50% of people are below average. No more, no less.
If you consider average people, and slightly above average people to be mediocre or worthless perhaps the problem is your own expectations of what constitutes baseline average?
Because when you're looking for a good employee, you want someone who is above the median, not the average.
50% of people will be above the average, but that's no good if only 20% of them are above the median.
Well, my wife is a doctor, and I can assure you there are some real pricks. Talk to a nurse some time. Surgeons are particularly known for their bedside manner.
I'm sure there are pricks in every profession. The bad people you work with on a daily basis tend to overshadow the good people, certainly in IT it only takes 1 or 2 complete twunts to ruin an entire team.
Most doctors I've met are no nonsense people, but still personable.
Anyway, the point is that just because you have some value to society, that does not mean that your value cannot be increased by altering your behavior.
I agree 100% but it also works both ways, negatively altering your behaviour can reduce your value to society (your job/family/frends and so on).
If you don't know any doctors who are assholes, you don't know many doctors.
Must be an American thing.
Almost all doctors I've met in Australia are polite and personable. They often get frustrated from dealing with clients who consistently lie when they're trying to help them, withhold key information during the troubleshooting process and then when the cause is finally found, completely ignore all advice. Sysadmins will understand this completely (which is why I never lie to a doctor, no matter how embarrassing).
Sure the path to becoming a doctor and the patients make them a bit more hardened and cynical, but it doesn't turn them into arseholes.
Yeah, keep telling yourself that, if it makes you feel happy. And there was no way WW 1 was going to happen... until it did. And there was no way WW 2 was going to happen
Who modded this tripe up.
All that fnj has shown is that he has no idea how WW 1 or 2 started. The build up of armies and materials began years before the Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated. Everyone knew war was inevitable, it was only a question of when. It didn't pop up all of a sudden in 1914.
Same with WW2, German military build up and aggressive foreign policy had started 5 years before 1939, if we're only counting German military expansion it was closer to 10. Again, this was no surprise. Remember that it was England and her allies who declared war on Germany.
so the complete lack of experience in shell scripting, regular expression competent, python/php/apache whatever Xcode developing genius is put to the bottom of the pile because of your preconceptions about Mac users? you get what you deserve.
Fixed that for you.
In reality, Mac users dont know how to operate basic things like the Office Suite, corporate email, document control system, can barely understand how a network share works (let alone use it) as well as a bunch of other programs they have to use in everyday life that wont hold their hand.
You dont get that non IT, HR people are asking this questions for non IT positions because too many Mac users have been hired that lack basic computing skills. Directives like this get passed down from management, not IT because they cause a problem to the bottom line.
Devil's Advocate: At least a Mac gives the kid access to a proper UNIX shell ("Terminal") and a free dev kit
Which you can guarantee almost no Mac users will use.
You've got a better chance of a Windows user installing Cygwin or dual booting (as most sysadmins will do) than you do of a Mac user actually knowing what the terminal is.
But if you're being hired for a job that requires Unix command line experience, you should have experience with proper Unix systems such as AIX, not OSX. I'm talking about average users who are expected to know how to operate corporate desktop, not a server. The situation has gotten so bad that in Australia they now (not so) innocently ask if you use Mac or Windows at home during an interview. They do this because too many Mac users have been hired that lacked basic computing skills.
Define cycling pace? There's people who struggle to go faster than 10mph, and there's people who can hit 40 or 50mph on a good road bike. My personal record is about 35.
Also, even at 10mph, looking at a map while you're moving isn't a very bright move. When I was learning the bike route to get to work, I would stop to check maps. Not sure why people can't do that... seems a perfectly sane way to navigate on a bike.
Cyclists dont reach 80 KPH.
Normal cycling pace is 20-25 KPH because this is how fast the traffic stuck behind them is moving.
But I agree, if you need to look at a map whilst moving you should pull over and do it. Regardless of what vehicle you're in control of. A 20 KPH crash on a push bike can be as bad as a 60 KPH crash in a car, easily fatal if you're not wearing a helmet.
TL;DR If you're willing to shop around you'll find that not all dealers are dickholes.
Yep, 99% just give the rest a bad name.
Some car dealers are OK, more often then not they are complete idiots but this, you can use to your advantage.
The thing that car salesmen need to do is make quota for their monthly commissions. Don't make the quota, dont get a commission so to get the best deal you need to find the most desperate salesman at the end of the month. They'll sacrifice all of their commission on the car just to get the sale. Seeing as car salesmen aren't human, I have no problems with this.
Another thing is never be afraid of telling them to F-off. I was once looking at a 350z and the salesscum wouldn't budge on price, so I told him to get stuffed and walked up to the next nearest salesman and said, "Hi, I'm looking at that Nissan over there".
OTOH, I got 30% off the marked price of a used EK Civic with very little negotiation simply because it was the last day of the tax year. The car was bulletproof and when I sold it, I made a few hundred bucks.
Point in short, use car dealers/salesmen and dont feel bad about it, they're doing the same to you.
The problem with certifications is that they date so quickly as versions and products come and go.
Of course. A high-schooler getting a MS certification now will be ready to spend a hefty chunk of student-loan cash to get the up-to-date version as soon as their next graduation rolls around, just to avoid looking like they've been ignoring the real world while in that ivory tower.
Erm, three things wrong with this.
1. Australia does not support the idea of predatory student loans.
2. We're talking about high school, which means the student is too young to apply for any kind of loan (including HECS).
3. Given the number of "exam prep" programs out there that allow you to rote memorise the questions and pass the test without actually studying any of the course material for free, this isn't really an effective revenue stream (doubly so considering the exam fees are waived for high school students).
Now the real problems are:
1. Vendor lock in. Microsoft is trying to get kids locked in at a young age, so is Apple. Both are just as bad for students, Apple's slightly worse as Mac skills are useless in the job market. I've done some hiring in the Aussie IT market recently, we've learned one of the key questions is "do you use Windows or Mac at home" and if it's Mac, they go to the bottom of the pile. We've hired to many people without basic computing skills not to do this.
2. Students aren't actually learning the fundamentals, yep they might be able to point and click their way through a sharepoint install but they dont understand what its doing.
3. As I said above, the students can simply download the exams off the internets and memorise them. Easy course credit without any real work (or real learning).
There are still some cars that get 4-stars, but this particular model (RAV4) got several 4-star ratings, prompting newspaper articles about "failing" safety tests. People clearly expect perfect security and safety all the time at all costs. (See: Patriot Act)
Not sure about NHTSA, but ANCAP and ENCAP ratings are often a crock of shit.
You get points for seatbelt warning buzzers and adaptive cruise control. The car can be downright dangerous to pedestrians but still get a 5 star rating as long as its got all 3 seatbelt warning alarms.
This is not to mention the things ANCAP/ENCAP flat out ignore due to political reasons or pressure from manufacturers such as the bonnet scoops on Subaru Impreza WRX's or pretty much the entirety of Lambo's front end.
Airlines will love this. Even at $1/minute, passengers will rake up pretty good bills by the end of the flight. And I doubt they will stop at a buck a minute, because above 10k feet, well, they got you by the balls.
Many airlines already have phones installed in the backs of seats that passengers can use, and have for some time now. You pay for them by credit card. In the countless times I have flown I have yet to see someone actually use them. I can assure you the airlines have not been raking in the money with that.
Yes, but the psychology is different.
With the existing phones you have to physically pay before hand. It doesn't matter what the cost is, having to shell out coin before hand is a serious psychological block.
Now if you allow people to use their own phones, even if it's at a higher cost (roaming charges) people wont think about the cost because they dont have to pay it up front. Instead they'll just bitch about "bill shock" when they receive a $1400 mobile phone bill from making phone calls through out their flight.
If you haven't met one that's rabid you must be walking around with your eyes shut. I go out of my way to avoid where Apple fanboys coalesce but even I've had the misfortune of many troll-like conversations with them.
If that's not enough, just spend more time here. They're attracted to/. like moths to a flame (war).
Cost and availability you can certainly ding us for, but as an upper middle class American the health care available to be is as good or better than pretty much any European outside of the super wealthy.
First off, you'll find the European systems to be as good, if not better. They wont subject you to as many X-Rays and may suggest going on a diet above giving you a motorised scooter and vitamin injections but this does not make them worse.
Secondly, that's what makes the US health care system so terrible.
Unless you have money, it's denied to you. Most middle class Americans get their health care via their employer (otherwise it's too expensive) and that pretty much makes you indentured to your employer.
As a "regular Joe" I'd rather be under the UK system than the US system.
One example: my Nexus 7 draws so much power, even when sleeping, that it is possible to connect it to a weakly charging USB port, come back a few hours later, and it has a lower charge level. I'm sure the same is true for other tablets, and possibly even some phones.
Interesting. My wife has a Nexus 7 (2012 edition). It charges just fine (albeit relatively slowly) from 500mA USB chargers. It charges faster with the 2A charger that comes with it, but I've never had issues with it losing charge while plugged in to a standard charger.
How weak is your "weakly charging" USB port? Is it one on a keyboard or some other low-power accessory, or is it a port on the computer itself?
I have a Nexus 7 2013 edition and have experienced the same thing as the OP, as it turned out the power point was switched off.
My N7 lasts about 7 days in standby so the power draw is not high at all. I just spent a month travelling around the Americas and I only had to charge it every 4-5 days. I usually charge it from the wall but even from USB 2.0 ports on my laptop or desktop work well enough. The slowest charge I've had was from aeroplane USB ports which are deliberately restricted. I used my N7 to watch a few movies whilst charging it via the plane's USB port and at the end of the flight I had 10% more charge than when I started.
The other competitor which shall not be named has a better method of "public image management." It's simple: with each of their devices they sell, it comes equipped with a state-of-the-art RDF generator that turns the purchasers into fully obedient drones who will take to the internet forums and defend the company themselves! Since these drones are now merely subservient beings to the corporate will, they don't need to be paid; in fact, the effects of RDF ensure that they will throw themselves at the stores the next time the company delivers a new product, even for the most incremental and mundane updates! The shills will pay you!
This, Samsung, BP, et al. have to pay someone to troll their competitors... Apple gets chumps to do it for free.
In Australia it is called a 'Booze Bus'. They don't take blood, but they do the rest and it is 100% involuntary. They will block off freeways to test everyone and park cop cars in all the side streets.
Personally I am mostly OK with this. The next morning when you see the huge line of cars left behind because the drivers were drunk justifies it to me.
I prefer the risks of liberty over the certainties of tyranny.
What liberty?
Since when has driving drunk been an inalienable right?
Driving is a privilege, one that gets abused by drink drivers. Random Breath Tests (RBT) as they're called in Australia are far better than waiting until someone gets killed by a drink driver.
In Australia it is called a 'Booze Bus'. They don't take blood, but they do the rest and it is 100% involuntary. They will block off freeways to test everyone and park cop cars in all the side streets.
Australia is a police state.
You dont have any knowledge of either Australia or Police States.
Personally I am mostly OK with this.
And this would be why.
The next morning when you see the huge line of cars left behind because the drivers were drunk justifies it to me.
Your ok with it cuz you believe ends justify means?
Anyone with half a brain does not use the word "cuz" (which is short for cousin in Australia and New Zealand and is typically used by junkies or people with as much intellegence as a junkie).
I'm perfectly OK with booze buses because they do reduce the number of real deaths from drink drivers.
I'm not happy to share the roads with people who drink drive.
You have a choice, you can simply not drive. No driving, no random breath tests. Remember that driving is not an inalienable right, its a privileged and a privileged that drink drivers abuse. So I'm more than happy to have them detected and taken off the road. Random Breath Tests (RBT) which is far better than waiting until the drunk driver kills someone.
If authorities systematically searched everyone's homes without cause and installed cameras and microphones in every room I'm sure it would also bear fruit.
Seeing as you're a fan of hyperbole, seeing as you're using ridiculous analogies against this, you are as culpable in road deaths as the drink drivers themselves (this is sarcasm to demonstrate the ridiculousness of the OP's analogy, for those who cant tell).
We're not even considering the terrible road designs like all way stops. Yep, all roads have a stop sign. In theory you give way to your right, in reality it's whoever has the balls to go first
I've been to South Africa a few times, they have 4-way stop signs too. The way it works there is when you get to the line, everyone who is already stopped on the other entries goes before you, then you go. All-in-all it works quite well. In fact, when they have one of their frequent power outages and the traffic lights go out, the drivers just treat the intersection as a 4-way stop and get on with it.
Definitely didn't work that way in the US.
It's a system that relies on courtesy where there is an absence of courtesy. It might work better in RSA, but it was shocking in the US. I prefer Australia's way of dealing with it, one road always has priority and the other gives way or they install a traffic control device.
In Australia it is called a 'Booze Bus'. They don't take blood, but they do the rest and it is 100% involuntary. They will block off freeways to test everyone and park cop cars in all the side streets.
Personally I am mostly OK with this. The next morning when you see the huge line of cars left behind because the drivers were drunk justifies it to me.
The reduced number of deaths from Drink Drivers are the price we pay for this in Australia.
I've driven in the US and the standard of driving is absolutely shocking. Even ignoring the speeding (yes, everyone speeds over there) there is little to no lane discipline (keeping to the outside lane, people cant stay in their lane), I saw about 3 people indicate during my entire time, people will cut you off with little or no warning, people also slow down and stop with no warning (and I'm not talking about a gradual stop, they slam on the brakes), people push in, block intersections and completely disregard the lights (yellow means gun it, red means gun it more as you've missed the yellow). These are common things, not the odd occurrence like here in Oz.
In my first 2 days on US roads I came across 3 accidents.
We're not even considering the terrible road designs like all way stops. Yep, all roads have a stop sign. In theory you give way to your right, in reality it's whoever has the balls to go first. In Australia this situation is impossible because they'd put in a round about or at least give one road priority.
I have no doubt a lot of drink drivers are getting off scot free in the US from the standard of driving I witnessed there. I dont think highly of the average Australian driver but the US is a hell of a lot worse.
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50% of people are below average. No more, no less.
If you consider average people, and slightly above average people to be mediocre or worthless perhaps the problem is your own expectations of what constitutes baseline average?
Because when you're looking for a good employee, you want someone who is above the median, not the average.
50% of people will be above the average, but that's no good if only 20% of them are above the median.
Well, my wife is a doctor, and I can assure you there are some real pricks. Talk to a nurse some time. Surgeons are particularly known for their bedside manner.
I'm sure there are pricks in every profession. The bad people you work with on a daily basis tend to overshadow the good people, certainly in IT it only takes 1 or 2 complete twunts to ruin an entire team.
Most doctors I've met are no nonsense people, but still personable.
Anyway, the point is that just because you have some value to society, that does not mean that your value cannot be increased by altering your behavior.
I agree 100% but it also works both ways, negatively altering your behaviour can reduce your value to society (your job/family/frends and so on).
If you don't know any doctors who are assholes, you don't know many doctors.
Must be an American thing.
Almost all doctors I've met in Australia are polite and personable. They often get frustrated from dealing with clients who consistently lie when they're trying to help them, withhold key information during the troubleshooting process and then when the cause is finally found, completely ignore all advice. Sysadmins will understand this completely (which is why I never lie to a doctor, no matter how embarrassing).
Sure the path to becoming a doctor and the patients make them a bit more hardened and cynical, but it doesn't turn them into arseholes.
You're not the target customer for Tesla because:
Telsa dont want to make SUV's.
This may not occur to you but a lot of people dont want an SUV. They're slow, unwieldy and prone to rolling in an accident.
You wanting an SUV isn't Tesla's problem, it's yours.
Who modded this tripe up.
All that fnj has shown is that he has no idea how WW 1 or 2 started. The build up of armies and materials began years before the Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated. Everyone knew war was inevitable, it was only a question of when. It didn't pop up all of a sudden in 1914.
Same with WW2, German military build up and aggressive foreign policy had started 5 years before 1939, if we're only counting German military expansion it was closer to 10. Again, this was no surprise. Remember that it was England and her allies who declared war on Germany.
You really want to check that one.
so the complete lack of experience in shell scripting, regular expression competent, python/php/apache whatever Xcode developing genius is put to the bottom of the pile because of your preconceptions about Mac users? you get what you deserve.
Fixed that for you.
In reality, Mac users dont know how to operate basic things like the Office Suite, corporate email, document control system, can barely understand how a network share works (let alone use it) as well as a bunch of other programs they have to use in everyday life that wont hold their hand.
You dont get that non IT, HR people are asking this questions for non IT positions because too many Mac users have been hired that lack basic computing skills. Directives like this get passed down from management, not IT because they cause a problem to the bottom line.
Which you can guarantee almost no Mac users will use.
You've got a better chance of a Windows user installing Cygwin or dual booting (as most sysadmins will do) than you do of a Mac user actually knowing what the terminal is.
But if you're being hired for a job that requires Unix command line experience, you should have experience with proper Unix systems such as AIX, not OSX. I'm talking about average users who are expected to know how to operate corporate desktop, not a server. The situation has gotten so bad that in Australia they now (not so) innocently ask if you use Mac or Windows at home during an interview. They do this because too many Mac users have been hired that lacked basic computing skills.
Define cycling pace? There's people who struggle to go faster than 10mph, and there's people who can hit 40 or 50mph on a good road bike. My personal record is about 35.
Also, even at 10mph, looking at a map while you're moving isn't a very bright move. When I was learning the bike route to get to work, I would stop to check maps. Not sure why people can't do that... seems a perfectly sane way to navigate on a bike.
Cyclists dont reach 80 KPH.
Normal cycling pace is 20-25 KPH because this is how fast the traffic stuck behind them is moving.
But I agree, if you need to look at a map whilst moving you should pull over and do it. Regardless of what vehicle you're in control of. A 20 KPH crash on a push bike can be as bad as a 60 KPH crash in a car, easily fatal if you're not wearing a helmet.
TL;DR If you're willing to shop around you'll find that not all dealers are dickholes.
Yep, 99% just give the rest a bad name.
Some car dealers are OK, more often then not they are complete idiots but this, you can use to your advantage.
The thing that car salesmen need to do is make quota for their monthly commissions. Don't make the quota, dont get a commission so to get the best deal you need to find the most desperate salesman at the end of the month. They'll sacrifice all of their commission on the car just to get the sale. Seeing as car salesmen aren't human, I have no problems with this.
Another thing is never be afraid of telling them to F-off. I was once looking at a 350z and the salesscum wouldn't budge on price, so I told him to get stuffed and walked up to the next nearest salesman and said, "Hi, I'm looking at that Nissan over there".
OTOH, I got 30% off the marked price of a used EK Civic with very little negotiation simply because it was the last day of the tax year. The car was bulletproof and when I sold it, I made a few hundred bucks.
Point in short, use car dealers/salesmen and dont feel bad about it, they're doing the same to you.
The problem with certifications is that they date so quickly as versions and products come and go.
Of course. A high-schooler getting a MS certification now will be ready to spend a hefty chunk of student-loan cash to get the up-to-date version as soon as their next graduation rolls around, just to avoid looking like they've been ignoring the real world while in that ivory tower.
Erm, three things wrong with this.
1. Australia does not support the idea of predatory student loans.
2. We're talking about high school, which means the student is too young to apply for any kind of loan (including HECS).
3. Given the number of "exam prep" programs out there that allow you to rote memorise the questions and pass the test without actually studying any of the course material for free, this isn't really an effective revenue stream (doubly so considering the exam fees are waived for high school students).
Now the real problems are:
1. Vendor lock in. Microsoft is trying to get kids locked in at a young age, so is Apple. Both are just as bad for students, Apple's slightly worse as Mac skills are useless in the job market. I've done some hiring in the Aussie IT market recently, we've learned one of the key questions is "do you use Windows or Mac at home" and if it's Mac, they go to the bottom of the pile. We've hired to many people without basic computing skills not to do this.
2. Students aren't actually learning the fundamentals, yep they might be able to point and click their way through a sharepoint install but they dont understand what its doing.
3. As I said above, the students can simply download the exams off the internets and memorise them. Easy course credit without any real work (or real learning).
I've been hearing that high school curriculums have been increasingly dummied down, but I had no idea it was this bad.
Its worse than this. Many of them are using Mac's.
Accepting Microsoft certifications as credit is a vast improvement.
When it catches fire?
It creates emissions then...
Not to mention the sheer amount of smug produced by it's owners.
There are still some cars that get 4-stars, but this particular model (RAV4) got several 4-star ratings, prompting newspaper articles about "failing" safety tests. People clearly expect perfect security and safety all the time at all costs. (See: Patriot Act)
Not sure about NHTSA, but ANCAP and ENCAP ratings are often a crock of shit.
You get points for seatbelt warning buzzers and adaptive cruise control. The car can be downright dangerous to pedestrians but still get a 5 star rating as long as its got all 3 seatbelt warning alarms.
This is not to mention the things ANCAP/ENCAP flat out ignore due to political reasons or pressure from manufacturers such as the bonnet scoops on Subaru Impreza WRX's or pretty much the entirety of Lambo's front end.
Airlines will love this. Even at $1/minute, passengers will rake up pretty good bills by the end of the flight. And I doubt they will stop at a buck a minute, because above 10k feet, well, they got you by the balls.
Many airlines already have phones installed in the backs of seats that passengers can use, and have for some time now. You pay for them by credit card. In the countless times I have flown I have yet to see someone actually use them. I can assure you the airlines have not been raking in the money with that.
Yes, but the psychology is different.
With the existing phones you have to physically pay before hand. It doesn't matter what the cost is, having to shell out coin before hand is a serious psychological block.
Now if you allow people to use their own phones, even if it's at a higher cost (roaming charges) people wont think about the cost because they dont have to pay it up front. Instead they'll just bitch about "bill shock" when they receive a $1400 mobile phone bill from making phone calls through out their flight.
Have you ever took a train during rush hour?
*taken. Granted, your grammar is still better than most of those talking on phones in public.
Having dealt with Apple fans.
/. like moths to a flame (war).
If you haven't met one that's rabid you must be walking around with your eyes shut. I go out of my way to avoid where Apple fanboys coalesce but even I've had the misfortune of many troll-like conversations with them.
If that's not enough, just spend more time here. They're attracted to
Cost and availability you can certainly ding us for, but as an upper middle class American the health care available to be is as good or better than pretty much any European outside of the super wealthy.
First off, you'll find the European systems to be as good, if not better. They wont subject you to as many X-Rays and may suggest going on a diet above giving you a motorised scooter and vitamin injections but this does not make them worse.
Secondly, that's what makes the US health care system so terrible.
Unless you have money, it's denied to you. Most middle class Americans get their health care via their employer (otherwise it's too expensive) and that pretty much makes you indentured to your employer.
As a "regular Joe" I'd rather be under the UK system than the US system.
One example: my Nexus 7 draws so much power, even when sleeping, that it is possible to connect it to a weakly charging USB port, come back a few hours later, and it has a lower charge level. I'm sure the same is true for other tablets, and possibly even some phones.
Interesting. My wife has a Nexus 7 (2012 edition). It charges just fine (albeit relatively slowly) from 500mA USB chargers. It charges faster with the 2A charger that comes with it, but I've never had issues with it losing charge while plugged in to a standard charger.
How weak is your "weakly charging" USB port? Is it one on a keyboard or some other low-power accessory, or is it a port on the computer itself?
I have a Nexus 7 2013 edition and have experienced the same thing as the OP, as it turned out the power point was switched off.
My N7 lasts about 7 days in standby so the power draw is not high at all. I just spent a month travelling around the Americas and I only had to charge it every 4-5 days. I usually charge it from the wall but even from USB 2.0 ports on my laptop or desktop work well enough. The slowest charge I've had was from aeroplane USB ports which are deliberately restricted. I used my N7 to watch a few movies whilst charging it via the plane's USB port and at the end of the flight I had 10% more charge than when I started.
The other competitor which shall not be named has a better method of "public image management." It's simple: with each of their devices they sell, it comes equipped with a state-of-the-art RDF generator that turns the purchasers into fully obedient drones who will take to the internet forums and defend the company themselves! Since these drones are now merely subservient beings to the corporate will, they don't need to be paid; in fact, the effects of RDF ensure that they will throw themselves at the stores the next time the company delivers a new product, even for the most incremental and mundane updates! The shills will pay you!
This, Samsung, BP, et al. have to pay someone to troll their competitors... Apple gets chumps to do it for free.
In Australia it is called a 'Booze Bus'. They don't take blood, but they do the rest and it is 100% involuntary. They will block off freeways to test everyone and park cop cars in all the side streets.
Personally I am mostly OK with this. The next morning when you see the huge line of cars left behind because the drivers were drunk justifies it to me.
I prefer the risks of liberty over the certainties of tyranny.
What liberty?
Since when has driving drunk been an inalienable right?
Driving is a privilege, one that gets abused by drink drivers. Random Breath Tests (RBT) as they're called in Australia are far better than waiting until someone gets killed by a drink driver.
In Australia it is called a 'Booze Bus'. They don't take blood, but they do the rest and it is 100% involuntary. They will block off freeways to test everyone and park cop cars in all the side streets.
Australia is a police state.
You dont have any knowledge of either Australia or Police States.
Personally I am mostly OK with this.
And this would be why.
The next morning when you see the huge line of cars left behind because the drivers were drunk justifies it to me.
Your ok with it cuz you believe ends justify means?
Anyone with half a brain does not use the word "cuz" (which is short for cousin in Australia and New Zealand and is typically used by junkies or people with as much intellegence as a junkie). I'm perfectly OK with booze buses because they do reduce the number of real deaths from drink drivers. I'm not happy to share the roads with people who drink drive.
You have a choice, you can simply not drive. No driving, no random breath tests. Remember that driving is not an inalienable right, its a privileged and a privileged that drink drivers abuse. So I'm more than happy to have them detected and taken off the road. Random Breath Tests (RBT) which is far better than waiting until the drunk driver kills someone.
If authorities systematically searched everyone's homes without cause and installed cameras and microphones in every room I'm sure it would also bear fruit.
Seeing as you're a fan of hyperbole, seeing as you're using ridiculous analogies against this, you are as culpable in road deaths as the drink drivers themselves (this is sarcasm to demonstrate the ridiculousness of the OP's analogy, for those who cant tell).
We're not even considering the terrible road designs like all way stops. Yep, all roads have a stop sign. In theory you give way to your right, in reality it's whoever has the balls to go first
I've been to South Africa a few times, they have 4-way stop signs too. The way it works there is when you get to the line, everyone who is already stopped on the other entries goes before you, then you go. All-in-all it works quite well. In fact, when they have one of their frequent power outages and the traffic lights go out, the drivers just treat the intersection as a 4-way stop and get on with it.
Definitely didn't work that way in the US.
It's a system that relies on courtesy where there is an absence of courtesy. It might work better in RSA, but it was shocking in the US. I prefer Australia's way of dealing with it, one road always has priority and the other gives way or they install a traffic control device.
At the roadside?
I've only ever heard of blood tests being administered by nursing staff and assessed by pathologists, in Australia.
IIRC, they use saliva swabs to test for drugs. But I live in a state where they dont do roadside drug tests.
In Australia it is called a 'Booze Bus'. They don't take blood, but they do the rest and it is 100% involuntary. They will block off freeways to test everyone and park cop cars in all the side streets.
Personally I am mostly OK with this. The next morning when you see the huge line of cars left behind because the drivers were drunk justifies it to me.
The reduced number of deaths from Drink Drivers are the price we pay for this in Australia.
I've driven in the US and the standard of driving is absolutely shocking. Even ignoring the speeding (yes, everyone speeds over there) there is little to no lane discipline (keeping to the outside lane, people cant stay in their lane), I saw about 3 people indicate during my entire time, people will cut you off with little or no warning, people also slow down and stop with no warning (and I'm not talking about a gradual stop, they slam on the brakes), people push in, block intersections and completely disregard the lights (yellow means gun it, red means gun it more as you've missed the yellow). These are common things, not the odd occurrence like here in Oz.
In my first 2 days on US roads I came across 3 accidents.
We're not even considering the terrible road designs like all way stops. Yep, all roads have a stop sign. In theory you give way to your right, in reality it's whoever has the balls to go first. In Australia this situation is impossible because they'd put in a round about or at least give one road priority.
I have no doubt a lot of drink drivers are getting off scot free in the US from the standard of driving I witnessed there. I dont think highly of the average Australian driver but the US is a hell of a lot worse.
Lol, only on Slashdot. Modded to +4 for paranoid ramblings about bribery...
Yes, Microsoft does not bribe as much as threaten, coerce and extort.