Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Rotating Quiz #169 -- Progressive laws
17 views
Skip to first unread message
Dan Tilque
Feb 9, 2015, 3:03:00 AM2/9/15
to
Welcome to RQ #169. The usual rules apply. This quiz will run until
sometime in the evening (UTC+8) Sunday 15-Feb-2015.
The questions below refer to certain, mostly progressive, issues
approved by legislation. It does not matter if they were voted just by
the legislature or by the entire electorate. Rights given to the people
only by judicial fiat (i.e. ruling a law unconstitutional) do not count.
Laws approved after judicial fiat do count. If a law has been passed but
is not yet fully implemented, it still counts.
1. Same-sex marriage. (Any form of same-sex union that gives the same
rights as marriage counts here.)
1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but most
do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor
does just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and
possession (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without
special permission. (1 point per polity)
3. Physician assisted suicide.
3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2 pts)
3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is, all
eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them by mail
or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
Note: I reserve the right to penalize excessive guessing on questions 2
and 4. A few guesses are OK; just don't abuse it. This is precautionary,
as I don't expect this group to engage in such.
--
Dan Tilque
sometime in the evening (UTC+8) Sunday 15-Feb-2015.
The questions below refer to certain, mostly progressive, issues
approved by legislation. It does not matter if they were voted just by
the legislature or by the entire electorate. Rights given to the people
only by judicial fiat (i.e. ruling a law unconstitutional) do not count.
Laws approved after judicial fiat do count. If a law has been passed but
is not yet fully implemented, it still counts.
1. Same-sex marriage. (Any form of same-sex union that gives the same
rights as marriage counts here.)
1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but most
do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor
does just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and
possession (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without
special permission. (1 point per polity)
3. Physician assisted suicide.
3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2 pts)
3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is, all
eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them by mail
or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
Note: I reserve the right to penalize excessive guessing on questions 2
and 4. A few guesses are OK; just don't abuse it. This is precautionary,
as I don't expect this group to engage in such.
--
Dan Tilque
Mark Brader
Feb 9, 2015, 4:27:33 AM2/9/15
to
Do people have to give the correct facts as of the time of their entry,
or what?
Dan Tilque:
> 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
> for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
12.
> 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor
> does just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and
> possession (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without
> special permission. (1 point per polity)
Colorado (though whether the law is legal is another matter), Uruguay.
> 3. Physician assisted suicide.
>
> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2 pts)
Well, at least I get 2 points. Canada.
> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria.
> 4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is, all
> eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them by mail
> or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
Washington.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "X-ray of girl shows bureaucratic mentality"
m...@vex.net | --Globe & Mail, Toronto, January 18, 1988
My text in this article is in the public domain.
or what?
Dan Tilque:
> 1. Same-sex marriage. (Any form of same-sex union that gives the same
> rights as marriage counts here.)
>
> 1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but most
> do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
5.
> rights as marriage counts here.)
>
> 1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but most
> do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
> 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
> for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
> 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor
> does just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and
> possession (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without
> special permission. (1 point per polity)
> 3. Physician assisted suicide.
>
> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2 pts)
> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
> 4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is, all
> eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them by mail
> or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "X-ray of girl shows bureaucratic mentality"
m...@vex.net | --Globe & Mail, Toronto, January 18, 1988
My text in this article is in the public domain.
Dan Tilque
Feb 9, 2015, 4:46:03 AM2/9/15
to
Dan Tilque wrote:
> Welcome to RQ #169. The usual rules apply. This quiz will run until
> sometime in the evening (UTC+8) Sunday 15-Feb-2015.
>
> The questions below refer to certain, mostly progressive, issues
> approved by legislation. It does not matter if they were voted just by
> the legislature or by the entire electorate. Rights given to the people
> only by judicial fiat (i.e. ruling a law unconstitutional) do not count.
> Laws approved after judicial fiat do count. If a law has been passed but
> is not yet fully implemented, it still counts.
>
The questions apply to the laws as they stood at the time I posted the
> Welcome to RQ #169. The usual rules apply. This quiz will run until
> sometime in the evening (UTC+8) Sunday 15-Feb-2015.
>
> The questions below refer to certain, mostly progressive, issues
> approved by legislation. It does not matter if they were voted just by
> the legislature or by the entire electorate. Rights given to the people
> only by judicial fiat (i.e. ruling a law unconstitutional) do not count.
> Laws approved after judicial fiat do count. If a law has been passed but
> is not yet fully implemented, it still counts.
>
quiz. If some law changes in the next week, you can note it, but it
doesn't count.
--
Dan Tilque
Marc Dashevsky
Feb 9, 2015, 11:40:28 AM2/9/15
to
In article <mb9pie$bdp$1...@dont-email.me>, dti...@frontier.com says...
> 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
> for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
10
> 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor
> does just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and
> possession (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without
> special permission. (1 point per polity)
Colorado
Washington (state)
Alaska
Netherlands
> 3. Physician assisted suicide.
>
> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2 pts)
>
> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
>
>
> 4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is, all
> eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them by mail
> or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
>
>
> Note: I reserve the right to penalize excessive guessing on questions 2
> and 4. A few guesses are OK; just don't abuse it. This is precautionary,
> as I don't expect this group to engage in such.
--
Replace "usenet" with "marc" in the e-mail address.
>
> Welcome to RQ #169. The usual rules apply. This quiz will run until
> sometime in the evening (UTC+8) Sunday 15-Feb-2015.
>
> The questions below refer to certain, mostly progressive, issues
> approved by legislation. It does not matter if they were voted just by
> the legislature or by the entire electorate. Rights given to the people
> only by judicial fiat (i.e. ruling a law unconstitutional) do not count.
> Laws approved after judicial fiat do count. If a law has been passed but
> is not yet fully implemented, it still counts.
>
>
> 1. Same-sex marriage. (Any form of same-sex union that gives the same
> rights as marriage counts here.)
>
> 1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but most
> do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
10
> Welcome to RQ #169. The usual rules apply. This quiz will run until
> sometime in the evening (UTC+8) Sunday 15-Feb-2015.
>
> The questions below refer to certain, mostly progressive, issues
> approved by legislation. It does not matter if they were voted just by
> the legislature or by the entire electorate. Rights given to the people
> only by judicial fiat (i.e. ruling a law unconstitutional) do not count.
> Laws approved after judicial fiat do count. If a law has been passed but
> is not yet fully implemented, it still counts.
>
>
> 1. Same-sex marriage. (Any form of same-sex union that gives the same
> rights as marriage counts here.)
>
> 1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but most
> do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
> 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
> for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
> 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor
> does just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and
> possession (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without
> special permission. (1 point per polity)
Washington (state)
Alaska
Netherlands
> 3. Physician assisted suicide.
>
> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2 pts)
>
> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
>
>
> 4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is, all
> eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them by mail
> or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
>
>
> Note: I reserve the right to penalize excessive guessing on questions 2
> and 4. A few guesses are OK; just don't abuse it. This is precautionary,
> as I don't expect this group to engage in such.
--
Erland Sommarskog
Feb 9, 2015, 3:45:30 PM2/9/15
to
Dan Tilque (dti...@frontier.com) writes:
> 1. Same-sex marriage. (Any form of same-sex union that gives the same
> rights as marriage counts here.)
>
> 1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but most
> do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
I believe that the total number is 32, but of quite of few of these
> 1. Same-sex marriage. (Any form of same-sex union that gives the same
> rights as marriage counts here.)
>
> 1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but most
> do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
involve Italian cars, as I understand. Hm, 20?
> 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
> for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
> 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor
> does just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and
> possession (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without
> special permission. (1 point per polity)
> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2
> pts)
> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
> 4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is, all
> eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them by mail
> or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
concept of "poströsta". What it meant that you could go to the post
office and cast your vote there in advance. With the demise of the postal
offices, you can still do advance voting in designated places, but
these mobile offices can be everywhere. For instance, they one in the
ground floor of the office building where I spend my days.
The vote is sent - by mail, I presume - to voting district where I belong
and counting on the voting night. (And if I change my mind, I can go
my voting district and change my vote on election day.)
To complicate things even further, we don't get any ballot in the mail,
we get a voting card. Some of the political parties may distribute their
ballots, although likely by direct advertising than mail.
So I am not sure Sweden counts. If Sweden counts, I would expect that
there are a whole bunch of countries with similar system: Norway,
Denmark, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France etc. I know that
India does not have such a system, and Greece did not have advance
or distant voting in their recent elections.
On the other hand, if you mean that I take my ballot, put in an envelop
and drop it off in any letterbox myself - then I don't have a clue. I
can suggest Latvia and Lithuania as my desperate guesses.
--
Erland Sommarskog, Stockholm, esq...@sommarskog.se
Peter Smyth
Feb 11, 2015, 3:55:58 PM2/11/15
to
Dan Tilque wrote:
> Welcome to RQ #169. The usual rules apply. This quiz will run until
> sometime in the evening (UTC+8) Sunday 15-Feb-2015.
>
> The questions below refer to certain, mostly progressive, issues
> approved by legislation. It does not matter if they were voted just
> by the legislature or by the entire electorate. Rights given to the
> people only by judicial fiat (i.e. ruling a law unconstitutional) do
> not count. Laws approved after judicial fiat do count. If a law has
> been passed but is not yet fully implemented, it still counts.
>
>
> 1. Same-sex marriage. (Any form of same-sex union that gives the same
> rights as marriage counts here.)
>
> 1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but
> most do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation
> allowing it? (3 pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
12
> Welcome to RQ #169. The usual rules apply. This quiz will run until
> sometime in the evening (UTC+8) Sunday 15-Feb-2015.
>
> The questions below refer to certain, mostly progressive, issues
> approved by legislation. It does not matter if they were voted just
> by the legislature or by the entire electorate. Rights given to the
> people only by judicial fiat (i.e. ruling a law unconstitutional) do
> not count. Laws approved after judicial fiat do count. If a law has
> been passed but is not yet fully implemented, it still counts.
>
>
> 1. Same-sex marriage. (Any form of same-sex union that gives the same
> rights as marriage counts here.)
>
> 1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but
> most do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation
> allowing it? (3 pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
> 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
12
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
>
> 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor
> does just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and
> possession (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without
> special permission. (1 point per polity)
Netherlands
> 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor
> does just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and
> possession (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without
> special permission. (1 point per polity)
>
> 3. Physician assisted suicide.
>
> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide?
> (2 pts)
Belgium
> 3. Physician assisted suicide.
>
> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide?
> (2 pts)
> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt
> each)
Netherlands, Switzerland
> each)
>
> 4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is,
> all eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them
> by mail or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
Washington, Oregon
> 4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is,
> all eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them
> by mail or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
Peter Smyth
Rob Parker
Feb 12, 2015, 9:09:37 PM2/12/15
to
> 1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but most
> do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
5
> do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
> 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts for
> exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
> 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor does
> just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and possession
> (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without special
> permission. (1 point per polity)
> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2
> pts)
> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
> 4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is, all
> eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them by mail
> or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
Dan Tilque
Feb 16, 2015, 3:49:25 AM2/16/15
to
Dan Tilque wrote:
> Welcome to RQ #169. The usual rules apply. This quiz will run until
> sometime in the evening (UTC+8) Sunday 15-Feb-2015.
>
> The questions below refer to certain, mostly progressive, issues
> approved by legislation. It does not matter if they were voted just by
> the legislature or by the entire electorate. Rights given to the people
> only by judicial fiat (i.e. ruling a law unconstitutional) do not count.
> Laws approved after judicial fiat do count. If a law has been passed but
> is not yet fully implemented, it still counts.
This quiz is over and ERLAND is the winner. Congratulations.
> Welcome to RQ #169. The usual rules apply. This quiz will run until
> sometime in the evening (UTC+8) Sunday 15-Feb-2015.
>
> The questions below refer to certain, mostly progressive, issues
> approved by legislation. It does not matter if they were voted just by
> the legislature or by the entire electorate. Rights given to the people
> only by judicial fiat (i.e. ruling a law unconstitutional) do not count.
> Laws approved after judicial fiat do count. If a law has been passed but
> is not yet fully implemented, it still counts.
>
>
> 1. Same-sex marriage. (Any form of same-sex union that gives the same
> rights as marriage counts here.)
>
> 1.a United States: most US states have legal same-sex marriage, but most
> do so by judicial fiat. How many have actual legislation allowing it? (3
> pts for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
Several other states have either domestic partnerships or civil unions
(CA CO NV NJ OR WI), but I don't think any provide exactly the same
rights as marriage, although some come very close. DC also has an SSM
law, but it does not count as a state.
>
> 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
> for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
Argentina
Belgium
Canada
Denmark
England and Wales
France
Iceland
Luxembourg
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
Scotland
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Uruguay
A couple of complications here. In the UK, this is a devolved issue. So
I counted the individual countries there separately. I'm not very happy
with this, but I wasn't sure how else to handle it. Any one have a
better idea?
In Mexico, marriage law falls to the individual states (just as in the
US). Only two states (out of 31) plus the Federal District have approved
SSM, so I decided not to count it.
Brazil also has SSM, but this is due to court rulings.
>
>
> 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> marijuana? Laws decriminalizing small amounts do not count here, nor
> does just medical marijuana. The law must allow for the purchase and
> possession (and often taxation) of marijuana by most adults without
> special permission. (1 point per polity)
It may also be legal in Bangladesh although I've been unable to confirm
this via the internet. It may or may not be legal in North Korea.
There's a bit of dispute over its status there. Fortunately no one named
either country, so I didn't have to rule on them.
As for the US states listed above, it's legal according the the laws of
those states, but still illegal according to federal law. But the Obama
administration has chosen not to enforce the federal laws in those
states[1], so those states have defacto legalization. Note that Alaska
and Oregon have just recently passed their laws and they are still
working on putting them into effect, although they still count for the
purposes of this quiz.
[1] No doubt because of a lack of manpower; they've always depended on
state and local police to enforce drug laws.
>
>
> 3. Physician assisted suicide.
>
> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2
> pts)
Canada is not the answer, since it's only been a very recent judicial
ruling (just a couple days before I posted this quiz, in fact). This
ruling requires Parliament to enact a law regulating it, but that law
has not yet been passed.
[2] I was unaware of this before researching this quiz.
>
> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
Vermont
Washington
Belgium
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Switzerland
There've been court rulings in Montana and New Mexico, but no
legislation has been passed. In NM, the ruling is under appeal to the
state Supreme Court.
>
>
> 4. Vote by mail: What polities have complete vote-by-mail? That is, all
> eligible voters get their ballot in the mail and may return them by mail
> or drop them off at designated locations. (1 pt per polity)
Oregon
Washington
Switzerland
Other polities may have advance voting or other facilitated voting
methods so that some or all voters do not have to go to the polling
station on election day, but they don't fall under the definition of
vote by mail I gave above.
Scoring:
Q1.a Q1.b Q2 Q3.a Q3.b Q4 T
Erland 0 0 4 0 3 0 7
Peter Smyth 1 0 1 0 2 2 6
Mark Brader 0 0 2 0 2 1 5
Marc Dashevshi 0 0 4 0 0 0 4
Rob Parker 0 1 1 0 1 0 3
Erland, RQ #170 is yours to do with as you please.
--
Dan Tilque
Mark Brader
Feb 16, 2015, 7:53:09 AM2/16/15
to
Disclaimer: my remarks here relate only to this trivia contest and not
to what I think the laws on these issues should be!
Dan Tilque:
[2] Decide that you meant laws at the level of independent countries
and the UK does not count, so the answer is 15.
[3] Decide that you mean laws applicable anywhere in the independent
country, so the UK qualifies and the answer is 16.
[4] Decide that entrants could not have guessed whether #2 or #3 would
apply, so treat either 15 or 16 as the right answer. But 17 is
right out.
(This one does not affect me; my guess was 12. I don't know if any
of the issues I raise below would affect the results.)
> > 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> > marijuana? ...
> As for the US states listed above, it's legal according the the laws of
> those states, but still illegal according to federal law. But the Obama
> administration has chosen not to enforce the federal laws in those
> states[1], so those states have defacto legalization...
Again, you needed a more explicit question. Because there was no penalty
for wrong guesses, it made sense for me to include Colorado (the only one
of those states I could think of at the time) in my answers, but I say
that there is no such thing as "de facto legalization" and in particular
that state legislation that contradicts federal law in an area of federal
jurisdiction is ipso facto invalid.
> > 3. Physician assisted suicide.
> >
> > 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2
> > pts)
>
> Quebec, as of June 2014 [2]
Invalid for the same reason as above. If physician-assisted suicide is
not legal, then it's some form of culpable homicide, and criminal law
in Canada falls under federal jurisdiction.
> Canada is not the answer, since it's only been a very recent judicial
> ruling (just a couple days before I posted this quiz, in fact). This
> ruling requires Parliament to enact a law regulating it, but that law
> has not yet been passed.
More precisely, the ruling suspended itself for a year in order to allow
a law to be passed that would make it moot, and now that I think about
it, *that* makes Canada a wrong answer.
> > 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
...
No, on this question you didn't ask about laws. Court rulings should
count as long as physician-assisted suicide is available in practice
in those polities.
--
Mark Brader | "In fact, that's not a bad epitaph.
Toronto | Dennis Ritchie: he did one job, and he did it well."
m...@vex.net | --Steve Summit
to what I think the laws on these issues should be!
Dan Tilque:
> > 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
> > for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
> > for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
> A couple of complications here. In the UK, this is a devolved issue. So
> I counted the individual countries there separately. I'm not very happy
> with this, but I wasn't sure how else to handle it. Any one have a
> better idea?
[1] Go back in time and write the question more explicitly.
> I counted the individual countries there separately. I'm not very happy
> with this, but I wasn't sure how else to handle it. Any one have a
> better idea?
[2] Decide that you meant laws at the level of independent countries
and the UK does not count, so the answer is 15.
[3] Decide that you mean laws applicable anywhere in the independent
country, so the UK qualifies and the answer is 16.
[4] Decide that entrants could not have guessed whether #2 or #3 would
apply, so treat either 15 or 16 as the right answer. But 17 is
right out.
(This one does not affect me; my guess was 12. I don't know if any
of the issues I raise below would affect the results.)
> > 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
> As for the US states listed above, it's legal according the the laws of
> those states, but still illegal according to federal law. But the Obama
> administration has chosen not to enforce the federal laws in those
Again, you needed a more explicit question. Because there was no penalty
for wrong guesses, it made sense for me to include Colorado (the only one
of those states I could think of at the time) in my answers, but I say
that there is no such thing as "de facto legalization" and in particular
that state legislation that contradicts federal law in an area of federal
jurisdiction is ipso facto invalid.
> > 3. Physician assisted suicide.
> >
> > 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2
> > pts)
>
> Quebec, as of June 2014 [2]
not legal, then it's some form of culpable homicide, and criminal law
in Canada falls under federal jurisdiction.
> Canada is not the answer, since it's only been a very recent judicial
> ruling (just a couple days before I posted this quiz, in fact). This
> ruling requires Parliament to enact a law regulating it, but that law
> has not yet been passed.
a law to be passed that would make it moot, and now that I think about
it, *that* makes Canada a wrong answer.
> > 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
> There've been court rulings in Montana and New Mexico, but no
> legislation has been passed. In NM, the ruling is under appeal...
No, on this question you didn't ask about laws. Court rulings should
count as long as physician-assisted suicide is available in practice
in those polities.
--
Mark Brader | "In fact, that's not a bad epitaph.
Toronto | Dennis Ritchie: he did one job, and he did it well."
m...@vex.net | --Steve Summit
Erland Sommarskog
Feb 16, 2015, 11:29:52 AM2/16/15
to
Mark Brader (m...@vex.net) writes:
> [1] Go back in time and write the question more explicitly.
> [2] Decide that you meant laws at the level of independent countries
> and the UK does not count, so the answer is 15.
> [3] Decide that you mean laws applicable anywhere in the independent
> country, so the UK qualifies and the answer is 16.
No, 17, since in this case also Mexico would qualifies.
> [1] Go back in time and write the question more explicitly.
> [2] Decide that you meant laws at the level of independent countries
> and the UK does not count, so the answer is 15.
> [3] Decide that you mean laws applicable anywhere in the independent
> country, so the UK qualifies and the answer is 16.
Thankfully, 15 or 17 does not matter what I can see. Rob was the only
one who was awarded a point and he had 15. (The question permitted for
+/-2.) I had 20, so I am out, unless someone finds an 18th country.
> Again, you needed a more explicit question. Because there was no penalty
> for wrong guesses, it made sense for me to include Colorado
and you were awarded a point for it.
That said, I can't say that was entirely comfortable with the quiz,
because these are questions with a lot of ifs and buts.
Since it was a while since I had the honour to run a quiz, I happy to
run one, but I will withhold my quiz for a day, in case there are any
changes in the scoring.
Erland Sommarskog
Feb 16, 2015, 4:25:02 PM2/16/15
to
Erland Sommarskog (esq...@sommarskog.se) writes:
> I had 20, so I am out, unless someone finds an 18th country.
>
No, I had 12. (But I had 20 for the number of states.)
> I had 20, so I am out, unless someone finds an 18th country.
>
Dan Tilque
Feb 16, 2015, 11:40:27 PM2/16/15
to
Mark Brader wrote:
>
>
> Dan Tilque:
>>> 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
>>> for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
>
>> A couple of complications here. In the UK, this is a devolved issue. So
>> I counted the individual countries there separately. I'm not very happy
>> with this, but I wasn't sure how else to handle it. Any one have a
>> better idea?
>
>
>
> Dan Tilque:
>>> 1.b Rest of the World: How many other countries have such laws? (3 pts
>>> for exact answer; 1 pt within 2)
>
>> A couple of complications here. In the UK, this is a devolved issue. So
>> I counted the individual countries there separately. I'm not very happy
>> with this, but I wasn't sure how else to handle it. Any one have a
>> better idea?
>
> [3] Decide that you mean laws applicable anywhere in the independent
> country, so the UK qualifies and the answer is 16.
After cogitating on the question today, I've decided that this is the
> country, so the UK qualifies and the answer is 16.
best answer. But as Erland pointed out, that leaves the correct answer
at 17, just a different 17 than I listed.
>
>
>>> 2. Recreational marijuana: What polities have legalized recreational
>>> marijuana? ...
>
>> As for the US states listed above, it's legal according the the laws of
>> those states, but still illegal according to federal law. But the Obama
>> administration has chosen not to enforce the federal laws in those
>> states[1], so those states have defacto legalization...
>
> Again, you needed a more explicit question. Because there was no penalty
> for wrong guesses, it made sense for me to include Colorado (the only one
> of those states I could think of at the time) in my answers, but I say
> that there is no such thing as "de facto legalization" and in particular
> that state legislation that contradicts federal law in an area of federal
> jurisdiction is ipso facto invalid.
1. State laws do sometimes contradict federal law and, despite that, are
the law in that state. A example is the minimum wage, where a state can
mandate a higher minimum wage than the federal government.
2. This is not an area of just federal jurisdiction. If the states don't
have laws making certain drugs illegal, then their police (including
local police) cannot make arrests for possession of those drugs, no
matter what the federal laws say.
But I agree that I should have been more explicit, and I apologize for
not doing so.
>
>
>>> 3. Physician assisted suicide.
>>>
>>> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2
>>> pts)
>> Quebec, as of June 2014 [2]
>
> Invalid for the same reason as above. If physician-assisted suicide is
> not legal, then it's some form of culpable homicide, and criminal law
> in Canada falls under federal jurisdiction.
which I understand is a provincial responsibility. The federal
government was planning on challenging Quebec's law in court; it would
have made for an interesting case.
The next most recent polity was Vermont (May 2013), which no one gave as
an answer either. So even if Quebec is wrong, the scores don't change.
>
>
>>> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
> ...
>> There've been court rulings in Montana and New Mexico, but no
>> legislation has been passed. In NM, the ruling is under appeal...
>
> No, on this question you didn't ask about laws. Court rulings should
> count as long as physician-assisted suicide is available in practice
> in those polities.
for the quiz as a whole say that judicially mandated rights do not
count. It's a moot point anyway, since no one gave those as answers.
So the scores have not changed and Erland is still winner.
--
Dan Tilque
Mark Brader
Feb 17, 2015, 5:55:26 AM2/17/15
to
Dan Tilque:
> 2. This is not an area of just federal jurisdiction. If the states don't
> have laws making certain drugs illegal, then their police (including
> local police) cannot make arrests for possession of those drugs, no
> matter what the federal laws say.
But the feds have their own police and courts and can and do arrest and
prosecute people for federal crimes. It's just that in this case they've
said they aren't going to -- more like an amnesty than a legalization.
> But I agree that I should have been more explicit, and I apologize for
> not doing so.
'Sall right. This sort of thing can be really hard to nail down in a
trivia question of reasonable length.
>>>> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2
>>>> pts)
>>> Quebec, as of June 2014 [2]
>>
>> Invalid for the same reason as above. If physician-assisted suicide is
>> not legal, then it's some form of culpable homicide, and criminal law
>> in Canada falls under federal jurisdiction.
>
> I think Quebec's rationale is that they are regulating medical practice,
> which I understand is a provincial responsibility. The federal
> government was planning on challenging Quebec's law in court; it
> would have made for an interesting case.
It's also notable because Canada does *not* have a parallel system of
federal police and courts. There are federal police (the RCMP) but they
only operate at federal-government facilities and in places that don't
have provincial or local police. Federal courts exist but not at the
level where criminal cases are originally tried. (At least, not in the
provinces; I don't know if it's different in the territories.) So if
Quebec decides that Dr. X acted legally under their provincial law,
the feds could not, as far as I know, decide to arrest and prosecute
him under theirs.
> The next most recent polity was Vermont (May 2013), which no one gave as
> an answer either. So even if Quebec is wrong, the scores don't change.
Thanks.
>>>> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
>> ...
>>> There've been court rulings in Montana and New Mexico, but no
>>> legislation has been passed. In NM, the ruling is under appeal...
>>
>> No, on this question you didn't ask about laws. Court rulings should
>> count as long as physician-assisted suicide is available in practice
>> in those polities.
>
> Well I didn't explicitly put it in this question, but the instructions
> for the quiz as a whole say that judicially mandated rights do not
> count. It's a moot point anyway, since no one gave those as answers.
Oh, good.
> So the scores have not changed and Erland is still winner.
Well done, then, Erland!
--
Mark Brader | "...what can be asserted without evidence
Toronto | can also be dismissed without evidence."
m...@vex.net | --Christopher Hitchens
>>> As for the US states listed above, it's legal according the the laws of
>>> those states, but still illegal according to federal law. But the Obama
>>> administration has chosen not to enforce the federal laws in those
>>> states[1], so those states have defacto legalization...
Mark Brader:
>>> those states, but still illegal according to federal law. But the Obama
>>> administration has chosen not to enforce the federal laws in those
>>> states[1], so those states have defacto legalization...
>> Again, you needed a more explicit question. Because there was no penalty
>> for wrong guesses, it made sense for me to include Colorado (the only one
>> of those states I could think of at the time) in my answers, but I say
>> that there is no such thing as "de facto legalization" and in particular
>> that state legislation that contradicts federal law in an area of federal
>> jurisdiction is ipso facto invalid.
Dan Tilque:
>> for wrong guesses, it made sense for me to include Colorado (the only one
>> of those states I could think of at the time) in my answers, but I say
>> that there is no such thing as "de facto legalization" and in particular
>> that state legislation that contradicts federal law in an area of federal
>> jurisdiction is ipso facto invalid.
> The last clause is above is wrong on two counts.
>
> 1. State laws do sometimes contradict federal law and, despite that, are
> the law in that state. A example is the minimum wage, where a state can
> mandate a higher minimum wage than the federal government.
That's not a contradiction; it's a supplementary requirement.
>
> 1. State laws do sometimes contradict federal law and, despite that, are
> the law in that state. A example is the minimum wage, where a state can
> mandate a higher minimum wage than the federal government.
> 2. This is not an area of just federal jurisdiction. If the states don't
> have laws making certain drugs illegal, then their police (including
> local police) cannot make arrests for possession of those drugs, no
> matter what the federal laws say.
prosecute people for federal crimes. It's just that in this case they've
said they aren't going to -- more like an amnesty than a legalization.
> But I agree that I should have been more explicit, and I apologize for
> not doing so.
trivia question of reasonable length.
>>>> 3.a What polity is the latest to approve physician-assisted suicide? (2
>>>> pts)
>>> Quebec, as of June 2014 [2]
>>
>> Invalid for the same reason as above. If physician-assisted suicide is
>> not legal, then it's some form of culpable homicide, and criminal law
>> in Canada falls under federal jurisdiction.
>
> I think Quebec's rationale is that they are regulating medical practice,
> which I understand is a provincial responsibility. The federal
> government was planning on challenging Quebec's law in court; it
> would have made for an interesting case.
federal police and courts. There are federal police (the RCMP) but they
only operate at federal-government facilities and in places that don't
have provincial or local police. Federal courts exist but not at the
level where criminal cases are originally tried. (At least, not in the
provinces; I don't know if it's different in the territories.) So if
Quebec decides that Dr. X acted legally under their provincial law,
the feds could not, as far as I know, decide to arrest and prosecute
him under theirs.
> The next most recent polity was Vermont (May 2013), which no one gave as
> an answer either. So even if Quebec is wrong, the scores don't change.
>>>> 3.b Name three other polities with physician-assisted suicide. (1 pt each)
>> ...
>>> There've been court rulings in Montana and New Mexico, but no
>>> legislation has been passed. In NM, the ruling is under appeal...
>>
>> No, on this question you didn't ask about laws. Court rulings should
>> count as long as physician-assisted suicide is available in practice
>> in those polities.
>
> Well I didn't explicitly put it in this question, but the instructions
> for the quiz as a whole say that judicially mandated rights do not
> count. It's a moot point anyway, since no one gave those as answers.
> So the scores have not changed and Erland is still winner.
--
Mark Brader | "...what can be asserted without evidence
Toronto | can also be dismissed without evidence."
m...@vex.net | --Christopher Hitchens
0 new messages