Monthly Archives: October 2008

3.75 million bucks to catch someone who no longer wants to live

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I read with interest today that American authorities will spend ~US$50 Million (~AUD $75 Million) to build a suicide net on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Photo by Rich Niewiroski Jr (Creative Commons)

Photo by Rich Niewiroski Jr (Creative Commons)

I understand that suicide is a complex issue but I think this is a very bad idea.

For example, the article says that about 20 people a year commit suicide off the bridge. So in the first year that it is built, US taxpayers are effectively paying $3.75 million to save the life of each person who decides they don’t want to live.

But people who want to kill themselves don’t have to jump from the Golden Gate bridge. There are many other ways to kill yourself, all of which will be drastically more attractive when this net is built.

This net does not address the problem of why people kill themselves in the first place.

I am sure that the $75 million could be better spent on methods to reduce the number of people who want to kill themselves, rather than just encouraging them to do it in a different manner.

five of my favourite films

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I recently enjoyed a film recommended by Meg recently, so here’s five of my favourites, in no particular order.

1. Nacho Libre: synthetic Mexican accents, cheesy dialog and good tunes: good times

2. Little Miss Sunshine: warm everyday characters and family dramas

3. Bandits: my favourite ‘date movie’ to watch with K

4. Kill Bill 1 & 2: a cool message and heaps of gore

5. The Darjeeling Limited: colourful scenery and characters

the wheel of brisbane

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Whilst walking home from work tonight we decided to do the tourist thing and ride the new wheel of Brisbane.
It took us around four times in about twelve minutes. The view was good, but I reckon it would be better on a clear day rather than at night. Still very cool.

Photos by Kitty

bitter and negative

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I got really pissed off this afternoon when the RBA cut the official Australian interest rate by a full 1 percent. It means that K and I won’t be able to save as fast anymore because our savings won’t compound as much, which is really annoying.

After work it was still bothering me when I decided that I should stop worrying about it at all, and I should stop being so negative. I’m really passionate about housing (un)affordability, but I think lately I’ve been coming across bitter and negative, especially towards some speculative property investors who I work with.

So I decided to do something nice, but lo-fi, tonight, to take my mind off it. We went to Kangaroo Point cliffs with a picnic and sat and watched the river and the city. We listened to Radiohead’s OK Computer which I, remarkably, had lost over the years.

At home we then watched YouTube film clips of heaps of the songs we remember from growing up. My favourite was ‘She don’t use Jelly‘ by The Flaming Lips.

In bed I started to read my Big Issue from yesterday. Straight away I saw a Hearsay quote I loved:

“You can’t keep money around for ever. It’s like saving sex for your old age.” ~ Warren Buffett

Then I read Editor Alan Attwood report that The Big Issue street sales are suffering because of the current economical climate:

“The general economic malaise has made it harder than ever to sell magazines on the street.” ~ Alan Attwood Editor, TBI 314

I couldn’t sleep. I decided to get up and re-read Instructions for Life. I then thought about writing this blog post.

But maybe dropping interest rates today wasn’t such a bad thing. It might finally free up some cash for people to actually buy a copy of The Big Issue off Greg, or one of the other street vendors. Or maybe they’ll just use the freed cash to buy some more shit for their MacMansions, or worse, to feed those hungry hungry pokies. But I’m just being bitter and negative again, aren’t I?