Posts by dc_red

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  • Hard News: Dude, what just happened?,

    She's just not worth slitting one's wrists over, if the supply tightens a tiny bit.

    Well, the 250 arrested citizens have a different perspective on it: i.e., it's also about people's lives and freedoms, not simply the tightness of supply.

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: Bad Law,

    a hereditary monarch, who passes on their status to their eldest son (who must be a Protestant and not marry a Catholic)

    Curious how the law of succession is entirely inconsistent with all domestic law on, y'know, human rights and stuff.

    Given that Labour and National are both leery of being seen as republican and would inevitably vote against any bill

    Sad, but entirely true. Much the same on the flag issue. Would just be too much for talkback radio land, I guess. So we're stuck indefinitely with Her Royal Brittanic Majesty, her poxy offspring, and the defaced blue ensign. None of which relate in any meaningful way to New Zealand.

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Southerly: The Problem With Religion,

    It seems to me that possibly the reason the church decided to drop these gospels is because they don't exactly show Our Lord Jeebus in the best of lights. In fact, I'd go as far as to say he comes across as an unmitigated little shit.

    In fairness, he did turn them back into children again. Being a goat for a few minutes was probably the highlight of their day. But it does make His Worship Lord Jebus appear a little like "a conjurer of cheap tricks", which not even a self-respecting wizard will countenance.

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Southerly: The Problem With Religion,

    Incidentally, I've read the Bible a couple of times, and have never found any mention of Jesus transforming children into goats, so I suppose it was invented by my grandfather purely in order to enrage proselytizers.

    Wonderful but rather unnecessary when there's perfectly bizarre stories already included in said book. Like Jesus famously cursing a fig tree (to death) for its failure to produce fruit out-of-season.

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Hard News: Misadventure and Muppetry,

    Why would you have to wait 6 months? Immigration reasons? It's not the routine stand-down. Also, you might be eligible for ACC depending on the cause of your incapacitation?

    EI is largely for those who have been made redundant, or whose fixed-term contract has ended, as opposed to those who are incapacitated (usually covered by other provisions depending on cause and age of applicant).

    Also, your insurance presumably isn't limited to a short-term and very partial reimbursement for lost income, to which a moderate amount of social stigma is attached?

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Hard News: Misadventure and Muppetry,

    This is, um, timely:

    Canada's budget watchdog says employment insurance premiums are going up, and by a lot.

    The parliamentary budget office estimates that EI premiums paid by workers and employers will need to rise by the maximum allowable limit of 15 cents per $100 of insurable earnings to return the fund to near balance in five years.

    That would hike annual contributions per worker by $535 — with about $223 more being paid by the employee and $312 by the employer.

    The maximum EI contribution paid by employees now is just over $730 per year.

    The combination of the increased premiums, more workers and higher wages means that Ottawa's EI revenues will grow from $16.2-billion last year to $27.1-billion by 2014.

    So, that'll be almost $1000 a year out of my paycheque, then. Ouch.

    Source

    p.s., go Canucks.

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Hard News: A revolting piece of shit,

    @Andre

    I'm telling you, "Gutter Black" is the way to go for so many reasons...

    Great tune, but can anyone help me out with what it means/refers to? I assume there's some metaphors in there (a la "Blue Lady") that I'm missing.

    @Glen

    Murray McCully made the decision I presume.

    Ah, the Minister for transferring taxpayer dollars to greedy corporations at work again. It's a shame he doesn't have a backroom coup to organize, just to keep him out of everyone's hair (and wallets).

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Hard News: Ready for the Big One?,

    It's correct scientifically but it's also completely misleading to people who don't typically think of a water wave as a surging wall of water with a 100 km wavelength of force behind it that won't slow down and stop as it comes up the beach, and just listening to some people being interviewed about why they were going to watch made that fairly clear. A 50 cm wave can be very destructive.

    An excellent point, made very clear in the video footage of the tsunami hitting the parking lot outside the FBI building in Pago Pago.

    The 'wave' is less than a metre high (perhaps only half-way up the wheels of the cars), but the force is immense.

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Hard News: Ready for the Big One?,

    Beyond musing about the ethics of when it's okay to start looting the local service station

    Those bastards have been overcharging you for bread for years, eh?

    Around here, summer tornados are the most significant risk. I'm proud to own one of those wind-up torches, too (and, yes, a full hot water tank).

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Hard News: Dropping the Ball,

    Does anyone recall the viewership for the NZ/France Quarter Final at the last World Cup? Y'know, the game broadcast free-to-air on TV3 on a Sunday morning?

    (Distant memory it was only 1 million people).

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

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