Hard News: Unusual Democracy
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or just the deleterious effect on ordinary punters of capitalism.
Exactly. The dear old free market, bless its cruel tiny little heart.
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Was like Dark Side of the Moon over Wizard of Oz
But which was which?
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I support a band, buy all of their albums, wear the tshirt, save up to get a ticket but can't get one because someone who couldn't even name one song snaps up all the tickets.
And you know what they do with all that money they scalped?
They buy up all the cheap housing, give it a quick 'paint n paper' makeover, and onsell it for a huuuge profit. Which means us 'regular' folk can't even afford to buy a home in Otara, leaving us stuck in rented accommodation, our only solace being an upcoming concert that we're soooo looking forward to.
But we can't go cos the scalpers have bought up all the tickets, which only gives them more money to buy more houses.
"I say hanging's too good fer 'em!"
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Was like Dark Side of the Moon over Wizard of Oz
But which was which?
Nora would have to be Pink Floyd I think.
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Just for interest....
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Just for interest....
The lad sounds just like a sharemarket investor. Or, actually, like a currency trader ...
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this is also funny/spot on:
president bush vs governor bush -
Because he's a pussy. That hardly disproves irregularities.
I agree, it doesn't disprove there weren't any irregularities - I do think there were, there's lots of evidence for that. But it suggests to me not so much that Kerry lacked any fighting spirit but they he didn't think he won because at then end of the day he got less votes.
I also agree with the general sentiment that the system for US elections needs some major attention but looking at the Democrat hopefulls they're all focused on trying to get more votes. One consequence of spending time on thinking 2006 was stolen when this didn't happen is less time spent working out why the Dems just got less votes.
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oops, on thinking 2004 was stolen
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If you can get past the rather breathless tone, this blog post on the Kerry-Edwards' campaign's strategy on the Ohio recount issue is quite interesting. It claims they believed there was fraud, but not enough to turn the result.
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Sue,
is it me or does the piano playing kitteh not have the passion colin does for life
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Check out the Cincinnati Ohio 'Enquirer' story on Nov 10 2004 about the Warren County actions in locking away the ballot boxes for counting
LEBANON - Warren County officials, facing scrutiny of their decision to lock down the administration building on election night, say they were responding to a terrorist threat that ranked a "10" on a scale of 1 to 10.
The information, which Commissioner Pat South said was previously deemed confidential, is coming out a week after the public was barred from viewing the Warren County vote count. The Ohio Secretary of State's office doesn't know of any other county in the state to impose such a restriction.
County officials initially said they feared that having reporters and photographers present could interfere with the ballot counting. They subsequently cited homeland security concerns.
Now, they say an FBI agent told them that Warren County ranked a "10" on a terrorism scale. However, state and federal homeland security officials said Tuesday they were unaware of any specific threat against the county.
http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/11/10/loc_warrenvote10.html
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Possibly part of the problem is the US's system of fixed elections, you know, elections are always in November, and are every 2 / 4 / 6 years. Must be quite a tough thing to break out of that and hold a new election for whatever reason
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It claims they believed there was fraud, but not enough to turn the result.
Hum... Having done a few E-Days as a scrutineer, and a few rounds of postal ballots in local body elections, I think you could fairly say there's potential for massive electoral fraud in our system. The difference is, I think, there's public confidence in the competence (and more importantly) the political independence and integirty of our electoral agencies.
I appreciate that it's a good thing that we make it easy for electors to register and cast votes. Doesn't mean I don't feel a spasm of anxiety when it's revealed someone got their dog on the roll, or when a whole ballot box goes missing.
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Possibly part of the problem is the US's system of fixed elections, you know, elections are always in November, and are every 2 / 4 / 6 years.
Ben, to be honest that's the one feature of the US electoral system I really do like. Sorry, but I don't think anyone - least of all Helen Clark herself - would seriously argue that there was some looming constitutional crisis that demanded a snap election in 2002. One electoral reform I'm like to see is the election date fixed at the first Saturday in November every three years, unless the Government loses a confidence vote or is unable to secure supply. Full stop.
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The cat playing piano has just been referenced by Jon Stewart. Its fame is assured.
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I was horrified while reading that 'NZ election' report. Then I got to the punchline and thought "oh, yeah, well we all knew that". Shocking lack of suprise.
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RE: ticket scalpers: evil or oppressed ?
Seems to me a ticket is not a commodity in the same way that a book, cabbage or house is.
A ticket is merely a signifier that the holder has paid the price that the event promoter wants for entry to the event. In return for paying that price the holder is entitled to enter the event as per the contract they have entered into with the promoter.
If the promoter as a part of that contract has stipulated that the ticket cannot be resold, then a scalper will surely be going to hell.
He/She does not have any moral right to make a profit by allowing a third party to access the event because the contract that he/she entered into with the promoter specifically says that the ticket buyer is not buying the right to do that.
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One electoral reform I'm like to see is the election date fixed at the first Saturday in November every three years, unless the Government loses a confidence vote or is unable to secure supply. Full stop.
Agreed. Perhaps when there's a five year-term like Britain, where governments almost always go the the polls sooner, it's justified. But any government that can't hang out three years should have only itself to blame.
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Check out the Cincinnati Ohio 'Enquirer' story on Nov 10 2004 about the Warren County actions in locking away the ballot boxes for counting
Good link. That's simply astonishing. And another bizarre action that would have provoked a media firestorm in most democracies.
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is it me or does the piano playing kitteh not have the passion colin does for life
I really must get Channel Colin back in action again, or get some Kittah pictures posted.
He's taken to conking out on the couch, full-length, on his back, legs apart. He looks like a teenager who's drunk too much beer and fallen asleep. If he had fly buttons, they'd probably be undone.
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Thank you Alex! I've got it now - a ticket is a contract, not a commodity.
*great light dawns*
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Alex: so event promoters can sue the scalper. Or put measures in as Glastonbury has done. Or auction tickets themselves.
Why do they need a new crime created to help them?
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Anyway, won't ticket scalpers just use offshore websites?
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If the promoter as a part of that contract has stipulated that the ticket cannot be resold, then a scalper will surely be going to hell.
He/She does not have any moral right to make a profit by allowing a third party to access the event because the contract that he/she entered into with the promoter specifically says that the ticket buyer is not buying the right to do that.
Well, I certainly hope Campbell Smith has never, every purchased a second-hand book, CD or DVD.
The last time this came up, Alex, I pointed out that I brought two tickets to The History Boys at last year's Wellington International Arts Festival. When my partner and I were unable to attend, I sold them to a workmate for a modest (but hardly exorbitant) profit that was satisfactory to both parties. She and her husband had a fabulous time, I made a bit of cigarette money, nobody connected with the sold out season was deprived of a penny by my actions.
Even in the realms of hyperbole, I think there's much better reasons why I should be consigned to perdition eternal.
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