Comments on: Are we really short of discretionary time? http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/ Observations from Carlton's Lone Classical Liberal Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:21:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: backroom girl http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5234 backroom girl Wed, 14 Mar 2007 04:58:35 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/03/11/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5234 The Wednesday Ross Gittins has also had a go at this - you won't be surprised to find him siding with Relationships Forum Australia. In his column he calls for, among other things, re-regulation of shopping hours. Very 'back to the 50s' of him, I must say, but I'm sure Ross doesn't really believe that the world would be a better place if women just stayed home and did the shopping Monday to Friday 9-5 like in the good old days. And I have to say I'm less than impressed by a report sponsored by a group consisting of senior partners in law firms, and the like, telling the rest of us that we need to work less and get a life. The Wednesday Ross Gittins has also had a go at this - you won’t be surprised to find him siding with Relationships Forum Australia. In his column he calls for, among other things, re-regulation of shopping hours.

Very ‘back to the 50s’ of him, I must say, but I’m sure Ross doesn’t really believe that the world would be a better place if women just stayed home and did the shopping Monday to Friday 9-5 like in the good old days.

And I have to say I’m less than impressed by a report sponsored by a group consisting of senior partners in law firms, and the like, telling the rest of us that we need to work less and get a life.

]]> By: Sacha http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5233 Sacha Tue, 13 Mar 2007 23:16:28 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/03/11/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5233 Janet Albrechtson has written an opinion piece related to this topic in <a href="http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/janetalbrechtsen/index.php/theaustralian/comments/personal_choice_key_to_balancing_home_and_career/" rel="nofollow"> today's Oz</a>. Janet Albrechtson has written an opinion piece related to this topic in today’s Oz.

]]> By: Sacha http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5232 Sacha Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:27:31 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/03/11/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5232 Just think about a world in which the fed. govt. attempted to limit our activities so that we had enough bureaucratically determined "free time" to spend with other people! Just think about a world in which the fed. govt. attempted to limit our activities so that we had enough bureaucratically determined “free time” to spend with other people!

]]> By: Sacha http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5231 Sacha Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:22:20 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/03/11/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5231 Interesting, Andrew. Personally, I can identify with being pressed for time, but that's only because I set myself so much to do and achieve that I stretch myself quite thinly! Having skimmed it, I like Mark Wooden's piece. Interesting, Andrew. Personally, I can identify with being pressed for time, but that’s only because I set myself so much to do and achieve that I stretch myself quite thinly!

Having skimmed it, I like Mark Wooden’s piece.

]]> By: Andrew Leigh http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5230 Andrew Leigh Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:00:43 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/03/11/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5230 Nicely put. Mark Wooden's oped in today's Oz also seemed to hit the nail on the head. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21369022-7583,00.html Nicely put. Mark Wooden’s oped in today’s Oz also seemed to hit the nail on the head.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21369022-7583,00.html

]]> By: Russell http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5226 Russell Mon, 12 Mar 2007 03:12:54 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/03/11/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5226 Damien - there's also this <a href="http://www.ucei.berkeley.edu/PDF/csemwp163.pdf" rel="nofollow">Australian study</a> which showed that DST doesn't save power because people get up an hour earlier and use power then - so it seems others are able to drag themselves out of bed at an unnatural hour of the morning, in the dark - I prefer to rise with the sun. Damien - there’s also this Australian study which showed that DST doesn’t save power because people get up an hour earlier and use power then - so it seems others are able to drag themselves out of bed at an unnatural hour of the morning, in the dark - I prefer to rise with the sun.

]]> By: Club Troppo » Missing Link http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5225 Club Troppo » Missing Link Mon, 12 Mar 2007 02:56:53 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/03/11/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5225 [...] thought-provoking answers to his own Dorothy Dixer questions: why is plagiarism bad? and are we really short of discretionary time?  Harry Clarke also muses about leisure and [...] [...] thought-provoking answers to his own Dorothy Dixer questions: why is plagiarism bad? and are we really short of discretionary time?  Harry Clarke also muses about leisure and [...]

]]> By: Damien Eldridge http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5227 Damien Eldridge Mon, 12 Mar 2007 02:02:19 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/03/11/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5227 If people are interested in time use surveys and the impact of daylight saving on behaviour, they might like to read the following story: http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/economics/news/current/hamertime/ . If people are interested in time use surveys and the impact of daylight saving on behaviour, they might like to read the following story:

http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/economics/news/current/hamertime/ .

]]> By: Russell http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5229 Russell Mon, 12 Mar 2007 01:03:51 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/03/11/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5229 I reckon it's Daylight Saving. Now that we're forced to suffer it here in WA I can see how tiring it is. Even I myself have fallen victim to it - you used to get home from work at twilight and water the garden a bit before dinner. Now you arrive home and it's bright and sunny, so you go to the beach, and when you get home it's supposedly 8.30PM ! (One blessing - you've missed the 7.30 Report). You go to bed late and then have to rush in the morning - no time for a proper breakfast, the garden is parched ..... The other curse is mobile phones (I've never had one). For example last week on a 42 C day my brother, busily going around his building sites, gets a call from daughter at school - it's swimming training and she left swimsuit at home. Brother thinks "Quicker to go to nearest shopping centre and buy new swimsuit and deliver to school" - but they don't have her size in school regulation dark blue, so goes to next shop ...... a whole afternoon is lost. Sp apart from worrying about brain tumours these mobile phones are also busy-making gadgets. BTW see how 42 degrees Celsius just doesn't capture the off-the-scale scorchiness of the old 108 degress Farenheit ? Another loss to the language. Those old enough to remember the more leisurely 1950s and 60s will know that it was when the wives and mothers entered the workforce that family life became a rush. I reckon it’s Daylight Saving. Now that we’re forced to suffer it here in WA I can see how tiring it is. Even I myself have fallen victim to it - you used to get home from work at twilight and water the garden a bit before dinner. Now you arrive home and it’s bright and sunny, so you go to the beach, and when you get home it’s supposedly 8.30PM ! (One blessing - you’ve missed the 7.30 Report). You go to bed late and then have to rush in the morning - no time for a proper breakfast, the garden is parched …..

The other curse is mobile phones (I’ve never had one). For example last week on a 42 C day my brother, busily going around his building sites, gets a call from daughter at school - it’s swimming training and she left swimsuit at home. Brother thinks “Quicker to go to nearest shopping centre and buy new swimsuit and deliver to school” - but they don’t have her size in school regulation dark blue, so goes to next shop …… a whole afternoon is lost.

Sp apart from worrying about brain tumours these mobile phones are also busy-making gadgets.

BTW see how 42 degrees Celsius just doesn’t capture the off-the-scale scorchiness of the old 108 degress Farenheit ? Another loss to the language.

Those old enough to remember the more leisurely 1950s and 60s will know that it was when the wives and mothers entered the workforce that family life became a rush.

]]> By: Rajat Sood http://andrewnorton.info/2007/03/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5228 Rajat Sood Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:28:32 +0000 http://andrewnorton.info/blog/2007/03/11/are-we-really-short-of-discretionary-time/#comment-5228 My theory is that people go through a variety of moods over each day, week, month and year and when their moods are relatively low, they like to find something external to blame them on. Being too busy is a good one - it justifies being irritable or disengaged while reinforcing one's sense of moral superiority. If we had a recession, people (including left-wing comentators) would quickly find something else to complain about. My theory is that people go through a variety of moods over each day, week, month and year and when their moods are relatively low, they like to find something external to blame them on. Being too busy is a good one - it justifies being irritable or disengaged while reinforcing one’s sense of moral superiority. If we had a recession, people (including left-wing comentators) would quickly find something else to complain about.

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