Public Transport, Commonwealth Games, real gaming, crazy links

[tcpip]

A couple of weeks ago The Age raised possibility of free public transport (paid through rates) as a means to relieve congestion adn pollution, Prosper Australia have asked me to write a an article on said topic. Anyone have some clever ideas on how to break this proposal? (special kudos to severina_242 for some good ideas). On a related matter I've discovered that two previous articles on a similar theme have made their way to the School of Cooperative Individualism library. Prosper Australia have also approached me to do more public relations work for them.

All systems go for the Ballarat Install Fest. I've written general public and IT literate press releases and have started some modest distributions. This weekend will see it crank up a couple of notches with training on Sunday. The event itself is all happening during the Commonwealth games, which look like they'll be a bit of non-event, with the exception of the graffiti event (hat-tip to adricongirl and the StolenWealth games. Interesting reference to previous paragraph - what will be the net loss of the Commonwealth games? Will it be more than the $340 million required to provide free public transport for a year?

Three gaming events since my last post; Outbreak of Heresy last Sunday has led the party to Wallachia after escaping the castle of the lich of Vlad Tepes (hey, the body was never found!), last night was Dogs in the Vineyard which involved convincing the local Steward to let two "Mountain People" (read: Amerindians) marry and pray with rest of the faithful as his refusual was allowing demonic influences into the town (very cool narrativism), and finally, I've started composing a RuneQuest II module for RetroCon. Adventures continue on Sunday with GURPS Australian Noir. Hell that's a lot of dice-rolling and cooperative storytelling.

Want to go on SBS's Insight program? Register here. Ten worst dictators (hat-tip artbroken. Death of a Liberal Party Nazi. Korea calls for a Linux city. The USA really is going theocratic.

Comments

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

We have a state budget in surplus, so let's just have it paid for at a state level.

I can see the reasoning behind that, but I can also forsee the extreme rebellion of people in Gippsland, Yea, Mildura etc to the funding of the inner city.

If public transport were free, more people would use it to go places and spend money on other goods and services.

An estimated 30% increase in existing services. Personally I think that's pretty low.

[kremmen.livejournal.com]

I seldom use public transport, but I still think the benefits make it worth us all paying for. Since it receives a massive subsidy anyhow, I don't think those in the country should be so annoyed. (... but, yes, they probably would be anyhow.)

I'm sure much of the estimated increase in use of existing services is from people not driving as much, which is a good thing, but of little economic use except in reduced petrol use. What I was referring to is the increase in travel in general, because some people will go and do things instead of doing nothing if transport is free.