Video games such as " Grand Theft Auto " have age restrictions that apply to purchasers. The extreme classification is MA 15+. This is supposed to restrict purchasers to proving that they are over fifteen years of age, and they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at the time of purchase.
It is suggested that we need a new classification - R 18+ -to regulate violent video games, but this is being sabotaged by one state attorney general, and to be effective the law would need to apply to all Australian states.
Why bother ?
Does anyone really believe that the present laws restricting the sale of cigarettes and alcohol to those over the age of eighteen actually stop kids getting their hands on such contraband ?
Every now and then the law launches an enforcement blitz and for a few days an undercover kid tries to make purchases of forbidden items, leading to a few unfortunate sales assistants copping a fine - and then it is back to normal !
It should be apparent from the drug experience that prohibition of any desired item will fail !
Society has changed in recent decades. There simply is no point in passing laws that have no hope of being widely obeyed.
Sunday, 14 March 2010
Saturday, 13 March 2010
Land grab !
Under existing laws the New South Wales government can compulsorily acquire your home only if it stands in the way of an infrastructure project - such as a new freeway extension.
There are plans to extend this law to allow the government to acquire private property and sell the land to developers where it is deemed important to develop higher density housing close to transport or employment centres.
Planners warn that Sydney will probably have six million citizens in about thirty-five years and it is essential that the " vertical village " concept be assisted to house them.
Part of the plan suggests a compensation element to protect the owners of forcibly acquired property. Such property would need rezoning to permit tower blocks and the government is suggesting that the price paid for the land would be it's value - after rezoning - not as it was at the time of acquisition.
Sounds fair - but then let us look at this government's track record !
It seems that sales to developers of government land follows a familiar pattern. The developers all have a common attribute ! They are all generous givers of political donations to the Labor party.
That seems to follow a familiar adage !
Power corrupts - and ultimate power corrupts ultimately !
There are plans to extend this law to allow the government to acquire private property and sell the land to developers where it is deemed important to develop higher density housing close to transport or employment centres.
Planners warn that Sydney will probably have six million citizens in about thirty-five years and it is essential that the " vertical village " concept be assisted to house them.
Part of the plan suggests a compensation element to protect the owners of forcibly acquired property. Such property would need rezoning to permit tower blocks and the government is suggesting that the price paid for the land would be it's value - after rezoning - not as it was at the time of acquisition.
Sounds fair - but then let us look at this government's track record !
It seems that sales to developers of government land follows a familiar pattern. The developers all have a common attribute ! They are all generous givers of political donations to the Labor party.
That seems to follow a familiar adage !
Power corrupts - and ultimate power corrupts ultimately !
Friday, 12 March 2010
Short women.
The media frenzy over Lara Bingle's photo problems resulted in an interesting remark from a marketing agent. He commented that Bingle was unsuitable as a model - "because she was too short ! "
It is a fact of life that the models strutting the catwalk are all exceptionally skinny - and very tall. As a consequence, the garments they are displaying are designed to flatter tall women.
It is also a fact of life that garments designed to go with a wearer's height lose elegance when worn by a person lacking that attribute, hence the fashion industry consistently short changes a vast section of society.
Short women of similar height to Lara Bingle represent a huge segment of the Australian population, and even more so when the women of Asia and other nearby countries are taken into the tally.
It seems inconceivable that the huge garment industry and those that dictate fashion are so short sighted that they ignore this market segment and continue to churn out clothing only designed to be worn by women who are tall.
It would be expected that some enterprising fashion house would be offering showings featuring shorter models exclusively, presenting clothing specifically designed for the shorter figure in mind.
This simply does not happen !
How amazing that this huge market opportunity is going begging - completely ignored by the fashion industry.
And how amazing that the legion of shorter women are allowing that to happen !
It is a fact of life that the models strutting the catwalk are all exceptionally skinny - and very tall. As a consequence, the garments they are displaying are designed to flatter tall women.
It is also a fact of life that garments designed to go with a wearer's height lose elegance when worn by a person lacking that attribute, hence the fashion industry consistently short changes a vast section of society.
Short women of similar height to Lara Bingle represent a huge segment of the Australian population, and even more so when the women of Asia and other nearby countries are taken into the tally.
It seems inconceivable that the huge garment industry and those that dictate fashion are so short sighted that they ignore this market segment and continue to churn out clothing only designed to be worn by women who are tall.
It would be expected that some enterprising fashion house would be offering showings featuring shorter models exclusively, presenting clothing specifically designed for the shorter figure in mind.
This simply does not happen !
How amazing that this huge market opportunity is going begging - completely ignored by the fashion industry.
And how amazing that the legion of shorter women are allowing that to happen !
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Wind and wave.
A decade ago an exciting concept to generate electric power from the wind and wave action of the ocean resulted in a pilot plant being constructed for positioning at Port Kembla. Since then there has been a deathly silence !
The problem seems to be a matter of substance. The power of the ocean in storm mode is immense, and in comparison the pilot plant was tiny. Something that could withstand a normal ocean swell would be overwhelmed by the ever likely storm scenario.
Hopefully, the scientists involved have not given up on this promising idea. Not only could the movement of the ocean generate electricity, but the pressure applied would force salt water through membranes - similar to the process at the Kurnell plant - to deliver fresh water.
It seems that the benefits of both desalination and electricity production without the need of the use of fuel should warrant consideration of further research to further this idea.
Like wind and solar - the ocean power source is free !
The problem seems to be a matter of substance. The power of the ocean in storm mode is immense, and in comparison the pilot plant was tiny. Something that could withstand a normal ocean swell would be overwhelmed by the ever likely storm scenario.
Hopefully, the scientists involved have not given up on this promising idea. Not only could the movement of the ocean generate electricity, but the pressure applied would force salt water through membranes - similar to the process at the Kurnell plant - to deliver fresh water.
It seems that the benefits of both desalination and electricity production without the need of the use of fuel should warrant consideration of further research to further this idea.
Like wind and solar - the ocean power source is free !
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Computers - and schools !
The Digital Education Revolution ( DER ) plan to equip every year 9 student with his or her personal laptop computer was a bold step away from merely having computers in the classrooms.
Unfortunately the need for " control " that is at the heart of the education bureaucracy is restricting the use of these computers by imposing restrictions on downloads and barring the installation of additional software.
Each laptop comes with $5500 worth of Microsoft and Adobe software already installed. Additional software is blocked unless it is on a list approved by DER - and this prevents students researching subjects that may well lead to future employment goals.
The invention of computers and the world wide web opened research avenues not possible in the days of paper books. It brought freedom to roam into every area of knowledge - and surely that was the intention of putting computers into the hands of students.
These restrictions now divide our kids into two categories. Those who must rely on their DER supplied computer for all their needs - and those who live in a home with access to the family computer - which can go places that the DER model can not go.
Time for a re-think on those restrictions !
Unfortunately the need for " control " that is at the heart of the education bureaucracy is restricting the use of these computers by imposing restrictions on downloads and barring the installation of additional software.
Each laptop comes with $5500 worth of Microsoft and Adobe software already installed. Additional software is blocked unless it is on a list approved by DER - and this prevents students researching subjects that may well lead to future employment goals.
The invention of computers and the world wide web opened research avenues not possible in the days of paper books. It brought freedom to roam into every area of knowledge - and surely that was the intention of putting computers into the hands of students.
These restrictions now divide our kids into two categories. Those who must rely on their DER supplied computer for all their needs - and those who live in a home with access to the family computer - which can go places that the DER model can not go.
Time for a re-think on those restrictions !
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
Selective speed policing.
Before the end of this year a new method of policing speeding vehicles will be in place near Wollongong. Speed cameras will monitor a six kilometre stretch of the Princes Highway between the Picton Road turnoff and Gwynnville.
Cameras will snap the number plates of vehicles at the start and finish of that stretch of road - computers will calculate the time factor for it to be legally covered - and those in breach will get a fine in the mail.
There is just one small anomaly to this extension of speed policing. It will only be applied to trucks !
A good question to ask would be - why ?
We slow down when we spot a patrolling police car - and we generally agree that sticking to the speed limit is a safety issue - so why not use this form of policing to cover all the country's road network.
If we were aware that a multitude of cameras estimated the time taken from point to point and compared this with the legal speed for that journey - then speeding would lead to an inevitable fine and loss of driver points.
It would no longer be a matter of luck and the hope of avoiding any police speed check. The only way to avoid an automatic penalty for speeding - would be to obey the speed limit.
The fact that it would not be popular seems to be the only thing stopping the government from implementing a sure fire safety aspect to speeding !
Cameras will snap the number plates of vehicles at the start and finish of that stretch of road - computers will calculate the time factor for it to be legally covered - and those in breach will get a fine in the mail.
There is just one small anomaly to this extension of speed policing. It will only be applied to trucks !
A good question to ask would be - why ?
We slow down when we spot a patrolling police car - and we generally agree that sticking to the speed limit is a safety issue - so why not use this form of policing to cover all the country's road network.
If we were aware that a multitude of cameras estimated the time taken from point to point and compared this with the legal speed for that journey - then speeding would lead to an inevitable fine and loss of driver points.
It would no longer be a matter of luck and the hope of avoiding any police speed check. The only way to avoid an automatic penalty for speeding - would be to obey the speed limit.
The fact that it would not be popular seems to be the only thing stopping the government from implementing a sure fire safety aspect to speeding !
Monday, 8 March 2010
The GST question !
Australia must be the only country in the world to have kept the promise that the Goods and Services tax ( GST ) would remain at ten percent.
Now a question mark hovers over that promise !
There is no question that if we want a decent hospital system we will have to contribute more money. The only question is where that money will come from !
Kevin Rudd proposes to lift the Federal contribution by withholding fifty billion dollars from GST money that flows to the states. Obviously the states will strenuously resist and fight that proposal all the way to the bank.
With a Socialist government occupying the treasury benches the " tax and spend " philosophy would suggest an easy answer - simply increase the GST to a figure greater than ten percent.
But of course that suggestion will be vigorously denied. This is an election year - and even the mere suggestion of a GST increase would be a vote killer !
Now a question mark hovers over that promise !
There is no question that if we want a decent hospital system we will have to contribute more money. The only question is where that money will come from !
Kevin Rudd proposes to lift the Federal contribution by withholding fifty billion dollars from GST money that flows to the states. Obviously the states will strenuously resist and fight that proposal all the way to the bank.
With a Socialist government occupying the treasury benches the " tax and spend " philosophy would suggest an easy answer - simply increase the GST to a figure greater than ten percent.
But of course that suggestion will be vigorously denied. This is an election year - and even the mere suggestion of a GST increase would be a vote killer !
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