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Viewing entries posted in July 2011
excise – “a hateful tax…”
Excise is the tax administered by the Customs Department which levies alcohol products, tobacco and petrol. Excise taxes have a long history, having first been imposed under that name in England in the mid-17th Century. Samuel Johnson in his 1755 Dictionary of the English Language describes excise as “A hateful tax levied upon commodities and adjudged not by the common judges of property, but wretches hired by those to whom excise is paid.” An excellent description, although I am sure Customs Department staff do not see themselves as “wretches”.
my, how we've grown!
I can recall quite vividly my first experience of “serious” New Zealand wine. A sophisticated friend brought a bottle of Montana Pinotage to share with us over dinner way back in 1969. It was probably 1968 vintage. I was an inexperienced imbiber at the time but remember being surprised at how enjoyable this wine was, and how wonderfully it complemented the meal. That was a seminal wine experience for me – the moment the light went on for the first time.