Posts by bmk
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Hard News: Drunk Town, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
I'm pretty sure the terms of every liquor license in Auckland say you’re not supposed to get your patrons in a state where they’re power-chucking all over the ceilings of public loos
I agree but isn't it hard for people in a quick encounter (like serving a drink, or seeing someone at a door) to actually tell if someone is intoxicated? If you know someone well, or have been with them throughout the evening - sure you can tell. But I think it would often be hard for bar staff/door people to tell if someone is really intoxicated.
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Up Front: Sex with Parrots, in reply to Lucy Stewart,
Blake is gender-ambiguous?
Isn't it? I have known both males and a female called Blake. Though admittedly the female one is Canadian. Wonder if it is a little like Blair, which in NZ seems to be a primarily male name whereas in the US at least it's gender-neutral.
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Legal Beagle: Shirking their responsibilities?, in reply to Islander,
An upper house is an abomination for the ANZ parliamentary system- we select candidates from just which group?
We could elect them at a General Election (similar to the US Senate System) vote. So you could have an Upper House made up of less politicians covering a broader area. And you could have your standard electorate vote, party vote plus a Senate (or whatever you wanna call it) vote. This Senate could be elected proportionally in which case you'd vote for a party rather than an individual. Or it could be done by voting for individuals, in which case my preferred electoral system would be STV (Single Transferable Vote).
Not necessarily saying I agree with an Upper House. Just suggesting that we could have a democratic Upper House (as Australia does).
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OnPoint: To Whom it May Concern, in reply to frank_db,
28 grams.don't rip yourself off
I always think it better to be on the generous side to customers :) Plus tobacco sells in 30gm pouches - so thought I would keep the comparison equal.
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OnPoint: To Whom it May Concern, in reply to tussock,
I think we don't get much home-grown tobacco because:
a. It tastes foul compared to the commercial stuff (in my experience anyway)
b. If you are going to the bother of growing something - why grow tobacco where 30 grams will sell for about up to $30 (assuming it will be discounted from shop prices) whereas alternatively you could grow pot and receive $250 - $350 per 30 grams.Growing your own tobacco only makes sense as a hobby.
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OnPoint: Student Loans are Loans (Duh.), in reply to BenWilson,
This is OK to a point, there is economy in specialization, but people can become overspecialized very, very easily. This carries a lot of problems with it. It is extremely risky, can leave those people with nothing if what they are specialized in loses value.
I always love the quote:
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
-Robert A. Heinlein
I can do some of the things on the list but would always like to learn more. And I think he makes a fundamental point that humans' great strength is being flexible, adaptable and multi-skilled.
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Hard News: Where do you get yours?, in reply to Dave Howell,
Jo Walton at Tor, however, is my goto blog for keepers.
Yep, she's great. I've just finished her extensive re-read blog on Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicles.
I also agree about finding it easier to read on a Kindle. I was, also, surprised to find this having been one of those ardent people who proclaimed that nothing would replace an actual physical book. Physical books still have a huge advantage for both photos and maps.
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Capture: Howling at the Moon, in reply to Russell Brown,
But he did copy other people's creative works and enrich himself from them.
Wasn't it more a case that he provided the means for other people to copy other people's creative work? Or did he actually do some of the copying himself?
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I think this policy could end up being a net revenue loser. As pointed out the only money they make from this policy is the savings on interest. However, it won't take too many people choosing to move overseas and make no payments at all to offset this.
I have recently graduated and am now working and paying a marginal rate of 60 something percent Tax + Child Support + Student Loan. I don't really object to any of this (certainly not the tax and child support) however raising my student loan repayments will make my budget go from having almost no spare money to having no spare money.
It makes moving to Australia far more tempting. And if I do move to Australia I will still pay my Child Support (as I feel this is a moral obligation) but would have no intention of repaying my student loan. I'd have no moral qualms about this as I feel the very fact that I have a student loan is the result of a great inter-generational theft put on my generation. Also if I were to move overseas the govt. would also be losing the tax I currently pay.
It wouldn't take too many people to do this and then this policy will actually cost the country more money than it would make.
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Hard News: Belief Media, in reply to Bart Janssen,
I think Jedi was counted as a non-response.
I wonder what my Discordian that I put down was treated. Next time I probably should put Atheist down as it is more honest - but I do like the idea of Discordianism. I just wouldn't want my response to simply be grouped in Other Religions.