It's A Bust!
Mar. 22nd, 2008 09:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anonymoose_au9:09pm: So it was supposed to be LJ Strike Day or something today (well, at least in the US), but if my friend's list is any indication that certainly didn't go down, did it?
Anyway, it's rather late in the night (considering we have to get up early for the Easter service tomorrow) so I'm gonna make this quick so I can get my Sims 2 quota in.
Besides not much happened today, aside from me reading Frasier messageboards, another obsession all ready? I swear...
I meant to go for a walk today, but I never did get around to it, not to mention the fact I've only got my sandals here at the parentals, not the best shoes to walk in.
Five on Friday
That Springtime Feeling (Wrong hemisphere, dang it!)
1. Other than the official start of spring on the calender, what really signifies the start of spring for you?
Daylight Saving! Yays!
2. How severe is your spring cleaning bug this year?
What is this "cleaning" you speak of?
3. What one thing says "spring" to you more than any other?
Hats? Flowers? I don't know...never really thought about it. Just warmer weather in general.
4. What are your springtime traditions?
As there aren't any holidays in spring in Australia except for Labour Day there's not many traditions you can have. I guess, wearing shorts again? That's all I've got.
5. When do you break out your spring and summer wardrobe? Do you follow the "no white before Easter" rule?
I thought it was no white before Memorial Day (which is at the end of May)? Althought that would be reversed here... Although white is the colour of Easter in church, so I'll be wearing white tomorrow. But I've never worn my clothes according to fashion anyway, so that's N/A to me. And I break out my Spring/Summer clothes when it starts getting to hot for long sleeves.
Four For Friday
Q1 - Drinking & Fighting: Debate over lowering the national drinking age is heating up in several states, fueled in part by legislators who contend that men and women who are old enough to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan are responsible enough to buy alcohol legally. Legislation introduced in Kentucky, Wisconsin and South Carolina would lower the drinking age for military personnel only. A planned ballot initiative in Missouri would apply to everyone 18 and older. An initiative in the works in South Dakota would allow all 19- and 20-year-olds to buy low-alcohol beer. Earlier in the week, Presidential hopeful Barack Obama made headlines by telling an underage Army veteran in Connecticut that lowering the drinking age would not be something he would support under any circumstances. What do you think... if someone is old enough to enroll in the armed services and participate in acts of war, should they be also be allowed to drink alcohol even if they're underage?
Funny you should mention this, in Australia the legal drinking age is 18 and at the moment there is widespread concern regarding the amoutn of binge drinking going on. Although raising the drinking age probably wouldn't do much good...But yeah I've found it odd that in a country where you're allowed to drive when you're 15 doesn't let you drink for another six years. Then again, that might be why US drivers don't have as many hoops to jump through to get fully licenced. I don't care for alcohol anyway so yeah...but I guess if the government expects you to be able to risk your life in war they shouldn't stop you from having a drink.
Q2 - Gasoline & Taxes: A recent poll reveled that 48% of U.S. citizens are unwilling to spend even a penny more in gasoline taxes to help reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. According to the poll's sponsor--the National Center for Public Policy Research--18% of Americans are willing to pay 50 cents or more in additional taxes per gallon of gas to reduce greenhouse emissions, which is exactly what U.S. Representative John Dingell (D-MI), chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, has called for--a 50 cent per gallon increase in the gas tax, used to motivate Americans to conserve fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounts for 33% of the U.S.'s man-made carbon dioxide emissions. Over 60% of these emissions--or about 20% of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions--result from burning gasoline in personal automobiles. What amount, if any, would you be willing to pay in gasoline taxes to help reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions?
Well the US is now alone in not having signed the Kyoto Protocol, which I think sucks. Also, petrol prices in the US are nothing compared to what other countries pay. And the fact of the matter is, we are running out of oil, and we should be doing more to stop using the whole Greenhouse effect aside. I'm rather excited by this new type of electric car you can plug in! Although I suppose it wouldn't be too useful if you're a long car trip type of person (at present you can get about 300km per charge).
Q3 - Email & Interruptions: If you use a desktop email program like Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Mail, etc., do you have it set to check for mail automatically or do you manually check for mail? If your primary email account is Web-based--like Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo!, etc.--do you have a desktop "notifier" to alert you to new mail or do you check your account manually for evidence of new messages? In either case, do you think people would be more productive at work if email were only available upon manual checks (as opposed to it automatically showing up in an In box and potentially interrupting real work?
Well, if I have Trillian open on my computer it will tell me when a new message comes, which is very handy.
As for work, if I leave the sound on it will beep to tell me when a new message comes, but often if you keep the sound on the speakers will start buzzing so I keep it off. As for productivity though, I'm not supposed to look at personal email at work, and all emails that come into the work email are (not surprisingly) work related, so I am been productive when I check them.
Q4 - Charity & Donations: When was the last time you made a charitable donation to an organization other than one with a religious affiliation? What's the name of the organization and do you think your donation eventually went to a worthy cause?
Geeze, it's been a while...a few years ago I participated in the MS Readthon, and I donated money to them. I hope it went to a worthy cause! Although there was probably a percentage of admin fees taken, plus I got a little thank-you prize pack for raising $25.
Friday Fun
Springtime Edition
1. Does your household do spring cleaning?
Again, what is this "cleaning" you speak of? :OP
2. Do you approach spring with joy for all the newly growing things and the sight of grass, or does it just scream MUDDY FLOORS AND MOPPING?
I love spring! Warmer weather! Longer days! Christmas and my birthday are coming, yays!
3. Do you have a garden that you will be planting and, if so, what do you plant?
Nope, but I will as ever keep an eye on The Plant.
4. What is your favorite thing about springtime?
See 2.
Friday Fiver
I Promise You I'll Show You
1. Are you a people watcher?
Not really, I'm usually reading if I'm waiting for someone somewhere.
2. Who do you hang out with?
My friends! Also my family (yeah, I'm one of those :OP)
3. Did you work hard this week?
I did actually! Not as hard as my Boss did, but pretty hard for me, what with the open inspection on Saturday and the bruhaha with the tenant search and all.
4. How do you show a date a good time?
I don't. :OP
5. What's your favorite rule to break?
Umm...the no looking at the net at work rule (I gotta stop that!)
The (Other) Friday Five
1. Did you vote in your most recent applicable election? (If you're not yet old enough, do you plan to vote in the future?)
In Australia you have to vote otherwise you risk a fine. But I think that's a good thing, because if you don't vote how can you complain? I like to vote! Bring it on, I say!
2. Have you ever protested or attended a march?
Indeed I have...one for Fairwear (for fair pay for clothing workers both abroad and in Australia), one for saying Sorry to the aboriginal people (which finally happened this year!) and one against the Iraq War.
3. What political issue is the most important to you?
Health and education funding - why on earth do we spend so much on the military? It sucks!
4. Are you a member of a party in your country? If so, which?
Nope, I vote Green though.
5. Do you ever plan to run for office?
Oh Hell no, unlike many politicians in the world right now I accept that I'm not cut out for it!
Eek, look at the time! They'll be hardly any Simming at all tonight I'm afraid, especially if I do the Saturday Memes, so I'l leave those to tomorrow.
Goodnight to you all.
Anyway, it's rather late in the night (considering we have to get up early for the Easter service tomorrow) so I'm gonna make this quick so I can get my Sims 2 quota in.
Besides not much happened today, aside from me reading Frasier messageboards, another obsession all ready? I swear...
I meant to go for a walk today, but I never did get around to it, not to mention the fact I've only got my sandals here at the parentals, not the best shoes to walk in.
Five on Friday
That Springtime Feeling (Wrong hemisphere, dang it!)
1. Other than the official start of spring on the calender, what really signifies the start of spring for you?
Daylight Saving! Yays!
2. How severe is your spring cleaning bug this year?
What is this "cleaning" you speak of?
3. What one thing says "spring" to you more than any other?
Hats? Flowers? I don't know...never really thought about it. Just warmer weather in general.
4. What are your springtime traditions?
As there aren't any holidays in spring in Australia except for Labour Day there's not many traditions you can have. I guess, wearing shorts again? That's all I've got.
5. When do you break out your spring and summer wardrobe? Do you follow the "no white before Easter" rule?
I thought it was no white before Memorial Day (which is at the end of May)? Althought that would be reversed here... Although white is the colour of Easter in church, so I'll be wearing white tomorrow. But I've never worn my clothes according to fashion anyway, so that's N/A to me. And I break out my Spring/Summer clothes when it starts getting to hot for long sleeves.
Four For Friday
Q1 - Drinking & Fighting: Debate over lowering the national drinking age is heating up in several states, fueled in part by legislators who contend that men and women who are old enough to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan are responsible enough to buy alcohol legally. Legislation introduced in Kentucky, Wisconsin and South Carolina would lower the drinking age for military personnel only. A planned ballot initiative in Missouri would apply to everyone 18 and older. An initiative in the works in South Dakota would allow all 19- and 20-year-olds to buy low-alcohol beer. Earlier in the week, Presidential hopeful Barack Obama made headlines by telling an underage Army veteran in Connecticut that lowering the drinking age would not be something he would support under any circumstances. What do you think... if someone is old enough to enroll in the armed services and participate in acts of war, should they be also be allowed to drink alcohol even if they're underage?
Funny you should mention this, in Australia the legal drinking age is 18 and at the moment there is widespread concern regarding the amoutn of binge drinking going on. Although raising the drinking age probably wouldn't do much good...But yeah I've found it odd that in a country where you're allowed to drive when you're 15 doesn't let you drink for another six years. Then again, that might be why US drivers don't have as many hoops to jump through to get fully licenced. I don't care for alcohol anyway so yeah...but I guess if the government expects you to be able to risk your life in war they shouldn't stop you from having a drink.
Q2 - Gasoline & Taxes: A recent poll reveled that 48% of U.S. citizens are unwilling to spend even a penny more in gasoline taxes to help reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. According to the poll's sponsor--the National Center for Public Policy Research--18% of Americans are willing to pay 50 cents or more in additional taxes per gallon of gas to reduce greenhouse emissions, which is exactly what U.S. Representative John Dingell (D-MI), chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, has called for--a 50 cent per gallon increase in the gas tax, used to motivate Americans to conserve fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounts for 33% of the U.S.'s man-made carbon dioxide emissions. Over 60% of these emissions--or about 20% of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions--result from burning gasoline in personal automobiles. What amount, if any, would you be willing to pay in gasoline taxes to help reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions?
Well the US is now alone in not having signed the Kyoto Protocol, which I think sucks. Also, petrol prices in the US are nothing compared to what other countries pay. And the fact of the matter is, we are running out of oil, and we should be doing more to stop using the whole Greenhouse effect aside. I'm rather excited by this new type of electric car you can plug in! Although I suppose it wouldn't be too useful if you're a long car trip type of person (at present you can get about 300km per charge).
Q3 - Email & Interruptions: If you use a desktop email program like Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, Mail, etc., do you have it set to check for mail automatically or do you manually check for mail? If your primary email account is Web-based--like Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo!, etc.--do you have a desktop "notifier" to alert you to new mail or do you check your account manually for evidence of new messages? In either case, do you think people would be more productive at work if email were only available upon manual checks (as opposed to it automatically showing up in an In box and potentially interrupting real work?
Well, if I have Trillian open on my computer it will tell me when a new message comes, which is very handy.
As for work, if I leave the sound on it will beep to tell me when a new message comes, but often if you keep the sound on the speakers will start buzzing so I keep it off. As for productivity though, I'm not supposed to look at personal email at work, and all emails that come into the work email are (not surprisingly) work related, so I am been productive when I check them.
Q4 - Charity & Donations: When was the last time you made a charitable donation to an organization other than one with a religious affiliation? What's the name of the organization and do you think your donation eventually went to a worthy cause?
Geeze, it's been a while...a few years ago I participated in the MS Readthon, and I donated money to them. I hope it went to a worthy cause! Although there was probably a percentage of admin fees taken, plus I got a little thank-you prize pack for raising $25.
Friday Fun
Springtime Edition
1. Does your household do spring cleaning?
Again, what is this "cleaning" you speak of? :OP
2. Do you approach spring with joy for all the newly growing things and the sight of grass, or does it just scream MUDDY FLOORS AND MOPPING?
I love spring! Warmer weather! Longer days! Christmas and my birthday are coming, yays!
3. Do you have a garden that you will be planting and, if so, what do you plant?
Nope, but I will as ever keep an eye on The Plant.
4. What is your favorite thing about springtime?
See 2.
Friday Fiver
I Promise You I'll Show You
1. Are you a people watcher?
Not really, I'm usually reading if I'm waiting for someone somewhere.
2. Who do you hang out with?
My friends! Also my family (yeah, I'm one of those :OP)
3. Did you work hard this week?
I did actually! Not as hard as my Boss did, but pretty hard for me, what with the open inspection on Saturday and the bruhaha with the tenant search and all.
4. How do you show a date a good time?
I don't. :OP
5. What's your favorite rule to break?
Umm...the no looking at the net at work rule (I gotta stop that!)
The (Other) Friday Five
1. Did you vote in your most recent applicable election? (If you're not yet old enough, do you plan to vote in the future?)
In Australia you have to vote otherwise you risk a fine. But I think that's a good thing, because if you don't vote how can you complain? I like to vote! Bring it on, I say!
2. Have you ever protested or attended a march?
Indeed I have...one for Fairwear (for fair pay for clothing workers both abroad and in Australia), one for saying Sorry to the aboriginal people (which finally happened this year!) and one against the Iraq War.
3. What political issue is the most important to you?
Health and education funding - why on earth do we spend so much on the military? It sucks!
4. Are you a member of a party in your country? If so, which?
Nope, I vote Green though.
5. Do you ever plan to run for office?
Oh Hell no, unlike many politicians in the world right now I accept that I'm not cut out for it!
Eek, look at the time! They'll be hardly any Simming at all tonight I'm afraid, especially if I do the Saturday Memes, so I'l leave those to tomorrow.
Goodnight to you all.
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