Not everyone had a seven times Formula 1 champion living just down the road. My wife is even closer as his house is right opposite where she works. In the Swiss tradition though, we let Schumi lead his life and don’t bother him if we stumble over him when shopping on a Saturday morning.

The news that he is now confirmed to come out of retirement after three years and once again race in Formula 1 was a very big surprise. Us locals had envisaged Shumi enjoying his retirement here along with a few of his predecessors. However we all really wish him the best of luck on his return to the track and hope he wins another title or two.

Why? Because he pays tax here and that is just wonderful for our little community. Since Shumi retired, the flowers in our round-a-bouts just haven’t been as abundant and stunning as they were when he was earning mega-bucks. You need to understand that here in Switzerland our governments have for a long time offered, well, let’s say financial incentives for the rich and famous to relocate to Switzerland.

For the rich, this is a good deal financially as well as socially as us Swiss are well used to living around actors, tennis players, Formula 1 drivers, rock musicians and any other sort of rich or famous celebrity. We just leave them alone, and happily accept their tax to make our roads, schools, gardens, kindergartens and bus services so much better. This is on top of the fact that they help reduce our own individual taxes. Not a bad deal all ways round.

So, go, go, go Schumi! Win every race and bring all your loot back home.

Derek's Vandal Blog
www.derekhaines.ch
Derek on Twitter
Derek's Author Page

If you watch television news for too long, you would come to the conclusion that we live in a marvellous new global economy. Full of wondrous and simply magnificent borderless trade and opportunities for all. The internet also gives us this feeling of borderless communication, and above all. Shopping!

Don’t you just love wandering the virtual aisles of online stores and finding treasures beyond belief. Sports memorabilia from Tibet. Ice picks at a very cheap price from Morocco. Purified air in a sealed glass jar from Mexico City. Real kangaroo leather wallets from Mumbai. Spices and cooking utensils from Sydney. And of course there are book, books, books and CDs, and DVDs and of course Viagra. Couldn’t miss that in the list.

So, click, click, click and your order has been validated and you receive a friendly email with a reference number and a thank you for shopping at Charlie Wong’s Online Super-Mega Store. Great! Now just a short wait for my genuine imitation ivory multi-use toe nail clipper with free instructions. Maybe a little longer for my Famous Footballers of Tibet limited edition and autographed teak framed print. But I can wait.

Or then there is the mundane. Ordering my own books from my publisher.

For some crazy reason, the news bulletins didn’t really tell the whole story. Oh yes. You can send stuff all over the world and participate in the marvellous new shiny global economy. But no one has told the postman!

Every single damn time I participate in this free trade borderless global economy, the postman puts a stopper on my shopping fun.

It starts with a small notice in my letterbox. Either: 1) We need further information. 2) We need a copy of your original invoice. 3) These goods are subject to import duties. Please pay one squillion bucks to get your goods. 4) Goods from certain countries are subject to quarantine. This may cause a delay in deliver. 5) We were unable to deliver due to incomplete documentation. Please call at the Post Office between 7:55 and 8.00 tomorrow.

Now I could get upset with the postman, but it’s not his fault. It’s TAX!! Every country in the world still controls their little red lines on the map to ensure you pay the appropriate rate of sales tax, value added tax or just plain ugly tax. And the poor postman is the one who gets to do their dirty work.

Well, I’m off to the Post Office tomorrow between 7:55 and 8.00 to collect and PAY for my own books. Can’t wait to hear what hoops I’l have to go through for delivery of my Famous Footballers of Tibet limited edition and autographed teak framed print.

Derek's Vandal Blog
www.derekhaines.ch
Derek on Twitter
Derek's Author Page

Just spent the whole morning trying to complete all the forms necessary for the US Internal Revenue Service. This was a lot of time for someone who is not a US citizen. But apparently, as I want to sell my books and CDs on the net, I need to be registered with the IRS so I can avoid paying 30% withholding tax in the US on top of my tax obligations here in Switzerland.

I think the internet is a wonderful tool, but I am starting to wonder about it. As much as I love it, governments and agencies such as the IRS must think it is 'Wonderland'. All the information they can gather on people. Or in my case, they do not need to gather as I will have to send it to them with the cost of my own stamp.

So what really. With biometric passports, ip addresses, credit card details, tax declarations, ID cards etc, what harm can a bit more information about me do?

I might include hair and nail clipping samples in the envelope so my DNA can be recorded.

If that isn't ALREADY on record.

Derek's Vandal Blog
www.derekhaines.ch
Derek on Twitter
Derek's Facebook