Posts by Logan O'Callahan

  • Hard News: Little pieces of a big picture,

    The fire service is paid for by an insurance levy, but they turn up and put your house out, insured or not.

    Since Apr 2008 • 70 posts Report Reply

  • Southerly: The Truth About Talkback,

    and a touch of Alien?

    Since Apr 2008 • 70 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Local Heroes?,

    It was an energy efficiency standard, something that's been done in a number of other countries, and something that some incandescent light bulbs meet! You can buy energy-efficient incandescent bulbs at the supermarket. I know, because I saw some last Sunday.

    Yup. Developed in response to a new energy efficiency standard in California.

    Pretty much the same with most appliances. They keep getting more efficient because of ever tougher standards in USA. Most consumers would keep buying outdated deep fill washers and crappy inefficient fridges if they cost $20 less up front. Forget that they cost $100 more per year to run.

    Since Apr 2008 • 70 posts Report Reply

  • Southerly: Confessions of a Social Retard,

    25 on the test. Started uni at 16. Mechanical engineering.

    I can relate.

    For a long time I thought everyone liked to learn how things work after a few drinks. Now I'm Silent Bob - without the dope.

    Since Apr 2008 • 70 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Out of the Box,

    A navy radio operator told me once that it took two years before his security clearance came through. He reckoned those delays were a big part of the problem of getting and holding staff in the forces.

    Since Apr 2008 • 70 posts Report Reply

  • Field Theory: My first All Black game,

    Actually, I think you'd find that deliberately kicking another player on the ground would get you an easy red card in soccer.

    But I agree with Mark. Ritchie reacts to the attack on his eyes, not the kick.

    Since Apr 2008 • 70 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Ideology for Evidence,

    What sort of medical certificate can you get after the fact?

    Since Apr 2008 • 70 posts Report Reply

  • Pass the crisps: UK Election watch,

    What's this stuff about a bare majority. If the Labour and Liberal Democrats get together they will represent 52% of the vote to the Tories 36%.

    Since Apr 2008 • 70 posts Report Reply

  • Up Front: The Up Front Guide: Dressing…,

    It does depend somewhat on the thing. As demonstrated ably by a good-looking young man of my acquaintance whose passionate speeches are largely based around the finer details of power supplies. Other engineers' eyes glaze over, let alone the rest of us.

    AC or DC.

    Since Apr 2008 • 70 posts Report Reply

  • OnPoint: Property Investment Federation:…,

    Depreciation makes less than no sense.

    A 100m2 house built in say 1970 for $10,000 and properly maintained (maintenance costs being deductible) would now be worth maybe $100,000 (or more, as this is only about half the cost to build a 100m2 replacement). So the well maintained building actually rises in value quite substantially over time.

    On capital gain in the property market. Increasing house size and increasing building cost ($ per m2) play quite a large part in the last 12 years.

    In late 1990s the per m2 cost for good quality work was around $1000, now the cost for comparable quality is around $2000. At the same time the average house size has risen substantially as well (don't have the numbers on hand so can't quote them). So the average residential building value may have gone from say 140*$800 to 200*%$1600, or increased by about $200k.

    Since Apr 2008 • 70 posts Report Reply

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