When does paint cost more than carpet?

Answer: When the NSW tax-payer is footing the bill.
Dragon's teeth to guard school zones
Some quotes from the article:
"THE NSW Government will spend $13 million on new line markings near every one of the state's 10,000 school zones."

"NSW has 3200 schools - but thousands more school zones because many schools have several road boundaries."

"The dragon's teeth markings would be painted on each side of the road for 35 metres at the start of each school zone."

"The program - which has the backing of road safety advocate Ron Delezio - would start this week."

So we have 3200 schools but 10,000 school zone entry points. Government is going to spend $13 million painting marks for 35 metres at the start of each zone. Let's do some calcs.
$13,000,000 for 3200 schools gives $4060 per school.
$13,000,000 for 10,000 zones gives $1300 per zone.
$1300 for a 35 metre length gives $37 per metre. I believe you can buy carpet cheaper than that. You surely can if you buy 350,000 metres of the stuff.

"Mr Daley said flashing lights had been installed in 293 school zones as part of a $46.5 million program that would eventually cover 566 school zones."
That is $82155 per school for flashing lights. Perhaps the painted road is not so expensive after all.

Racism cry is the only weapon

Using typical state Labor spin, with which we in NSW are all too familiar, Victorian Premier John Brumby this week announced his farcical response to the muggings of Indian students in Melbourne's crime-riddled western suburbs: a "Walk for Harmony". Oh, and some "hate crime legislation" to be rushed through Parliament.

But if the Victorian police just did their job, the problem would be solved, without resort to new legislation and bogus symbolism.

The above is not something I wrote but was written by Miranda Devine in her article Racism cry is the only weapon

The Moron of the Month award goes to Victorian Premier John Brumby for his part in the affair.

The situation is not that hard to understand. We just need good basic policing of good basic laws. Hiring some decent police and voting in some decent politicians would make a fine start.

The current system is a decrepit symbiosis between police and politicians:

Lazy police spend their time sucking-up to politicians, providing the bogus statistics the politicians want and providing the bloated fine revenue that the politicians want, instead of doing the basic policing that the public actually wants.

In return the politicians pander to the lazy police by making excuses for any police failure and giving over-the-top new powers to police and anything else they ask for.

Here's the pattern:
* Lazy police allow crime to flourish until incidents alarm the public
* Politicians rush thoughtless laws through Parliament with a flurry of tough proclamations
* Police get an excuse for past failure and get exciting new superpowers to use in future, to make their job even easier.
* Politicians get credit for doing something to tackle this brand-new threat to public safety.