Another Richard - Your are reading that wrong, it was 55-45 to the Coalition in Queensland in 2010, on those figures that is a 4% swing to the ALP which would give them about 3/4 seats and could yet make things interesting and give an outside chance of a hung parliament (particularly given Rudd's strong performance on an ABC Q and A tonight which Abbott declined to participate in)
Nah, you need to be more subtle than that. Just explain why Nigel Farage is poser pretending to be a TRUE BLUE Conservative while Cameron is the real deal. Then stand back and watch the fireworks, Seant's Telegraph blog might implode with the UKIPper outrage that would cause.
Hello. Weird polls. I suspect the random variance implies real temporary volatility, and we will proceed to status quo ante Syria shortly
Back to poetry.
Seems I've now annoyed Ireland, and the entire literary establishment, via my Telegraph blogs, after previously insulting atheists, Germans, all politicians, crop circle believers, Australia, murderers, John Kerry, the BBC, the Guardian, europhiles, scientists, climate changers, and America.
I'm running out of targets. Do pb-ers have any suggestions?
Just say Nigel Farage is an idiot. Your hit rate will go supernova.
The most selfish people in the universe. Walk around with plastic bags like they are Samaritans Want urban areas to be arranged around their childlessness yet complain about immigrants. So needy they think their animals can crap on childrens sportsfields and the children are to blame for rubbing pet faeces in their eyes.
Seant, what about football supporters, football players football pundits and the notion that you cannot change the team you support? The sport is totally overhyped, overrated and overpriced. It's probably peaked already. So orchestrated nowadeay - little flags on the seats, song sheets, CCTV. Bit like North Korea. Lineker and Co? Knobs with fashion shirts and tight trousers. 50 word lexicon to describe the whole sport. Like listening to a two year old compared to TMS. Football is a balloon on the point of deflation.
Hello. Weird polls. I suspect the random variance implies real temporary volatility, and we will proceed to status quo ante Syria shortly
Back to poetry.
Seems I've now annoyed Ireland, and the entire literary establishment, via my Telegraph blogs, after previously insulting atheists, Germans, all politicians, crop circle believers, Australia, murderers, John Kerry, the BBC, the Guardian, europhiles, scientists, climate changers, and America.
I'm running out of targets. Do pb-ers have any suggestions?
Monty Python Tommy Cooper Morecambe & Wise Cyclists Shopping The internet Whales Endangered species Tolstoy Shakespeare James Joyce's Ulysses Salman Rushdie The Beatles Brazil The Pope
The list is endless.
And then at the end I would blame it all on Armenian aquarium owners in league, confusingly, with Prince Harry, Barack Obama, and Elton John's baby.
The most selfish people in the universe. Walk around with plastic bags like they are Samaritans Want urban areas to be arranged around their childlessness yet complain about immigrants. So needy they think their animals can crap on childrens sportsfields and the children are to blame for rubbing pet faeces in their eyes.
On some of this, I might agree. There is this horrible young bloke, lives near me, who owns a killer hound and he parades it up and down Parkway. It is clearly bred to maim, is constantly strangling itself on its chain in its bloodlust, and likes to take jumps at young kids going to the market, freaking them into tears.
If he ever lost control of the leash it would be on the infants in a second. Loathsome. I can't see much difference between walking around with that, and walking around with a huge unsheathed knife, waving it menacingly.
Trouble is, this is a bit obvious. I may have to make it an attack on ALL dogs, per se.
Hello. Weird polls. I suspect the random variance implies real temporary volatility, and we will proceed to status quo ante Syria shortly
Back to poetry.
Seems I've now annoyed Ireland, and the entire literary establishment, via my Telegraph blogs, after previously insulting atheists, Germans, all politicians, crop circle believers, Australia, murderers, John Kerry, the BBC, the Guardian, europhiles, scientists, climate changers, and America.
I'm running out of targets. Do pb-ers have any suggestions?
Cities Industrial areas Suburbia Farmland Forests Mountains
Young people Middle aged people Old people
Enclosed spaces Open spaces
Pizza Pasta Italian food in general
And get all your facts wrong and then steadfastly refuse to admit you're wrong - get Hugh Laurie and Hugh Grant mixed up for example or Herbert Sutcliffe and Peter Sutcliffe. Or refer to Jerry and Margo Leadbetter as Jerry and Mungo Leadbetter and say that was the origin of the name Mungo Jerry.
That's a good idea: how leftie do-gooders are destroying the elephants through the ban on ivory trade
AndyJS The latest poll showed Rudd keeping it comfortably, and 1 of the 2 polls from Queensland tonight showed a swing to the ALP (of course Howard lost his seat in 2007 so it would not be that sensational)
Another Richard - Your are reading that wrong, it was 55-45 to the Coalition in Queensland in 2010, on those figures that is a 4% swing to the ALP which would give them about 3/4 seats and could yet make things interesting and give an outside chance of a hung parliament (particularly given Rudd's strong performance on an ABC Q and A tonight which Abbott declined to participate in)
The only thing I'm reading is AndyJS's comment about a swing to the Liberals in the Queensland marginals.
Seems I've now annoyed Ireland, and the entire literary establishment, via my Telegraph blogs, after previously insulting atheists, Germans, all politicians, crop circle believers, Australia, murderers, John Kerry, the BBC, the Guardian, europhiles, scientists, climate changers, and America.
I'm running out of targets. Do pb-ers have any suggestions?
Pah! Those are easy targets.
Why not give yourself a real challenge, and go for Canadians?
Another Richard - Your are reading that wrong, it was 55-45 to the Coalition in Queensland in 2010, on those figures that is a 4% swing to the ALP which would give them about 3/4 seats and could yet make things interesting and give an outside chance of a hung parliament (particularly given Rudd's strong performance on an ABC Q and A tonight which Abbott declined to participate in)
The only thing I'm reading is AndyJS's comment about a swing to the Liberals in the Queensland marginals.
The poll I was talking about originally was one conducted in some marginal seats in Queensland which showed a 4.7% swing to the Coalition.
It's the marginal seats that matter of course, not what happens in safe seats.
tim is the expert troll, so worth listening to his suggestions.
The telegraph comments is a nest of Kippers, so how about a hymmn of praise for islamic family values? Or perhaps a suggestion that we should have the EU decide whether we bomb Syria?
AndyJS The latest poll showed Rudd keeping it comfortably, and 1 of the 2 polls from Queensland tonight showed a swing to the ALP (of course Howard lost his seat in 2007 so it would not be that sensational)
I said it would be sensational because it would require a swing of more than 8%. Howard's seat was a lot more marginal than that.
I know other polls have shown Rudd holding his seat, but the fact that any polls have shown him possibly in trouble is noteworthy IMO.
Hello. Weird polls. I suspect the random variance implies real temporary volatility, and we will proceed to status quo ante Syria shortly
Back to poetry.
Seems I've now annoyed Ireland, and the entire literary establishment, via my Telegraph blogs, after previously insulting atheists, Germans, all politicians, crop circle believers, Australia, murderers, John Kerry, the BBC, the Guardian, europhiles, scientists, climate changers, and America.
I'm running out of targets. Do pb-ers have any suggestions?
Monty Python Tommy Cooper Morecambe & Wise Cyclists Shopping The internet Whales Endangered species Tolstoy Shakespeare James Joyce's Ulysses Salman Rushdie The Beatles Brazil The Pope
The list is endless.
Hah! I am extremely tempted by WHALES as a target.
WHY IS BRUSSELS LETTING THESE WHALES EAT OUR LOYAL KRILL?
Complete with huge photo of massive-mouthed German whale devouring helpless British plankton. I could imply that the EU has encouraged the proliferation of the larger cetaceans, in a bid to destroy beloved English protozoa and therefore cripple the UK food chain.
And then at the end I would blame it all on Armenian aquarium owners in league, confusingly, with Prince Harry, Barack Obama, and Elton John's baby.
Mountain gorillas or orangutan's should be good for outrage as well.
Claim that there's been an outbreak of women being raped by them.
Then use this 'fact' as an excuse to plug 'The Bible of the Dead' and your other books.
For maximum controversey specify the racial background of the women supposedly being raped by mountain gorillas.
tim is the expert troll, so worth listening to his suggestions.
The telegraph comments is a nest of Kippers, so how about a hymmn of praise for islamic family values? Or perhaps a suggestion that we should have the EU decide whether we bomb Syria?
AndyJS Indeed, but that Newspoll was mainly ALP marginals and showed 51-49 to the Coalition so not a huge swing, Nielsen had a swing to the ALP across the state so there is an outside chance the ALP could pick up the odd Coalition seat in the state
AndyJS The ones showing him losing it tend to be robopolls which are less reliable, he could lose it but it is still on the outer ring of ALP marginals so would not be that astonishing
Seems I've now annoyed Ireland, and the entire literary establishment, via my Telegraph blogs, after previously insulting atheists, Germans, all politicians, crop circle believers, Australia, murderers, John Kerry, the BBC, the Guardian, europhiles, scientists, climate changers, and America.
I'm running out of targets. Do pb-ers have any suggestions?
Pah! Those are easy targets.
Why not give yourself a real challenge, and go for Canadians?
I once had a fantastically hot half-Canadian girlfriend, half my age. It was QUITE a while ago. She dumped me.
THE CANADIANS DESERVED TO DIE AT VIMY RIDGE. LIKE THEIR YOUNG NUBILE RAVEN-HAIRED COUNTRYWOMEN, THEY WERE ARRANT COWARDS
Bit long.
Describe Canadians as failed Americans trying to be Australians or failed Australiains trying to be Americans.
Amusing if Abbott wins the biggest majority in Australian history after being branded as totally unelectable a few years ago by just about every pundit.
Bravo! An absolute disgrace sorted out, years after everyone knew it was an appalling injustice. The fact that squatters could just steal the house of an ordinary family without committing an offence, and without the police taking the slightest interest or being able to help families recover their homes, was an absolutely extraordinary injustice. Now sorted.
tim is the expert troll, so worth listening to his suggestions.
The telegraph comments is a nest of Kippers, so how about a hymmn of praise for islamic family values? Or perhaps a suggestion that we should have the EU decide whether we bomb Syria?
Ian Birrell @ianbirrell 3m Good to see #Newsnight reporting the government planning to raise minimum wage, as I suggested a few months back http://bit.ly/1czLUuo
Smart Tories know that the way to cut benefit spending is to increase pay and lower rents. PB Tories cheer increased rents and lower pay.
You never learn tim.
The growth in rents has been falling as house prices have begun to recover.
Bravo! An absolute disgrace sorted out, years after everyone knew it was an appalling injustice. The fact that squatters could just steal the house of an ordinary family without committing an offence, and without the police taking the slightest interest or be able to help families recover their homes, was an absolutely extraordinary injustice. Now sorted.
I think huffpo has slightly the wrong end of the stick though. It's not so much the charging/punishment that matters as the ability to get the police involved and evict/arrest them without the need to go to court.
Now they just need to extend the rules to cover commercial property (why the heck didn't they include that first time round - did they just not think?)
We could be about to get fairly right-wing governments in Norway, Austria and Australia over the next few weeks. And the continuation of a centre-right administration in Germany, which is the same sort of thing really in the sense that it's the most right-wing choice possible in the country.
tim is the expert troll, so worth listening to his suggestions.
The telegraph comments is a nest of Kippers, so how about a hymmn of praise for islamic family values? Or perhaps a suggestion that we should have the EU decide whether we bomb Syria?
AndyJS - These things go in swings and roundabouts, last year we had victories for the centre-left in France and the USA (although Germany could still produce a Grand Coalition)
Hello. Weird polls. I suspect the random variance implies real temporary volatility, and we will proceed to status quo ante Syria shortly
Back to poetry.
Seems I've now annoyed Ireland, and the entire literary establishment, via my Telegraph blogs, after previously insulting atheists, Germans, all politicians, crop circle believers, Australia, murderers, John Kerry, the BBC, the Guardian, europhiles, scientists, climate changers, and America.
I'm running out of targets. Do pb-ers have any suggestions?
Monty Python Tommy Cooper Morecambe & Wise Cyclists Shopping The internet Whales Endangered species Tolstoy Shakespeare James Joyce's Ulysses Salman Rushdie The Beatles Brazil The Pope
The list is endless.
Hah! I am extremely tempted by WHALES as a target.
WHY IS BRUSSELS LETTING THESE WHALES EAT OUR LOYAL KRILL?
Complete with huge photo of massive-mouthed German whale devouring helpless British plankton. I could imply that the EU has encouraged the proliferation of the larger cetaceans, in a bid to destroy beloved English protozoa and therefore cripple the UK food chain.
And then at the end I would blame it all on Armenian aquarium owners in league, confusingly, with Prince Harry, Barack Obama, and Elton John's baby.
Watch David Frost interview Enoch Powell on you tube and I don't think any anti mass immigration scribe will be able to stop themselves writing a unflattering obituary
How many squatters have been prosecuted in Scotland since that was introduced?
By the way, what do you make of the Govt getting rid of the census
Very few, because like all good criminal laws it's about deterrence, not about prosecuting people after the event. The key thing is that Mr Plod will now take an interest and tell the villains to get out or else, rather than it being left to the poor victims to jump through hoops at vast legal cost to try get their home back.
As for the census, I don't think it's anything to have a fetish about. It's a straightforward cost/benefit analysis. Some of the comments from you and others imply that the cost is not a relevant consideration.
I think huffpo has slightly the wrong end of the stick though. It's not so much the charging/punishment that matters as the ability to get the police involved and evict/arrest them without the need to go to court.
Now they just need to extend the rules to cover commercial property (why the heck didn't they include that first time round - did they just not think?)
Yes, right on both points.
For the avoidance of doubt, I wasn't praising the journalistic expertise of HuffPost!
Andy JS - 53-47 or even 54-46 is certainly not the biggest margin in Australian history by any stretch, indeed Howard lost 53-47 in '07 and Keating lost 54-46 '96. The biggest margin in voteshare was 57-43 in 1966, although Gillard may indeed have surpassed it as she was polling 43% to the Coalition's 57% when she was ousted
When was the last time the centre-left won a convincing victory in a western country (excluding the Democrats in the USA)? Hollande's win was hardly convincing IMO. The Danish left's margin was tiny, the same in Italy.
How many squatters have been prosecuted in Scotland since that was introduced?
By the way, what do you make of the Govt getting rid of the census
As for the census, I don't think it's anything to have a fetish about. It's a straightforward cost/benefit analysis. Some of the comments from you and others imply that the cost is not a relevant consideration.
Richard
I don't think Labour understand the meaning of a cost/benefit analysis.
But tim and his like have an eye for part-time day carers of the handicapped who need paying for a spare room and conifer tree plantations which need to be hugged by hikers.
If luvvies like Alan Bennett can call library closures "child abuse", all it needs is for Lord Baldrick to claim that ditching the census is desecrating the tombstones of history and the lefties are onto a winner.
Last night I posted on what appeared to be an insurgent offensive North East of Damascus. So far there are unconfirmed reports of it gaining noticeable traction. The insurgents often operate what is essentially in and out then clear out operations less with the aim of holding territory as stretching and weakening Assad's forces. Whether this such a move or seizing of territory on this front remains to be seen.
Rumours of a defection of an senor Alawite official remain unconfirmed. Admittedly they do tend overall to follow but there have been some that simply did not transpire.
Last night I posted on what appeared to be an insurgent offensive North East of Damascus. So far there are unconfirmed reports of it gaining noticeable traction. The insurgents often operate what is essentially in and out then clear out operations less with the aim of holding territory as stretching and weakening Assad's forces. Whether this such a move or seizing of territory on this front remains to be seen.
Rumours of a defection of an senor Alawite official remain unconfirmed. Admittedly they do tend overall to follow but there have been some that simply did not transpire.
Assad having to hide his kit creates an opportunity for that.
I think the benefits of the census are under-appreciated and that scrapping it is myopic: very visible cost, harder to see benefit.
It would be a real shame to scrap it. I hope part of the cost/benefit analysis factors in the value of having a once a decade snapshot of the country going back centuries. That continuity is a precious gift to future generations. It's the kind of intangible that those obsessed by cutting to the bones to save comparatively small sums of money tend to overlook. Lose the census and we lose a living link to our past. Don't it always seem to go you don't know what you've got til it's gone ...
I think the benefits of the census are under-appreciated and that scrapping it is myopic: very visible cost, harder to see benefit.
It would be a real shame to scrap it. I hope part of the cost/benefit analysis factors in the value of having a once a decade snapshot of the country going back centuries. That continuity is a precious gift to future generations. It's the kind of intangible that those obsessed by cutting to the bones to save comparatively small sums of money tend to overlook. Lose the census and we lose a living link to our past. Don't it always seem to go you don't know what you've got til it's gone ...
I sense a cross party campaign on this. Even fitalass who regarded her proximity to the forests as vindication of the forests policy may be winnable.
PB Says Save the Census.
It's cutting for show. The worst kind of middle management self-indulgence. Crass stupidity disguised as unsentimental efficiency. And once it's gone it's irreplaceable. The British Library and all those old documents it stores that are about stuff that's already happened; let's get rid of that as well; that should save a bit of wedge.
How many squatters have been prosecuted in Scotland since that was introduced?
By the way, what do you make of the Govt getting rid of the census
As for the census, I don't think it's anything to have a fetish about. It's a straightforward cost/benefit analysis. Some of the comments from you and others imply that the cost is not a relevant consideration.
Richard
I don't think Labour understand the meaning of a cost/benefit analysis.
But tim and his like have an eye for part-time day carers of the handicapped who need paying for a spare room and conifer tree plantations which need to be hugged by hikers.
If luvvies like Alan Bennett can call library closures "child abuse", all it needs is for Lord Baldrick to claim that ditching the census is desecrating the tombstones of history and the lefties are onto a winner.
If you're a Conservative who wants to get rid of the census, what do you want to conserve?
It probably isn't the most cost efficient way of collecting, managing and analysing data in the age of digital information. I doubt too whether it is flexible enough to meet the needs of its various and many users.
I guess what is going on is an announcement that it is to be axed as a government expense in the expectation that counter-proposals will be made to preserve it. There is plenty of time for a wide consultation of users to look at alternatives.
Subcontracting to the private sector makes sense with statutory powers granted where it is necessary to enforce data provision. A monolithic state managed decannual paper based survey probably isn't most appropriate way to collect required data today..
But I agree the emphasis should be on reform and enhancements rather than closure.
As Cameron said when someone tried to explain the NHS reorganisation to him "we're fucked" Same with the census. Learn some lessons.
But the NHS wasn't fucked and Labour have made no commitments to reverse any of Lansley's reforms.
Dispassionate analysis rather than sentimental outrage is what is required.
But I agree that if an angry media and political campaign is launched there is a real prospect of a government U-turn just because the political capital lost would outway the financial savings.
As with the forests, the benefits of reform may be lost in the hunt for a partisan victory.
THINK.
Is the way the census is currently organised the most efficient and effective way of obtaining, storing, analysing and presenting data?
Are there better ways of providing this service? More data rich, more accurate, more timely, more cost efficient?
These are the questions which should be asked. Not a campaign to preserve warm beer.
"Comedian Rory Bremner was flattered to receive a text last week from Tory MP Zac Goldsmith confessing he had no idea what to do about the Syria vote and appealing for advice. Before Bremner could compose a reply, he received another message: ‘Sorry, wrong Rory!’ Goldsmith had intended to text his Eton contemporary Rory Stewart, foreign policy adviser to David Cameron and all-round expert on Arab matters known as Florence of Belgravia. Goldsmith ended up voting with the Government. ‘Florence’ abstained to attend his sister’s wedding."
"Sir David Frost, who has died aged 74, was never one for cattle class. But when he and the rest of TV-AM’s ‘famous five’ were criticised for travelling by first class rail to promote the franchise, colleague Michael Parkinson says that Frosty chose to lead by example by taking a second class train to Darlington. Says Parky: ‘However, he forgot to cancel the Bentley he had ordered to meet him at our destination. I shall treasure the memory of David walking briskly down the platform being shadowed all the way by his limousine and attempting to shoo it away with muttered instructions to “b***** off”.’"
BTW - as a lurker and occasional poster can I say how glad I am that everyone seems to have finally calmed down a bit over Syria! Really not some posters finest hour on this site.
I have seen no plausible alternative. If the quality was any worse than it already is, the information would be worthlessly unreliable.
Grandiose
I find that surprising from someone who gives his time and skills to Wikipedia.
Say I was Maude and called you in to the Cabinet Office and asked you to carry out an appraisal of the current census system and to develop alternatives which both reduced cost and improved functions and scope, I bet you wouldn't recommend the status quo.
BTW - as a lurker and occasional poster can I say how glad I am that everyone seems to have finally calmed down a bit over Syria! Really not some posters finest hour on this site.
Our latest census in Italy was really worthwhile...questions
Name Surname date of birth do you own your house? how many families live in your house? how large is it? how many rooms? how many kitchens? how many bathrooms? do you have hot water? how do you get hot water for the shower? what kind of heating system do you have? do you have renewable energies? (Immigrants tend to answer yes even if it's not true. Not sure what they think they are) do you have air conditioning? how many cars? and cell phones? internet? what kind of connection? are you registreted in this municipality? marital status? when did you marry? marital status before marriage Citizenship which country your parents were born it? when do you come in Italy for the first time? where were you on October 9? And 5 years ago? 10 years ago? Education do you work? searching for work? current/previous job where do you work/study? at what time do you get out of home to go to work/school last Wendesday? what kind of transport did you use? do you come back at night? can you see? can you hear? can you walk? can you remember things?
BTW - as a lurker and occasional poster can I say how glad I am that everyone seems to have finally calmed down a bit over Syria! Really not some posters finest hour on this site.
Sunil was the worst offender.
Note: The subject Avery responds to the stimulus as predicted!
Also all the hoohaa about Rory Stewart earlier - no-one seems to have asked a simple question.
Why do the MPs all have to turn up in person to vote? Surely it wouldn't be that hard in the case of an unexpected recall to enable MPs who can't make it in person to e-mail their vote to the speaker?
Our latest census in Italy was really worthwhile...questions
Name Surname date of birth do you own your house? how many families live in your house? how large is it? how many rooms? how many kitchens? how many bathrooms? do you have hot water? how do you get hot water for the shower? what kind of heating system do you have? do you have renewable energies? (Immigrants tend to answer yes even if it's not true. Not sure what they think they are) do you have air conditioning? how many cars? and cell phones? internet? what kind of connection? are you registreted in this municipality? marital status? when did you marry? marital status before marriage Citizenship which country your parents were born it? when do you come in Italy for the first time? where were you on October 9? And 5 years ago? 10 years ago? Education do you work? searching for work? current/previous job where do you work/study? at what time do you get out of home to go to work/school last Wendesday? what kind of transport did you use? do you come back at night? can you see? can you hear? can you walk? can you remember things?
Finished
How long will it be before all the information is publicly available?
Not that I would want to know, but just interested. In the UK it's 100 years I think.
I don't understand the question? Isn't the 2011 census data already available? I am missing something
Every household fills out a census form. The data from each census form are extracted (three males and two females live at No. 73 and these are their ages). Those extracts are added up and summarised in such a way that individuals cannot be identified ("the number of males over 65 in Thurrock is 37,525"). The *summaries* are released 2-3 years after the census. The *extracts* are kept confidential for ~100 years.
Also all the hoohaa about Rory Stewart earlier - no-one seems to have asked a simple question.
Why do the MPs all have to turn up in person to vote? Surely it wouldn't be that hard in the case of an unexpected recall to enable MPs who can't make it in person to e-mail their vote to the speaker?
Exactly, this problem is completely self-inflicted. Maybe email isn't ideal, but they should be able to do the damn thing online.
Also all the hoohaa about Rory Stewart earlier - no-one seems to have asked a simple question.
Why do the MPs all have to turn up in person to vote? Surely it wouldn't be that hard in the case of an unexpected recall to enable MPs who can't make it in person to e-mail their vote to the speaker?
Exactly, this problem is completely self-inflicted. Maybe email isn't ideal, but they should be able to do the damn thing online.
In other news. MPs today voted 649-1 for Vigara for 100% happy, resolving the debt via Mrs Sophie Wugando of the Royal Bank of Nigeria whose husband deposited £100,000,000 before his untimely death, and 15% off "Saints' Row IV" if you purchase TODAY from Play.com
Or conversely, the lazy f***s could just turn up and walk thru the yes or no lobbies like they're actually paid to.
Also all the hoohaa about Rory Stewart earlier - no-one seems to have asked a simple question.
Why do the MPs all have to turn up in person to vote? Surely it wouldn't be that hard in the case of an unexpected recall to enable MPs who can't make it in person to e-mail their vote to the speaker?
Exactly, this problem is completely self-inflicted. Maybe email isn't ideal, but they should be able to do the damn thing online.
In other news. MPs today voted 649-1 for Vigara for 100% happy, resolving the debt via Mrs Sophie Wugando of the Royal Bank of Nigeria whose husband deposited £100,000,000 before his untimely death, and 15% off "Saints' Row IV" if you purchase TODAY from Play.com
Or conversely, the lazy f***s could just turn up and walk thru the yes or no lobbies like they're actually paid to.
Have them stick a short video online explaining their vote if you're worried they'll get hacked. But it's not rocket science to provide reasonable security for a publicly visible system for less than 700 people.
Also all the hoohaa about Rory Stewart earlier - no-one seems to have asked a simple question.
Why do the MPs all have to turn up in person to vote? Surely it wouldn't be that hard in the case of an unexpected recall to enable MPs who can't make it in person to e-mail their vote to the speaker?
Exactly, this problem is completely self-inflicted. Maybe email isn't ideal, but they should be able to do the damn thing online.
In other news. MPs today voted 649-1 for Vigara for 100% happy, resolving the debt via Mrs Sophie Wugando of the Royal Bank of Nigeria whose husband deposited £100,000,000 before his untimely death, and 15% off "Saints' Row IV" if you purchase TODAY from Play.com
Or conversely, the lazy f***s could just turn up and walk thru the yes or no lobbies like they're actually paid to.
Have them stick a short video online explaining their vote if you're worried they'll get hacked. But it's not rocket science to provide reasonable security for a publicly visible system for less than 700 people.
I would not say it's easy to provide a secure system, even for just 700 people. (Although surely you'd want to extend this to the Lords as well?) And security matters in this case.
But as with all computer systems, don't forget the human factor. It will not be long before stories come out of MPs having pressed the wrong button, of their child / dog / cat having voted by mistake. Of power cuts or Internet outages preventing them from voting. Stories will come out of MPs pleading that they voted differently from the way recorded, and that there is something wrong with the system.
I would be for such a system to be provided for extremis cases: the past stories of people being dragged into the HoC from their deathbeds are not good for them or democracy. Rory Stewart's example of attending a sister's wedding would be another good example, as would an illness. Laziness would not be.
But the current system is the most secure, and gives the public the most visibility. That matters.
Another reason it will not happen is that it gives the whips less power. It's easier to rebel if you don't need to feel their immediate wrath.
Do you think Britain would be better or worse off economically if we left the European Union, or would it make no difference?
Better off: 34(+2) Worse off:33(-1) No diff: 15(-2)
Do you think it would be good or bad for jobs and employment if Britain left the European Union, or would it make no difference Good:35(+6) Bad:30(-3) No diff: 17(-3)
And do you think you personally would be better or worse off if we left the European Union, or would it make no difference? Better:22(+1) Worse:19(-4) No diff:41(+3)
Thinking about the way the government is cutting spending to reduce the government's deficit, do you think this is... Good or bad for the economy? Good:41(+2) Bad:41(-4)
Fairly: 29(+1) Unfairly: 56(-2)
Necessary: 58(+4) Unnecessary: 26(-4)
Too deep: 40(-1) Too shallow:12(-2) Right: 30(+3)
Too quick:42(-1) Too slow:13(-1) Right: 31(+3)
Having an impact on my life;57(-2) Not having:32 (+2)
And who do you think is most to blame for the current spending cuts? The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition: 25(-3) Last Labour government::36(+2) Both: 28(+1)
Also all the hoohaa about Rory Stewart earlier - no-one seems to have asked a simple question.
Why do the MPs all have to turn up in person to vote? Surely it wouldn't be that hard in the case of an unexpected recall to enable MPs who can't make it in person to e-mail their vote to the speaker?
Exactly, this problem is completely self-inflicted. Maybe email isn't ideal, but they should be able to do the damn thing online.
You think attending the debate before the vote counts for absolutely nothing?
If they can't be arsed to get to Westminster they should stand down in favor of those who can. I would be in favor of creating a simple web form on which they can apply for the Chiltern Hundreds without getting out of bed.
Also all the hoohaa about Rory Stewart earlier - no-one seems to have asked a simple question.
Why do the MPs all have to turn up in person to vote? Surely it wouldn't be that hard in the case of an unexpected recall to enable MPs who can't make it in person to e-mail their vote to the speaker?
Exactly, this problem is completely self-inflicted. Maybe email isn't ideal, but they should be able to do the damn thing online.
You think attending the debate before the vote counts for absolutely nothing?
If they can't be arsed to get to Westminster they should stand down in favor of those who can. I would be in favor of creating a simple web form on which they can apply for the Chiltern Hundreds without getting out of bed.
Attending the debate isn't currently a requirement to vote. IIUC a lot of MPs already watch / listen from their offices while doing other work.
I would not say it's easy to provide a secure system, even for just 700 people. (Although surely you'd want to extend this to the Lords as well?) And security matters in this case.
But as with all computer systems, don't forget the human factor. It will not be long before stories come out of MPs having pressed the wrong button, of their child / dog / cat having voted by mistake. Of power cuts or Internet outages preventing them from voting. Stories will come out of MPs pleading that they voted differently from the way recorded, and that there is something wrong with the system.
I would be for such a system to be provided for extremis cases: the past stories of people being dragged into the HoC from their deathbeds are not good for them or democracy. Rory Stewart's example of attending a sister's wedding would be another good example, as would an illness. Laziness would not be.
But the current system is the most secure, and gives the public the most visibility. That matters.
Another reason it will not happen is that it gives the whips less power. It's easier to rebel if you don't need to feel their immediate wrath.
The current system has horrible visibility. You don't know how they voted until you get the result from the teller, which they sometimes cock up. The UI is also poor, and MPs sometimes walk through the wrong lobby. No UI is entirely idiot-proof, but you could certainly make an online system that was harder to screw up than the current one.
The Yougov internals show only modest movements but they suggest that the EU argument is still trending in terms of those who want to leave. The biggest argument for membership has always been that the single market is good for the economy and jobs. We now seem to be at a point where the majority believe the reverse.
It is something to think about for those who like to claim that our press does not have influence any more. The BBC and most of the TV media are strongly in favour of the EU but the papers are the opposite and seem to be winning the argument.
It will not be easy for the tories to squeeze UKIP when these sorts of beliefs are so widespread. My guess is that business, on the whole, remains strongly in favour but that the consequences of free movement of people for those looking for low skilled work in this country are the driver.
I remember this being an issue last year - guess not much has changed or will change for a long while yet. I'm just gobsmacked that a child doesn't know its name or can't talk or needs a nappy at 4 or 5yrs old unless they're seriously low in the IQ or physically disabled. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/education/article3858976.ece A dog could do this by the same time...
" It says: “Staff . . . are increasingly expected to deal with basic development issues like potty-training. In some schools, we have heard that it is so common for the pupils to need help going to the toilet that teachers must routinely carry disposable hand gloves.”
The report quotes a survey where more than 60 per cent of primary school staff said they had noticed an increase in the number of children wetting or soiling themselves during the school day over the past five years. One head teacher told the CSJ: “In the past three years we have had to toilet-train children who came to school in nappies at age five. Parents ask how we managed to do it. Many of them just can’t be bothered, they think it’s our responsibility to do it for them.”
The researchers also found that some children were aggressive because they had not had strong interaction with adults and other children. Mark Edwards, the principal of Manston St James Primary Academy in Leeds, told the researchers: “Sometimes I see children arriving at school aged four or five unable to string a sentence together, almost completely unable to speak. I can easily spot which children have not gone to nursery. These children get easily frustrated, explaining why some bite or lash out in the classroom.”
Also all the hoohaa about Rory Stewart earlier - no-one seems to have asked a simple question.
Why do the MPs all have to turn up in person to vote? Surely it wouldn't be that hard in the case of an unexpected recall to enable MPs who can't make it in person to e-mail their vote to the speaker?
Exactly, this problem is completely self-inflicted. Maybe email isn't ideal, but they should be able to do the damn thing online.
You think attending the debate before the vote counts for absolutely nothing?
If they can't be arsed to get to Westminster they should stand down in favor of those who can. I would be in favor of creating a simple web form on which they can apply for the Chiltern Hundreds without getting out of bed.
Attending the debate isn't currently a requirement to vote. IIUC a lot of MPs already watch / listen from their offices while doing other work.
I know it isn't but remote voting isn't going to improve performance. And you can't concentrate properly on a debate while"doing other work". Let's keep voting in person, keep the census and in general be guided by Weatherbys' approach who won't let a horse into the stud book unless it's the result of "natural covering" because that's the way it's always been done, so none of this AI and cloning nonsense.
I see FPT that the usual swivel eyed Tories were anguished over the independence poll and fact that it was not a mickey mouse one like YouGov showing massive unionist lead. It is easy to see why a donkey like Cameron can become PM when you read the witterings of these halfwits. What will become of them as more and more polls start to show reality and the fact that the swing will all be to YES. The sad unionist tales of how e will be bankrupt living in the open , starving with no other country will to engage with us etc etc is having its guaranteed impact. People see the unionists for what they are , carpetbaggers with no clue on reality.
I think the key to this blogging lark is finding the sweet spot where what you opine is deeply annoying and contentious, but also horribly possible (which makes what you say even more annoying) - without it actually being SO annoying that it tips people over into murdering you.
On that basis... I might avoid matters Liverpudlian. Howeer Nigel Farage is an interesting target. Trouble is I quite like him. Hm.
It would be good to go against the grain. Maybe I could attack attention seeking bloggers. That Mike Smithson fella! Never liked him.
"Why the Scots won't vote for independence, as they wouldn't be able to blame the English any more"?
Or why they only win opinion polls they load?
I see the sad exile has been whinging and frothing at the mouth most of the night. What really happened to you to make you so sad and bitter.
I know it isn't but remote voting isn't going to improve performance. And you can't concentrate properly on a debate while"doing other work".
It may well improve performance to be working remotely. Especially if you do what I suggested earlier and have them record a three-minute clip explaining their remote vote - that actually lets you check whether they've been paying attention.
BTW this isn't really relevant to the online voting question because there's no obvious connection between what you're doing during the vote and what you're doing during the debate, but the contentious debates look very noisy and probably aren't particularly good environments for thinking. During the non-contentious debates there hardly seems to be anyone there in the first place. It strikes me that if you were just trying to figure out which way to vote, you'd be better off being in front of your computer with access to all kinds of materials that would help you check facts and background.
As someone who worked on both the 2001 and the 2011, I'd be sorry to see it go.
Although it doesn't measure the total population (the ones that are missing are a subset and not a representative subset), and it's not a weighted sample, it has two major advantages:
(1) It is invaluable for family historians. (2) It provides me with lucrative employment every decade.
And if you take into account its faults, it provides one measure of our changing population. Although with immigration patterns variable, the predictions about school places, hospital needs and other welfare requirements can only be estimates.
The Yougov internals show only modest movements but they suggest that the EU argument is still trending in terms of those who want to leave. The biggest argument for membership has always been that the single market is good for the economy and jobs. We now seem to be at a point where the majority believe the reverse.
It is something to think about for those who like to claim that our press does not have influence any more. The BBC and most of the TV media are strongly in favour of the EU but the papers are the opposite and seem to be winning the argument.
It will not be easy for the tories to squeeze UKIP when these sorts of beliefs are so widespread. My guess is that business, on the whole, remains strongly in favour but that the consequences of free movement of people for those looking for low skilled work in this country are the driver.
Well, this will make a change from the Nats pretending that YouGov is uniquely biased and Panelbase uniquely balanced - especially when commissioned by the SNP....
Still bumping your gums sad one , you would think you hate Scotland the way you go on and on and on and on, typical Tory
Comments
Looks as if th German Security Service has assessed Assads forces did indeed launch chemical weapons attack in Damascus.
Curiously they appear to have an intercept between Hizbollah and Iranian officials acknowledging the Assad regime attack.
Ukip's would have been the biggest if the vote had gone the other way.
https://mobile.twitter.com/thetimes/status/374649468437540864/photo/1?screen_name=thetimes
Why not give yourself a real challenge, and go for Canadians?
It's the marginal seats that matter of course, not what happens in safe seats.
The telegraph comments is a nest of Kippers, so how about a hymmn of praise for islamic family values? Or perhaps a suggestion that we should have the EU decide whether we bomb Syria?
I know other polls have shown Rudd holding his seat, but the fact that any polls have shown him possibly in trouble is noteworthy IMO.
Claim that there's been an outbreak of women being raped by them.
Then use this 'fact' as an excuse to plug 'The Bible of the Dead' and your other books.
For maximum controversey specify the racial background of the women supposedly being raped by mountain gorillas.
Suggest its all the fault of David Attenborough.
It really is rather good. Tom Watson may be a prize wally, but credit to him on spotting Drenge.
Or both.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/08/30/squatting-law_n_3843266.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular
Bravo! An absolute disgrace sorted out, years after everyone knew it was an appalling injustice. The fact that squatters could just steal the house of an ordinary family without committing an offence, and without the police taking the slightest interest or being able to help families recover their homes, was an absolutely extraordinary injustice. Now sorted.
The growth in rents has been falling as house prices have begun to recover.
Now they just need to extend the rules to cover commercial property (why the heck didn't they include that first time round - did they just not think?)
Watch David Frost interview Enoch Powell on you tube and I don't think any anti mass immigration scribe will be able to stop themselves writing a unflattering obituary
As for the census, I don't think it's anything to have a fetish about. It's a straightforward cost/benefit analysis. Some of the comments from you and others imply that the cost is not a relevant consideration.
For the avoidance of doubt, I wasn't praising the journalistic expertise of HuffPost!
I don't think Labour understand the meaning of a cost/benefit analysis.
But tim and his like have an eye for part-time day carers of the handicapped who need paying for a spare room and conifer tree plantations which need to be hugged by hikers.
If luvvies like Alan Bennett can call library closures "child abuse", all it needs is for Lord Baldrick to claim that ditching the census is desecrating the tombstones of history and the lefties are onto a winner.
Last night I posted on what appeared to be an insurgent offensive North East of Damascus. So far there are unconfirmed reports of it gaining noticeable traction. The insurgents often operate what is essentially in and out then clear out operations less with the aim of holding territory as stretching and weakening Assad's forces. Whether this such a move or seizing of territory on this front remains to be seen.
Rumours of a defection of an senor Alawite official remain unconfirmed. Admittedly they do tend overall to follow but there have been some that simply did not transpire.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-03/election-live3a-september-3/4930660
Can EU stop Maude getting rid of the census? Or will it be the new campaign theme for 2014 Euro elections?
http://www.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2013/calculator/?mode=overall&overall=-4.1&nsw=0&vic=0&qld=0&wa=0&sa=0&tas=0&act=0&nt=0&retiringmps=false
I guess what is going on is an announcement that it is to be axed as a government expense in the expectation that counter-proposals will be made to preserve it. There is plenty of time for a wide consultation of users to look at alternatives.
Subcontracting to the private sector makes sense with statutory powers granted where it is necessary to enforce data provision. A monolithic state managed decannual paper based survey probably isn't most appropriate way to collect required data today..
But I agree the emphasis should be on reform and enhancements rather than closure.
Dispassionate analysis rather than sentimental outrage is what is required.
But I agree that if an angry media and political campaign is launched there is a real prospect of a government U-turn just because the political capital lost would outway the financial savings.
As with the forests, the benefits of reform may be lost in the hunt for a partisan victory.
THINK.
Is the way the census is currently organised the most efficient and effective way of obtaining, storing, analysing and presenting data?
Are there better ways of providing this service? More data rich, more accurate, more timely, more cost efficient?
These are the questions which should be asked. Not a campaign to preserve warm beer.
"Comedian Rory Bremner was flattered to receive a text last week from Tory MP Zac Goldsmith confessing he had no idea what to do about the Syria vote and appealing for advice. Before Bremner could compose a reply, he received another message: ‘Sorry, wrong Rory!’ Goldsmith had intended to text his Eton contemporary Rory Stewart, foreign policy adviser to David Cameron and all-round expert on Arab matters known as Florence of Belgravia. Goldsmith ended up voting with the Government. ‘Florence’ abstained to attend his sister’s wedding."
"Sir David Frost, who has died aged 74, was never one for cattle class. But when he and the rest of TV-AM’s ‘famous five’ were criticised for travelling by first class rail to promote the franchise, colleague Michael Parkinson says that Frosty chose to lead by example by taking a second class train to Darlington. Says Parky: ‘However, he forgot to cancel the Bentley he had ordered to meet him at our destination. I shall treasure the memory of David walking briskly down the platform being shadowed all the way by his limousine and attempting to shoo it away with muttered instructions to “b***** off”.’"
Nimbys
People who are in or watch shows like Location, Location, Location
I have seen no plausible alternative. If the quality was any worse than it already is, the information would be worthlessly unreliable.
http://jhund.co.uk/?q=node/1
He stood in Windsor in 2010
I find that surprising from someone who gives his time and skills to Wikipedia.
Say I was Maude and called you in to the Cabinet Office and asked you to carry out an appraisal of the current census system and to develop alternatives which both reduced cost and improved functions and scope, I bet you wouldn't recommend the status quo.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/aug/22/baghdad-library-architects-design-tender
Name
Surname
date of birth
do you own your house?
how many families live in your house?
how large is it?
how many rooms?
how many kitchens?
how many bathrooms?
do you have hot water?
how do you get hot water for the shower?
what kind of heating system do you have?
do you have renewable energies? (Immigrants tend to answer yes even if it's not true. Not sure what they think they are)
do you have air conditioning?
how many cars?
and cell phones?
internet?
what kind of connection?
are you registreted in this municipality?
marital status?
when did you marry?
marital status before marriage
Citizenship
which country your parents were born it?
when do you come in Italy for the first time?
where were you on October 9?
And 5 years ago?
10 years ago?
Education
do you work?
searching for work?
current/previous job
where do you work/study?
at what time do you get out of home to go to work/school last Wendesday?
what kind of transport did you use?
do you come back at night?
can you see?
can you hear?
can you walk?
can you remember things?
Finished
Why do the MPs all have to turn up in person to vote? Surely it wouldn't be that hard in the case of an unexpected recall to enable MPs who can't make it in person to e-mail their vote to the speaker?
Not that I would want to know, but just interested. In the UK it's 100 years I think.
I don't understand the question? Isn't the 2011 census data already available? I am missing something
Or conversely, the lazy f***s could just turn up and walk thru the yes or no lobbies like they're actually paid to.
But as with all computer systems, don't forget the human factor. It will not be long before stories come out of MPs having pressed the wrong button, of their child / dog / cat having voted by mistake. Of power cuts or Internet outages preventing them from voting. Stories will come out of MPs pleading that they voted differently from the way recorded, and that there is something wrong with the system.
I would be for such a system to be provided for extremis cases: the past stories of people being dragged into the HoC from their deathbeds are not good for them or democracy. Rory Stewart's example of attending a sister's wedding would be another good example, as would an illness. Laziness would not be.
But the current system is the most secure, and gives the public the most visibility. That matters.
Another reason it will not happen is that it gives the whips less power. It's easier to rebel if you don't need to feel their immediate wrath.
Do you think Britain would be better or worse off
economically if we left the European Union, or
would it make no difference?
Better off: 34(+2)
Worse off:33(-1)
No diff: 15(-2)
Do you think it would be good or bad for jobs
and employment if Britain left the European
Union, or would it make no difference
Good:35(+6)
Bad:30(-3)
No diff: 17(-3)
And do you think you personally would be better
or worse off if we left the European Union, or
would it make no difference?
Better:22(+1)
Worse:19(-4)
No diff:41(+3)
Thinking about the way the government is
cutting spending to reduce the government's
deficit, do you think this is...
Good or bad for the economy?
Good:41(+2)
Bad:41(-4)
Fairly: 29(+1)
Unfairly: 56(-2)
Necessary: 58(+4)
Unnecessary: 26(-4)
Too deep: 40(-1)
Too shallow:12(-2)
Right: 30(+3)
Too quick:42(-1)
Too slow:13(-1)
Right: 31(+3)
Having an impact on my life;57(-2)
Not having:32 (+2)
And who do you think is most to blame for the
current spending cuts?
The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition: 25(-3)
Last Labour government::36(+2)
Both: 28(+1)
If they can't be arsed to get to Westminster they should stand down in favor of those who can. I would be in favor of creating a simple web form on which they can apply for the Chiltern Hundreds without getting out of bed.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/syria-action-backed-under-independence-salmond-1-3071423
It is something to think about for those who like to claim that our press does not have influence any more. The BBC and most of the TV media are strongly in favour of the EU but the papers are the opposite and seem to be winning the argument.
It will not be easy for the tories to squeeze UKIP when these sorts of beliefs are so widespread. My guess is that business, on the whole, remains strongly in favour but that the consequences of free movement of people for those looking for low skilled work in this country are the driver.
And don't knock the shortbread. The front of those boxes is the only place you might find evidence of the existence of a Scottish army.
" It says: “Staff . . . are increasingly expected to deal with basic development issues like potty-training. In some schools, we have heard that it is so common for the pupils to need help going to the toilet that teachers must routinely carry disposable hand gloves.”
The report quotes a survey where more than 60 per cent of primary school staff said they had noticed an increase in the number of children wetting or soiling themselves during the school day over the past five years. One head teacher told the CSJ: “In the past three years we have had to toilet-train children who came to school in nappies at age five. Parents ask how we managed to do it. Many of them just can’t be bothered, they think it’s our responsibility to do it for them.”
The researchers also found that some children were aggressive because they had not had strong interaction with adults and other children. Mark Edwards, the principal of Manston St James Primary Academy in Leeds, told the researchers: “Sometimes I see children arriving at school aged four or five unable to string a sentence together, almost completely unable to speak. I can easily spot which children have not gone to nursery. These children get easily frustrated, explaining why some bite or lash out in the classroom.”
As an aside when I was up at Edinburgh Castle last week I thought, post Indy presumably the Tattoo would go. What would be the point ?
What will become of them as more and more polls start to show reality and the fact that the swing will all be to YES. The sad unionist tales of how e will be bankrupt living in the open , starving with no other country will to engage with us etc etc is having its guaranteed impact. People see the unionists for what they are , carpetbaggers with no clue on reality.
BTW this isn't really relevant to the online voting question because there's no obvious connection between what you're doing during the vote and what you're doing during the debate, but the contentious debates look very noisy and probably aren't particularly good environments for thinking. During the non-contentious debates there hardly seems to be anyone there in the first place. It strikes me that if you were just trying to figure out which way to vote, you'd be better off being in front of your computer with access to all kinds of materials that would help you check facts and background.
As someone who worked on both the 2001 and the 2011, I'd be sorry to see it go.
Although it doesn't measure the total population (the ones that are missing are a subset and not a representative subset), and it's not a weighted sample, it has two major advantages:
(1) It is invaluable for family historians.
(2) It provides me with lucrative employment every decade.
And if you take into account its faults, it provides one measure of our changing population. Although with immigration patterns variable, the predictions about school places, hospital needs and other welfare requirements can only be estimates.
I am still trying to understand my dads pro EU Kipper philosophy. I think he just wants to kick the buggers by NOTA.
Mind you the polls do show that a lot of SNP are wanting to vote against independence.
Nowt queerer than folk.