Talk About GTA

[Binky]

<sees a chance to derail the antagonistic discussion of politics>

Anyone for a game of spot the emu?

Spoiler

 

[rohezal]

So again: do you believe, universally, that everyone should pay something regardless of their situation because it will make them "feel good" about their country or whatever, and do you have any evidence to support this claim, and suggestions on how to handle the costs of this policy?

Nope, if you don't have enough to live, how can you pay taxes? This is a reason why you should have minimum wages, to minimize the sum of people, who have not enough. I would recommend in general to automatize the industry, try to produce as much as possible industrial (eco-friendly, renewable energy) and use a percentage of the industrial output as taxes.

 

[klapse]

Nope, if you don't have enough to live, how can you pay taxes? This is a reason why you should have minimum wages, to minimize the sum of people, who have not enough. I would recommend in general to automatize the industry, try to produce as much as possible industrial (eco-friendly, renewable energy) and use a percentage of the industrial output as taxes.

There is always a minimum wage: the wage below which you cannot find employees for that particular work. History shows that in a free society, wages creep up by labor pressure (more opportunities for higher productivity jobs are created, which reduce the labor pool for lower productivity jobs).

A politically set minimum wage just serves to keep people with low skills from finding any employment at all.  Not a good result.

Germany for example has no minimum wage.

 

[rohezal]

There is always a minimum wage: the wage below which you cannot find employees for that particular work. History shows that in a free society, wages creep up by labor pressure (more opportunities for higher productivity jobs are created, which reduce the labor pool for lower productivity jobs).

This only works if the workers are well organized and if there is a way to be solidary. In germany, you are forced to take every job if you are unemployed or you loose your social security. This is a big problem for the unions. If they don't work, the boss can hire temponary workers who will do the job. Since the union can just pay wages for its own members, not for everyone without a job, the bosses will win.

A minimum wage helps to make sure, that a job which isn't worth to be, won't be done. Since you have to take everyjob when you are jobless, it is good, if there are just jobs which are "ok" paid.

 

[WizardStan]

Nope, if you don't have enough to live, how can you pay taxes? This is a reason why you should have minimum wages, to minimize the sum of people, who have not enough.

Right, which is basically what I've been saying. So what was the debate about? I'm apparently very lost now.

 

[klapse]

http://www.cracked.com/article/104_6-ways-video-games-are-saving-mankind/

 

[sswam]

I've been playing GTA4 for the first time this week, in stereo 3d.  It's a brilliant game and laugh-out-loud funny at times!

Works pretty well in stereo except for shadows and some light effects.

At least with the violence in GTA there's no pretense that you're a "war hero" or anything like that - Niko is a criminal and he knows it.  It's a fun fantasy, unlikely to cause road rage or murder in real life in my opinion.  If anything I'm less angry than usual since I've been having such fun with the game.  Sometimes I feel a bit depressed, but playing GTA in the evening kept me smiling all the next day.

GTA5 will be the first AAA game that I'm keen to buy at full price as soon as it's released (for PC).

 

[sswam]

http://www.cracked.com/article/104_6-ways-video-games-are-saving-mankind/

"world domination is great for grandpa's mental health, even if he's only conquering from behind a computer screen. Researchers at the University of Illinois instructed one group of elderly volunteers to play Rise of Nations for 23.5 hours and another group to sit around being old. After just a day's worth of real-time strategy games, the first group saw marked improvements in multitasking, concentration and short-term memory, all the while having fun and ignoring the looming specter of death."

so ... strategy gamers don't get senile, that's good news for my retirement!  Might have time to play through most of my games collection.  (I tend to buy games faster than I can play them, when they're on sale.)