US Government oddness/British same

[Martha]

Iggy (I think it was Iggy... apologies if it wasn't)

>  "Anything that's "prepared" by someone else (that is, actually 
> assembled
> > at the time of purchase... such as a burger, a pizza, or even a 
deli
> > sandwich) is considered to be a luxury item of sorts."

Tracy:

> Don't you just love government oddness?  When I used to work in 
rehab 
> I found it odd that Medicare wouldn't pay for a bathtub seat (for 
> someone who couldn't stand up in the tub/shower - for example, a 
> stroke victim or a person who'd just had a hip replacement) because 
> it was considered a "luxury item".  Apparently being clean is a 
> luxury!

Now Martha:

This reminds me of the laws on VAT (value added tax) in Britain. For 
those unfamiliar, this is a tax included in the price of items you 
buy in shops and so on - it's included in the price, and I presume 
that the business then pays the tax to the government. Anyway, 
certain things are exempt from VAT - milk, for example. (Someone 
correct me if I'm wrong on any of this, by the way - it's not exactly 
my field of expertise.) One of the things exempt from VAT is books, 
and magazines count as books (I know this from working in a bookshop 
and having to sort things into VAT and non-VAT heaps on the floor). 
So what this all boils down to is that VAT is charged on "feminine 
hygiene products" like Tampax and stuff because they are considered 
luxuries. And porno magazines are free from VAT because they count as 
books.

What's with that, huh?

I could well rant on about other such feministy type things, such as 
the laws on obscenity, but I fear I would bore you all, so I will 
instead congratulate all those involved on the wizard redneck thread, 
which I have been thoroughly enjoying. ;-)

~ Martha