think if they "run" enough Beth Mole hit peices she'll open her legs for them. They don't care how many "people" get fooled. And take VERY SMALL children for dozens and dozens of Vaccines. Too many Vaccines at once -- Autism. Horrible crippling disease but, hey, Marty got laid. Or ALMOST got laid!!!!
(Score: 2, Informative) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday April 21 2019, @12:15AM (6 children)
See topic. These people have become utterly idolatrous to a building, a created thing. Who could possibly think they could cage God in a building? So we'll have billions for rebuilding it, while the poor suffer, exactly as Jesus told Christians NOT TO DO (e.g., Mt. 25).
I can't say I'm surprised. The exact opposite of surprised actually. Disappointed, angry, despairing, and suffering from yet another shot of Cassandra Syndrome, yes, but not surprised.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 21 2019, @04:44AM (1 child)
Regardless of the religious idolatry involved, Notre Dame is a beautiful structure. Your complaint comes across to me as "well it costs money to maintain the Parthenon, let's let it fall to ruin" or similar such nonsense.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 21 2019, @04:56AM
The nature of the cosmos is impermanence. Given enough time, everything changes. It is a tragedy that the fire happened, but it is only a building.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 21 2019, @12:25PM (3 children)
The spire took 200 years to complete and the building was a living cultural and historical monument. [theconversation.com] Both a catholic church and an icon of republican, secular liberty due to the significance of events played out within and around the walls. So no, people have not become "idolatrous to a building" -- the building became a symbolic icon of something much, much deeper.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday April 21 2019, @05:43PM (2 children)
What's your point? Sic transit gloria mundi, materfornicatio. God can't be contained in a building and neither can history. Leave the symbols to the symbol-minded.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Sunday April 21 2019, @08:41PM (1 child)
Did you perhaps mean materfornicator or maybe even materfornicatrix? Or is my Latin sadly out of date?
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Monday April 22 2019, @12:47AM
It's dog Latin, LOL. Along the lines of "fabricati diem, pvnc." I'm much better with (Koine) Greek than Latin; I find Latin to be dull, ugly, bureaucratic, and for all that also rather unexpressive. If anything, literal "motherfucker" would likely be "materfututor" or, if feeling especially nasty, "materpedicator."
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...