Welcome to European Tribune. It's gone a bit quiet around here these days, but it's still going.

What ?????

by Alex in Toulouse Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 06:37:28 PM EST

Ok, how about a little multiple choice diary with open answers (and questions - add anything you want). Then we can pester Migeru to create a multi-dimensional graph with our answers, for the wiki.


Q1) You ...

a) Do not own a mobile phone.
b) Own a mobile phone for work only.
c) Own a personal mobile phone.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q2) You ...
a) Have a cheque book and/or a debit card only.
b) Have a credit card.
c) Have an elite credit card.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q3) You ...
a) Walk or cycle a lot, sometimes hitch rides.
b) Generally take public transport, but drive occasionally.
c) Drive at least 100km every week.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q4) You ...
a) Grow your own produce.
b) Buy only organic produce.
c) Buy any type of produce, regardless of how it's grown.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q5) You ...
a) Recycle absolutely every bit of paper, plastic, glass, metal.
b) Do not put everything appropriate in the recycle bins, but recycle quite a bit.
c) Never bother with recycling or no recycle bins available where you live.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q6) You ...
a) Always turn off the light when leaving a room/hallway.
b) Leave some lights on when not in a room/hallway, but try to remember to switch them off.
c) Leave a lot of lights on, don't pay much attention to this.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q7) You ...
a) Do some sports every day.
b) Do non-domestic sports (meant as in "not sex, not gardening") at least once a week.
c) Hardly ever intentionally do sports.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q8) You ...
a) Often cry when you read the news.
b) Rarely cry when you read the news.
c) Never cry when you read the news.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q9) You ...
a) Always offer to help a mother with a baby, an old woman with a bag, etc
b) Sometimes offer to help strangers, but generally afraid that your offer will be turned down.
c) Never offer to help strangers, as strangers never offer to help you.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q10) You ...
a) Often buy rice, knowing that all the rice you eat comes from far away.
b) Often buy rice, but luckily for you rice is grown in your country (Camargue anyone?) - and that's the one you generally buy.
c) Never buy rice precisely because you know it comes from far away.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q11) You ...
a) Donate nothing.
b) Give a few euros (say less than 10) every month to some apparently respectable NGO whose manifesto is ok with you.
c) Give a decent amount of cash every month to charities.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q12) You ...
a) Often give cash to beggars, you don't care if you're being a sucker.
b) Sometimes give cash to beggars, but you don't like being a sucker.
c) Never give cash to beggars, you will never be a sucker.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q13) You ...

a) Have never held a gun.
b) Have held a few air/paintball/bb guns.
c) Have held a real gun.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q14) You ...

a) Own a house and/or a boat, trailer, caravan
b) Rent
c) Live off the goodwill of a friend/relative(s)
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q15) You ...

a) Believe loosely in some form of creator
b) Believe less loosely in God, but do not adhere to religious mumbo-jumbo
c) Are a total atheist/agnostic/nowayist
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Display:
Q16) You ...

a) Think this diary is a total waste of time
b) Will never reveal that much information about you
c) Appreciate the effort, will recommend me for the Pulitzer
d) The answer D.

by Alex in Toulouse on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 06:41:08 PM EST
If we don't provide this information does this mean that we will be subject to extended security interviews and body cavity searches when we access Eurotrib in future?

Eats cheroots and leaves.
by NeutralObserver on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 06:49:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Since this is an open source multiple choice diary, let me reformulate your question:

Q17) If we don't provide this information does this mean that we will be subject to extended security interviews and body cavity searches when we access Eurotrib in future?

a) Yes
b) No
c) We don't do cavity searches
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

by Alex in Toulouse on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 06:58:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]
a)

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 05:08:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]
My answers are, let's see ...

  1. a)
  2. a)
  3. a)
  4. c)
  5. b)
  6. a)
  7. b)
  8. a)
  9. b)
  10. b)
  11. b)
  12. b)
  13. c)
  14. b)
  15. a)
  16. a)
by Alex in Toulouse on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 06:44:02 PM EST
You have to leave the content of the line, otherwise it's really hard to check out your answers.

No mobile phone? No wonder you did not make it to the ET meet up...

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 06:50:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Yeah you're right:

Q1) You ...
a) Do not own a mobile phone.

Q2) You ...
a) Have a cheque book and/or a debit card only.

Q3) You ...
a) Walk or cycle a lot, sometimes hitch rides.

Q4) You ...
c) Buy any type of produce, regardless of how it's grown.

Q5) You ...
b) Do not put everything appropriate in the recycle bins, but recycle quite a bit.

Q6) You ...
a) Always turn off the light when leaving a room/hallway.

Q7) You ...
b) Do non-domestic sports (meant as in "not sex, not gardening") at least once a week.

Q8) You ...
a) Often cry when you read the news.

Q9) You ...
b) Sometimes offer to help strangers, but generally afraid that your offer will be turned down.

Q10) You ...
b) Often buy rice, but luckily for you rice is grown in your country (Camargue anyone?) - and that's the one you generally buy.

Q11) You ...
b) Give a few euros (say less than 10) every month to some apparently respectable NGO whose manifesto is ok with you.

Q12) You ...
b) Sometimes give cash to beggars, but you don't like being a sucker.

Q13) You ...
c) Have held a real gun.

Q14) You ...
b) Rent

Q15) You ...
a) Believe loosely in some form of creator

by Alex in Toulouse on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 06:53:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Left out my answer 16:

Q16) You ...
a) Think this diary is a total waste of time

But I like wasting other people's time, so ...

by Alex in Toulouse on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 07:00:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Providing enjoyment is never a waste of time ! Thank you for this diary, Alex.

When through hell, just keep going. W. Churchill
by Agnes a Paris on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 08:47:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I like wasting my time. This diary is a waste of time, but I recommended it.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 08:53:05 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Q1) You ...

b) Own a mobile phone for work only.
c) Own a personal mobile phone.
Yes, both.

Q2) You ...

c) Have an elite credit card.
More than one.

Q3) You ...
a) Walk or cycle a lot, sometimes hitch rides.
b) Generally take public transport, but drive occasionally.

Q4) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
I eat what's on the table.

Q5) You ...
b) Do not put everything appropriate in the recycle bins, but recycle quite a bit.

Q6) You ...
a) Always turn off the light when leaving a room/hallway.

Q7) You ...
b) Do non-domestic sports (meant as in "not sex, not gardening") at least once a week.

Q8) You ...
b) Rarely cry when you read the news.

Q9) You ...
b) Sometimes offer to help strangers

Q10) You ...
a) Often EAT rice

Q11) You ...
c) Give a decent amount of cash every month to charities.
Two thirds is tax deductible.

Q12) You ...
b) Sometimes give cash to beggars

Q13) You ...
c) Have held a real gun.
I did not enjoy the experience (at the army)

Q14) You ...
b) Rent

Q15) You ...
c) Are a total atheist/agnostic/nowayist

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 06:48:26 PM EST
Q2) That would be "debit card" only

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 06:49:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Q1) b+c
Q2) b
Q3) c
Q4) a+b+c
Q5) a
Q6) a
Q7) c
Q8) c
Q9) a
Q10) a
Q11) a
Q12) b
Q13) c
Q14) b
Q15) c
Q16) a

Here are the results of the Finnish Jury....
Sweden 12 points, Suede shoes

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 06:53:32 PM EST
Finland 12 points. (Only SMS votes from people under the age of 21 counted.)
by Number 6 on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 08:21:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I was just being kind to the Swedes, since Finland is not allowed to vote for itself ;-)

You can't be me, I'm taken
by Sven Triloqvist on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 02:23:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The political compass test we did a while back, was quite revealing.

The polls we sometimes attach to diaries do not reveal anything.

This is somewhere in between...

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 07:09:26 PM EST
Indeed, most answers here can prompt a lot of other questions.

For example I see that you do not donate to charities, well one question that comes to mind is: "is it because you think NGOs have huge administrative overcosts and are disguised forms of tourism", or "is it because you do a lot of charity work yourself" or "is it because you believe that donating money is not the best way to help others" or ... (etc etc, there can be a million reasons to explore here, and stopping at the raw answer doesn't help in that respect).

ps: you don't actually have to answer, I was just exploring some of the ramifications to see where it would lead me

by Alex in Toulouse on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 07:15:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I will answer: I try to help the people I come into contact with based on the organic cellular system (all you know is your neighbours). So I will give to beggars, but not to charity. I help local kids with music, media etca and get involved in local culture like theater, festivals etc. I talk at schools and colleges. I even judge thr local Karaoke prize contests - and that can be quite a trial of an evening ;-)

You can't be me, I'm taken
by Sven Triloqvist on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 07:30:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Oh, this looks like fun while burning DVDs...

Q1) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:   own a mobile phone which you use only while travelling or for emergencies and is otherwise never turned on

Q2) You ...
b) Have a credit card.

Q3) You ...
a) Walk or cycle a lot, sometimes hitch rides.

BUT ALSO d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:  walk and cycle, extending range by use of public transport

Q4) You ...
a) Grow your own produce.
AND
b) Buy only organic produce.
I grow what I can and buy what is hard to grow or I don't have the space for.

Q5) You ...
a) Recycle absolutely every bit of paper, plastic, glass, metal.
<grin> or save it 'cos it might be useful

Q6) You ...
b) Leave some lights on when not in a room/hallway, but try to remember to switch them off.
leave some lights on but only if they are CF, all incandescents are switched on only when in use...

Q7) You ...
c) Hardly ever intentionally do sports.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:  what's a sport?  if "element of competition" is required then the answer is Never.  OTOH if taking a 10 mile walk for amusement is a sport then I do that several times a year, with or without friends.  swimming, walking, cycling to a scenic spot to sketch -- are these "sports"?  how about sandcastling?

Q8) You ...
b) Rarely cry when you read the news.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said: often feel like you want to cry when you read the news

Q9) You ...
a) Always offer to help a mother with a baby, an old woman with a bag, etc
"Always" is a bit absolute, I would say "usually" or "most of the time"

Q10) You ...
c) Never buy rice precisely because you know it comes from far away.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:  buy rice very seldom as a treat if it comes from far away, very seldom buy semilocal organic rice as a treat because it is very pricey.  rice=luxury.

Q11) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:  make occasional and/or yearly donations of $50 to $150 to about ten different Good Causes per year plus donating time/labour to various community efforts.  donate books and videos to local library.

Q12) You ...
b) Sometimes give cash to beggars, but you don't like being a sucker.

Q13) You ...
c) Have held a real gun.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have distinguished between handgun and rifle/shotgun.  I have only held a handgun, but both held and fired a shotgun.

Q14) You ...
a) Own a house and/or a boat, trailer, caravan

Q15) You ...
c) Are a total atheist/agnostic/nowayist
I would have phrased it more pickily -- not all gods are Creator figures -- how about Lares et Penates, or animism in which godness resides in all things?  how about Goddesses?  I happen not to believe in any of our invisible friends, whether in the sky or in rocks, but some people do...  however I have been known to talk to my bees :-)

well that was fun, next DVD...

The difference between theory and practise in practise ...

by DeAnander (de_at_daclarke_dot_org) on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 08:54:23 PM EST
Q1) You ...
d) Jointly own a personal mobile phone which remains turned off unless I'm/we're traveling or in emergencies.

Q2) You ...
a) Have a cheque book and/or a debit card only.

Q3) You ...
d) Generally take public transport, but walk, bike, etc.  Do not drive, period.

Q4) You ...
d) Try very hard to buy only organic produce, but it isn't always available.

Q5) You ...
b) Do not put everything appropriate in the recycle bins, but recycle quite a bit.  (I do recycle the vast majority of rubbish.)

Q6) You ...
a) Always turn off the light when leaving a room/hallway.  Always.  Pathological.

Q7) You ...
d) Sex and gardening are (domestic) sports?!  Excellent!!!  

Q8) You ...
b) Rarely cry when you read the news. (Mostly I'm too jaded but dead bodies floating around New Orleans and massacres in Haditha still send me bawling...)

Q9) You ...
a) Always offer to help a mother with a baby, an old woman with a bag, etc.  Doesn't everyone?  Damn.

Q10) You ...
d) Buy rice a few times a year.  

Q11) You ...
d) Give what I can afford every Christmas to some apparently respectable NGOs and charities whose manifestos are ok with me.

Q12) You ...
d) Never give cash to beggars, prefering to give what I can to NGOs and charities.  I'm not comfortable openning my wallet for complete strangers on the street.  

Q13) You ...
a) Have never held a gun.

Q14) You ...
b) Rent.

Q15) You ...
d) I am hostile toward religion but know there are a lot of things science has yet to explain and am open to the possibility that there may be a God but frankly don't care.  If there is one, I'm not a big fan, I'll tell you that...

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. -Voltaire

by p------- on Mon Jun 5th, 2006 at 10:47:54 PM EST
Q1) You ...
a) Do not own a mobile phone.

Q2) You ...
a) Have a cheque book and/or a debit card only.

Q3) You ...
a) Walk or cycle a lot, sometimes hitch rides.
b) Generally take public transport, but drive occasionally.

Q4) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Produce what I can, buy organic and/or local stuff from producer for most of the rest, some stuff from far away, fair-trade when possible.

Q5) You ..
a) Recycle absolutely every bit of paper, plastic, glass, metal.

Q6) You ...
a) Always turn off the light when leaving a room/hallway.

Q7) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Don't like "sports" per se, but get regular exercise.

Q8) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Refrain from crying when I read news

Q9) You ...
a) Always offer to help a mother with a baby, an old woman with a bag, etc

Q10) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Buy Camargue rice, but admit to also buying Basmati from afar. Must reform.

Q11) You ...
b) Give a few euros (say less than 10) every month to some apparently respectable NGO whose manifesto is ok with you.

Q12) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Sometimes give cash to beggars, but don't think about whether I'm a sucker or not. More like how little cash I have and how many beggars there are (unfortunately).

Q13) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Like DeAnander : I have held and fired a shotgun, never held a handgun.

Q14) You ...
b) Rent

Q15) You ...
c) Are a total atheist/agnostic/nowayist.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 04:53:29 AM EST

Q11) You ...
b) Give a few euros (say less than 10)

Who gives you euros?

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 08:07:50 AM EST
[ Parent ]
It's cyclical. What goes around, comes around.
by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 11:21:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Q1) You ...
c) Own a personal mobile phone.

Q2) You ...
b) Have a credit card.

Q3) You ...
b) Generally take public transport, but drive occasionally.

Q4) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said: "are transitioning to buying organic only".

Q5) You ...
b) Do not put everything appropriate in the recycle bins, but recycle quite a bit.

Q6) You ...
b) Leave some lights on when not in a room/hallway, but try to remember to switch them off.

Q7) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said: do non-domestic sports as often as work and family allow.

Q8) You ...
a) Often cry when you read the news.
b) Rarely cry when you read the news.
c) Never cry when you read the news.
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:

Q9) You ...
b) Sometimes offer to help strangers, but generally afraid that your offer will be turned down.

Q10) You ...
a) Often buy rice, knowing that all the rice you eat comes from far away.

Q11) You ...
b) Give a few euros (say less than 10) every month to some apparently respectable NGO whose manifesto is ok with you.

Q12) You ...
b) Sometimes give cash to beggars, but you don't like being a sucker.

Q13) You ...
c) Have held a real gun.

Q14) You ...
b) Rent

Q15) You ...
c) Are a total atheist/agnostic/nowayist

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 05:07:40 AM EST
a,b,a,
d, b, a,
c, c , most a
b, b, b
b (made of clothes peg..take that), d, d

A pleasure

I therefore claim to show, not how men think in myths, but how myths operate in men's minds without their being aware of the fact. Levi-Strauss, Claude

by kcurie on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 06:11:24 AM EST
Q1) You ...

c) Own a personal mobile phone.
And am constantly wired to something.

Q2) You ...
b) Have a credit card.
+c) Have an elite credit card.

Q3) You ...
b) Generally take public transport, but drive occasionally.

Q4) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Grow what I can, buy organic when I can and buy locally in preference if I can't.

Q5) You ...
b) Do not put everything appropriate in the recycle bins, but recycle quite a bit.

Q6) You ...
b) Leave some lights on when not in a room/hallway, but try to remember to switch them off.

Q7) You ...
b) Do non-domestic sports (meant as in "not sex, not gardening") at least once a week.

Echo De's competition question. And just as a theoretical question. what would outdoor sex count as? Hardly domestic?

Q8) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Often scream and rant while listening to the news.

Q9) You ...
b) Sometimes offer to help strangers, but generally afraid that your offer will be turned down.

Q10) You ...
a) Often buy rice, knowing that all the rice you eat comes from far away.
I figure it travels by ship. I don't worry so much about ships.

Q11) You ...
c) Give a decent amount of cash every month to charities.

Q12) You ...
c) Never give cash to beggars, you will never be a sucker.
Though not for that reason.

Q13) You ...

c) Have held a real gun.

Q14) You ...

a) Own a house and/or a boat, trailer, caravan

Q15) You ...

c) Are a total atheist/agnostic/nowayist
Barely believe in myself.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 06:51:48 AM EST
1-a) Do not own a mobile phone.
2-a) Have a cheque book and/or a debit card only.
3-d, depending on time of year, I generally take public transport or cycle, and ocassionally do the other or hitch a ride.
4-d, I'd like to buy more organic but don't make the decision alone, or it's not even available
5-d, I'd recycle more if the recycling infrastructure would be more complete (and local branches of multis wouldn't have had success in practically abolishing non-throwaway bottles and such).
6-a) Always turn off the light when leaving a room/hallway.
7-c) Hardly ever intentionally do sports. (or, is cycling to go somewhere intentional sport, or hiking every few months and skiing every few years not "hardly ever"?)
8-c) Never cry when you read the news.
9-d offer to help defends on circumstance, mood, person that could be helped, no fear of rejection.
10-d living in a small country, rice coming from another country can also come from close by (though mostly it's local).
11-d I donate irregularly on impulse, and once a year regularly (people can donate 1%+1% of their tax to various churches or NGOs). €10 is some money here (multiple percents of my monthly pay), so if I stay below it's not necessarily "few".
12-b) Sometimes give cash to beggars, but you don't like being a sucker, d: too many beggars too little cash
13-a) Have never held a gun. (but I have been held a gun at)
14-d (combination of a) Own a house and/or a boat, trailer, caravan and c) Live off the goodwill of a friend/relative(s))
15-c) Are a total atheist/agnostic/nowayist

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 07:32:31 AM EST
Q1) You ...b) Own a mobile phone for work only.
c) Own a personal mobile phone.
Q2) You ...
b) Have a credit card...but i was deprived from it by pickpockets.
Q3) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said: I WALK!
Q4) You ...
c) Buy any type of produce, regardless of how it's grown. (but I believe anything I eat is organic...naive, eh?)

Q5) You ...
c) Never bother with recycling or no recycle bins available where you live. (shame on me)

Q6) You ...
b) Leave some lights on when not in a room/hallway, but try to remember to switch them off.

Q7) You ...
a) Do some sports every day. (at least i'm trying hard).

Q8) You ...
c) Never cry when you read the news...only when I watch TV.

Q9) You ...
c) Never offer to help strangers, as strangers never offer to help you. (about: blank)

Q10) You ...
a) Often buy rice, knowing that all the rice you eat comes from far away...but that is not the reason I buy it.

Q11) You ...
a) Donate nothing...i am a student.

Q12) You ...
b) Sometimes give cash to beggars, but you don't like being a sucker...which does not mean i am not a sucker:-).

Q13) You ...
a) Have never held a gun...no, thank you.

Q14) You ...
a) Own a house..thanks to the goodwill of mom and dad.

Q15) You ...
a) Are a total atheist until I get some reason not to be one.

I hereby certify I answered honestly and to the best of my abilities.

I can resist anything but temptation.- Oscar Wilde

by Little L (ljolito (at) gmail (dot) com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 08:51:11 AM EST
Hi all,

a chance for me to make an appearance:

1d) Mobile phone for emergencies only
2d) Credit card for emergencies (and online booking--once a year) only
3d) Walk and cycle in town; drive out of town (rarely)
4d) Buy organic unless non EU (I'm in England), in which case I buy English
5b) and d) I would like to recycle organic material, but there's no service for that
6a) I have been nagged to a) from my previous and longstanding c)
6d) Agree with DeAnander.  I cycle to work, I walk my daughter to school, I walk to the pub, I walk along the beach, and think jogging is bad for the knees.  I swim on occasions (but spend more time in the steam room)
8c)
9a)
10d) Buy 10kg bag of rice from local alternative-to-waitrose (a large supermarket) run-by-(I think)-pakistanis or Indian subcontinent at any rate-family venture, who also sell cheap, Spanish, non-organic fruit and veg, which I don't buy, so, er, a 10kg bag lasts months and months
11d) Am wary of all charities, as they have those people in tabbards on the streets trying to get us all to sign up, and I have a vague sense of NGO money being wasted, or at least inefficiently used; but we give away all the old stuff we don't want
12d) When I'm drunk or in a good mood, or whatever, I'll give the guy/gal cash for drink/drugs, and never feel like a sucker.

13d) Shot a handgun once, didn't like it.  Used a shotgun a few months ago, was amaszed I hit the clay pigeons.

14a) Own a flat

15d) Think spirituality is for all and changes over time, whereas religion is the organisation of spirituality and is bad and anti-evolutionary

16d)

ALex, you never came to the bar.  Sven waited.  Sven, I've got the hang of that note now.  It was GA!

rg

Don't fight forces, use them R. Buckminster Fuller.

by rg (leopold dot lepster at google mail dot com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 08:56:52 AM EST
12d) When I'm drunk or in a good mood, or whatever, I'll give the guy/gal cash for drink/drugs, and never feel like a sucker.

I don't mind giving cash for drink/drugs at all, in fact I generally always give to the same guys in my neighbourhood, guys who look hacked and whom I've seen boozing and sleeping outside. I just don't like giving to those that don't inspire any sympathy in me (then the sucker feeling creeps in). But you're right about one thing, when I'm drunk or in a good mood, I give very freely (although giving 1 euro for me is a big deal, I live on about 7 euros a day when I'm only working on my software and living off savings, I only have more cash to spend when I finish a website for someone - in fact giving 8 euros to Care international each month is a big deal too - and I only got sucked into that because some hot chick nabbed me in the street with a huge smile, huge breasts, and a very convincing talk).

by Alex in Toulouse on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 09:26:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Nearly 3/4 ETribbers who answered this poll have held a "real" gun!
by Alex in Toulouse on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 09:20:30 AM EST
Oh, yes. I once was at a small dinner party in a Florence apartment and an Italian policeman (off duty) was there. He had his gun with him, and at one point showed it to the rest of us (unloaded). So I have held a real gun.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 09:29:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I've held quite a few. A friend of the family's in Switzerland (you know how all males keep their military gun at home), a tribesman's in northern Pakistan, a soldier on duty in Sri Lanka ... it never really seduced me but I have to admit it was always strangely fascinating. To wield that amount of power, brrrr (shivers).

But I have had a number of guns pointed at me, on different occasions. The largest number of times being in Sri Lanka at checkpoints. It's always a bit intimidating to have several soldiers point their guns at you (even more so when it's a beautiful girl in uniform, who's giggling at you when she learns, in a brief pidjin English conversation, that you come from France - you're always a bit scared that she'll negligently pull the trigger while laughing).

by Alex in Toulouse on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 09:36:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Had a small pistol when on an expedition in Brazillian jungle. Never fired it. Also had there a snake gun which looked like a pistol with a long barrel but was actually a shot pistol using tiny cartridges. There were some deadly snakes there.

Have fired various shotguns, but only at clays - would never hunt.

Have handled several of Elvis' guns when they came over to Finland for an exhibition and we had to photograph them for the catalogue.

A few of my gangster friends have guns, but it's just macho.

Once fired two machine guns (live and blanks) at range in Bisley for a scene in a film. It was easy to feel the power. Not a nice feeling.

I am happy to live in Europe with tight gun laws.

You can't be me, I'm taken

by Sven Triloqvist on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 02:32:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]
That does happen when you do your military service, you know...

I also got to fire a tank round. That's a lot more fun.

But guns, no thanks. I had one of my soldiers run into the shooting area while we were practising with live bullets, and turning his machine gun (loaded) towards us. Thankfully a brigadier-chef a NCO) had seen him early, had run after him and tackled him (HARD) before anything happened.

Guns are fucking dangerous, they kill you (Duh!)

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 05:50:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]
That does happen when you do your military service, you know... I also got to fire a tank round. That's a lot more fun.

Well I did a civil service so didn't hold any guns! Though during the "3 days" preliminary hearings/tests, I was told after some motor tests that I would make a fine tank officer, that a great life was waiting for me in the army etc etc, and I politely declined, opting instead for the longer civil version.

by Alex in Toulouse on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 08:07:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Q1) You ...
d) Own one phone with two numbers, one private one for business

Q2) You ...
d) In Britain I only use my chequing account, but I do have a Euro credit card that I use, when I am in Euro-land

Q3) You ...
d) Once I live with my wife again, I will only cycle, currently more than 300km per week just for commuting

Q4) You ...
d) All the eggs are free-range (from own garden, and try to buy organically and definitely local. (especially for fruit, only seasonal)

Q5) You ...
d) No real possibilities to recycle around here, but bottles, paper and tins are separated out and driven 20 miles to the dump...

Q6) You ...
d) Ligths are switched off, but Computer...

Q7) You ...
d) I promise...

Q8) You ...
a) Often cry when you read the news.

Q9) You ...
a) Always offer to help a mother with a baby, an old woman with a bag, etc

Q10) You ...
a) Often buy rice, knowing that all the rice you eat comes from far away.

Q11) You ...
b) Give a few euros (say less than 10) every month to some apparently respectable NGO whose manifesto is ok with you.

Q12) You ...
d) Never give cash to beggars, but I buy them something to eat.

Q13) You ...

a) Have never held a gun.

Q14) You ...
c) Live off the goodwill of a friend/relative(s)

Q15) You ...
d) Where to start... Well you know already, that I am one who calls himself Christian

by PeWi on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 01:32:48 PM EST
Q1) You ...
c) Own a personal mobile phone.

Q2) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Currently Visa Premier, never ever been in debt or negative in my accounts.

Q3) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Walk only (200m from work) + public transport when travelling, I do not own a car.

Q4) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Mix of organic (when possible) and normal.

Q5) You ...
c) no recycle bins available where you live.
Even if in Paris, my building has only one green bin.

Q6) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Minutery rules.

Q7) You ...
c) Hardly ever intentionally do sports.
How did you guess :).

Q8) You ...
b) Rarely cry when you read the news.

Q9) You ...
b) Sometimes offer to help strangers

Q10) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
I buy "equitable" rice but I grumble a lot about the lack of transparency of said organisations

Q11) You ...
c) Give a decent amount of cash every month to charities.
And I insist so that my real donation is separated from the tax saving which is just government subvention (and pretty high at 66% currently in France)

Q12) You ...
b) Sometimes give cash to beggars

Q13) You ...
c) Have held a real gun.
Never owned one.

Q14) You ...
a) Own a house
Small house in Ariege together with my sister
b) Rent
My small Paris studio.

Q15) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Do not know, no practical need for belief I'd say. I note that most religious organisations have lots of negative (especially when they have wide power/influence) and few positives.

by Laurent GUERBY on Tue Jun 6th, 2006 at 07:01:57 PM EST
Q1) You ...
c) Own a personal mobile phone.

Q2) You ...
c) Have an elite credit card (kind off...)

Q3) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Drive at least 100km every week...but also walk every day (for health reasons)

Q4) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Buy any type of produce, regardless of how it's grown...but I would like to buy organic only if it's more available and affordable...

Q5) You ...
b) Do not put everything appropriate in the recycle bins, but recycle quite a bit.

Q6) You ...
b) Leave some lights on when not in a room/hallway, but try to remember to switch them off.

Q7) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Do walk with my dog every day...and drive exercising bike under my pergola to lower my sugar level after I have a good meal...meaning few times daily, ha-ha

Q8) You ...
d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
I could cry but instead I swear...

Q9) You ...
b) Sometimes offer to help strangers, but generally afraid that your offer will be turned down.

Q10) You ...

d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Often buy rice, one specific brand and do not care where it's grown...

Q11) You ...

d) These answers are not complementary, I would have said:
Donate rarely and only to those who's work on helping people I appreciate really...

Q12) You ...
b) Sometimes give cash to beggars, but you don't like being a sucker.

Q13) You ...

b) Have held a few air/paintball/bb guns.

Q14) You ...

a) Own a house (and mortgage...)

Q15) You ...

b) Believe less loosely in God, but do not adhere to religious mumbo-jumbo

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein

by vbo on Wed Jun 7th, 2006 at 12:23:58 AM EST
Q1) You ...

b) Own a mobile phone for work only.
c) Own a personal mobile phone.

Q2) You ...

b) Have a credit card.

Q3) You ...
a) Walk or cycle a lot, sometimes hitch rides.

c) Drive at least 100km every week.

Q4) You ...

c) Buy any type of produce, regardless of how it's grown.

Q5) You ...
.
b) Do not put everything appropriate in the recycle bins, but recycle quite a bit.

Q6) You ...

c) Leave a lot of lights on, don't pay much attention to this.

Q7) You ...
a) Do some sports every day.

Q8) You ...

c) Never cry when you read the news.

Q9) You ...
a) Always offer to help a mother with a baby, an old woman with a bag, etc

Q10) You ...

b) Often buy rice, but luckily for you rice is grown in your country (Camargue anyone?) - and that's the one you generally buy.

Q11) You ...
a) Donate nothing.

Q12) You ...
a) Often give cash to beggars, you don't care if you're being a sucker.

Q13) You ...

c) Have held a real gun.

Q14) You ...

b) Rent

Q15) You ...

c) Are a total atheist/agnostic/nowayist

by observer393 on Wed Jun 7th, 2006 at 02:53:42 AM EST


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