Posts by Ben Austin

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  • OnPoint: Two wallops of wonk, with a…,

    Have we got any recent statistics on the numbers of employees being put onto short time (reduced hours) or lay-off (no hours but not dismissed), either by agreement or by contract? Or even agreed pay-cuts?

    Here in the UK the above solutions have become incredibly popular as you might expect (generally employers/employees try to save jobs before cutting them) and I expect they will back home as well, if things are getting to a similar level of bad.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: Three strikes (w/ updates),

    So what is the logic in using the magic three number, aside from the baseball metaphor? Was there analysis done as to the average number of serious crimes/other committed? Perhaps we should consider who the target of this law is, the average numbers of crimes they commit etc, then determine if three offences is appropriate.

    Failing that I'd vote for something that co-opts "hitting someone for six", assuming it doesn't mean hitting them with a bat six times

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report

  • Speaker: ReEntry,

    I'm toying with this choice right now - my visa needs renewing in a few months and suddenly recession struck London isn't quite so welcoming as it once was. That being said I doubt many places are right now, but the angst here is so thick one can almost touch it.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report

  • Hard News: It's not OK to just make…,

    I visited Copenhagen last year (or was it the year before) and was most disturbed to see the legend "Slut Spurt" emblazoned across shop fronts, in the Red Light District (where my hotel was, near the railway station) and the regular shopping districts.

    The dilemna of the possibly over sexed Danes was solved when I realised it seemed to mean something like "Sale"

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report

  • Hard News: Conversation Starters,

    Well at least it can't be worse than the UK. It still weirds me out a little that I can buy the hardest of spirits from smallest, meanest convenience store

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report

  • Southerly: England's Pleasant Pastures Seen,

    There are loads of SME sized factory units floating about England but then unless one spends a lot of time loitering about soulless industrial estates it would be easy to miss

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report

  • Island Life: Keynote speaker: Paula…,

    Agreed about the E-govt bit. It would seem very odd if they hadn't picked up on this apparently fatal flaw long since (they've been on the job for 4-5 years now at least). Or have they?

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report

  • Hard News: From soundbite to policy,

    This Herceptin issue has me a little worried. It seems to make a mockery of Pharmac's systems without really offering anything more positive than the lesson "if you lobby hard enough and get in bed with the drug companies it might pay off". It isn't that I don't feel sympathy for the sufferers who will benefit from this move, its more that there are plenty of others who suffer as well who either may be punished by this funding choice, or are equally as deserving.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report

  • Hard News: From soundbite to policy,

    This Herceptin issue has me a little worried. It seems to make a mockery of Pharmac's systems without really offering anything more positive than the lesson "if you lobby hard enough and get in bed with the drug companies it might pay off". It isn't that I don't feel sympathy for the sufferers who will benefit from this move, its more that there are plenty of others who suffer as well who either may be punished by this funding choice, or are equally as deserving.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report

  • Speaker: Database Nation,

    The one and only time I went through LAX (well, twice) was this year. It wasn't a bad experience at all - friendly (but firm) staff, fast. Sure I took my shoes off, but that was about as bad as it got.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report

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