so what does the common senator/representative say when this issue is brought before them? "it doesn't matter, the people that wrote this can't vote"..

can anyone say "paradox" ? eh ?

maybe its just me..

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UT 0wnz j00 all!

I feel sorry for you people in the US with age 21 restrictions and stuff... I really think Cuba has it totally right:

You can drink at 16 years, because you will PROBABLY not do too much irreparable damage to yourself...

You can smoke at 18 years, because smoking is really a more important decision because in the long run, it can have a huge impact on your health, more so than even alcohol.

You can drive at 21, because when you drive, you are not only putting your life in danger, but many other people's lives too.

Where I live, it's 14 to drive (learners permit), 16 to drive solo, and 18 to drink and smoke. God, I can't imagine having to wait until 21. But now I am repeating myself...

-FFox

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ICQ: 436346

"A christian, an anarchist-slash-prostitute, figures out the true meaning of freedom. Not freedom like America, freedom like a shopping cart."
-NOFX

quote:

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Originally posted by Happyfish:
14 to drive in alberta, really? I didn't know that. It's 16 here, can't drive by yourself 'til 17 I think. Anyway, just get a fake ID

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Yeah, it's 14 to drive learners in Alberta, 16 to drive solo. A fake ID is a possibility, although I suppose I could always just get my brother to boot for me. He's 22, the only problem is that he lives in another part of the city, would take a while to get over there, but that's better than nothing I guess.

Interesting idea about the taxation without representation. I've always thought it was just plain dumb that kids could be drafted before they could even give their vote for government... I know that in Canada, before I was 18, the only real "tax" I payed was EI (Employment Insurance), which was like a couple bucks per paycheck, nothing really that bad. I don't think you have to pay income taxes of any sort until you are making over 񘷠 a year, or something like that, and when I was working as a 16 and 17 year old, I wasn't making that much.

-FFox

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ICQ: 436346

"A christian, an anarchist-slash-prostitute, figures out the true meaning of freedom. Not freedom like America, freedom like a shopping cart."
-NOFX

To be able to start drinking you need to be tested. this would consist of going to a bar and getting drunk. If you turn into a complete asshole, no license to drink. If you think you can drive home, no license. If you think you are god's gift, imortal, and or can take every guy in the bar, no license.

(does it show that i was in a bar with a bunch of juvinile assholes this weekend?)

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Nuke em' till they glow and shoot em’ in the dark and let the computer sort em' out.
Then wait for a mutation…

quote:

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Originally posted by Wolfguard:
(does it show that i was in a bar with a bunch of juvinile assholes this weekend?)

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Hahaha, yeh...

I know, eh? As if age has anything to do with maturity, or level of competence, or anything. I think part of the problem is that when old people got their licenses way back "in the day", their test probably consisted of driving around a city block, and if they didn't hit anyone, they passed. Things are a little more strict these days... of course, the fact that they are old and their reaction times and awareness are way lower don't help either.

And isn't it the truth that people who act like assholes when they are drinking shouldn't be allowed... the other day, my friend was like "so my friend was in a bar, and was drunk, so he went up and tried to pick a fight with this guy", and I was like "why??" and he went "Because he was drunk!" as if every person goes around picking fights when they drink. WTF, I bet that only 1/4th the population is like that, IF that.

*Sigh*

-FFox

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ICQ: 436346

"A christian, an anarchist-slash-prostitute, figures out the true meaning of freedom. Not freedom like America, freedom like a shopping cart."
-NOFX

quote:

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Originally posted by Firefox:
I think part of the problem is that when old people got their licenses way back "in the day", their test probably consisted of driving around a city block, and if they didn't hit anyone, they passed.

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That's exactly what my ex supervisor at work said! He said for his motorcycle licence
he had to go around the block, and if he made it back, he passed. I guess this was in the 60's sometime..

As far as drinking age goes, here's what really sucks....in Louisiana where I grew up for a long time there was a loophole in the liquor laws. Either it was legal to sell it to you at 18 but not to buy, or the other way around, I don't remember. At any rate it pretty much meant that you could get served at 18. But then the federal gov said they were gonna start withholding funding for interstate projects if they didn't change the laws, so my sr year of high school, 5 months before my 18th birthday, the law closing the loophole went into effect. High school seniors and bar owners across the state, and esp. in Baton Rouge around the LSU campus, have been mourning ever since.

[This message has been edited by nautilus (edited August 14, 2000).]

Let me explain the new lisencing system: @ 16 you go down to DMV/whatever take written test for learners permit (Class 7 with restrictions) after 6 months with the learners you go back in, take a 1/2 road test for โ get your Novice (still Class 7, less restrictions) your stuck with the Novice for 18 months then you can go back AGAIN pay 贄 for a 1 hour roadtest and get your class 5. yay. which you can't improve on untill your 19.

Getting a bike lisence is fucked up too. If you don't have your class 5 you have to take one test, and then be let to drive a bike under the supervision of an adult holding a Class 6 (bike lisence) and are restriced to 60kph. You then go in again for a skills test and are still restricted to 60kph but no longer need a supervisor. Then after 6 months you can go back and take ANOTHER test and be more or less unrestricted.

If you have a class 5 lisence then a bike lisence is no problem to get. Written - Skills - Lisence

Oh and you also have to display those gay magnetic L and N's. Drinking age is 19.

--EDIT
yeah I know this is full of typos but its 2 am and I don't fucking care.

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When my flying days are over, and my death has come to pass
I hope they bury me upside down, so the whole damn world can kiss my ass

[This message has been edited by j0eSmith (edited August 15, 2000).]

quote:

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Originally posted by nautilus:
generally you already have your license for driving an automobile, they just have to make sure you can handle your bike.

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I only have my motorcycle licence..

-FFox

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ICQ: 436346

"A christian, an anarchist-slash-prostitute, figures out the true meaning of freedom. Not freedom like America, freedom like a shopping cart."
-NOFX

quote:

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Originally posted by Happyfish:
I only have my motorcycle licence..

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Interesting...though I'm not surprised, since laws always vary so much

Sex - 16 yrs (if you girl)[1]
Drive - 16 yrs 9 mths (get learners permit, accompanied)
- 1 year later drive unaccompanied
with restrictions
- 1 year later drive with no restrictions
Sex - 18 yrs (if you boy)[1]
Drink - 18 yrs
Smoke - 18 yrs
Vote - 18 yrs
Responsible Adult - 18yrs
Legally sign stuff - 18 yrs

It's funny seeing american exchange students when they come here for university they are always at the pub getting smashed...

regards, reman

[1] If it is hetero and they are both under 18 I believe the age of consent is 14, else homo girl is 16, and homo boy is 18

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People ask me to fix their computer. I do in 5 seconds.
They say "You think your good don't you".
I say "I know I'm good". People always ask stupid questions.

quote:

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Originally posted by j0eSmith:
Oh and you also have to display those gay magnetic L and N's. Drinking age is 19.

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That sounds brutal. It sounds so fricking complicated that you need to take a course just to understand the system before you even begin.

Related story... I'm 18, so I can buy alcohol in Alberta where I live. I went out to my friend's cabin in BC last week (at Invermere), but we can't buy booze there because it's 19... so what do we do? Buy tons of stuff here, take it with us, badda bing badda boom. Everyone pays each other back for stuff we bring, and that's that. Take that evil age 19 drinking restriction.

Where's Al Capone when ya need him? We need underage speakeasys... as if that wouldn't rule.

-FFox

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ICQ: 436346

"A christian, an anarchist-slash-prostitute, figures out the true meaning of freedom. Not freedom like America, freedom like a shopping cart."
-NOFX

take for example, where i live. there've been four rapes of women in 2 months... probably, the cops think, by the same guy. they have a description, FOUR eyewitnesses who saw this asshole, and yet where are my tax dollars (which i've been paying since age 16, but i'll get to that) going? not to catch this rapist... not to investigate and find out who he is. no.. they busted 9 parties last weekend. they found a couple bongs in the dorm buildings. i feel so much safer now.

i got a job at 16, like someone else who posted. i paid taxes. 27\% of my paycheck. at the time, minimum wage was Ŭ.25. that don't leave me with much.... nor does it earn me a say in how my tax dollars get spent, which often times is to pay people to sit on their ass who DON'T have a job. so yeah, at 16, some of us are out there at mc d's tryin to earn some cash for what we want, and it's bein stolen from us to put it into someone else's pocket. great idea.

so in the usa..
at 16, you can drive.
at 16, you can get married (if your parents give you permission).
at 16, you can have sex.
at 18, you can vote.
at 18, you can get drafted and die.
at 18, you can get married.
at 21, you can have a beer.

somehow, i doubt that going out and gettin piss drunk is anywhere near as life changing as losing your vriginity, marriage, being drafted, being able to vote, or being able to have a job.. unless of course you're one of those morons who thinks it's a good idea to try for a .90 blood alcohol level and die.. but damn, it's not the government's job to protect people from their own stupidity.

so here it is. i'm over 18. i'm over 21. and i VOTE that the government stop using the exorbitant amount of money they steal from me to go bust people for having a little bit of personal fun, by drinkin some alcohol or by smoking some pot, and either give it back, or get their asses out there and do something worthwhile....

i hear there's still a serial rapist running around my neighbourhood..

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kuru
'if your children ever found out how lame you are, they'd kill you in your sleep.' -frank zappa

[This message has been edited by kuru (edited August 31, 2000).]