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Learning Linux 2011
April 15th, 2011, 06:01 AM
I thought it was like Isle of Man (or another Isle?) but I recently saw a photo of the Thames river in London claiming to be the headquarters. Does anybody know the actual headquarters?

Also, is there a United States branch?

wojox
April 15th, 2011, 06:17 AM
You saw a photo of their headquarters in a river?

Learning Linux 2011
April 15th, 2011, 06:19 AM
It was a row of buildings overlooking the Thames.

Rubi1200
April 15th, 2011, 06:41 AM
According to Wikipedia, Canonical Ltd. is registered in the Isle of Man with their headquarters in the Millbank Tower in London (which overlooks the Thames River):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonical_Ltd

Paqman
April 15th, 2011, 07:24 AM
The Isle of Man thing is a tax dodge, the company is incorporated there but not actually located there. The islands off the UK (eg: Isle of Man, Channel Islands) often have weird legal and tax status that's exploited by companies.

Canonical's main office is Millbank Tower, but I believe they've got a lot of people working in the states and the far east. Millbank Tower was the same place that the students trashed in the riots recently.

Johnsie
April 15th, 2011, 10:20 AM
+1 for the tax dodge thing. Personally I think it's a disgusting practice considering they are actually based in London and should therefore should be paying full tax like the rest of us.

Grenage
April 15th, 2011, 10:25 AM
+1 for the tax dodge thing. Personally I think it's a disgusting practice considering they are actually based in London and should therefore should be paying full tax like the rest of us.

All of the big companies do it, and it's not quite as clear-cut as it might seem. To be blunt, closing the ability would lead to less UK business, and less tax money overall.

Paqman
April 15th, 2011, 10:29 AM
+1 for the tax dodge thing. Personally I think it's a disgusting practice considering they are actually based in London and should therefore should be paying full tax like the rest of us.

No company pays "full taxes", they all actively look to minimise their tax burden. You should too. Is putting your savings into an ISA instead of a regular saving account also "disgusting"?

cascade9
April 15th, 2011, 10:42 AM
Hey, its not just a tax dodge, theres a lot less corporate accountability in the isle of man (and other 'tax havens')

But its not just companies who bend the tax rules, or at least subvert them.

I still recall when one of the big businessmen here was (at least rumoured) to have paid the same amount of tax as someone getting a very normal wage. If one of us 'normal' people buy a painting, thats just a painting.....buy a really expensive painting and have a good accountant, then its an 'investment' and is a tax dodge.

IMO all tax dodges are unfair, but I dont have enough cash to pay for lobbyists so my opinion counts for nothing. Filthy lucre and how many palms you can grease. (like depeche mode sung, "everything counts in large amounts".)

If everybody paid a 'fair' amount of tax then the taxation level in general would be lower. But us plebs will just have to deal with unfair tax, or revolt. Lets face it, were are revolting anyway :lolflag:

grahammechanical
April 15th, 2011, 01:58 PM
I think that the big business man that cascade9 referred to made the comment himself. I think that he said that one of his cleaning staff paid more UK that than he did. He owns a major high street retail company. All the profit belongs to him but the company is in his wife name and she doe not live in the UK so he pays little UK tax.

Now, if only someone will lend me a few billion pounds, then I could buy a big company, use the profits to pay off the loan and then all the profits would be mine. Mine, you hear. Mine. (scary laugh)

Regards.

ikt
April 15th, 2011, 02:02 PM
Definitely in the UK, because if it was in the US it woudln't take 10 years for every page to load.

Grenage
April 15th, 2011, 02:13 PM
Definitely in the UK, because if it was in the US it woudln't take 10 years for every page to load.

But it would have pictures of guns, eagles, and lots of flags...

CraigPaleo
April 15th, 2011, 02:48 PM
But it would have pictures of guns, eagles, and lots of flags...

And a vegetarian complaining about an Eagle with a bullet wound to the wing. ;)

Grenage
April 15th, 2011, 02:54 PM
And a vegetarian complaining about an Eagle with a bullet wound to the wing. ;)

Lol, aye. :)

ELD
April 15th, 2011, 02:57 PM
And a vegetarian complaining about an Eagle with a bullet wound to the wing. ;)

You mean animal rights activists :P

CraigPaleo
April 15th, 2011, 03:15 PM
You mean animal rights activists :P

Animal rights activist, PETA member, tree hugger, vegetarian: They're all the same to me.

Grenage
April 15th, 2011, 03:21 PM
Animal rights activist, PETA member, tree hugger, vegetarian: They're all the same to me.

*weeps*

CraigPaleo
April 15th, 2011, 03:37 PM
*weeps*

Don't cry. I'm a bit of an environmentalist myself but I do eat animals. I was once a vegan and my health suffered. Now I eat a Paleolithic diet and all my stats have improved, from blood pressure to triglycerides.

forrestcupp
April 15th, 2011, 03:43 PM
And a vegetarian complaining about an Eagle with a bullet wound to the wing. ;)

Lol.

And a Native American with a feather in his hair looking at litter and crying. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R-FZsysQNw) :)

mips
April 15th, 2011, 03:44 PM
The Isle of Man thing is a tax dodge, the company is incorporated there but not actually located there. .

Canonical's main office is Millbank Tower (London) ...

This is 100% spot on.

CraigPaleo
April 15th, 2011, 03:47 PM
Lol.

And a Native American with a feather in his hair looking at litter and crying. :)

I remember that public service announcement! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R-FZsysQNw

forrestcupp
April 15th, 2011, 03:50 PM
I remember that public service announcement! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R-FZsysQNw

you ninja'd me before I edited the link in. :)

bodhi.zazen
April 15th, 2011, 04:08 PM
I think this thread has drifted sufficiently off topic ;)