Which should i buy? - Page 4

HansTWN · 04-28-2011, 09:58 PM

What Poppaea may not realize is that customs officials in many countries are always looking for opportunities to make some extra cash. And if you carry something shiny and new it usually warrants an invitation to the back room for further discussions, along the lines of "do you want to pay full tax and penalty (if you didn't declare it) or make a special contribution to my retirement fund?".

Just some advice in case one of you ever gets into that situation. Don't give in too easily, you have a powerful argument in your favor. Just the threat of saying "ok, I will pay the tax" usually gets the size of the required contribution way down, because if you pay the official tax the customs officer gets nothing.

Something like that, of course, is unthinkable in Germany. They don't even bother looking, unless you seem suspicious. German officialdom is quite a different breed. I remember how hard I laughed when a German friend of mine told me he walked into the tax office, started a verbal fight with his case handler and said "how dare you talk this way to your employer?". The taxman's face turned red with anger, but my friend actually got his additional refund approve in the end. But such an action must seem suicidal in many places.

stickybuns · 04-28-2011, 10:51 PM

I was shocked the first time I went through Swedish customs that no one gave me so much as a second glance. I just sort of waved my passport at the very bored looking government employee and walked on through!

With U.S. customs, honesty is generally the best policy as there's a tax free allowance of $800 per person. The only times I've known anyone to have things confiscated is when they didn't declare: one friend had some mangoes tossed (Agriculture agent said that she could have kept 'em as long as they were irradiated and bug free, but now she wasn't going to be given that option) and another friend got stuck with some mega fines for trying to bring in about ten brand new linen and/or wool suits from India (he tried claiming the actual price he spent on them, but Customs was not in the mood).

stickybuns · 04-28-2011, 11:02 PM

Um... it doesn't look like Souther has been back since posting. Hopefully s/he was able to find the necessary information.

HansTWN · 04-28-2011, 11:52 PM

Yes, US customs is about the toughest in the world. And, obviously, few tricks will work. Honesty definitely is the best policy there.

And one thing I found out that applies everywhere -- never look straight at a customs officer, that seems to be on everyone's list of suspicious behavior. You will be singled out every time, everywhere. Just walk past them, look straight ahead, and appear bored.

ProfCrash · 04-28-2011, 11:58 PM

Don't try and bring fruit or veggies into Australia and New Zealand. I had declared on my customs forms carrots and apples that I had not finished on the plane flight to Australia. The beagle they use to find hidden produce, I kid you not, sniffed them out. Everyone in the airport thought that I had drugs in my bag and laughed when I pulled out the carrots and apple. The Customs Agent asked to see my form and told me that I had better have declared the forbidden fruit on my form otherwise I would have to play a $250 fine. She was surprised, and a but disappointed, that I had declared them and didn't like my suggestion that they post signs telling you that you cannot bring fresh fruits and veggies into the country over the quarintine bins.

The beagle was really cute.

HansTWN · 04-29-2011, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

Don't try and bring fruit or veggies into Australia and New Zealand. I had declared on my customs forms carrots and apples that I had not finished on the plane flight to Australia. The beagle they use to find hidden produce, I kid you not, sniffed them out. Everyone in the airport thought that I had drugs in my bag and laughed when I pulled out the carrots and apple. The Customs Agent asked to see my form and told me that I had better have declared the forbidden fruit on my form otherwise I would have to play a $250 fine. She was surprised, and a but disappointed, that I had declared them and didn't like my suggestion that they post signs telling you that you cannot bring fresh fruits and veggies into the country over the quarintine bins.

The beagle was really cute.

In Hong Kong one of those beagles sought me out and sniffed at me enthusiastically. I thought, OMG, now they will go through my luggage with a fine tooth comb looking for drugs and I will be stuck for hours. Luckily the customs officer just asked me "do you have a dog at home?" and let me continue on my way. Apparently the dog did not give that special signal, whatever it is.

stickybuns · 04-29-2011, 01:21 AM

Ah, the agriculture beagles are cuties, aren't they? I'm not sure one of those dogs would have any idea what drugs are since they haven't been specifically trained to sniff them out (that task would be saved for dogs big enough to intimidate a drug smuggler).

I watched a documentary on law enforcement dogs a few years back... basically, the sniffer dog has, like, one toy. The dog loves his toy and his toy just so happens to be imbedded with a small amount of whatever he's being trained to sniff out. So, in the drug enforcement dog's head, things play out something like this:

Quote:

Hi! Um, you may not be aware of this, but you appear to have my favoritest toy in all the world inside of your suitcase.
Uh, why are you acting so shifty? Just give me my toy.... Hey, wait a minute! Did you take my toy on purpose?! Oh, that is so not cool. So not cool! I'm gonna have to start barking at you now. See what you made me do? Now, I'm bar--
You're running? Seriously?! You're running away from me? All you have to do is give me back my toy! But, noooo, you have to be a jerk about it. Well, now I'm going to have to bite you because, frankly, you kind of suck.

Souther · 05-11-2011, 03:11 PM

Thank you all for your help.
Just purchased Kindle (Wi-Fi, Latest Generation).

ProfCrash · 05-11-2011, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Souther

Thank you all for your help.
Just purchased Kindle (Wi-Fi, Latest Generation).

Enjoy!

jocampo · 05-11-2011, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Souther

Thank you all for your help.
Just purchased Kindle (Wi-Fi, Latest Generation).

Congrats!

Ironically, I am planning to sell mine ... to get another Kindle, of course! But 3G.

iverson · 05-14-2011, 05:12 AM

blackberry Playbook????

S Livingston · 05-18-2011, 08:16 PM

Go for the Kindle.

Ooops too late you already have - good choice.

04-28-2011, 09:58 PM	#46
HansTWN Wizard Posts: 4,538 Karma: 264065402 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Taiwan Device: HP Touchpad, Sony Duo 13, Lumia 920, Kobo Aura HD	What Poppaea may not realize is that customs officials in many countries are always looking for opportunities to make some extra cash. And if you carry something shiny and new it usually warrants an invitation to the back room for further discussions, along the lines of "do you want to pay full tax and penalty (if you didn't declare it) or make a special contribution to my retirement fund?". Just some advice in case one of you ever gets into that situation. Don't give in too easily, you have a powerful argument in your favor. Just the threat of saying "ok, I will pay the tax" usually gets the size of the required contribution way down, because if you pay the official tax the customs officer gets nothing. Something like that, of course, is unthinkable in Germany. They don't even bother looking, unless you seem suspicious. German officialdom is quite a different breed. I remember how hard I laughed when a German friend of mine told me he walked into the tax office, started a verbal fight with his case handler and said "how dare you talk this way to your employer?". The taxman's face turned red with anger, but my friend actually got his additional refund approve in the end. But such an action must seem suicidal in many places. Last edited by HansTWN; 04-28-2011 at 10:03 PM.

05-11-2011, 03:11 PM	#53
Souther Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: India Device: Kindle 3	Thank you all for your help. Just purchased Kindle (Wi-Fi, Latest Generation). Last edited by Souther; 05-11-2011 at 03:20 PM.

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04-28-2011, 10:51 PM	#47
stickybuns Evangelist Posts: 405 Karma: 479729 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Paperwhite 2	I was shocked the first time I went through Swedish customs that no one gave me so much as a second glance. I just sort of waved my passport at the very bored looking government employee and walked on through! With U.S. customs, honesty is generally the best policy as there's a tax free allowance of $800 per person. The only times I've known anyone to have things confiscated is when they didn't declare: one friend had some mangoes tossed (Agriculture agent said that she could have kept 'em as long as they were irradiated and bug free, but now she wasn't going to be given that option) and another friend got stuck with some mega fines for trying to bring in about ten brand new linen and/or wool suits from India (he tried claiming the actual price he spent on them, but Customs was not in the mood).

04-28-2011, 11:02 PM	#48
stickybuns Evangelist Posts: 405 Karma: 479729 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3, Kindle Paperwhite 2	Um... it doesn't look like Souther has been back since posting. Hopefully s/he was able to find the necessary information.

04-28-2011, 11:52 PM	#49
HansTWN Wizard Posts: 4,538 Karma: 264065402 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Taiwan Device: HP Touchpad, Sony Duo 13, Lumia 920, Kobo Aura HD	Yes, US customs is about the toughest in the world. And, obviously, few tricks will work. Honesty definitely is the best policy there. And one thing I found out that applies everywhere -- never look straight at a customs officer, that seems to be on everyone's list of suspicious behavior. You will be singled out every time, everywhere. Just walk past them, look straight ahead, and appear bored.

04-28-2011, 11:58 PM	#50
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Don't try and bring fruit or veggies into Australia and New Zealand. I had declared on my customs forms carrots and apples that I had not finished on the plane flight to Australia. The beagle they use to find hidden produce, I kid you not, sniffed them out. Everyone in the airport thought that I had drugs in my bag and laughed when I pulled out the carrots and apple. The Customs Agent asked to see my form and told me that I had better have declared the forbidden fruit on my form otherwise I would have to play a $250 fine. She was surprised, and a but disappointed, that I had declared them and didn't like my suggestion that they post signs telling you that you cannot bring fresh fruits and veggies into the country over the quarintine bins. The beagle was really cute.

05-14-2011, 05:12 AM	#56
iverson Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: none	blackberry Playbook????

05-18-2011, 08:16 PM	#57
S Livingston Connoisseur Posts: 94 Karma: 50416 Join Date: May 2011 Location: Scotland Device: Kindle	Go for the Kindle. Ooops too late you already have - good choice.