cactoblasta

Reply to Do You Believe You Should Pay for Other's Retirement or Not? in Politics JoeUser Forums

How about a link to those figures, cacto, or are you still on a google-strike and pulling statements out of your ass for others to verify? Okay, there was exaggeration there on the deaths front. But a study in Sydney found 40% of in-patients at two local teaching hospitals are malnourished (source: Middleton MH et al Internal Medicine Journal 2001 vol 31 pp 455-461 - do you have access to that? there's an article on it from the ABC here (its where I ha

Reply to Solar Power has potential energy in Politics JoeUser Forums

The really major problem with solar power - above and beyond our ability to create efficient solar grids - is that it only works during the day. No city could ever be run off solar power for precisely that reason. We just don't have the battery technology to store excess mains power, and so neither solar nor wind is going to replace coal and nuclear power in the mid- to long-term.

Reply to Accidental Demon in Blogging JoeUser Forums

I just thought I should say I liked your story. I only just realised I didn't mention it. Maybe I'll read American Gods AND Good omens and compare the style. If you wouldn't recommend him Cacto...is there someone you would? I love to read. Gaiman wrote Good Omens with Terry Pratchett, who I would definitely recommend, but he's something of an acquired taste. His later books are lesss fantasy than the others but they're also not as fu

Reply to Do You Believe You Should Pay for Other's Retirement or Not? in Politics JoeUser Forums

I don't think that's a very realistic way to describe life in America, even for the impoverished. Most people have families who could care for them if the gov't weren't doing it for them, and there are vast charitable organizations there as well. Maybe. I've always been amazed at the number of people in first-world countries who die of hunger, malnutrition or easily treated diseases. The figures are often quite surprising. Anyway, I

Reply to Do You Believe You Should Pay for Other's Retirement or Not? in Politics JoeUser Forums

Well if we refuse to do the decent thing and put down those members of our society who are incapable or unwilling to look after themselves then we at least owe them a life worth living. Forcing them to scavenge from garbage bins for survival is rather harsh considering how much money the average person has to waste. It'll only breed discontent and more dangerous neighbourhoods.

Reply to Accidental Demon in Blogging JoeUser Forums

I don't like all of Neil Gaiman's stuff. Some of it is depressing and I hate depressing fiction. American Gods in particular. Some of his stories just seem to be horribly grey and lifeless with characters that are unlikable and flat. But then there's books like Anansi Boys or Good Omens, which are fantastic reads. I'm still not sure where I stand on Neil Gaiman. I don't think I'd recommend him as a writer per se though.

Reply to the truth about war in Politics JoeUser Forums

There's a problem with that Daniel. If God is on everyone's side, egging them on indiscriminately, then what does that say about God? Do you really want to worship a being whose idea of a good time is revelling in humans slaughtering each other? Frankly if that's the kind of deity watching over us then we've got real problems and mentioning it is really not as reassuring as you might think.

Reply to Do You Believe You Should Pay for Other's Retirement or Not? in Politics JoeUser Forums

I don't think anyone should owe me any money when I am 65 just because I wouldn't do without DVD's, fast food, or a car I shouldn't have bought. That's a good point. Old people don't need to be provided for anyway - what are they going to do about it if they're mistreated or forced to live on the streets? They're old - you'd barely even need a water cannon to break up a pensioner riot. Let them starve to death.

Reply to Comparisons : the fall of the Romans and Today's America in Philosophy JoeUser Forums

This is the decline of America, watch her slowly sink into obscurity just like the Romans did. Rome hasn't fallen into obscurity. If anything it's the most famous civilisation of all time. They were the foundation of so many of our myths about western civilisation and the source of the Renaissance that led to our current prosperity. If the US comes even close to having the same lasting impact as Rome it'll never fade into obscurity. '

Reply to I need fun creative ideas... FAST! in Misc JoeUser Forums

If there's no one under 18 just take them to the pub. A few coldies is a great way to say goodbye.

Reply to Is It Wrong To Advertise You're Straight on Gay Day? in Current Events JoeUser Forums

You are young and may not know that up until 40 some years ago, most everyone had a 'live and let live' attitude about homosexuality. Ah, you mean the 'live and let live' attitude that made it a crime in most parts of the world? The attitude which put gays in prison? I must agree - that was a most enlightened and fair time!

Reply to 10 Things We All Can Do - Global Warming in Blogging JoeUser Forums

many plans suggest aluminum foil, but I'm thinking seriously of cutting cans just because of the eco-"coolness" factor of it You may have rust problems with that around the point where you cut the cans. Maybe coat the ends in reflective paint? The glass might not be enough to protect your tin from moisture.

Reply to What's your heritage Joeusers? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Yup. I'm an American. I asked 'isn't that enough?' and discovered that for some, (like Sarah) it isn't. That's just too bad. It's interesting, that. If you believe science or religion we're all descended from the same group anyway, so why should we prejudice cultures older than 300 years over younger ones? I've got some Celtish blood, but I'm not about to announce that I'm part-Gaul. I'm Australian with some incredibly tenuous links to Ir

Reply to 10 Things We All Can Do - Global Warming in Blogging JoeUser Forums

There is a bit of heat released when pigments return to the ground state, but have you ever touched a tree that was producing detectable amounts of heat? *psh* The crap people come up with... Isn't that what makes jungles so hot? I've walked through a few and they've all been much hotter inside than out under the 30+ sun.

Reply to 10 Things We All Can Do - Global Warming in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Planting a tree isn't a particularly good way to increase CO2 conversion. You'd be better off turning your backyard into an algae-bloom plantation. Algae outproduces pretty much any tree.

Reply to For those dreaming of more gun control, check this in Politics JoeUser Forums

That has me wondering a bit as well. If that happened here, I would certainly look for an opening to rush the guy. I certainly wouldn't sit around and wait for death...I'd have to try something. Really? Are you certain? That would be a very unusual reaction. The whole reason these crimes can happen is because humans, like bees, aren't good at reacting to attacks that occur within 'the hive'. Outside and obvious aggressors? We're fine. But people wh

Reply to Privacy Policies in Blogging JoeUser Forums

You might be able to mitigate that by asking your child to have you as one of the designated contacts in case of an emergency. If I was injured or killed on university property the uni would have to contact my emergency number regardless of who it was. That's not the same for mental problems, but if you can't figure out your adult kid's state of mind then maybe you shouldn't know. I don't mean to be condescending or critical (from what I've read you seem like a great mum) but once someone bec

Reply to Privacy vs. Security vs. gun ownership rights in Politics JoeUser Forums

Such is what most judicial scholars would find in reading the constitution and the ammendments to same. Really? Okay then. I have always admired the ability of lawyers to think their way through a corkscrew in a whirlwind without touching the sides, so I guess this is just another aspect to respect. American constitutional law, I salute you! See you're saying that only the second amendment is a collective right

Reply to Privacy vs. Security vs. gun ownership rights in Politics JoeUser Forums

Please show me definitively where that is stated in the constitution or the bill of rights or any other ammendments to the constitution? Me thinks you are pickin' nits and placing emphasis where there is none, and/or ignoring emphasis that is there. Sure. Here's the second amendment, found after typing in "constitution right to bear arms", which takes all of two seconds (you must be really lazy!): A well regu

Reply to Privacy vs. Security vs. gun ownership rights in Politics JoeUser Forums

Most of your country's gun laws could be fixed just by enforcing the constitution. If you possess a firearm and you're not part of a well-organised militia, you're breaking the law. It's an easy solution - gun nuts get to keep their weapons and gun ownership will be more difficult. As for banning guns of course it's not going to stop the highly determined, but a locked house door isn't going to stop a highly determined thief either. Gun laws weed out the idiots - ie in Aust

Reply to Another Medical Mystery in Blogging JoeUser Forums

It's good you're getting an x-ray done. My little sister had a tumour in her leg whose first sign of existence was the fact she couldn't get out of bed one morning. It's the worst case scenario of course and the docs were able to fix it easily, but it's definitely good to be checking on that sort of thing.

Reply to Meet Mohamed Shoemaker... in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Awesome. I want to live in Cairo.

Reply to Finally Notified in Blogging JoeUser Forums

That's shit. You'll just have to make those 3 months count!

Reply to I really enjoy this aspect of Cairo! in Blogging JoeUser Forums

That was my favourite part of living in Indonesia. You could order practically anything any time of day or night and have it at your house in half-an-hour. It's like the ultimate concierge service only much, much cheaper.

Reply to Are you Smart enough for the 6th Grade? in Blogging JoeUser Forums

Well I should have got the maths one right as well. It doesn't bode well if a grown adult can't ace a Year 5 test without studying.