Well, I'm male, 47 and live in south-east Queensland,and while I enjoy a soy capaccino and chardonnay from time to time I'm generally very uncharacteristic of the general reader of OLO except in one way - I like a good debate, and I get bored with my own views.

We're (as in the editorial team) quite attracted to the idea of some face to face get-togethers in the New Year. Thanks for the idea Sneekee (I think it was yours). It might actually help to make the forum more mannerly - harder to abuse someone when you've actually met them.

I might try another article picking up some of the threads from here rather than trying to respond to everything in a post. 350 words is limiting, plus who reads down this far in a thread?

In the meantime, there are still 20 sleeps left to Christmas, so I think it's a bit premature to be wishing anyone a Happy Christmas just yet, but keep the seasonal cheer coming.

"350 words is limiting, plus who reads down this far in a thread?"

Yes, the word limit and the 2 posts in 24 hours are quite frustrating, especially when comments get down to post-rebuttal type debates. It's pretty frustrating to have to wait 24 hours to rebut someone's obviously incorrect point.

I'm a new chum to posting, & I use Hasbeen because thats what I am, but, better a hasbeen, than a never was.
Yes the artical was interesting, but not a relevation, I have long suspected that most greens were taxpayer funded, one way or another. I have deduced that many of their posts were from taxpayer funded computers, in in taxpayer time. Chilli tipifies the mentality to me. They don't want to be told what to do, but will do almost anything to try to assert their will on others.
I have planted more trees than most of them, but no one is going to stop me cutting down one which endangers my family, or my home. I can't believe we have let such stupid ideas become law.
I am a conservationist, but no greenie. I had a system for planting trees. I'd plant a few hundred, much more than I wanted, & with a bit of help about 30% would survive. After a few years I would then thin them to what I wanted, & bung in a few more where the survival rate was poor. Now with our redicules laws, I am not game to plant any.
Some one has to be productive, in the old sense of the word. We can't all work for the government, or serve each other, If it were not for rural, & mining production, there would be no money to pay for imported computer components, among other things. Then what would the greenies do? Oh, I know, use the government funded one.

Bronwyn, I was not trying to criticise per se, just making an observation.

As a journalist I actually belong to the "analyse" society type of employment. My point though was that these type of people are the most likely to vote Greens (or far left) rather than people such as tradespeople, small business owners.

I think hasbeen is also on the money when he says these type of people are more likely to see some perceived injustice and then prescribe a solution which will not affect them.

Graham - do you have any info on the qualifications of posters/readers of OLO.

It would be good ot have a breakdown of university/tafe/high school level of education as well as further breakdown of university quals by degree.

I would assume the rate of university education would be higher for contributors than the national average.

I would also assume, judging from some of the arguments of the posters, that there would be a heavy bias in favour of arts/education degrees, over economics and science.

t.u.s.

I find some of the assumptions made by posters about greens a bit wierd - I know a few; all of them worked; some in the hard sciences some in human service delivery - none I know laze around on welfare or fail to contribute to society as is alleged here.

In fact I find some of the assumptions made here rather silly given the fairly simple stats on offer. And 530 of 99999 is a small percentage of the readership - is it 100k regulars? was it 530 regulars who responded? only the omni present Graham really knows.

As so often said: Nothing to see here. Move on

Hasbeen

Welcome to OLO. It saddens me that you call yourself "Hasbeen". It sounds so negative. From my experience the term "hasbeen" usually connotes someone who has lost the plot and offers nothing to society.

t.u.s.
Yes, good idea. I am also interested in people's academic and pragmatic backgrounds.

I am an early retired general nurse, with mental health nursing as my specialty for some 25 years. Work injury put me out to pasture in 1993. I actually feel like as "hasbeen" now. I have three academic qualifications to Master level. Started my PHd - but decided that my husband and quality of life was more important.

I live on the Sunshine Coast. I love cooking exotic meals (mainly curries) for my husband, and going fishing with him.

Don't mind a drop of Chardy!

Cheers all
Kay (that's really me)