Lateral with Tom Scott

100: Painting the shark

Sep 6, 2024
Join comedic minds Dan Schreiber, James Harkin, Anna Ptaszynski, and Andrew Hunter Murray as they dive into a whirlwind of quirky discussions. They hilariously dissect the absurdities of smiling during negotiations in the UK and the bizarre taxation of gingerbread men. The fun escalates with tales of dog-themed puzzles and whimsical fishing anecdotes involving sharks and even painting them to match cars. Their playful banter blends humor and strange trivia, illuminating a world where creativity and laughter collide.
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ANECDOTE

How No Such Thing As A Fish Started And What It Is

  • No Such Thing As A Fish is a weekly podcast where four ex-QI researchers each bring four favourite facts and research each other's picks.
  • Hosts James Harkin, Dan Schreiber, Anna Ptaszynski and Andrew Hunter Murray turned workplace fact-hunting into a 10-year live tour and weekly show.
INSIGHT

A Smile Turns Gingerbread Into A Taxable Luxury

  • UK VAT rules treat decorated gingerbread men as luxury items, so added chocolate icing (including a smile) attracts 20% VAT.
  • Plain gingerbread with only minimal dots for eyes is zero-rated, but any chocolate decoration converts it into a taxable chocolate biscuit.
ANECDOTE

Cheap Signage Turned Orange Into HernarO

  • A tapas bar in Málaga named Hernaro used a leftover capital O from the previous tenant Orange, so the final letter stayed uppercase.
  • The new owners reused the old signage rather than afford a new sign, creating the odd capitalised ending.
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